The 3 Best Exercises For Low Back Pain

11 Feb 2019

The trick to rehabbing any type of pain is the right balance between flexibility and stability. Pain usually occurs when a muscle group is not working properly resulting in a different muscle group being forced to take over the work and therefore getting overworked and injured. So in order to correct this and prevent this from happening in the future the focus needs to be on strengthening and stabilizing the muscle groups that aren’t working properly. For back pain, the inactive muscle groups usually consist of the core, glutes and deep back stabilizers. 

Here are 3 of the very best exercises to work on strengthening and stabilizing the weak muscle groups that lead to low back pain:

The Bird Dog

This is the gold standard exercise for low back pain as it engages the core muscles and the low back stabilizers at the same time.

• Begin on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
• Keep a neutral spine and the pelvis centered, stable and parallel to the ground.
• While you maintain this neutral torso position reach your right arm forward and your left leg back and hold for 3 seconds.
• Return to the neutral position with both hands and knees on the floor and do the same thing on the other side reaching the left arm forward and the right leg back.
• Repeat this for 10 reps.

Glute Bridges

The glutes consist of 3 major muscles: gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. Not having proper glute activation is another major cause of low back pain.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, hips width apart and close to your body.
• Squeeze your glutes to lift your hips off the ground until your knees hips and shoulders are in a straight line.
• Keep your abs drawn in and don’t over extend your back- keep control by squeezing the glutes.
• Hold the bridge for 3-5 seconds at the top then slowly lower.
• Repeat this for 10 reps.

The Curl Up

This exercise teaches proper core control while keeping a neutral spine therefore teaching your lower back the proper position it should be in.

• Lie on your back with one knee bent and the other knee straight.
• Place your hands under the arch of your low back and try to maintain that slight arch in your lower back throughout the exercise.
• Brace your abdomen by bearing down through your belly- not flexing your abs (you should be able to breathe normally while doing this).
• Keep your neck and back in the same line and slowly curl up until your shoulder blades are about 30 degrees off the floor.
• Hold that position for 3-5 seconds, then slowly lower.
• Repeat this exercise for 10 reps.

All 3 of these exercises can be done in sequence for 3 sets daily to help with back pain or prevent back pain. Try them out!

Interested in Chiropractic care for your low back pain?  Click HERE to book an appointment with Dr. Shannon Bloch, DC.