No matter what your age, back pain can occur. Even teens have back pain, but it seems to get worse with age. While your first instinct may be to go directly to bed, lay on a heating pad, or soak in a tub, you might benefit more from exercise if you want to relieve the pain. Exercise increases circulation and warms the muscles. That makes them loose and relieves the tightness that causes the pain. You shouldn’t do intense workouts, just recovery exercises like walking or swimming.
Strengthen your core muscles or improve flexibility to prevent pain.
The best way to deal with pain is to prevent it before it starts. Back pain often starts from a lack of flexibility and poor muscle tone. Sometimes, smaller muscles have to take over the work of larger muscles, causing stress injuries, and pain. Strong core muscles help maintain good posture. Poor posture can lead to back pain. Flexibility exercise helps lengthen muscles to prevent pain. Even tight hamstrings can cause back pain. Regularly doing all types of exercise can help prevent back pain.
Just stretching can help bring relief and prevent future pain.
Many people do yoga to improve posture and back health. One combination of poses that addresses lower back pain is the cat-cow pose. Both start on your hands and knees. Start with the cow pose by lifting your head and dropping your belly. Hold the pose then move back to the starting position. Move into the cat pose by lowering your head and arching your back. Hold and return to the starting position then alternate between the two. It stretches and relaxes the lower back muscles.
Stretch when you’re seated for longer periods.
Upper back pain often occurs if you’re sitting in front of a computer screen for extended periods. Neck rolls, moving your head forward, to the right side, backward, and then to the left side, help relieve upper back pain. Arm circles also help. To do arm circles, extend your arms to the side, parallel to the ground. Start by making small circles with your hands and extend the width, then reverse the direction. You can also clasp your hands above your head and lean forward, then to the side, backward, and to the other side.
- Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms to the sides, perpendicular to your body. Rock your knees first to one side, then hold. Lift and rock them to the other side.
- Take a walk to relieve back pain. Walk in the sun or a natural setting. If you’re in an area where walking barefoot in the grass is safe, do it. It’s called earthing and can help relieve pain.
- Back pain can come from stress. Learn relaxation techniques to help reduce it. One reason walking helps, besides increasing circulation, is the meditative mental state that often occurs when you walk.
- Always consult your healthcare professional before starting any program for back pain. Make sure it doesn’t come from a medical condition that exercise could exacerbate.
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