San Antonio Chronic Back Pain Exercises
Help for San Antonio Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain
About everyone has either experienced low back pain or will experience it at some point in their life. When this pain lasts for three months, it is considered chronic. Studies have found that low back pain becomes very difficult to resolve when persisting for three or more months. Today, we will be reviewing what exercises can best help relieve low back pain and improve disability.
Studies Showing Effects of Exercise on Chronic Low Back Pain
There have been many studies that look into the effects of stabilization exercises for patients that suffer with chronic low back pain. A collection of six new studies followed patients from a 4 to 16 week period of time. Researchers found that participants in the exercise group reported significant improvements in low back pain. This was not seen in the group who did not engage in exercise. Another study looked at the changes and bone density between the groups, and found increased density in the exercise group, and decreased in the non-exercise group. The final study reported waste isometric strength increase in the exercise group.
Another study found at the cross-section of the deep low back muscles improved after eight weeks of exercise. The deep transverse abdominis muscles had the same effects.
There are a handful of other studies which show that core stabilization exercises are proven to help patient’s pain and disability when it comes to low back pain. Those who do not engage in exercise do not improve, and even worsen. Below, we’ve listed Swiss ball and floor exercises that you can use to heal your low back pain.
1) Sitting pelvic tilts
This can be done with both feet (or eventually one foot when you’re ready for an added challenge) on the floor while rocking the pelvis front to back, left to right, or in a circular or “figure-8” manner.
2) Bridge
Start sitting and then walk out so the ball is between the shoulder blades. Keep your trunk parallel to the floor. Push your heels into the floor to activate the hip extensors (buttock muscles) and then walk back up to a sitting position. You can further challenge your balance and hip extensor strength by raising one leg.
3) Sit-ups
Start sitting and roll halfway back and hold it for different lengths of time.
4) See-Saw
Hug the ball and roll out into a push up position. Position the ball under your pelvis and lift one leg at a time towards the ceiling. Alternate between the left and right legs. You can do BOTH legs together once you get used to this to make it more challenging.
5) Pelvic tilts
First, with the knees bent about 90° with your feet on the floor, flatten your low back against the floor by rocking your pelvis back.
6) Dead Bug
On your back with hips and knees both bent 90° (like sitting in a chair on your back), straighten out the right arm and left leg simultaneously and alternate sides SLOWLY.
7) Superman
Lay on your stomach with your arm and legs stretched our (like “Superman” flying). Raise one arm and the opposite leg (i.e. right arm/ left leg) and slowly alternate between the other opposing pair. Make it harder by raising BOTH arms and legs at the same time! NOTE: A pillow under the waist helps.
8) Bridge
Lay on your back with your knees bent. Lift the buttocks off the ground and push your heels into the floor. Do one leg at a time to make it more challenging.
9) Sit-ups
There are three leg positions to make it progressively harder (knees bent/feet flat on floor, knees & hips both bent 90°, etc.). Lift your breast bone towards the ceiling and alternate between coming straight up and left and right trunk twists.
10) Side Bridge (Plank)
If no shoulder problems exist, lay sideways propped up on an elbow and lift the hips off the floor to a straight body position.
11) Standing squats
Try a quarter, half, or full squat (knee pain dependant) with or without hand weights and with or without a ball squeezed between the knees. Lunges can be substituted or added, if desired.
12) 4-point Quadruped
Kneeling on all fours, straighten out the right arm / left leg and alternate. At the same time, suck in your belly (“abdominal hollowing”) to facilitate the deep transverse abdominis and multifidus muscles. Add a dynamic component by rotating the trunk and approximating your hand to the floor / opposite leg up in the air keeping the body in a straight line.
What Can We Do For Your Back Pain Relief?
We have been helping the people of Stone Oak for many years. We have over 400 positive reviews from patients across Google, Facebook, Yelp and Healthgrades. We have helped them and we want to help you too.
Our trio of doctors, Dr. Golab DC., Dr Fielden D.C. and Dr Grimm D.C. all have many years experience and qualifications behind them and along with our massage therapists, we have the majority of back pain conditions covered. If not, we will help you find the right solution to help you.
We take many major insurances and offer a walk in friendly office for chiropractic. Massage and Cryotherapy is by appointment only. We want to make your experience as easy and simple as possible so that we can all focus on the most important thing… your back pain.
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Chiropractic
