Back Exercises Really Can Ease Pain

 Here are five easy back exercise that really can ease lower back pain for most people. The trick is to perform these daily and first thing in the morning before you start moving throughout your day.

One thing I like most about all of these exercises is that you have to get on the floor. As we age, and especially for those of us with limitations, inflammation and arthritis it is important to know you can continue to get yourself back up off the floor without the assistance of another person if need be. It is important to retain full body movement as much as possible, and that includes getting down on the floor and getting back up. If this is something you find difficult to do I encourage you to start practicing. You will be amazed at how resilient the body is.

Before doing any of these yoga poses I like to suggest first doing a few stretching exercises like toe touches. Only, when you are touching the toes stay there and hold that pose for a count of eight. If you are stiff, you should feel the stretch in the lower back and possibly in the backs of the legs.

After the count of eight, reach for the ceiling for a count of eight like the pose below. Repeat this toe touch exercise four or five times before doing the back exercises above.

The first back exercise, PLANK is easy on those who have pain in their wrist. It is okay to do some variation of this yoga pose if you need to for your own comfort and needs. This pose is great for your entire body and can also increase strength and stamina. Hold the pose for as long as is comfortable for you. As you do this pose daily, it will become easier and you will be able to do it longer. 

The second back exercise, BACK ARCH, is very important, and it is my opinion if you are pressed for time and can only do one exercise choose this one. It will do more to ease your lower back pain than almost any other. I would still suggest at least a few toe touches for stretching purposes first.

Swimming is a great exercise for the entire body and if this is something you can incorporate into your life I encourage you to do so.

BIRD DOG is an excellent exercise for the lower back. It not only stretches but strengthens.

Then we come to the fifth and last exercise, TABLE AND CHILD POSE. If you have bad knees and find this difficult, use a thick gymnastics mat, not a flat thin yoga mat but a thick exercise mat or, try doing this exercise on your bed. Below I have included the link to just the sort of mat so that you can get an idea of what to do look for. Often times you can find one in your local retail stores: 

Thick Yoga Mat: https://amzn.to/3JSYtZY