Lower Back Pain – We all need to take a healthy body free from pain and stiffness. But, unfortunately, our frame (our musculoskeletal structure), the one that supports us during our activities, can be at the center of many health problems, especially when there is premature wear of the lumbar vertebrae.
This guide shows one way to slow down this wear and gain mobility. Specific exercises are offered there, based on the recommendations of various health professionals and my own clinical experience with many clients suffering from low back pain.
If you are anxious about starting an exercise program or have any questions, do not hesitate to do it. You will thus be able to obtain personalized support in the comfort of your own home.
Sitting – Not Easy for Lower Back Pain
The lumbar vertebrae, the joints between them, and their muscles are living structures. It means that they must be nourished to be healthy and strong. However, it is now proven that specific postures at work, mainly when seated for long periods, hinder the renewal of these structures. If prolonged, the sitting position is not “restful” for the back. Here’s what’s going on:
- The nutrients do not reach the intervertebral discs (the pressure they are under is the cause).
- In the absence of movement, the synovia (responsible for providing nutrients) is no longer secreted, which causes the facet joints to waste away.
- The psoas muscle, which attaches to the lumbar vertebrae, tends to retract and lose its flexibility.
Less back pain from exercise
The body forms a whole whose parts respond to each other, the more flexible we are (especially the back), the more mobility it facilitates. And the more you can move, the more flexibility increases. Good general mobility ensures the appropriate distribution of loads, reducing movement and making body movements more harmonious.
The exercises presented here intend to help you maintain or develop flexibility in your spine by targeting the lumbar vertebrae. These exercises:
- aim to keep your joints healthy by stimulating the production of synovial fluid; the synovium also reduces friction by lubricating the joint and absorbing shock;
- help supply your intervertebral discs with nutrients and oxygen, and facilitate the elimination of their metabolic wastes;
- help stretch and relax the muscles attached to the lumbar vertebrae.
Ten minutes a day for a supple and solid back a long time!
Lumbar health is like many other things: it can be “maintained.” Therefore, the program that we Life Bloom Beauty.com proposes to you for this purpose divides into two phases: specific stretches during the first phase; exercises aimed at maintaining spinal flexibility during the second.
These exercises intende for people who wish to have a tool allowing them to prevent the progression of an existing condition, which is not too intense, such as:
- Osteoarthritis in the back;
- Old lumbar sprain (spasm) ;
- Herniated disc ;
- Scoliosis;
- Chronic low back pain;
Important – Contact a healthcare professional if your back pain is very severe or if pain appears during the session. Also, make sure that the exercises and stretches offered here are suitable for your physical condition.
Stretches for the lower back
Stretching is a slow gesture and movement. It put stress on your joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Therefore, you must listen to your body when doing your stretches. To avoid injury and maximize profits, you should:
- stop stretching when pain appears;
- hold each posture (painless) for 30 seconds ;
- feel a slight feeling of stretching (average level of tension);
- stretch often rather than occasionally;
- avoid intense stretching (high level of tension).
Stretch the sides of the trunk
- In a standing position, arms outstretched towards the sky and hands joined, tilt the trunk slightly to the right side, avoiding the axial pivoting of the chest.
- Then do the same movement on the left side.
Rotating full back stretch
- Sitting on a chair, cross your legs (left over right).
- Place your right hand on the side of your left knee, arm extended.
- First, turn your head to the left, then your shoulders and your entire trunk.
- Keep your back straight and buttocks flat on the chair.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
Three-step psoas stretch
- Put the left knee on the ground and place the other leg in front of you, bent at a right angle (genuflection); the arms remain hanging at the side of the body or may lean on an object to maintain balance.
- Straighten your back vertically, tuck your stomach in, then try to swing your pelvis.
- Finally, while having the stomach well drawn in, bend your right leg more; this will make your upper body move forward; keep your back straight.
- Repeat the same stretching steps with, this time, the right knee on the floor.
Piriformis stretch
- Lie on your back also bend your right leg so that your (right) foot is flat on the floor.
- Then, place your left ankle on your right leg, at knee height.
- Grasp your right leg (behind the knee) and pull lightly with both hands; do not lift your head or back.
- Repeat the exercise with your left foot flat on the floor at the start.
Lower back stretch
- On the ground, lying on your back, bring your legs back and grab your two knees; keep your legs together.
- Gently pull so that your knees come closer to your chest.
Exercises to maintain mobility of the spine
The exercises to do now are not stretches. You should, therefore, not create tension while performing them. As soon as you feel that it pulls a little, stop the progression of the movement. You don’t have to “go too far.” Everything should be painless. Repeat the action continuously for the two proposed exercises ( 15 repetitions ).
Spinal rotation
- Lie on your back with your legs together and bent so that your feet are flat on the floor.
- As you exhale, slowly roll your knees to the right side and, at the same time, turn your head to the left.
- As you breathe in, slowly return your knees and head to their original position.
- On the next exhale, reverse: the knees are brought down to the left side while your head turns to the right side; then, they return to their initial position.
” Dog and cat “
- On the ground, on all fours, slowly round your back while inhaling; the head and buttocks lowered and the rear raised (making the cat).
- Return to normal while exhaling and continue the descent of the back, but by raising the head and by “extending” the buttocks, the back should become slightly concave (make the dog).
- Alternate as follows: cat, dog, cat by following the breathing rhythm; the head and the pelvis should reverse the back.
Conclusion
Health in your hands – Back health is directly linked to lifestyle habits. Moving often, forcing well, not carrying too heavy loads can make all the difference. Preventing back pain also involves stretching and specific exercises, another aspect of prevention.
We Life Bloom Beauty.com hope that the guide we have just presented to you will help you in your efforts to improve your physical condition and your quality of life.
