These exercises can fix your back pain
What's the story
Backaches are a persistent problem for many people, mostly due to prolonged sitting or bad posture. How about adding a few standing exercises to your day to combat back pain? They can not only strengthen the muscles supporting your spine, but also improve flexibility and posture. Here are five such effective standing exercises that can be easily added to your day to keep backaches at bay.
Stretch 1
Standing forward bend
The standing forward bend is an easy exercise that stretches the hamstrings, calves, and spine. Stand with feet hip-width apart, slowly bend forward at the hips, and let your arms hang towards the floor. Keep knees slightly bent if needed to avoid straining the lower back. Hold this position for a few breaths before slowly returning to a standing position.
Stretch 2
Side stretch
The side stretch targets the oblique muscles and helps in maintaining flexibility in the spine. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and raise one arm overhead while placing the other hand on your hip. Lean towards the opposite side of your raised arm, feeling a stretch along your side body. Hold for a few seconds before switching sides.
Stretch 3
Cat-cow stretch
This dynamic movement helps in mobilizing the spine and releasing tension in back muscles. Start by standing with feet shoulder-width apart, placing hands on thighs and alternate between arching your back (cow) as you inhale and rounding it (cat) as you exhale. Repeat this sequence a few times to improve spinal flexibility.
Stretch 4
Standing quad stretch
The standing quad stretch targets tight quadriceps, which can cause lower back pain. Stand up straight, hold onto a wall or chair for stability if needed, bend one knee driving heel towards buttocks, hold ankle with hand of same side making sure that knees remain close together throughout the stretch, and switch legs after holding for a short time each.
Stretch 5
Hip circles exercise
Hip circles help loosen up tight hips, which could indirectly contribute to lower-back problems over time due to lack of movement around the pelvic region itself. Stand tall with both feet firmly planted on the ground and start rotating your hips clockwise making a circular motion. Gradually increase the size of the circle. Finish a set of repitions, reverse direction to anti-clockwise and repeat for desired number of times per session.