Doing exercises to strengthen the lower back can help alleviate and prevent lower back pain. It can also strengthen the core, leg, and arm muscles. According to researchers, exercise also increases blood flow to the lower back area, which may reduce stiffness and speed up the healing process.
Knee-to-chest Stretches
- Lie on the back on the floor.
- Bend the knees, keeping both feet flat on the floor.
- Use both hands to pull one knee in toward the chest.
- Hold the knee against the chest for 5 seconds, keeping the abdominals tight and pressing the spine into the floor.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat with the opposite leg.
- Repeat with each leg 2–3 times twice a day.
Draw-in maneuvers
- Lie back on the floor with knees bent and feet flat, keeping the arms by the sides.
- Breathe in deeply.
- While breathing out, pull the bellybutton toward the spine, tightening the abdominal muscles and keeping the hips still.
- Hold the position for 5 seconds.
- Repeat 5 times.
“Exercising the back reduces stiffness by keeping the connective fibres of ligaments and tendons flexible”
Bridges
- Lie on the ground and bend the knees, placing the feet flat on the floor hip-width apart.
- Press the feet into the floor, keeping the arms by the sides.
- Raise the buttocks off the ground until the body forms a straight line from the shoulders to the knees.
- Squeeze the buttocks with the shoulders remaining on the floor.
- Lower the buttocks to the ground and rest for a few seconds.
- Repeat 15 times and then rest for 1 minute.
- Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
Cat stretches
- Get onto the hands and knees with the knees hip-width apart.
- Arch the back, pulling the bellybutton up toward the spine.
- Slowly relax the muscles and allow the abdomen to sag toward the floor.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat 3–5 times twice a day.
Supermans
- Lie face down on the ground and stretch both arms out in front of the body, keeping the legs stretched out and flat on the ground.
- Raise both the hands and feet, aiming to create a gap of about 6 inches between them and the floor.
- Try to pull in the bellybutton, lifting it off the floor to engage the core muscles.
- Keep the head straight and look at the floor to avoid neck injury.
- Stretch the hands and feet outward as far as possible.
- Hold the position for 2 seconds.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat 10 times.
Lower back rotational stretches
- Lie back on the floor with bent knees and feet flat on the ground.
- Keeping the shoulders firmly on the floor, gently roll both bent knees over to one side.
- Hold the position for 5–10 seconds.
- Return to the starting position.
- Gently roll the bent knees over to the opposite side, hold, and then return to the starting position.
- Repeat 2–3 times on each side twice a day.
Partial Curls
- Lie back on the floor and bend the knees, keeping the feet flat and hip-width apart.
- Cross the hands over the chest.
- Breathe in deeply.
- On the breath out, engage the abdominal muscles by pulling in the stomach.
- Gently raise the head and shoulders 2 inches off the ground while keeping the neck in line with the spine.
- Hold for 5 seconds then return to the starting position.
- Repeat the exercise 10 times.
- Perform 3 sets.
Pelvic Tilts
- Lie back on the floor with knees bent and feet flat, keeping the arms by the sides.
- Gently arch the lower back and push the stomach out.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then relax.
- Flatten the back and pull the bellybutton in toward the floor.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then relax.
- Increase the number of repetitions daily, building up to 30.
“Training the lower back can be a powerful tool for preventing many kinds of back pain”
Seated lower back rotational stretches
- Sit on a stool or chair without arms, keeping the feet flat on the floor.
- Twist at the core to the right, keeping the hips square and the spine tall.
- Position the hands behind the head or place the left hand on the right knee to support the stretch.
- Hold the position for 10 seconds.
- Repeat the exercise on the left-hand side.
- Repeat on each side 3–5 times twice a day.
“Lower back exercises support the daily activities of sitting and standing that accompany many modern job roles”
Lying lateral leg lifts
- Lie on one side with the legs together.
- Keep the lower leg slightly bent.
- Draw the bellybutton into the spine to engage the core muscles.
- Raise the top leg about 18 inches, keeping it straight and extended.
- Hold the position for 2 seconds.
- Repeat 10 times.
- Turn onto the other side of the body and repeat, lifting the other leg.
- Perform 3 sets on each side.