Exercises to do when you have back pain.
So what exercise can you do when your back is hurting and when all you feel like doing is getting into a hot bath and sinking. Listed below are a few activities that will be safe no matter what sort of back pain you have.
If all else fails walking is the basic minimum. Even if the walking is to the bottom of the garden and back again every half and hour or so, walking is an essential part of activity during a painful low back condition. Generally if it is at all possible walking for a least half and hour twice a day at a brisk pace will not only reduce some of symptoms that you get from back pain but will aid your recovery.
If you are suffering low back pain going to the gym would instinctively be the wrong thing to do. However, it can be very useful to get that low back moving and stretch that pain away.
The rule of thumb is that you should leave all the weights alone and concentrate on the cardio-vascular machines. Avoid the rowing machine but using the cross trainer, stepper, treadmill or bike can be really useful when you back is painful and stiff.
Exercising for therapy and exercise for prevention of back pain are sometimes different.
Swimming
Swimming breaststroke tends to arch the back or neck particularly if your face is kept out of the water and very often aggravates pre-existing back conditions. If swimming is the exercise of choice then it should be either the front crawl or back stroke. Just getting in a pool though and moving about is also good exercise even you can't do lengths.
Competitive Sports.
It is unwise to play a competitive sport at all if you have a recent onset of a low back condition. The competition element of a game like football, netball or squash makes you reach and stretch and move in ways that are not wise.
General
The golden rule is to be as active as you feel you can be. A good rule of thumb for how much exercise you do is this; if after the episode of exercise you feel worse, then perhaps you have been too enthusiastic or repeated the exercise too soon after the last lot of activity. If however, you feel better after, for example a walk, then you know you can walk more frequently and further as soon as you like.
Whilst one often experiences discomfort when you exercise, it is discomfort after the fact that is more important. Generally speaking pain during exercise does not equal damage. You should of course consult your chiropractor or practitioner about your condition whether the things above apply.
The golden rule is to be as active as you feel you can be.
If all else fails walking is the basic minimum. Even if the walking is to the bottom of the garden and back again every half and hour or so, walking is an essential part of activity during a painful low back condition. Generally if it is at all possible walking for a least half and hour twice a day at a brisk pace will not only reduce some of symptoms that you get from back pain but will aid your recovery.
If you are suffering low back pain going to the gym would instinctively be the wrong thing to do. However, it can be very useful to get that low back moving and stretch that pain away.
The rule of thumb is that you should leave all the weights alone and concentrate on the cardio-vascular machines. Avoid the rowing machine but using the cross trainer, stepper, treadmill or bike can be really useful when you back is painful and stiff.
Exercising for therapy and exercise for prevention of back pain are sometimes different.
Swimming
Swimming breaststroke tends to arch the back or neck particularly if your face is kept out of the water and very often aggravates pre-existing back conditions. If swimming is the exercise of choice then it should be either the front crawl or back stroke. Just getting in a pool though and moving about is also good exercise even you can't do lengths.
Competitive Sports.
It is unwise to play a competitive sport at all if you have a recent onset of a low back condition. The competition element of a game like football, netball or squash makes you reach and stretch and move in ways that are not wise.
General
The golden rule is to be as active as you feel you can be. A good rule of thumb for how much exercise you do is this; if after the episode of exercise you feel worse, then perhaps you have been too enthusiastic or repeated the exercise too soon after the last lot of activity. If however, you feel better after, for example a walk, then you know you can walk more frequently and further as soon as you like.
Whilst one often experiences discomfort when you exercise, it is discomfort after the fact that is more important. Generally speaking pain during exercise does not equal damage. You should of course consult your chiropractor or practitioner about your condition whether the things above apply.
The golden rule is to be as active as you feel you can be.
