In almost all cases, staying active and continuing to exercise will help you recover faster from back pain and protect your back from further injury. In this post, our London chiropractor will share a few of the exercises that we often recommend to patients with back pain. These full body and back exercises are safe and ideal for rejuvenating the condition of the back.
How does exercise reduce back pain?
Exercise is effective at relieving back pain for several reasons. Regular exercise helps you develop stronger back and core muscles, which will provide more support for your spine and reduce the risk of injury. Working out increases the activity of the cardiovascular system, sending more oxygen-rich blood flow to your back. This additional blood flow can help your back heal faster and reduces inflammation.
Increased flexibility in your muscles, tendons, and ligaments makes it easier to perform day-to-day activities and avoid injury. It’s also useful for achieving improved sporting performance.
Before you start exercising
If you have a lot of back pain, haven’t exercised in a while, or have chronic medical problems, talk to a doctor before commencing any new exercise program, even more so before performing back exercises. If you are out of shape, start slowly then gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts. Aim for consistency until you are starting to feel fit, then slowly increase your exertion levels.
Swimming for back pain
When patients visit our London chiropractic clinic complaining of osteoarthritis, bad knees, sore hip joints, or severe lower back pain, we often recommend swimming as a way to improve their physical condition.
Swimming is an extremely low impact form of exercise that delivers some incredible health benefits. You can either swim laps at a local pool or enroll in a water aerobics class. Both activities will strengthen your core, improve your cardiovascular health, and give you more stamina.
Walking for back pain
Walking is a great way to strengthen the back muscles and boost cardiovascular performance without any risk of injury.
To get started, simply walk around your local park for 20 to 30 minutes each day. Gradually lengthen the duration and intensity of your walking sessions.
Cycling for back pain
If you prefer to travel at a slightly faster speed, jump on a bike. Aside from being a lot of fun, cycling is less jarring on the spine than other forms of exercise. It can significantly improve cardiovascular health while strengthening leg muscles and boosting joint health. If your balance isn’t the best, use a stationary bike.
Resistance exercises
A resistance exercise is any form of exercise where your muscles contact against an external force. This includes activities like free weights, weight machines, and medicine balls.
However, if you have a sore back, you may find that some types of resistance exercises are unsuitable. For example, it’s not advisable to perform setups or use heavy free weights when you have lower back problems, as it can exacerbate your back issues.
One of the safer options, recommended by our London chiropractor, is to use a rubber band to create resistance.
Stretching/ Yoga are good for back pain relief
Yoga offers many benefits including improving flexibility, strength, range of motion, and general fitness. It’s also a wonderful activity for mindfulness. Regular stretching can dramatically strengthen your back muscles and increase your flexibility. The best way to develop a back safe stretching strategy is to work with a chiropractor. They will help you understand which stretches are best given the health of your spine and the fitness goals you wish to achieve.
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At Glow Health Chiropractic, our goal is to help all of our patients reach their goal of a back pain-free life.
Call us 07376 243726 to schedule your first appointment with the best chiropractor in London! You can also book an appointment online now. You can locate our Chiropractic in Covent Garden.