Lower back pain, a common ailment that affects millions worldwide, is a debilitating condition, casting a shadow over daily activities and making even simple movements a challenge. 

It’s estimated that up to eight out of ten people will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives, a staggering statistic that highlights the burden of this issue and the importance of initiative for relieving lower back pain. 

The pain can manifest in various forms, ranging from a dull ache that lingers in the background to sharp, agonizing spasms that bring life to a standstill.

While lower back pain can be challenging, it’s not insurmountable. Fortunately, simple yet effective exercises can be performed in the comfort of your home, offering hope in relieving lower back pain.

These exercises are designed to strengthen and stretch the muscles that support your spine. This is the underlying mechanism that provides relief and prevents its recurrence.

Understanding The Underlying Causes of Lower Back Pain

Before starting any new exercise routine, it’s prudent to understand the root cause of your back pain. According to medical experts, common causes include,

1. Muscle strain and ligament sprains: When you overuse back muscles and ligaments by lifting heavy objects or making sudden movements, they can stretch too much or tear slightly, causing pain and stiffness.
2. Bulging or ruptured discs: Discs of vertebrae are soft cushions that protect your bones from rubbing against each other. When these cushions get damaged due to injury or age, they can bulge or rupture, causing sharp pain like a pinched nerve.
3. Spinal osteoarthritis: Over time, the cartilage cushions between joints in the spine can wear down, leading to bone-on-bone rubbing and causing stiffness and aching.
4. Skeletal irregularities: Conditions like scoliosis (curvature of the spine), kyphosis (hunchback), and stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal) put extra strain on the back muscles and cause pain. Narrowing the spinal canal exerts pressure on nerves, giving rise to pain. 
5. Osteoporosis weakens the bone, making it more prone to tiny cracks or fractures that cause back pain.
6. Fractures: Your spine can break if you fall or experience a sudden impact. These fractures can cause severe pain and limit your mobility.
7. Cancers: Sometimes, tumours can develop in the spine or spread from other parts of the body to the spine, causing pain and other symptoms.
8. Slipped vertebrae: Spondylolisthesis occurs when one vertebra slips forward or backwards over the one below it, leading to pain and instability in the spine.
9. Referred pain: Pain from other organs, like kidney stones or a ruptured aortic aneurysm, can be felt in the lower back.

In addition, other factors such as age, weight, overall health, occupation, and lifestyle also play a significant role in the likelihood of developing lower back pain.

Benefits of Exercise for Back Pain Relief

Fortunately, a wealth of evidence suggests the remarkable effectiveness of exercise in relieving lower back pain and its associated disability. So, engaging in regular physical activity,

1. Strengthen Core Muscles for Enhanced Support: Strong core muscles, acting as a protective girdle around the abdomen and back, provide essential support for proper spinal alignment and posture, reducing strain on the lower back.
2. Improve Flexibility and Range of Motion: Exercise promotes flexibility in the spine, hip, and leg joints, increasing your range of motion and allowing for pain-free movement.
3. Boost Blood Flow for Healing and Tissue Repair: Exercise enhances blood flow, delivering vital nutrients and oxygen to distressed tissues and joints, promoting healing and repair.
4. Release Natural Pain Relievers: Exercise triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain-relieving chemicals, reducing inflammation and alleviating pain.
5. Build Muscle Stability for Injury Prevention: Exercise strengthens muscles around vulnerable joints, providing stability and preventing future injuries.

By incorporating exercise into your daily routine, you can harness its remarkable power to relieve lower back pain, improve flexibility, and enhance your overall well-being.

Exercises of Lower Back

Now, you know what can go wrong in your back and the importance of regular exercises in relieving Lower Back Pain. (You can read more on the health benefits of exercise from this link. 

Here are the seven research-backed exercises that provide immense relief.

1. Pelvic Tilts

Pelvic tilts are excellent for strengthening the lower back and abdominal muscles. This exercise helps to improve posture and reduce strain on the lower back.

To perform pelvic tilts, lie on your back with your knees bent and your arms resting at your sides. Tighten your stomach muscles and tilt your pelvis up slightly. Hold for 5 seconds, then lower your pelvis back down. Repeat this exercise 10-15 times.

2. Knee-to-Chest Stretches

Knee-to-chest stretches are a gentle way to stretch the lower back muscles. This exercise can help to improve flexibility and relieve pain.

Start by laying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Clasp your hands behind one knee and pull it towards your chest. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds while breathing deeply. Release your leg and repeat the exercise on the other side.

3. Child’s Pose

Child’s pose is a relaxing exercise that helps to stretch the entire back and relieve tension.

First, kneel on the floor with your knees hip-width apart. Exhale and slowly fold your torso over your thighs, lowering your forehead to the floor. Extend your arms forward on the floor with your palms facing down. Hold the pose for 30-60 seconds.

4. Bridge Exercise

The bridge exercise effectively strengthens the lower back extensor muscles, glutes, and hamstrings. This exercise can help to improve posture and reduce pain.

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Tighten your core muscles and lift your hips into a straight line. Squeeze your glutes and hold the bridge for 30-60 seconds. Gently lower your hips and repeat 10-15 times.

5. Cat-Cow Pose

Cat-cow pose is a dynamic exercise that helps to improve flexibility and relieve back tension.

Get on your hands and knees in a tabletop position to perform a cat-cow pose. Inhale, arch your spine and lift your head as your stomach sinks. Exhale, round your spine, and tuck your chin as your back arches up. Repeat these fluid transitions for 10-20 cycles.

6. Lower Back Rotational Stretch

This stretch helps to loosen tight hip and lower back muscles.

To perform the lower back rotational stretch, lie on your back with your knees bent together and your feet on the floor. Keeping your shoulders down, gently let your knees fall to one side. Hold for 10-30 seconds, feeling the stretch on the opposite side. Bring your knees back to the centre and repeat on the other side.

7. Hamstring Stretches

Tight hamstrings can worsen back pain. Maintaining flexibility with consistent stretching is important.

This exercise can be performed by laying on your back, lifting one leg, and grabbing behind your knee to pull it towards your chest. Pull your leg closer until you feel a mild stretch in your hamstring. Hold for 10-30 seconds, breathing deeply. Lower your leg and repeat the sequence on the other leg.

The Bottom Line

These exercises help to relieve lower back pain, strengthen the core and improve flexibility. 

Aim to perform a balanced workout 3-5 days per week. This is important to build muscle strength, improve their range of motion, and experience long-lasting reductions in pain and disability.

As with any new exercise regimen, it’s essential to consult your physician.  This is especially important if you have an underlying medical condition. 

Remember, incorporating exercise into your daily routine is an investment in your overall well-being. Embrace the power of movement and experience the transformative impact it can have on your physical and mental health.