Avoid Being Taken Out of the Game by Back Pain by Doing These 5 Back Strengthening Exercises

Back pain is a sometimes debilitating problem for people of all walks of life and every profession. While you should always seek a professional’s help with bad back pain, there are some ways you can minimize the risk of discomfort.

Strengthening your back is the best defense, and there are several easy exercises you can do at home.

Basic Spinal Twist

This stretch is one of the easiest for your lower back. It makes a great warm-up or cool-down exercise.

Lie on your back, arms stretched out from your body. Bend your knees and put your feet flat on the floor. Lower your knees to the right; get as close to the floor as is comfortable. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds. Raise your knees and lower them to the left side. Repeat this three to five times.

Bird Dog

This stretch mimics a hunting dog pointing at its prey. Start on all fours, knees hip-width apart, hands under your shoulders. Squeeze your abs toward your spine.

Without rotating your back or hips, extend your right arm forward and your left leg back. Hold this position for up to ten seconds, depending on your strength. Lower back to starting point, and repeat with opposite arm and leg. Repeat five times on each side.

Hip Bridge

This stretch is perfect for those who spend hours sitting in a chair. Start off lying on your back, arms by your sides, feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart. Squeeze your buttocks and lift your hips from the floor to create a straight line from knees to shoulders. Hold for two seconds, then slowly lower back to the floor. Repeat 10-15 times.

To make this harder, lift one leg and hold it straight toward the ceiling. This, along with holding the pose for longer, creates a more challenging exercise.

Reverse Fly

This exercise works the upper back and shoulders, and is more difficult. It requires dumbbells, so be sure to start light and increase the weight as you become stronger.

Stand with a slight bend in your knees and bend forward at the waist. Keeping your back flat, contract the muscles of your upper back and bring your arms up to shoulder height. Pause, then bring the arms back down slowly. Concentrate on bringing your shoulder blades together.

Start with five repetitions, then move up to 10.

Alternating Superman

Make sure you have a comfortable surface to lie on, such as a yoga mat.

Lie flat on the floor with your arms above your head. To perform this exercise, lift your right arm and left leg off the floor, squeezing your buttocks and abs. Pause, and return to the floor. Ten repetitions are a good starting point. 

Back pain can become a serious issue. Make sure you talk to a specialist for pain management in NY, TX, IL, or wherever you come from if your pain continues. These five back exercises will help prevent and ease your back pain by stretching and strengthening the muscles contributing to poor posture and spinal stability.