The best exercises for back pain

If you live with back pain, you know all too well how quickly it can stop you in your tracks. It used to be that if you were dealing with this condition, your doctor would tell you to stop any activity and even place you on bed rest. But we now know that inactivity is not the best way to treat all types of back pain.

In fact, US-based chiropractor Dr David Shapiro from Complete Spine Solutions says bed rest and lack of motion slows down the recovery process in some people. If you want to speed up your healing time, think motion. You may find our Back pain exercises videos helpful.

However, physiotherapist Dr Alice Holland from Stride Strong Physical Therapy warns that while exercise is usually a good thing, people shouldn't do exercises that are not specifically prescribed for them. The reason why, she says, is that back pain can originate from a bulged, slipped, or ruptured (herniated) disc, pressure on the spinal cord (spinal stenosis), or from dysfunction in the sacroiliac joint, which is located in the pelvis.

"Different exercises would ease the pain for different conditions," she explains. "The stretch or exercise for a bulging disc would absolutely aggravate people with stenosis - although the latter is rare in younger people - and vice versa."

Exercises to help prevent back pain

When it comes to exercises that can help prevent back pain, Holland says that is an entirely different issue.

"My strongest opinion is to strengthen the muscles in your tummy and your bottom," she says.

The plank

One exercise that targets the tummy muscles is the plank.

"Some people compensate heavily with this exercise because they are too weak to keep their hips up," Holland explains. "So I encourage them to keep good form and adjust the exercise to make it easier if they're struggling,"

She says a strong core will protect most people, regardless of their history or condition, from causing spinal joint issues.

Like Holland, Shapiro also agrees that the base of your body's strength is found in your core. Your core is the area located around your lower back and tummy. He also recommends the plank for strengthening this area and preventing back pain - as long as you use good form and pay attention to your hips.

Double leg squat

To strengthen the muscles in your bottom, Holland says the traditional double leg squat is an excellent exercise to do. Handy tips to remember are - hips back, core tight, and knees aligned front.

Walk

You can't go wrong with walking. You don't have to walk fast to protect your back. Even slow laps around your living room are enough to help with mobility and recovery.

"That's because walking warms up your transverse tummy muscles," says Holland. "It maintains core stability, and the repetitive swinging of arms and legs lets your blood flow and circulate."

While many of the exercises and treatments you can do at home are helpful, there may be times when you do need to see a doctor.

You can find all the warning symptoms to look out for in our leaflet. But Shapiro also recommends asking advice from a doctor who is an expert in spinal issues when you have: