Back pain is one of the leading causes of chiropractor visits each year, causing thousands of people to miss time from work. When back pain becomes excruciating, it may feel so distressing that you become unable to participate in your daily activities. Back pain can be extremely debilitating, causing sufferers immense discomfort, sleeplessness, and reduced quality of life. 

Back pain can be caused by any number of different factors. Some common causes include an underlying condition, an accident, poor posture, or weight gain, to name just a few. The condition can be aggravated if you don’t give your body enough time to heal from existing pain and injuries. For instance, avoid intensive manual labour and extreme exercises while recovering from back pain. 

Those afflicted with back pain should seek regular physiotherapy treatments. In addition, numerous gentle exercises can bring relaxation and prevent future pain from occurring. Many of these can be done from the comfort of your own home and with very little equipment. Some exercises work to relieve pain immediately. Others help to strengthen the back muscles, preventing future injury and promoting healing.

Let’s learn about six different exercises that can alleviate your back pain:

Yoga

Yoga is an ancient practice that has many different benefits for the entire body, including the back. It focuses not only on healing the area of pain, but also on calming the mind and relieving stress. This whole-body approach can help treat pain at its source, bringing about relief and providing insight into where your body holds tension. 

Yoga can help soothe sore muscles, alleviate tension, improve balance and coordination and increase strength. The best part about yoga is that they are easily accessible. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned expert, you can attend different yoga classes based on your proficiency. Classes are often held inside a studio, although there has been a trend towards online yoga seminars in recent years.

Some of the best yoga poses to address back pain issues include:

  • The cat-cow pose
  • The extended triangle
  • The cobra pose
  • The seated twist pose

Tai Chi

Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art form. It combines slow movements with your breath and focuses on stretching your body while calming your mind. As with yoga, Tai Chi works to relieve pain and the stress that may be contributing to it. 

Tai Chi is an excellent exercise for anyone of any age and any ability level. It requires no equipment, and it is low impact, so it doesn’t have any impact on the joints. Tai Chi can help relieve back pain by:

  • Strengthening the muscles of the core that support the back
  • Improving posture
  • Stretching the back and other areas of the body

Pilates

Pilates takes yoga to the next level. It works to strengthen the body’s muscles by using your body weight to perform specific, strength-building movements and stretches. Many pilates exercises focus on improving core strength. These are the muscles that help stabilize most of the other areas of the body, including your back. 

Pilates exercises are very low impact and are perfect no matter what your fitness level. Some of the most beneficial pilates movements to help relieve back pain and strengthen the muscles that support your back are:

  • Swan prep pose.
  • Kneeling arm and leg reach.
  • Chest lift.
  • Pelvic tilt to pelvic curl.

Swimming

There is no better way to cool off on a hot summer day than by jumping in a refreshing swimming pool. However, swimming is not just a summer exercise, but it can be enjoyed year-round. This refreshing activity can also provide you with some fantastic benefits when it comes to relieving your back pain. 

Swimming is very low impact, allowing you to take advantage of the buoyancy that the water has to offer. It alleviates any excess pressure off the joints of your body, making movement easier. Due to this factor, stress is relieved from the spine, and you can significantly reduce back pain.

This pain relief can allow you to exercise while in the water. You will strengthen weakened back muscles and burn extra calories, all of which will decrease your chances of further injuries in the future. 

Inversion Table

An inversion table is a device that allows you to hang upside down gently. You hook your feet securely into the footholds and allow gravity to tilt you into an upside-down position slowly. These tables use gravity to relieve pressure and compression on the spinal column and the spine’s disks. 

While these tables only temporarily relieve spinal pressure, they can help stretch out all of the body’s muscles, preventing future strains. Many physiotherapists find that hanging upside down for short periods brings their patients significant relief from their aches and pains. 

Stretches

A daily stretching routine can help to eliminate back pain, relieve stiffness, and keep your body limber. The back comprises a complex network of different muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones, and regular stretching can help keep these components flexible. Spend a few minutes stretching in the morning and before bed. This routine can reduce pain and help prevent future injury.

When stretching, hold each position for a minimum of 20 seconds. Only reach as far as is comfortable and remember to continue to breathe throughout the stretch. If you feel any pain while stretching, stop immediately to avoid stressing or injuring any body part.

To eliminate tension throughout the back and the entire body, try these stretches:

  • Neck roll
  • Shoulder roll
  • Hip twist
  • Back extensions.

If you suffer from back pain, these gentle yet effective exercises can help bring you relief. Slow and steady stretching movements are best to encourage blood flow and healing to the back and can help strengthen the affected areas to prevent future injury. 

Before beginning any exercise routine, you must speak with your healthcare provider to determine what movements are best for your specific condition. With their help, and just a few minutes of gentle exercise each day, you will quickly find relief from the back pain that plagues you.