Back exercises are essential for maintaining a healthy back and a straight spine. If you have no experience or are accustomed to sustained physical exertion, it is important to start with light exercise and a low number of repetitions.
Back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders, found in all countries and a common cause for which we go to the doctor.
Among the factors that favor their appearance are: sedentary lifestyle, office work (often in an incorrect posture), driving for a long time, forcing the back muscles by lifting weights, obesity, stress and even anxiety.
Pain can occur in any region of the back, but the most common back pain occurs in the lower back, as it supports the weight of the upper body.
Before any workout, no matter how light or strenuous it may be, it is mandatory to warm up. Warming up the muscles is not a fad, but a necessity.
It is the one that protects us from accidents and prepares our body to enter the state of training. The internet is full of warm-up videos, so you can’t say you don’t know what to do and how to do it.
CONTENT:
- When to seek medical advice?
- Plank
- Bottom Bridge
- Lumbar Extension
- “Superman” Exercise
- “Cat” exercise
There are situations in which you need to see a doctor immediately, for example in case of acute pain (after trauma or falls), if the pain is persistent and does not improve after a while or when changing position, or if the pain causes numbness or tingling in the legs.
Plank
Is one of the best exercises, but also quite demanding. Facing the floor, lean on your forearms and toes and hold your position for 60 seconds.
The back should not be arched, the pelvis should not be too close to the ground, and the abdominal muscles should be stretched so that you can keep your hips in line with your shoulders. The body should form a straight line. As your muscular endurance increases, you will be able to do this exercise for a longer time.
Bottom Bridge
Lie on your back, then with your heels on the floor bend your knees and raise your hips as high as you can, while contracting your gluteal muscles.
Hold the position for 5 seconds and return to the floor, repeating this exercise 15-20 times.
Lumbar Extension
Lie on your face on the floor, then raise your arms and legs at the same time, arching your back. Perform 10 exercises like this, take a break, then a few more sets.
“Superman” Exercise
Sit on all fours with your palms pressed to the floor, then lift your right leg and left arm, supporting your other limbs. Hold the position for 5 seconds, then repeat the movement with the other arm and leg. Make 10 sets of this kind.
“Cat” exercise
This is one of the best exercises for the back muscles, especially for the lumbar muscles. Sit on your knees with your palms pressed to the floor, then slowly bend your back, while bending your head toward your chest.
Hold the position for 3-5 seconds and return to the starting position. Make 10 sets.
If the exercises described above seem too difficult, there are still some steps you can take to prevent back pain, such as: avoiding prolonged sitting in the chair, weight loss (obesity being a common cause of back pain), mandatory bending of the knees when lifting heavy weights and, last but not least, choosing a sleeping mattress that will not cause discomfort (ergonomic mattresses).
Make it a habit to perform these back exercises 3 times a week and you will notice that your back pain disappears and your muscles get stronger. Then maybe your will switch to workouts for the other muscle groups as well.
As you make sports a constant in your life, you will notice that your mood will be better and your body will be much more effective in fighting colds.