There is no one perfect exercise for back pain because there are a wide variety of causes of back discomfort, so what works for one individual may actually do harm to another. Nonetheless, one simple exercise does seem to at least help all back-pain sufferers.
Walking Away The Pain
If you have seen a doctor and been told that there's no serious underlying damage to your back but are still in pain, consider walking. It is low-impact and improves all elements of your health, increasing mobility and reducing arthritic conditions. Walking also strengthens the core muscles often cited as central to good back health.
Better yet, it requires no special equipment and no supervision and can be done at home on a treadmill or outside anywhere you choose.
Why Is Walking So Effective?
Walking uses every major muscle of the column of your body, internal and external, to maintain balance as you move. All the muscles that support the spine are brought into play, but in a gentle, moderate fashion. Unlike running, jogging or competitive sports, walking distributes the exercise in an even fashion and applies it only as needed to maintain posture and keep you in motion.
Programs that provide special exercises to strengthen and stimulate core muscles can help with particular health issues and reduce specific pains, but as a general exercise they can't improve on walking itself.
When It Hurts to Walk
In many cases, if you have back pain walking hurts, causing discomfort in the hips that shoots up the spine into the shoulders.
But it can be amazing how quickly you can make progress if you start slowly and push yourself to do more every week. You'll soon find that a short walk will turn into a walk around the block and later a long-distance trek.
Do I Need Extra Exercises?
A doctor or therapist may recommend particular spot exercises to strengthen your particular problem areas, as well as stretches to help lengthen and ease the strain on tendons and ligaments and unclench muscles that tend to tighten up. There may be a great extra exercise for you, but your primary exercise should remain walking.
Tags: core muscles, exercises strengthen, muscles that