PhysiotherapyChandigarh

One very powerful way of controlling your back pain is to do daily range of motion exercises, putting your back through full movement several times a day. This prevents stiffness developing and stretches all the attached muscles, making them less vulnerable to sudden demands.

Please note that exercises can make your pain worse as well as better so please consult the simple exercise guidance before getting on with them. If you have any doubts, please consult your physio, other manual therapist or medical practitioner.

These exercises are meant to maintain range of motion or regain loss of movement in the back region and to help control pain. Regular performance of movements can help with pain problems.

They are simple and not magical in any way. However, with regular performance, you should find your problems are improved. If you have long term back pain with some disability these exercises may help mobility but may not be very effective against pain.

Do each movement slowly five times, resting a short time in between each set of movements. Do two or three times a day although more often can be useful. You can increase the numbers over time as you get more confident.

Lie on your back with your legs straight out. Bend one leg up, pulling your knee up towards your chest with your hands. Alternate sides.

Try and keep the other leg down as you pull your leg up to the chest. Hold the position for a few seconds at the top of the movement.

Lie on your back with your knees bent up and feet on the surface. Start by tilting your pelvis a little so your back arches a bit. This picture shows her arching her back rather a lot and you may not need to try and go this far in your own exercise. I find that many people have real trouble in figuring out just what to do in this movement and just can’t get the hand of it. Adjusting the pelvic tilt in standing can be useful but if you can’t do it in lying you have no chance in standing. Starting the movement by going the opposite way, into back arch, can help get the idea into your head.Now press the small of your back down to the surface and tuck your bottom under. Do not lift your buttocks up, this is a forward and back rocking motion and often tricky to get right. You should feel the small of your back has pushed down against the surface. If put your hand under your back when you arch slightly you will feel the pressure as you tilt correctly in the opposite direction.When you get good at this you can use it to control the amount of pelvic tilt you have in your back in standing and to perform the core stability exercises which are thought to play such an important part in back pain related problems these days.

Lie on your back with your knees bent up and feet flat on the surface. Keep your knees together and roll them steadily from side to side. If you have a lot of mobility you may be able to get your leading knee to touch the surface. Often you will not be able to allow a large movement initially as it may be uncomfortable, so keep a smooth and gentle motion going within your comfort zone.There is very little rotation in the lumbar spine but nevertheless this movement is often uncomfortable in the low back and can be useful as part of your exercise programme.

Lie on your back with your legs out straight. Shorten and lengthen each leg alternately, pulling up each side above the hip bones. Do this slowly and smoothly, it can be quite aggravating for the back if you go at it too hard and jerkily.This exercise is really done from the waist, pulling the pelvis up at each side whilst keeping the knees straight. It’s easy to let the knees bend then this becomes a leg exercise and not a back one. It feels a bit strange and can be a little severe on the back joints so it’s good to go easy. Some people jerk it strongly and I recommend you develop a smooth, easy rhythm for best results.This pushes and pulls at the range of movement of the small facet joints at each side of the back and can be useful for reducing stiffness in particular.

Lie on your back, bend one knee and hold on with the same hand then do the same with the other leg. Pull both legs up towards the chest, gently at first. NB If you have a recent disc problem this can make you worse. If in doubt, get advice.

This exercise can feel very stretchy at first as many of us do not flex our lumbar spines fully in normal life. You may not be able to get your knees up as far as she can but that doesn’t matter to start with. Go as far as you easily can and you will see improvement steadily with time.