Best Exercises for Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is one of the most common forms of chronic pain among adults. This kind of pain isn’t just reserved for growing older. Back pain can come at any age from overuse, unaccustomed activity, excessive lifting or an accident.

Although when you’re experiencing pain, your first thought isn’t to put your sneakers on and head to the gym, doing some daily exercises are known to help strengthen your muscles and ease pain.

What are some of the best exercises for lower back pain?

Bird dog.

Get down on your hands and knees, back straight. Tighten your abdominal muscles and extend one of your legs out while keeping hips level. Hold that position for about 5 seconds and repeat with other leg. 

Partial crunches.

Lie back, and keep your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent. Put your hands behind your head or crossed in front of your chest, and raise your shoulders off the floor and keeping your stomach muscles tight. Breath out while raising your shoulders. Hold for a second before slowly lowering your shoulders back to the floor. Keep your feet, tailbone and lower back on the floor throughout the whole exercise.

Lower side plank.

Lie down on the floor on your side, and prop your torso up by your forearm with your elbow directly below your shoulder. Make sure your legs are on top of each other and bent slightly. Squeeze your core to raise your hips until your body is a straight line from your head to your knees. Hold the raised position for about five seconds, then slowly lower to the floor.

Wall sits.

Stand with your back and spine flat against a wall. Slowly slide down the wall until your knees are slightly bent and continue to press your lower back into the wall. Hold this position for about 10 seconds and slowly slide back up.

Glute bridges.

Lie on your back and bend your knees with only your heels touching the floor. Dig your heels into the floor and squeeze down on your glutes. Lift your hips until your shoulders, hips and knees make a straight line. Hold this position for about 10 seconds and slowly bring your hips back to the floor.

Hamstring stretch.

Lie on your back with one knee bent and the other straight on the floor. Thread a towel beneath the ball of the foot on your unbent leg, and pull back on the towel slowly, straightening your knee. Hold this stretch for about 15 seconds and relax.

If you’re just beginning an exercise routine, it’s okay to take it slow and break up the exercises into mini-workouts throughout the day rather than one full session. Overtime, workup to a full exercise, and you will start seeing results.