In a response to experiencing back pain you can take it easy, for example, by staying in bed or at least stopping any strenuous activity at all. While this approach is comprehensible and may even be recommended in the short term, when done for more than a day or two, as a matter of fact, it can sap healing. Instead of this, active forms of exercise are almost always necessary to recover the spine and help lessen back pain.
 Due to gradual, controlled, and progressive active exercise basic essential nutrients will be distributed into the disc space and soft tissues in the back to keep the discs, muscles, and joints healthy. Therefore, owing to a regular exercise routine helps patients can avoid weakness and stiffness, minimize the risk of low back pain recurrences, and reduce the severity and duration of possible future episodes of low back pain.
The back pain exercise and rehabilitation program will depend upon the patient’s specific diagnosis and level of pain. Consequently, treatment will be very different. It is very important for patients to make an appointment with a spine specialist trained to design an individualized back exercise program and to provide instruction on using the right technique and form.
Effective exercise program should be comprehensive, working the whole body even if it targets the back. It should include a combination of stretching, strengthening, and low impact aerobic conditioning.
Strengthening exercises to build muscle support
In order to decrease the stress placed upon the lower back, you have to develop strong core muscles in the abdomen and lower back. There are two types of exercise programs that are often recommended for back pain patients:
- Dynamic lumbar stabilization. This back exercise will help patients find their neutral spine, which is the pose that allows the patient to experience the least discomfort
- McKenzie extension exercises. These back exercises concentrate on stretching the spine to reduce the load on, and the pain produced from degenerating disc. Pain relief can be felt in both the back and the leg. In case when the pain is very acute, the exercises may be done several times a day.
These types of exercises are best working with a trained physical therapist, although with practice patients can do the exercises by themselves.
Low impact aerobic exercise
This program will promote rehabilitation and maintain everyday functionality. Some of the back pain patients can be engaged in running and other types of cardio exercise, but many others with serious back pain will be engaged in low impact cardio conditioning that is easy on the joints and gentle on the back.
Several gentle types of aerobic exercise exist. They are very effective when done on a regular basis:
- Walking. Generally, walking is very gentle on the back, and walking 2-3 miles three times per week is very useful for patients.
- Biking or cross-training. Bicycling or using an elliptic cross-trainer are also effective methods to exercise without putting load on the back.
- Water therapy. Exercising in the water secures weightless conditioning, which minimizes load on the back and joints throughout the body.
Most health care providers recommend at least 20 to 30 minutes of cardio exercise every other day to keep in shape. Patients could take turns days of cardio and strength conditioning to get a daily dose of exercise and give muscle groups time to rest.
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