You may be living with lower back pain and want to get rid of it without medicine. Research shows that moving and stretching could be the best medicine for your back. Here are some tips for you that will help you to get rid of your back pain once and for all.

Back pain can be the upper back pain, mid back pain, or lower back pain, caused by a number of reasons such as nerve problems, degenerative disc disease, muscular problems, and arthritis. Some back pain can even be self-inflicted, for example, people who work at their desk for a long time may suffer from back pain. Some back pain is caused by accidents, muscle strains due to lifting heavy weight, or sports injuries.

When people suffer from any type of back pain, their natural response to it is to stay in bed and avoid all activities. However, doctors and researchers have found that staying in bed may actually make your back pain worse. While it is recommended that you take complete rest and avoid any strenuous physical work when you have back pain, you should not stay in bed all day. It has been found that back pain heals better if you provide some gentle movement to the affected areas.

Dr. Grant Cooper, MD, says that most of us are going to have some kind of a pain in their lower back at some point in their lives. Doing a few simple exercises daily will keep the back nice and healthy and will go a long way to alleviate lower back pain problems. Moving and stretching actually improves flexibility, takes pressure off the back and spine, and reduces back pain symptoms.

“Active forms of back exercises are almost always necessary to rehabilitate the spine and help alleviate back pain.” – spine-health.com | Exercise and Back Pain

When done regularly in a controlled, gradual and progressive manner, exercising your back is the most important thing in back pain relief. It keeps your discs, muscles, ligaments and joints healthy and reduces stiffness.

3 exercises to relieve your back pain

According to the Statistics on Sharecare.com 65 million Americans suffer from some sort of back pain in their lifetime. So if you are suffering from back pain, you are not alone. Try the secrets shown here – a routine compiled by spine surgeons, MD, and experts.

1. Stretching

Stretching can help almost everybody with back pain. It improves the flexibility of your muscles, tissues, soft tissues, ligaments and tendons and helps to reduce back pain symptoms.

Try this stretch: This exercise stretches your lower back, hips, and calves in standing position. Stand with your left leg forward, in front of your right leg. Bend your front knee and lower your hip and upper body with your hands on your left knee, until your front knee is bent about 90 degrees. Balance and hold this position for about 30 seconds and feel the stretch in your lower back and hips. Switch legs and repeat this exercise several times.

2. Yoga

“Balasana” by Iveto – Own work. Licensed under GFDL via Wikimedia Commons.

Yoga is an ancient form of exercise which is low impact and it combines stretching with the balancing of your body to strengthen and relax your muscles. There is nothing more effective than yoga to soothe your nerves and muscle cramps.

Try this yoga position – the child’s pose: This position stretches your lower back muscles while relaxing your whole body. Sit on the floor on your heels in a kneeling position.  Exhale, stretch your arms above your head. Bend and lower torso, stretching your arms forward and place your hands on the floor in front of you. Hold for about 30 to 60 seconds.

3. Power building squats

Doing free hand squats can strengthen your lower back. When you do squats, your whole body has to balance and stabilize itself. This strengthens all involved muscles, including your legs, hips, and lower back.

Try a power squat: Stand with your feet slightly apart with your hands stretched forward. Bend your knees and lower your body as if you are sitting on a chair. Hold this position for count one and return to starting position. Do 10-15 reps and then rest for 5 seconds. Repeat 2 more sets of 10-15 reps with 5 seconds of rest in between.

Medication can reduce your back pain symptoms but if you do not strengthen your back muscles with exercises, they are bound to return.

To reduce your back pain do all three exercises every day in a sequence and controlled manner, gradually increasing their intensity. They will increase your blood circulation and distribute nutrients evenly into the disc space and soft tissues in the back to keep the discs, muscles, ligaments, and joints healthy.

Keep these exercises as a part of your daily routine and it will help you avoid back stiffness and weakness of your back muscles and consequently, it will lower the chances of recurring severe back pain.

Remember:  these exercises are designed for normal healthy people. If you have a serious back issue, consult your doctor immediately. Pregnant women or people with specific health conditions should always consult a certified trainer or a doctor before attempting any exercises.

For more health and fitness tips from our experts at Balanced Life Team, please add your question or comments in the comment box. We’d also appreciate your feedback, so please visit our Facebook page and leave a comment there.

P.S.: We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Please let us know how you are finding them.  Practice these tips yourself and also share with your friends.

Source: Balanced Life Team

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