With age comes all sorts of aches and pains, from kinks in your neck to random knee pains. But one of the most common points of discomfort is your back. The cartilage in your vertebrae naturally wears down as we age, and this can bring significant discomfort in our lower back area. Just because you experience back pain, though, does not necessarily mean you have to sit out on your favorite activities. Lower back pain exercises can help to maintain and support back flexibility and strength. Keep reading to explore just a few of our favorite lower back pain relief exercises.
5 Exercises for Lower Back Pain
- Bridge pose: A great exercise that helps to mobilize the lower back is the bridge pose. To do this, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground, about your hip’s width apart. Take a deep breath in and lift your hips off the floor until your shoulders, hips and knees are in a straight line. Exhale and lower your hips to the floor.
- Lower back stretch: Exercises that stretch your lower back and increase flexibility, like the lower back stretch, helps to alleviate your lower back pain. This stretch is also known as the “child’s pose” in yoga. To do this, kneel on all fours with your knees under your hips and hands placed below your shoulders. Take a deep breath and slowly take your bottom backward towards your heels, making sure your shoulders stay back, your head is in line with your spine and your elbows do not lock. Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds and then move back to all fours, repeating as necessary.
- Hamstring stretch: If you’re experiencing lower back pain, there’s a chance your hamstring muscles feel tight. To help stretch them out, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Loop a towel under one ball of your foot and straighten your knee while slowly pulling back on the towel, holding for 20 to 30 seconds. You should feel a gentle stretch, but don’t overdo it.
- Bird dog: For a bit of an advanced back exercise that helps to mobilize your lower back, try the bird dog. Start by kneeling on all fours with your knees under your hips and hands placed below your shoulders. Take a deep breath in and, as you breathe out, extend one leg and the opposite arm. Be sure your spine is in a neutral position at all times and keep your head in line with your spine. Hold for 5-10 seconds, return to the beginning position and repeat the exercise by alternating sides.
- Walking: Simply adding walking to your routine can help alleviate your lower back pain! Not only does walking help your overall body function, like improving circulation and maintaining weight, but it also strengthens your back muscles. Try going for a 15 to 30 minute walk each day to reap the benefits.
Find the Care You Need at Heritage Senior Living
At Heritage Senior Living, we take a person-centered approach to care, meaning we work with each of our residents to ensure their overall health and wellness goals are being met –whether it be lower back pain exercises, fall prevention or rehabilitation following a hospital stay. No matter your care needs, our expert team is here to make your senior living experience as comfortable and fulfilling as possible. Many of our communities offer a full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, enhanced assisted living and memory care. Learn more about Heritage Senior Living by contacting our team today.
