1397 When Pain Holds You Back

But you don’t have to stop leading an active, healthy lifestyle.

What you need to do is take care of your core by strengthening and supporting the muscles to protect you from further injuring your back.

This week, I shared how I tweaked my back on Saturday welcoming a muscle spasm. Any pain in the back is not to be taken lightly. You have one back. You MUST take care of it.

And because of that, I make it a point to take care of my core in order to protect my back. You need to be doing the same thing.

By caring for my core, I was only out one day from my healthy regimen, which was my rest day. Now I did use lighter weights when I started back up again with my strength training. But I wasn’t held back by my pain.

There are studies that show exercise can reduce back pain.

So after checking with your medical provider, exercise your way to a stronger back!

The K.I.S.S. ~ Exercise your way to a stronger back!

1. PARTIAL CRUNCHES

Use partial crunches to target your abdominal muscles without straining your back.

Keep your feet, bottom, and lower back on the floor. Raise your shoulders off the ground with your neck in neutral line with your spine. Never pull on your neck. In fact, keep your facial muscles relaxed to keep the focus in your abs.

2. BACK EXTENSIONS

Stretch your back muscles with back extensions.

Lay flat on your stomach placing your hands under your shoulders. Squeeze your glutes (bottom) and core to slowly lift your shoulders followed by your chest off the floor.

Same as partial crunches: Keep your neck aligned with your spine and don’t over extend your chin (look down). This is a gentle stretch and great for those who sit majority of their day.

3. KNEE TO CHEST STRETCH

Knee to chest stretches takes the pressure off your lower back. You can do these stretches in the morning before you get out of bed as a wake up call for your body.

Lay on a flat surface (floor, bed, mat) with your feet flat. Wrap your hands around one knee and gently lift your knee to your chest. Don’t pull aggressively towards your chest. This is a gentle stretch from the abdominal muscles. Hold for a few seconds breathing into the stretch and then switch legs. Repeat as needed.

4. CAT AND COW

A wonderful way to relieve tension in your back is the cat and cow.

Begin on the floor with your hands and knees, palms flat. Slowly arch your back like a scaredy cat pulling your abdominal muscles in toward your spine, breathing through the stretch. Release your back now arching downward as you look upward. Repeat 3 to 4 more times continually breathing slowly.

This too is a great wake up call for your body.

By building a strong back and body, you are less likely to have back pain.