It's hard to work up a sweat when every exercise seems to bring on back pain. What to do? Try these five moves, recommended as gentle for you and your back.
Turn on a faucet, and water flows. And flip a switch, and there's light. Right? You have that same kind of automatic expectation of your back when it's time to exercise. Yet, if you have a sore back, you may feel like you're in for a lights-out, no-exercise drought. But with some expert advice, you can still tone muscles and give your back some TLC. "For my patients, I recommend moves that stretch the hamstrings and heel cords, and strengthen the abdominal muscles," says Lowry Jones, MD, a general orthopedic surgeon for 22 years based in Kansas City, Kansas, and spokesperson for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. "The feet, ankles, legs, and back are all connected to back pain." Dr. Jones suggests exercising for 30 minutes three or four times a week, incorporating the following five stretches and exercises.
Cannonball Stretch
Do this move before you exercise, when you wake up in the morning, and before you go to bed.
Lie flat on your back on a yoga mat or soft carpet. After a few deep breathes, bend your right knee and pull it to your chest as far as you can comfortably manage while keeping your back flat and your left leg extended. Use your hands to hold the knee in place for about 10 seconds. Repeat with your left knee for one repetition. Do 10 reps on each leg. Then bring both knees to your chest at the same time, hold about 10 seconds, and release. Do 10 reps.
Hurdler Stretch
Surprisingly, tight hamstrings and heel cord tightness can lead to back pain or contribute to ongoing pain if you already have a bad back, according to Dr. Jones. A good way to loosen those hamstrings is with a version of the hurdler stretch.
Sit cross-legged, then extend your right leg with your knee slightly flexed. With your back straight, lean forward over your right leg, reaching for your toes. Hold for about 10 seconds when you begin to feel the stretch. Next, loop a towel around the toes of your right foot, holding the towel's ends in each hand as you lean back into a sitting position for about 10 seconds. Devote about 10 to 15 minutes to this stretch, evenly working your right and left legs.
Crunch
Strong abdominal muscles protect your back.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your arms gently crossed in front of your chest. Tuck your chin and lift your torso about 4 to 6 inches off the ground, then as you tighten and hold your abdominal muscles, touch your arms against your legs. Move back and forth from the floating position to touching your legs for one rep. Start with three sets of 25 reps, resting a minute or two after each set. Work up to three sets of 50 reps.
Water Walking or Running
Walk or run in water slightly above waist height for patients who have back pain. The resistance of the water provides a good workout, yet you don't get the knee and back pounding you would if you walked or ran on pavement.
Walk laps around the pool for 15 to 20 minutes. If you want to step it up a notch, try running in water or heading for slightly deeper water.
Sidestroke
Another way to burn calories and tone in the water while being kind to an ailing back is the sidestroke.
To begin the sidestroke, lie in the water on your right or left side with your legs straight. Your head rests toward your bottom arm but will stay above the water. Your bottom arm is extended beyond your head. To move, you sweep the lower arm and upper arm toward each other to about midchest while you bend your upper leg, hips, and knees, bringing the heels to your body. Then push your legs and arms, extending them straight and away from your center to return to the starting position. Work up to 20 to 30 minutes.
