The lower back of the spine supports most of the body, and about 80% of adults experience pain in this area at some point in their life. It is quite normal for muscles to atrophy from inactivity, especially if you do an office job and have a relatively sedentary life. To strengthen your lower back, start a regular physical activity program that combines strength and aerobic or cardiovascular exercise.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Back Strengthening Exercises
Step 1. Tilt your pelvis
This exercise helps strengthen the muscles in the lower abdomen and those around the lower back. Familiarize yourself with the contractions of these muscles to strengthen them and suffer less from low back pain.
- To do this, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor; legs must be hip-width apart.
- Bring the lumbar curvature towards the floor and hold the position for 5-10 seconds, breathe deeply and then release; do 10 repetitions.
Step 2. Run the bridge
This exercise also strengthens the lower back and abdominal muscles that support the spine, helping to reduce low back pain. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, as in the previous exercise.
- Lift your hips while keeping your knees bent and contracting your abs; stop when the hips are level with the knees and form a straight line (or bridge) from the knees to the shoulders.
- Hold the position for 5-10 seconds, breathe deeply and then return to the ground; do 10 repetitions.
Step 3. Swim on the floor
To do this exercise, also known as "Superman", you need to lie prone on the floor with your legs extended and your arms stretched forward over your head.
- If you are on your back, turn around and lie on your stomach; extend your hands over your head and keep your legs straight.
- Raise your legs a few centimeters by performing the alternating freestyle kick; you can also raise your left leg and right arm at the same time, lower them, and then lift your right leg and left arm.
- Complete 10-20 repetitions.
Step 4. Perform the bird dog
This is an exercise that helps strengthen and stretch the lower back, as well as improve balance. Get on all fours with your knees directly under your hips and your wrists under your shoulders.
- Bring the left arm forward and the right leg back, creating a straight line from the tips of the toes to the heel; keep your back straight, stay in place for two or three seconds and then come back to that on all fours. Repeat on the other side.
- Do 10-20 repetitions per side; keep your back straight without moving it and don't lift your hand or heel higher than your back.
Step 5. Add some lunges
When done correctly, this exercise is great for strengthening your lower back. Start from a standing position with your legs hip-width apart; make sure you have enough space in front of you.
- Step forward with your right leg, lower yourself and bend your left knee. You should get a straight line from the top of the head to the left knee - do not lean forward past the right leg. Bend the right knee at a right angle, so that it is just above the ankle and the thigh is parallel to the floor.
- Hold the position for a few seconds and then return to the original one to repeat with the other leg; do 5-10 reps on each side.
Step 6. Activate the abdominal corset muscles with planks
Since the lower back muscles are part of the abdominal muscle band, you cannot strengthen them without working on those in the belly as well.
- Get into the prone position with your legs extended. Lift up to support your body weight on your hands and toes, making sure your body forms a straight line from the tip of the head to the heels.
- If you are not very experienced with this exercise, you can modify it by resting your knees and elbows or your toes and elbows, so that the upper body is supported by the forearms and not just by the wrists.
- Side planks work on the lateral muscles of the abdominal corset. Rest your weight on one forearm and overlap your ankles; make sure the elbow is exactly below the shoulder.
Step 7. Use the Swiss ball to increase the difficulty
Once you've done these exercises for a while, they start to get undemanding; the Swiss ball allows you to increase effort and also improve balance by stimulating the muscles to work harder.
For example, if you place your feet on one of these balls to bridge, you will find that the exercise is much more difficult and requires more effort to hold the position
Method 2 of 3: Relax the Lumbar Area
Step 1. Do some warm-up with the "cat-cow" position
It is a typical yoga exercise that involves alternating the position of the cat with that of the cow, synchronizing the movements with the breath; if you do it regularly, it helps improve the flexibility of the spine.
- Start by getting on all fours with your back straight; the wrists should be below the shoulders and the knees below the hips.
- As you inhale, bring your belly towards the floor, while lifting your chest and pelvis towards the ceiling, forming an arch with your back in the cow position.
- As you exhale, bend your back towards the ceiling, lowering your tailbone and bringing your chin towards your chest. Repeat the movements for 10-20 breaths; breathe slowly and deeply, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
Step 2. Improve circulation with the Sphinx posture
This exercise increases blood flow in the lower back, helping to reduce back problems and strengthen muscles; to begin, lie on your back with your legs straight.
- Lift up on your forearms keeping your elbows directly under your shoulders; push on the floor with your hands and feet bringing the pubic bone forward, until you feel the lower back muscles are involved.
