Back Pain Relief Exercises

By Steve Silverman

Back pain is a difficult and grueling development for anyone who has to live with it. In order to combat pain, individuals may feel like they should take it easy so they don't do anything to aggravate their condition. While rest is important and so is sleeping well at night, you can't simply leave the problem alone. You are much better off trying to strengthen your back rather than have to go through surgery down the line.

Back Roll on Exercise Ball

Lie down on an exercise ball with your stomach facing the ceiling. Center yourself on the ball so your hips are right over its middle. Roll up toward your head, stopping when your neck is over the middle of the ball. Roll back until your hips are centered over the ball again. Repeat 10 times, take a 30-second break and complete the set again.

Shoulder Shrug With Dumbbells

Stand up as tall as you can with your feet shoulder width apart. Pick up 5-pound dumbbells with each hand. Shrug your shoulders up and hold the position for 3 seconds. Return your shoulders to their original position. Repeat the exercise 10 times. Take a 30-second break and do the exercise again.

Walking

Walking is considered to be an excellent exercise for those with back pain. It does not put much pressure on the spine or back and it is recommended that patients walk 2 to 3 miles per day two to three times per week in order to relieve pain.

Resources

Exercise and back pain

About The Author

Steve Silverman is an award-winning writer, covering sports since 1980. Silverman authored The Minnesota Vikings: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Who's Better, Who's Best in Football -- The Top 60 Players of All-Time, among others, and placed in the Pro Football Writers of America awards three times. Silverman holds a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism.

Not a Member?

Join Now - It's FREE!

Member Sign In

Email Address

Password

Keep me logged in

Forgot your password?