It’s extraordinarily common for people to have stiff and achy backs. Rachel Fairbank reports for The New York Times that four in five Americans have lower back pain at some point in their lives. The science suggests that exercise could prevent or reduce some lower back pain.
In particular, aerobic and core work can help with lower back pain. The key is to strengthen core muscles around your spine. These muscles keep you stable and standing up. They can be found deep in your back. They also include hip muscles, quadriceps and hamstrings.
You want to ensure your spine can move in a variety of directions as well as hold you up. Pain generally comes from a muscle pull or strain because it is weak.
What should you do to strengthen your core and become more flexible?
- Move! All day long, however you can. Walk more steps. Regular exercise makes a huge difference. It doesn’t appear to matter what type of exercise you do, just that you do it. A side benefit of exercise is that it increases blood flow to the spine and makes your spine bones and cartilage stronger.
- Exercise your deep core muscles. For example, do planks, ideally on your toes, but you can start on your knees. Squats, pushups and bridges are also good exercises for your deep core muscles. Crunches and sit-ups are great, but they don’t help strengthen those deep core muscles.
- Do Pilates! You want muscular control along your spine.
- Inject some instability into your exercise routine. This will help with coordination and control. For example, balance on something that is not level.
At the end of the day, it’s less about having big muscles than about how well you can coordinate and control the muscles surrounding your spine. Reactive sports such as tennis or hiking are helpful for improving your coordination and control.
Here’s more from Just Care:
- Treating back pain: Often, hot and cold packs and time do the trick
- Exercise helps strengthen your knees, even when it causes pain
- Aerobic exercise may be best medicine for your brain and body
- Five exercises to improve balance for safety and health
- Exercise may strengthen memory in healthy older adults
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