Lower Back Pain Stretching Exercises

The old way of treating back pain was bed rest and pain killers. In fact, I was told two months ago when my back pain began to go to bed for a month. However, more modern thoughts on the subject are that modest exercise is better for your back.

I, for one, could not lie in bed for a month because of a backache, because while my back was at its worst, I could not stay in one place for over a minute or two and sleep was almost impossible.

I was in too much pain to get to the medical doctor's surgery and I was not offered a home visit. So, I merely sat at home and waited to feel better. Then my wife organized a masseur to come around.

The massage helped, but she also gave me some stretching exercises to try, which I have since seen mentioned by some physiotherapists on the Internet.

To start with, she suggested strolling as far as I could every day. Set attainable goals, but extend them whenever you reach them. Allow yourself one break on both the outward and homeward journeys and after a while, try to do without the break.

This has helped very well for me and from not being able to walk to the bathroom a month ago, I can now walk around 350 yards without a rest break. I place most of the reason for my recovery, such as it is, down to walking.

I have a slipped disc and a trapped sciatic nerve, so leaning backwards was very painful for me (and still hurts), but I discovered that rotating at the hips helps loosen things up.

There are two ways, I do this: 1] place your hands on your hips and push down or 2] clasp your hands behind your head; then standing with feet apart or sitting on a seat with no back, rotate your upper body as far as you can in a circle to the right eight times and then to the left. Increase the repetitions as and when you are able.

Sitting on a chair with a high back, reach back over your shoulders and grip the back of the chair (or you may grip the sides of the chair). Then keeping your bottom still, attempt to turn to the left eight times and then to the right. Take it slowly, no erratic movements, but actually push.

Lying on your back, bring one knee up to your body; pull it if you have to. First one knee eight times, then the other, and then both together. A variation on this is to lie on the floor, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Then place one foot on the other knee and pull that knee towards you. The second version can also be done seated.

Lying on your back, lift your straight legs as high as you can, keeping them together. You will probably not manage much, so get someone to push them right up to ninety degrees and hold. Push them more towards your face. Lift your posterior off the ground if you like. It sounds as if this one will really hurt, but it was all right for me.

These exercises were recommended to me by a personal masseur who has been extremely well trained. They are to suit my situation, so perhaps you had better take advice before trying them yourself.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on a range of topics, but is now involved with sciatica and acupuncture. If you would like to know more, please go to our website at Sore Back Remedies

Also, here is where you can get information on lower back pain exercises and other back pain relief products at http://HowToFixBackpain.com

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