Best and Worst Exercises to Prevent or Help Back Pain
Back injuries can be permanently disabling. An injury you sustained in a car accident decades ago can come back to haunt you when you reach down to lift a box or stretch the wrong way. You may have had physical therapy to remind your body how to move the correct way after a back injury or perhaps you chose heal on your own, but it’s important to continue working out, even after a car accident. Every back injury is different, but there are certain exercises everyone can do to help relieve or prevent back pain.
Best: Cat-Camel
When you practice core exercises, you strengthen your core and take the pressure off your back. Strengthening the muscles around your spine will stabilize your trunk and build stability. Heightened core strength will ultimately protect the muscles in your sides, front, and back. The cat-camel exercise is a great workout that focuses on core strength and the upper, middle, and lower back. Get on your hands and knees. Relax your head. Round your back up toward the ceiling until you feel a stretch. Then, reverse the motion and stretch your back gently downward.
Worst: Leg Raises
Lying on your back and targeting your abs by raising and lowering the legs can place a lot of stress on your spine. Even if you place your hands under your glutes, as is the common solution for relieving the lower back during leg raises, you will feel the strain on your back – especially if you’re recovering from a spinal injury. Instead, try reverse curl-ups. Lie on your back with your arms lying palms-down. Bend and raise your knees at 90-degree angles to your torso, with your feet off the ground. Bring both knees to your chest and lift your hips off the floor, and then release, and repeat.
Best: Bird Dog
The bird dog is another great back and core strength exercise. This exercise works your abs without putting stress on your back or neck. Begin on all fours on the ground. Tighten your abdominal muscles and keep your spine in a neutral position. Your head and neck should be looking down toward the floor. Slowly extend your right leg straight behind you while lifting your left arm out in front of you. Keep your hips square and don’t arch your lower back. Hold the post for five seconds, and then alternate arms and legs.
Worst: Jogging or Running
Jogging and running can jar your skeletal system and lead to furthering a back injury. Running is a high-impact sport that can make your lower back feel weak and painful. Instead, try using an elliptical or another no-impact alternative or take walks outside instead of running. Walking provides a heart-healthy workout just like running, but can ease back pain instead of causing or worsening pain. If you must run, consider trail running; the impact of joints hitting cement can exacerbate an already painful back.
Best: Swimming
Swimming is one of the best ways to continue to exercise after a car accident or traumatic injury. Swimming takes the stress of gravity off your body, giving you the chance to strengthen without furthering spinal cord damage. Swimming doesn’t involve a lot of twisting of the back. It will strengthen the muscles in your neck and back, supporting your spinal column and reducing pain. For minimum trunk rotation, try the backstroke and the breaststroke.
If you suffered a disabling back injury in an auto accident, slip and fall accident, or work accident, Liljegren Law Group can give you advice as to whether or not you have grounds to file a personal injury claim. Contact our injury attorneys today for a free evaluation concerning your particular case.