6 Important Back Exercises You Must Do For Back Health!
Low Back Pain
Chronic low back pain affects millions of Americans each year. It is the leading cause of disability in adults and can lead to long-term problems such as chronic pain, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and even suicide.
In fact, nearly everyone experiences some degree of back pain at one time or another. And it doesn’t just affect adults; children experience back pain, too.
The good news is that most people who suffer from chronic lower back pain will get better over time. However, it’s important for you to know how to treat your own back pain so that you don’t have to deal with this problem again.
In this article, we will talk about 6 back exercises that will help you with your back pain:
- The Superman
- Planks
- Side Planks
- Bird Dog
- Glute Bridges
- Deadlifts
What Causes Low Back Pain?
Low back pain is the 5th most common reason people go to the doctor. It’s also the leading cause of disability in the United States. The majority of low back problems are caused by a strain or tear in the ligaments that support the spine. These injuries can occur from lifting heavy objects, repetitive or sustained bending, or even sneezing or coughing.
When these ligaments become strained, they may pull on the spinal bones causing them to rub against each other. This rubbing can irritate nerves and lead to inflammation. Inflammation can then trigger muscle spasms which further aggravates the injury.
When this happens, you might feel sharp pains radiating down into your legs. If you have chronic low back pain, you might also notice numbness or tingling sensations in your lower extremities.
The first thing you should do if you have a back injury is to stop doing whatever caused the injury. If you were lifting something heavy or twisting too far when you felt a sharp pain, then you need to take a break until you feel better. You may also want to ice the area where you hurt yourself.
The Superman
The superman exercise helps strengthen your core muscles. It works your abs, oblique muscles (the muscles along your sides), and hip flexors. It also strengthens your glutes (butt muscles) and hamstrings (back of leg muscles).
How to perform a superman:
- Lie on your front with your head in a neutral position.
- Extend your arms straight out in front of you, and activate your core stability muscles.
- Simultaneously lift both arms and both legs, clenching your buttock muscles and your lower back muscles.
- Maintain a neutral alignment with your head throughout the movement.
Too hard? Try this – an easier version that alternates moving opposite arms and legs:
- Lie on your front with your arms and legs out straight, and your head looking at the floor.
- Lift the opposite arm and leg off the floor, whilst keeping your body as still as possible.
- Control the movement as you lower them back down and repeat with the other pair.
Planks
If you’ve ever tried to plank, you probably noticed that it was difficult to maintain balance without falling over. That’s because the main muscles used during a plank are your abdominal muscles.
These muscles work together to keep your torso stable. They’re also responsible for holding your spine upright. When you use your abdominal muscles to hold your body in an extended position like a plank, you put stress on your back.
This is why many people experience back pain when trying to hold their bodies in a straight line. In order to avoid putting pressure on your back, make sure you practice your planking technique correctly.
The plank is one of the most popular bodyweight exercises around because it works almost every muscle in the body.
This exercise helps build strength, endurance, flexibility, and stability.
How to perform a plank:
- Lie on your front with your toes on the floor.
- Place your forearms on the floor and push up, lifting your torso and legs.
- Hold a straight line from your shoulders to your feet for as long as you can, preventing the back from sagging.
- Keep your buttocks squeezed and your hips level.
- You should feel your core muscles working.
Too hard? Try this – the modified version on your knees:
- Lie down on a mat on your front.
- Lift your chest up off the floor using your forearms.
- Lift your hips up, keeping your knees on the floor.
- You should have a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
- Keep your shoulders strong and do not sink down at the hips or the chest.
Side Planks
The side plank works the quadratus lumborum muscle as well as strengthens the gluteus maximus muscle. These are important stabilizing muscles that support the spine.
This exercise strengthens the core muscles, which helps stabilize the spine.
How to perform a side plank:
- Lie on your side, propping yourself up on your elbow.
- Keep your legs straight and stacked on top of one another.
- Use your elbow and feet to push the body off the floor, and maintain a straight line from your head to your feet.
- Hold this position for as long as you can, preventing the hips from sagging.
Too hard? Try this – modified version on your knees:
- Lie on your side and prop yourself up on your elbow.
- Bend your knees and lift your hips off the mat until you have a straight line from your knees to the top of your head.
The Bird-Dog
The bird dog is one of the best exercises you can do to strengthen the glutes, which are responsible for keeping the lower back strong and stable. These muscles support the pelvis and provide stability throughout the body. They’re especially important for people who sit at desks all day long.
This exercise builds strength in the muscles that run along the outer edge of the hip bone. You’ll feel it working even while standing still because these muscles work hard to stabilize the hips and pelvis.
How to perform a bird-dog:
- Start on your hands and knees, with your hands under your shoulders, and knees under your hips.
- Tighten the abdominal core muscles.
- Extend the opposite leg and the opposite arm simultaneously, making sure you maintain good control of your torso.
- Do not allow your body or hips to rotate.
- Repeat on the other side.
Glute Bridge
A glute bridge strengthens and tones your butt muscles. This exercise works the gluteus maxims muscle which helps stabilize your pelvis. It is an effective way to target your glutes without having to spend hours in the gym.
How to perform a glute bridge:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Maintain a hips-width distance between your knees and feet.
- Tighten your buttock muscles and lift your hips towards the ceiling until you have a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Hold this position.
- Control the movement as you lower back down to the floor and repeat.
Deadlifts
The deadlift is one of the most powerful exercises you can do to improve your overall strength and fitness level.
It’s also great for building strength and toning your entire body.
Basically, it is a movement that involves pulling a weight from the floor to the waist level.
The deadlift can be performed using a variety of different fitness equipment – barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, and sandbags to name a few.
Although it is commonly performed using a barbell in the gym.
How to perform a barbell deadlift:
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hinge forward at the waist knees slightly bent, holding a barbell with an overhand grip.
Hinge forward at the waist, keeping your back straight, and lower the barbell towards your shin.
Contract your gluteus and hamstrings and return to a standing position.
Squat down with your hips lower than your shoulders and grasp the bar with an overhand grip, shoulder-width apart.
Position the bar over the balls of the feet and ensure your shoulders are in front of the bar.
Extend the knees and hips, keeping the back straight until the body reaches a fully erect position.
Slowly flex the hips and knees and return to the start position, maintaining a straight back throughout the movement.
Conclusion
Low back pain is very common among adults. At some stage in your life, you will experience low back pain.
The good news is that there are many things you can do to reduce the risk of getting it and help ease its symptoms when they occur.
Try some of these exercises and let me know how if it has helped.