Low back pain is one of the most common conditions that is experienced largely by adults between 30 to 50 years of age. It’s generally caused by injuries that result from falls and accidents. In addition to that, sports and workplace injuries can also lead to pain in the lower back, so it’s better to learn how to avoid such incidents. Common injuries include sprains and strains, which generally occur due to improper body movements.
Apart from injuries, other underlying causes of back pain include spinal stenosis, sciatica, and improper spine curvatures. Conditions like arthritis, kidney problems, and cancer of the spinal cord can also lead to pain in your lower back. Therefore, when it comes to healing low back pain, it’s important that doctors are aware of its root cause. Until and unless they are aware of what is causing the pain in your lower back, they won’t be able to address your problem effectively.
Low back can be dived into acute and chronic, wherein the former is generally caused by injuries and later is most likely to stem from prolonged illnesses like arthritis. This condition starts affecting people as they grow, because of the changes in structure and the reduction of fluids in the body with aging. And when the fluids in the low back start reducing with age, spinal discs start facing a lot of problems.
A Brief Description Of The Causes Of Low Back Pain
Muscle strains
Muscle strain is extremely common, and it leads to a lot of pain and discomfort. It generally occurs when you overstretch your muscles while performing daily activities. Whether you talk about activities like gardening, swimming or dancing, moving your body inappropriately while carrying out these tasks can easily lead to muscle strains.
Sciatica
The pain that occurs along the sciatic nerve is called Sciatica, and it generally happens because of a herniated disc. Yes, when sciatic never in your lower back is compressed due to any reason, it leads to enormous pain. It is the longest nerve in the human body that connects lower legs to the spine. The pain that stems from this condition radiates from low back to legs.
Inappropriate spine curvature
There are several underlying causes of abnormal spine curvature – which lead to pain and irritation. Some of the common conditions that lead to abnormal spine curvature include lordosis and scoliosis. So in order to treat abnormal spine curvature, you have to treat conditions like lordosis and scoliosis in the first place.
Now let’s look at some of the important exercises that can relieve your pain.
Abdominal stretching reduce pain
In order to treat your pain, it’s important for you to strengthen the muscles that offer support to your low back. transverse abdominis is one such muscle that offers tremendous support to lower back, and hence it’s crucial for you to make it stronger.
If your Transverse abdominis is not strong enough, then you must perform abdominal stretching to strengthen it, which eventually helps in reducing pain in the lower back. For carrying out this exercise relax your head while lying down on your back. Once you lie down in a relaxed position, you have to bend your knees while keeping your hips on the floor. Make sure that while bending your knees you keep your back and other parts of your upper body relaxed. It’s important for you to focus on your breath when performing this exercise. You have to take a deep breath and then breath out gently. Repeat this procedure at least four to five times.
Pelvic tilts show quick results
Another interesting and effective exercise for strengthening your lower back is pelvic tilts. To perform this exercise, again you have to lie down on the floor. Take a cushion to support your head. Once you lie down, you have to bend your knees and keep your feet on the floor. Make sure that your chin is tucked-in. You have to move your pelvic muscles towards the heels until you start feeling that muscles in your lower back are contracting. After that come to your initial position. Repeat this process at least 10 times.
Lower back stretch
One of the best ways to strengthen your lower back and to reduce the back pain is to include lower back stretches in your fitness program. Lower back stretch is a very simple yet effective exercise. In order to perform it, you have to rest your body on your hands and knees. Your face should be facing the floor, and your back must remain straight, this is the initial position. Now you have to take a deep breath, and while exhaling, make sure that you take your hips towards your heels to stretch your low back muscles. While inhaling bring your body to the initial position on your hands and knees. Repeat this process at least 6 to 7 times.
The bridge is extremely crucial
The bridge is another common exercise that helps in strengthening your back. It’s again a very simple exercise, wherein you have to lie on your back and bend your knees while keeping your hands straight on the floor in the direction of your lower body. Again, you have to take a deep breath and while exhaling you have to lift your hips from the floor. And when you inhale again, bring your hips to the floor. You can repeat this process at least 10 times.
Leg stretch is also helpful
When you struggle with low back pain, you experience tightness in hamstring muscles. Well, hamstring muscles are located on the back of your legs and it’s important that you stretch them whenever you feel pain in your lower back. To perform this exercise you need a small towel. One of the best ways to stretch hamstring muscles is to lie down on your back while bending your knees and keeping your feet on the floor. Now, raise your leg in the air while keeping your knee straight and then place the towel on your foot and hold it with both your hands. Now, pull the towel towards the floor. Then repeat the same procedure with another leg.
Apart from the above-mentioned exercises, you can also perform bird dog, piriform is stretch, spine stretch, and hip stretch to strengthen the muscles on your lower back. In addition to performing these exercises, physical therapy is also very good for reducing the pain and discomfort that stem from injuries and illnesses in your lower back.
About the author:
“Martin is a writer, student and pet lover. He loves butter chicken, and seeing his small pug, naughty Annie. When he isn’t writing, you can find him at near Starbucks.”