4 exercises for people with back pain

#BackPainFromSittingTooLong #PainGettingOutOfBed #PainWhenDriving 

Many people have recurring back pain because their core muscles are weak, which means they cannot cope with various activities and easily injure their spine. So we will recommend some exercises to strengthen your core muscles. 

First, let's understand the core muscles. The core muscles are the muscles close to the centre of the trunk. They move the spine, enabling activities such as twisting to pick something up or lifting objects. In addition, when you move your arms or legs, the core muscles maintain your posture, keeping the trunk stable and increasing the stability of the spine.

Exercises to strengthen the core muscles are therefore important for preventing spinal injuries. The key core muscles that support the structure of the spine are:

1. Transverse abdominis muscle (deep abdominal muscle)

2. Multifidus muscle (deep back muscle)

3. Diaphragm

4. Pelvic floor (pelvic floor muscles)

Core stabiliser exercises

  1. "DEAD BUG" This exercise strengthens the deep abdominal muscle (transverse abdominis)  together with breathing in and out, which helps strengthen the diaphragm.

- Start by lying on your back with your arms raised straight up and both knees and hips bent at right angles to the floor. Breathe in, then draw in your stomach (tighten your abdominal muscles). Breathe out and lower one arm all the way back until it is parallel to the floor while straightening the opposite leg. Then return to the starting position while breathing in. Alternate sides, 10 times. 

  2. "BIRD DOG" This exercise strengthens the deep back muscle (multifidus). 

- Start on all fours, with your arms and legs at right angles to the floor, your hands shoulder-width apart and your knees hip-width apart. Extend one arm forward and the opposite leg backwards, keeping your back and hips straight and still. Then slowly bring the arm and leg back to the starting position. Alternate sides, repeating 10 times.

  3. "BRIDGING" This exercise strengthens the buttock, hip, abdominal and lower back muscles, as well as the pelvic floor muscles.

- Start by lying on your back without a pillow, with your legs hip-width apart and both knees raised, so that your hips are bent about 40 degrees and your knees about 80 degrees. Squeeze your buttocks, tighten your abdominal muscles and lift your hips until your back is straight. Try to control the movement so you do not shake; if you shake, you can lower the height. Hold for 10 seconds, then return your hips to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

 4. "ELBOW PLANK" This is probably an exercise many people know and have done. It strengthens all the core muscles.

- Lie face down with your elbows bent at 90 degrees on the floor, then lift your body so that your trunk and hips are straight and parallel to the floor. Hold for 15–30 seconds and repeat 3–5 times.
Give them a try to reduce your back pain and prevent it from coming back.