What are the top 3 exercises for lower back pain? Almost everyone experiences some lower back pain or discomfort from time to time. It can range from minor as tenderness when we stand in a specific position to as severe as debilitating pain, no matter what we try to do.
And because lower back pain can severely impact our productivity, ability to move, mood, and daily life as a whole, it’s vital to take actionable steps to cure it and prevent it from occurring in the future.
To that end, we’ve put together this list of the top three exercises for lower back pain.
One of the best exercises to reduce lower back pain is the Bird Dog.
The bird dog is a fantastic core exercise that promotes core stability, teaches us how to involve our midsection during movement, and helps relieve back pain.
More specifically, the bird dog movement strengthens our abdominals, lower back, and hip flexors. As a result, we get better at maintaining a neutral spine, our posture improves, and we relieve back pain and discomfort.
What’s even better about this movement is that it is suitable for people of all fitness levels. The bird dog is also great for seniors who are suffering from backaches.
How to perform the Bird Dog: bring your shoulder blades together. Lift your right arm and left leg, keeping your shoulders and hips parallel to the floor. Stretch the back of your neck and pull your chin into your chest to look down at the floor. Hold this position for a few seconds, then lower back down to the starting position.
You should start with one to three sets of 10 to 20 reps per leg-arm combination. So, 10-20 reps for your left arm-right leg and 10-20 reps for your opposite limbs.
Glute Bridges are an excellent remedy for lower back pain because it strengthens your core.
Glute bridges are a safe and incredibly effective exercise that strengthens the entire core and promotes proper spine alignment. More specifically, glute bridges train our posterior chain – hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. But the exercise also strengthens our abdominals, transverse abdominis, and hip flexors.
What’s even better about glute bridges is that people of all fitness levels can use it, and if the classic version is too easy, you can always do it with one leg at a time.
How to perform Glute Bridges: lie down face-up on the ground, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep your arms at your side with your palms face down. Lift your hips off the floor until your knees, hips, and shoulders form a line. Hold your bridged position for a couple of seconds before going back down slowly.
Begin with one to three sets of 10 to 30 repetitions, do the exercise slowly, and make sure to squeeze your glutes at the top position.
Wall-Sit, one of the best exercises for lower back pain, gets the job done.
As an isometric exercise, wall sits are particularly beneficial for people who find that dynamic movements bother their lower back. So, by doing wall sits, such people, can strengthen their core without putting more stress on the lower back.
The exercise itself does a great job of strengthening the lower body, glutes, lower back, and abs. What’s more, wall-sits promote proper posture and healthy spinal alignment.
How to perform Wall-Sit: lean on a wall with your back and your feet shoulder-width apart. Then press your back against the wall and slide down the wall until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Your knees must be above your ankles and bent at 90 degrees. Keep your head, shoulders, and upper back against the wall.
To start, try holding a 30-second position. If you can’t, hold for as long as you can and call it a day. Ideally, you should be able to add seconds to the wall sit every few days.
Some words on safety and what to be careful of
These are some fantastic exercises that can help reduce lower back pain and prevent it from occurring in the future. But, it’s important to remember that if you’re feeling pain in your lower back while doing any of these exercises, you should stop immediately.
In some cases, seeking professional help might be the best course of action. Still, this shouldn’t discourage you from trying the exercises from above, as they certainly offer many benefits and do a great job of strengthening the core musculature.
