Back

It is best to consult a medical professional to determine the extent of injury.  In the meantime, it is best to rest and use ice and limit painful activities, especially bending, twisting and lifting.  Below are listed 10 exercises that you can do for low back pain.  Only perform those as tolerated…  Don’t overdo it!

15 Exercise to do for Low Back Pain:

The first 5 are appropriate for any type of low back pain.

• Stretching: Hold 10 seconds and repeat 5 times.  Stop before pain.

1. Hamstring Stretch: Lay on your back with both knees straight.  Place hands behind one knee and extend the leg straightening the knee.  Keep the knee over the hip; do not pull the knee to your chest.  Use a towel if your arms do not reach or it is a strain on your back. 



2. Gluteal Stretch: Lay on your back with both knees bent.  Place one hand on or behind knee and pull towards chest. 



3. Piriformis Stretch: Lay on back with both knees straight.  Place one hand on or behind knee and pull towards opposite shoulder.  Do not let back rotate, only pull as far so as not to lift hip off the ground.



• Abdominal Exercises:

4. Abdominal pelvis tilt: Lay on back with knees either bent or straight.  Tighten lower abdominals by pulling navel to spine; do not push with your feet.  Do not breath in, you should actually breath out to tighten trying to flatten back to the surface.  It is a gentle task; you should not be trying to smash your back down.  Hold the position for 5-10 second and repeat for at least 1 minute, up to 3 minutes.



5. Abdominal Hip Adduction: Best performed in the starting position show above.  Only perform in sitting if sitting is not painful.  Place a ball or rolled up towel between your knees.  Tighten abdominals as decribed above then gently squeeze knees together.  Hold for 5-10 seconds and repeat for at least 1 minute, up to 3 minutes.



Increased Back Pain with Flexion:
The following 5 exercises are appropriate if your back pain is worse with activities of back flexion such as bending forward, sitting or driving and better with activities of back extension such as standing, walking or laying flat. 

6. Prone extension:  Lay on your stomach with elbows bent and arms under your shoulders.  Using only your arms, keep buttocks relaxed, lift your shoulders up so you are propped up on your elbows.  Keep your hips and lower back down on the surface.  Hold for 5 seconds then relax back down.  Repeat 10 times up to 3 sets of 10. 



7. Prone hip extension: Lay on stomach over 1-2 pillows.  Slowly lift one leg a few inches off the surface.  Do not allow you back to move.  Think about not letting a full glass of drink sitting on your lower back spill.  Alternate legs.  Start with 1 set of 10 working up to 3 sets of 10.



8. Prone hip and shoulder extension: Same as above, but add the opposite arm.  Continue alternating as stated above.  Start with 1 set of 10 working up to 3 sets of 10.



9. Seated row:  Sitting in a chair with a piece of exercise tubing secured, pull back on the ends squeezing your shoulder blades together keeping elbows close to side.  Do not allow the back to extend, only go as far up to that point.  Start with an easy band for 30 repetitions working up to 50.  Once 50 repetitions is easy, move up to a harder band starting back at 30.



10. Standing extension: Begin this exercise only once the first exercise is easy and no longer a stretch.  In standing place your hands behind your hips and extend your shoulders back.  You may also perform this holding onto a counter or rail if you feel you may lose your balance.  Start with a small amount of motion building up as your back tolerates.  Hold for 5 seconds repeat 10-20 times.



Increased Back Pain with Extension:
The following 5 exercises are appropriate if your back pain is worse with activities of back extension such as standing, walking or laying flat and better with activities of back flexion such as bending forward, sitting or driving. 

11. Quadruped lumbar flexion: Get on hands and knees and rock straight back sitting on heels.  Stretch hands forward as needed.  Hold 10 seconds.  Then walk hands to the left giving more of a stretch on the right side.  Hold 10 seconds.  Then repeat to the right.  Hold for 10 seconds.  Repeat these three 5 times each.



12. Standing posterior pelvis tilt:  In standing, tighten your abdominals and roll your pelvis underneath you as if you were trying to tuck your tail between your legs.  Try not to bend your knees. 



13. Abdominal crunches: Lay on back with knees either bent or straight.  Keep arms at side above the ground.  Tighten abdominals pulling navel to spine and slowly curl up starting with the head and neck reaching your hands towards your knees.  Do not come all the way up, only far enough so your shoulder blades are off the ground.  Do a 3 second count on the way up and a 3 second count on the way down.  Repeat 10 times working up to 50.



14. Quadruped shoulder flexion: Get on hands and knees.  Make sure back is flat, not curved up or down.  Tighten abdominals and slowly raising one arm straight in front keeping elbow straight.  Do not allow you back to move.  Think about not letting a full glass of drink sitting on your lower back spill.  Alternate legs.  Start with 1 set of 10 working up to 3 sets of 10.



15. Abdominal straight leg raise: Lay on back with on knee bent and the other leg straight.  Tighten abdominals by pulling navel to spine.  Lift straight leg up so it is even with other knee.  Keep foot flexed.  Do a 3 second count on the way up and a 3 second count on the way down.  Repeat 10 times working up to 50.  Alternate legs every 10 repetitions.

5 Bonus Exercises:

1. Sidelying hip abduction:  Lay on one side with lower knee bent and top leg straight.  Tighten abdominals by pulling navel to spine.  Slower raise top leg.  Make sure movement is coming from the hip joint and not by side flexing the spine.  You can monitor this by putting your hand on your waist.  If your waist moves, you are side flexing your spine.  Only raise the leg up high enough so as not to flex the spine.  Start with 10 repetitions working up to 50 each side.



2. Chair Squat or Wall Squat: Performa partial squat keeping knees over toes.  You can perform either by holding onto a chair or counter or by sliding on the wall.  Either way, do not let you knees go past your toes as your squat down.

        

3. Seated Row:  If you have not done these yet, now may be the time.  These are a great exercise for strengthening the upper back and shoulders.  Sitting in a chair with a piece of exercise tubing secured, pull back on the ends squeezing your shoulder blades together keeping elbows close to side.  Do not allow the back to extend, only go as far up to that point.  Start with an easy band for 30 repetitions working up to 50.  Once 50 repetitions is easy, move up to a harder band starting back at 30.



4. Quadruped hip extension:  We did shoulder flexion earlier.  This is a bit harder since the leg is quite a bit heavier.  Get on hands and knees.  Make sure back is flat, not curved up or down.  Tighten abdominals and slowly raising one leg straight back keeping knee straight.  Do not allow you back to move.  Think about not letting a full glass of drink sitting on your lower back spill.  Alternate legs.  Start with 1 set of 10 working up to 3 sets of 10.



5. Iliopsoas and Quadriceps stretch: Stand holding onto chair or counter with one foot back on a chair or table.  Keep back straight.  Bring back knee as far back as possible, then bend standing leg lowering body.  You should feel a stretch in the back leg’s hip and thigh.  Hold position for 10 seconds.  Repeat 5 times.  Do both legs.