FIVE HOME EXERCISES TO EASE PACK PAIN AND IMPROVE MOBILITY
Back pain affects more Americans than any other type of pain, according to the Centers for Disease Control, and more so for older adults, who are more likely to suffer either an acute episode or chronic back pain that reduces quality of life.
“We see a lot of patients for back pain, either as part of post-surgical rehab or as the result of a patient’s lifestyle or health condition,” says ORA Physical Therapist, Nick Jagush.
Medical experts say pain’s causes are numerous, from heavy lifting, poor posture, obesity, arthritis, injury or any number of potential musculoskeletal causes.
However, Nick says there are simple exercises anyone can do to help ease back pain and regain flexibility.
“Typically, debilitating pain falls into two categories: one is that a disc that could be bulging and impacts the spinal nerves in conditions such as sciatica. The second category involves muscle strains and degenerative issues in the lower back muscles along the spine. Each category requires a slightly different approach.”
Nick explains the lumbar spine (lower back) is capable of moving into flexion and extension, which play a strong role in various postures, positions and functional tasks. Flexion coincides with sitting, bending, and some sleeping positions. Extension coincides with standing, walking, and lying flat on your stomach. When the spine moves into both flexion and extension properly, it allows the muscles to fully lengthen.
“Your muscles work at their maximum potential when fully lengthened which reduces the risk of injury with movement and lifting.”
Watch Nick demonstrate five exercises that target both flexion and extension mobility. Extension exercises can be helpful with bulging disc problems and flexion exercises are typically used for spinal stenosis (arthritis) and muscle injuries of the back.
1. Prone Press Up
This is targets extension of the lumbar (lower) spine. The exercise stretches the hip flexors and abdominals and is a great exercise for those dealing with symptomatic disc bulges and protrusions. For fitness or wellness: build up to 1 set of 3, with longer hold up to 30 seconds. For rehabilitation do 2×10 reps every 2-3 hours during the day, briefly hold 2-3 seconds.
2. Standing Lumbar Extension
This is a standing version of the prone press up. It’s a great exercise for those who sit throughout the day and it works to reverse seated or forward rounding postures. For a fitness or wellness plan, perform 1 set of 10 reps, 2-3 times per day. In rehabilitation, 2×10 reps every 2-3 hours during day.
3. Supine Double Knee to Chest
Use this exercise to stretch lumbar paraspinal (right next to spine) muscles and gluteal muscles. It also produces flexion at the lower lumbar segments and can open up space in joints or take pressure off compressed nerves due to arthritis (spinal stenosis). Fitness or wellness plan perform 1 set x 2 reps, 1 min hold each. For rehab, do 1 set x 4 reps, and hold up to 30 seconds daily.
4. Seated Flexion Stretch
This exercise is a convenient stretch for paraspinal muscles that takes pressure off compressed nerves, similar to the double knee-to-chest stretch. For a fitness or wellness plan, hold position 2 times per day for up to 1 minute. For rehab, 1 set x4 reps, hold up to 30 seconds, and perform up to 2-3 times per day.
5. Supine Piriformis Stretch
The piriformis stretch targets a deep hip rotator muscle that extends from the hip joint to the sacrum. It runs near the sciatic nerve and when tight, it can impair the mobility of the lumbar spine or hip and can even compress the sciatic nerve causing low back pain. For a fitness or wellness plan do 1 set x3 reps, hold 30 seconds. For rehab perform 1 set x3 reps, hold 30 sec, perform 2-3 times per day.
If you continue to have persistent pain or if it worsens, make an appointment with ORA for evaluation and a personalized diagnosis and treatment plan with our physicians, pain management specialists or physical therapists.
