How to Fix Your Back at Home
It’s estimated that 80% of adults will experience lower back pain at least once in their lives. That’s currently 1 in 5 of us suffering. Around 50% of those people will go on to experience back pain again. Try these tips to fix your back pain yourself, suggested by our chiropractors.
Causes of Low Back Pain
- Sitting
- Poor posture
- Sleeping on your front
- Awkward work positions
- Muscle weakness and imbalances
Since there are so many causes of lower back pain, there are also many sources. Most commonly we find back pain comes from the sacroiliac joint, the lumbar (low back) joints, QL muscles and injury to the discs. The following exercises will enhance the endurance in muscles which provide stability to the spine to help achieve lower back pain relief:
The Abdominal Brace
First things first, you need to nail the abdominal brace to achieve spinal stability. The abdominal brace engages all of the key muscles and prevents damage to the spine. Think of it as creating a stiff muscular corset. The goal is to use the brace when exercising and also when performing daily tasks like moving from sitting to standing.
To brace, place your fingers on the side of your stomach. Gently stiffen the abdominal muscles as if you were just about to be punched and you should feel your fingers being pushed out. You can adjust the brace to fit the level of activity. For example, lifting a heavy weight will require a stiffer brace, while activities that require posture control (sit to stand) you would stiffen less.
Top 3 Exercises for Lower Back Pain Relief
1. Bird Dog
Assume the table top position with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Raise one arm forward while simultaneously extending the opposite leg back. Ensure your hips stay aligned with your back to avoid twisting. You should be engaging a light abdominal brace throughout. Then repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
Don’t look up during the exercise. Look down at the ground keeping your neck in a nice neutral position. This will prevent your back from arching. If you find your lower back is twisting, stop. Make the exercise easier by widening your stance or extending either your arm or leg at one time.
2. Gluteal Bridge
Spending all day sitting behind a desk is a quick way to turn off the glute muscles and cause lower back problems. The importance of strong gluteal muscles are often talked about for good reason. Being the biggest muscle group in the body, we use them the most and they’re important for stabilising the pelvis, keeping us upright and pushing our bodies forward. Strong gluteal muscles can help you avoid and recover from low back, hip, knee and ankle injuries.
Lie on your back with your feet on the ground and arms down by your side. Engage your abdominal brace and squeeze those glutes as you push your hips up until your low back, hips and knees are in a straight line. Hold for a few seconds before slowly lowering yourself down.
Avoid over-arching. Don’t push your hips so high that you exaggerate the lower backs natural curve, otherwise you’ll add extra strain to the muscles and joints in that area. To make this exercise harder, wrap a resistance band around your knees to really engage your glute muscles.
3. Dead Bug
The Dead Bug exercise is a simple move to strengthen your abs and core without straining your lower back.
Lie on the floor with your arms and legs in the air, knees bent 90 degrees. Push your belly button down into the floor to flatten the small of your back. Slowly and simultaneously lower your arm and opposite leg until your limbs almost touches the floor. Pause, then return to the start and repeat on the opposite side.
To prevent back pain during this exercise, focus on flattening your spine into the ground. Think about bringing your ribcage down and pulling your hips closer to your ribs.
Best Stretch for Lower Back Pain Relief
Cat Camel
We’re often asked what is the best stretch for lower back pain relief? The Cat Camel exercise is a gentle mobilisation for your spine and surrounding muscles. It helps to reduce back pain and increases spinal mobility which is useful for warming up and protecting the spine.
On all fours place your hands under your shoulders and knees underneath your hips. Squeeze your abdominal brace. Arch your spine towards the ceiling whilst tucking your pelvis in. Let your head drop. Hold the position
then slowly drop your torso into a downward arch and stick your tailbone out. Repeat 8-10 times.
Hopefully you find this information helpful. If you have tried these exercises and are still experiencing back pain, book now to see your local chiropractor.