- Hold the position for 1-3 minutes, breathe deeply by inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
Step 3. Stretch the hamstring muscles in the Downward Dog Position
It is a classic yoga position that allows you to stretch the whole body well, as well as achieve mental calm and concentration. In particular, by stretching the hamstrings you can also strengthen the lower back.
- Get on all fours with your knees under your hips; wrists should be under the shoulders or just in front. Synchronize your breathing with your movements by inhaling slowly and deeply through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.
- As you exhale bring your pelvis towards the ceiling, stretch your arms out in front of you until you form an inverted "V"; keep your shoulders wide back and your neck relaxed.
- As you inhale, concentrate on lifting your hips as much as possible by shifting your weight onto your arms and away from your wrists; on the next exhale, focus on your legs, bringing your weight onto your heels to stretch the hamstrings. Hold the position for 10-20 breaths and then come out of the position to get back on all fours.
Step 4. Do the twists with the knees together
It is an effective stretch that allows you to strengthen the entire thoracic and lumbar area, while the movement of the twists opens and tones the spine. Lie on your back on a mat and keep your legs straight.
- Stretch your arms outward to form a "T" and bend your knees bringing them to your chest.
- As you exhale lower your knees to the right side, being careful to keep both shoulders snug against the mat, so that the twisting occurs only in the lumbar area.
- Inhale and bring your legs back to center; on the next exhalation tilt the knees to the left side. Repeat 5 to 10 times on each side.
Step 5. Rest in the position of the baby
It is another classic yoga position that is performed at the end of the session and which provides an excellent static stretch to the lumbar area. To assume this position, get on all fours; Simply lower your pelvis and bring your chest towards your thighs, stretching your arms out in front of you.
- If you are flexible enough, you can rest your forehead on the mat; in any case, do not bend over the state of comfort, you must not feel discomfort.
- Slightly spreading your knees outward can make the position more comfortable and easier.
- Since it represents a resting position, you can hold it for as long as you like, breathing deeply.
Method 3 of 3: Aerobic Exercises
Step 1. Walk regularly
It's a simple and inexpensive way to start becoming more active. Take a few short walks of just 15-20 minutes most days of the week to strengthen your lower back and the rest of your body.
If possible, walk with a friend so as not to lose motivation and make the walk more fun; if you go alone, you can listen to some music, a podcast or an audiobook
Step 2. Try cycling
If you suffer from lower back pain to the point where you feel more comfortable sitting rather than standing, cycling can be a great way to do cardiovascular exercises. In this case, a stationary bike is perhaps more suitable for you to use indoors rather than pedaling on uneven and bumpy terrain.
Pedaling is a low impact activity and does not tire the joints, it strengthens legs, thighs and loins, while at the same time representing an excellent cardiovascular exercise
Step 3. Do interval activities
Combining cardio with strength exercise allows you to obtain an effective workout that strengthens the lumbar area without increasing pain. You can find many videos describing interval training exercises for beginners, as well as free online sites.
Perform 3-5 minutes of high-intensity cardio exercise alternating with strength exercise phases to keep your heart rate racing without straining your lower back
Step 4. Try swimming
If you have easy access to a pool, swimming for as little as 20-30 minutes two or three times a week is a perfect way to strengthen your entire back. To avoid aggravating lower back pain, sign up for a class or talk to an instructor to perfect your technique.
- Swimming is a low-impact exercise, and water helps support your body weight, making it easier to move if you have joint problems or are overweight.
- If you are a beginner, start gradually with just 10 minutes of swimming; approximately every week increase the duration of the session by five minutes until you swim for half an hour or more.
- If swimming isn't your thing, walking or running in the water creates resistance that helps strengthen your legs and lower back without worrying about breathing.
Step 5. Buy a pedometer
You should make a commitment to take at least 10,000 steps throughout the day. Fasten it to your waist to keep track of how far you walk; some models are also connected to the internet and you can find smartphone applications that allow you to monitor progress over time.
- Choose a template that you can use easily and that helps you achieve your goals; you can take an elementary one or one that offers many other options.
- If you're just starting to pursue a more active lifestyle, set small, realistic goals and start working on reaching 10,000 steps. Introduce walking moments into your daily routine; for example park further away to go to the store or take the stairs instead of taking the elevator.
Step 6. Maintain an active lifestyle
Sitting for prolonged periods can cause lower back muscle atrophy, but you can prevent this by walking about every half hour if possible and trying to reduce the number of hours you spend sitting.
- For example, if you typically spend most of your working day sitting, try to stay up when you're at home, try not to sit on the couch when you watch television.
- You can also buy a desk for standing work (or ask your owner if he wants to invest in this type of furniture).
