Back pain can vacillate between mildly uncomfortable to debilitating, but it’s never welcome. What if we told you there was a way to strengthen the muscles in your back and minimize that back pain? It doesn’t involve medication, or even an adjustment. It’s something you can do daily or a few times a week, and it brings with it a slew of additional benefits. We’re talking about exercise and specifically, building your core. Here’s how a strong core can reduce back pain.
The Core & The Low Back
Your core muscles help stabilize the back. Strengthening these muscles can be an incredibly effective way to reduce low back pain – with no gym membership required. Simple stabilization exercises create the kind of support that the lumbar spine and pelvis need for less stress and pressure, which means less discomfort for you.
Full Body Exercise for Reduced Back Pain
Instead of focusing completely on a targeted core program, a full-body exercise routine has a functional approach that will still strengthen your core. A well-rounded plan should include each of the following.
- Stretching – Dr. McSweeney can demonstrate a number of effective stretches to address your current low back pain. You can incorporate stretches into your routine daily.
- Low impact cardio – From walking to spinning to swimming, low-impact aerobic exercise is good for your overall health without causing pain in the back.
- Isometrics – These exercises protect the low back by incorporating neutral spine positions. Isometric ab and low back exercises can help you develop control over these muscles that will help keep your back in the right position during riskier activities.
Before You Begin
When the goal is reducing back pain, the last thing you want to do is accidentally add to it with dangerous exercises. Certain movements can make back pain worse, and those movements can vary depending on the cause of your problem. Dr. McSweeney can help pinpoint the causes of your back pain and make recommendations for exercises and stretches that will build your core strength without adding to your back pain.