According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), 4 out of 5 Americans will experience back pain at some time in their lives. Back pain is said to be second only to upper respiratory infections as the most common reason for doctor visits, costing Americans at least $50 billion each year. With statistics like that, the chances are good that all of us will experience back pain at some point, if we haven’t already.
Although there are many causes of back pain, including sprains, strains, ruptured disks and inflammation, muscle weakness is a big contributor to most back pain. If that’s true, then it stands to reason many cases of back pain can be prevented or greatly minimized if time is taken to stretch and strengthen weak back muscles.
In a September 2007 visit to my chiropractor, the discussion got around to back pain. Although I don’t experience back pain often, two or three times a year I end up visiting my chiropractor after a hard day’s work outdoors that’s left me needing a chiropractic adjustment. When my chiropractor said most back pain cases he sees are the result of weak back muscles, I went on a mission to learn more. What I was most interested in was finding effective exercises I could do at home without fancy equipment or the help of a personal trainer.
I learned that it’s important to both stretch and strengthen our back muscles. I talked to my chiropractor, a local physical therapist and surfed the Internet, including the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma (NISMAT), for exercise suggestions. Although I came away with no less than 15 different possibilities, I knew that was way to many for my busy schedule. After “trying out” several different exercises, I found the following to be my personal preferences.
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Alternating legs, bring one knee toward your chest, clasping your knee with both hands. (Keep your back flat against the floor and don’t lift your head.) Hold for a count of 10. Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise with the other leg. Begin with three or four repetitions, increasing gradually until you can complete 15 repetitions with each leg.
2. Using a chair or bench, place the heel of one foot on the seat of the chair. Keeping your back straight, bend forward at the waist as far as you comfortably can. Hold for a count of 10. Switch to the other leg and repeat the stretch. Begin with three or four repetitions per leg, gradually increasing to 15 repetitions per leg.
3. Stand with you feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back straight, bend forward at the waist as far as you can, so that you are looking between your knees. Grasp behind your knees and pull into the stretch just a little farther, holding for a count of 10. Begin with three or four repetitions, gradually increasing until you can do 15 repetitions.
4. Lie on your back once again, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Relaxing your back muscles, tighten your abdominal muscles and buttocks and press your back flat against the floor. Hold this position for a count of 10. Starting with three repetitions, gradually increase them until you can do 15 repetitions.
5. Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms at your sides, slowly lean backward from your waist as though you are trying to see the ceiling behind you. Hold for a count of 10. Return to the starting position, relax a few seconds and then do four more repetitions. Gradually increase repetitions until you can do 10 or 12.
6. Lie on your back on a table or tall bench. Hang one leg over the side and slowly lower your leg toward the floor. When you feel the stretch, hold for a count of 10. Return your leg to table height, relax a moment and repeat the stretch. Do five repetitions and then repeat the stretch with the other leg. Gradually increase repetitions until you can do 15.
It’s been six months since my last chiropractic visit. Although I admittedly don’t do this entire routine every day of the week, I have been very happy with how little strain I’ve felt in my back since incorporating a regular routine of stretching and strengthening my back muscles no less than three days a week.
Resource:
ACA; http://www.amerchiro.org/level2_css.cfm?T1ID=13&T2ID;=68
NISMAT; http://www.nismat.org/orthocor/programs/lowback/backex.html#Ex1
