If you’re battling back pain, your first instinct probably isn’t to hit the gym. But there’s still good reason to get moving – it can help you ease back pain.
According to a 2018 American Journal of Epidemiology review of 16 prior studies, people who regularly exercise are 33 percent less likely to develop lower back pain. Plus, a 2017 Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences study suggests that strengthening the core is an effective way to reduce chronic back problems and ease back pain.
In the 2017 study, 120 people with chronic lower back pain performed either core-strengthening exercises or a routine of traditional physical therapy exercises three times per week. After six weeks, those who performed core-strengthening exercises reported significantly greater reductions in pain compared to those who didn’t work their core muscles.
“I’m willing to bet that in almost every case of back pain, even in patients with osteoarthritis, muscular imbalances play a role,” says physical therapist Sean Kinsman, content development lead for Trainer Rx, a physical therapy training app. When the muscles that surround and help stabilize the spine aren’t strong enough to properly function, other structures have to pick up the slack, he explains. That means the back’s bones, ligaments, tendons and cartilaginous structures like the spinal discs can experience excessive stress, he says.
Meanwhile, tight muscles in the front of the hips and chest – both common side effects of days spent sitting over a computer – can play tug of war with back muscles, causing further aches and pains, says certified trainer Jason Pak, co-owner of Achieve Fitness in Somerville, Massachusetts.
According to experts, shoring up these imbalances is completely possible and can help reduce – and even prevent – back pain.
The following six exercises for back pain will help you do exactly that, strengthening the muscles of the core and back while also improving mobility in the hips and chest. To introduce them into your routine, start slow. “It’s OK if you can’t perform many repetitions or move through a full range of motion,” Kinsman says. “Do what you can without breaking form or experiencing pain.” That may mean breaking up exercises for back pain throughout the day into mini-workouts, rather than performing them altogether at once. Over time, work up to perform each exercise at least three to five times per week.