EXERCISES FOR LOW BACK PAIN

Most people who have back pain naturally feel better by doing certain exercises. Some feel better on sitting (their back and hips are flexed), while others feel better on standing (back and hips are extended). Exercise that moves you toward more comfortable position.

Regular exercises to restore the strength of your back and a gradual return to everyday activities are important for your full recovery. Your orthopedic doctor or physiotherapist may recommend for exercise 10 to 30 minutes a day, 1 to 3 times a day during your early recovery. They may suggest some of the following exercises. This guide can help you better understand your exercise and activity program, which should be supervised by your therapist and orthopedic surgeon.

Stretching and strengthening exercises it include:

Extension exercise

Flexion exercise

Additional exercises

Extension exercises, which stretch tissues of the front of the spine, strengthen the back muscles, and may reduce pain caused by a prolapsed disc. These are generally a good choice for people whose back pain is eased by walking and standing

Press-up back extensions

Procedure

• Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders on flat surface.
  
• Push with your hands so your shoulders begin to lift off the floor.
  
• If it's comfortable, put your elbows on the floor directly under your shoulders so you can rest in this position for several seconds.

Alternate arm and leg exercise

Do this exercise slowly. Try to keep your body straight at all times, and don't let one hip drop lower than the other.

Procedure

• Start on the flat floor, on your hands and knees.
• Tighten your stomach muscles.
• Raise one leg off the floor and hold it straight out behind you. Be careful not to let your hip drop down, because that will twist your trunk.
• Hold for 3-5 seconds, then lower your leg and change to the other leg.
• Repeat 8 to 10 times on each leg.
• work up to holding for 10 to 20 seconds each time.
• If you feel stable and secure with your leg raised, try raising the opposite arm straight out in front of you at the same time.

Flexion exercises, which strengthen stomach and other muscles, and stretch the muscles and ligaments in the back. These are generally a good choice for people whose back pain is eased by sitting down.

Knee-to-chest exercise

Do not do the knee-to-chest exercise if it increases back or leg pain.

Procedure

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the flat floor.
• Bring one knee to your chest, keeping the other foot flat on the floor.Keep your lower back pressed to the floor. Hold for at least 15 to 20 seconds.
• Relax and lower the knee to the starting position. Repeat with the other leg.
• Repeat 2 to 4 times with each leg.
• To get more stretch, put your other leg flat on the floor while pulling your knee to your chest.

Curl-ups

Procedure

• Lie on the flat floor on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Your feet should be flat on the floor, about 10-12in. from your buttocks.
• Cross your arms over your chest.
• Slowly contract your abdominal muscles and raise your shoulder blades off the floor.
• Keep your head in line with your body.Do not press your chin to your chest.
• Hold this position for 1 or 2 seconds, then slowly lower yourself back down to the floor. Repeat 8 to 10 times.

Additional strengthening and stretching exercises.

• pelvic tilt exercise

• Heel dig bridging

• Hip flexor stretch

• Wall squats or sit

• Heel Raises

• Straight leg Raises

Pelvic tilt exercise

Procedure

• Lie on your back with your knees bent.
• "Brace" your stomach-tighten your muscles by pulling in and imagining your belly button moving toward your spine. You should feel like your back is pressing to the floor and your hips and pelvis are rocking back.
• Hold for 10 seconds while breathing smoothly.
• Repeat 8 to 12 times.

Heel dig bridging

The heel dig bridging exercise works your hamstrings and the muscles around your hip. Do 8 to 10 repetitions. Do not continue with this exercise if it causes pain.

Procedure

• Lie on your back with both knees bent and your ankles bent so that only your heels are digging into the floor. At this point, your knees should be bent about 90 degrees.
• From here, push your heels into the floor, squeeze your buttocks, and lift your hips off the floor until your shoulders, hips, and knees are all in a straight line.
• Hold briefly, and then slowly lower your hips back down to the floor.

Hip flexor stretch

Procedure

• Kneel on the floor with one knee bent and one leg behind you. Position your forward knee over your foot. Keep your other knee touching the floor.
• Slowly push your hips forward until you feel the stretch in the upper thigh of your rear leg.
• Hold the stretch for at least 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat with your other leg.
• Do 2 to 4 times on each side.

Wall Squats or sit
The wall sit exercise strengthens your back, trunk, and thigh muscles, helping you maintain a healthy lower back.

Procedure

• Stand with back leaning against wall.

• Walk feet 12 inches in front of body.

• Keep abdominal muscles tight while slowly bending both knees 45 degrees.

• Hold 5 seconds.

• Slowly return to upright position.

• Repeat 10 times.

Heel Raises

Procedure

• Stand with weight even on both feet.

• Slowly raise heels up and down.

• Repeat 8-10 times.

Straight Leg Raises

Procedure

1. Lie on your back with one leg straight and one knee bent.
2. Tighten abdominal muscles to stabilize low back.
3. Slowly lift leg straight up about 6 to 10 inches and hold 1 to 5 seconds.
4. Lower leg slowly.
5. Repeat 8-10 times.