You’ve heard and seen it all before – the ‘miracle’ that is exercise, the ‘life-changing’ powers it has, and ‘epic transformations’ as a result of it.
Now, we all know that exercise can do wonders for our health, but what about when you have back pain?
It can feel disheartening and even isolating for those experiencing back pain to constantly be told by the media and those around them to ‘exercise more’ when it’s the last thing they feel like doing due to pain!
But what if we told you there’s a way to exercise and get the benefits without having to aggravate your back further? We’ll discuss our top tips for exercising with back pain.
Do A Proper Warm-Up
No, we don’t mean just giving your legs a shake and calling it a day! Warming up before exercise is crucial but even more so if you have underlying conditions such as back pain.
According to heart.org, ideally, you should be warming up for 5 to 10 minutes. The more intense the activity, the longer the warm-up should be.
There are plenty of back-friendly warm-up exercises that get you moving without causing extra pain. Gentle stretching or slow walking, for example, are ideal.
Know When To Rest
When exercising, it can be tempting to push yourself to the limit thinking that’s the only way to see results; this is simply not true!
By listening to your body and taking a break when needed, you’re much more likely to avoid injuring your back and will likely find it a lot easier to maintain a regular exercise routine if you’re not in any more pain!
Watch Your Form
When you think about watching your form you may picture a stereotypical ‘gym buff’ grunting in the mirror! And while technically that could be considered the same thing (we’re not here to judge!) we’re referring more to ensuring your back is properly supported during your movements.
For example, according to Tony Gentilcore, C.S.C.S., founder of CORE in Boston, before you begin your squat, make sure your feet are facing forward and your chest is up, as a more upright position will take stress off the back/spine [Men’sHealth].
Speak With A Professional
If you feel like you’re doing everything you can to help ease or reduce your back pain while exercising and nothing seems to be working then we’d strongly recommend speaking with a professional chiropractor.
Using a combination of techniques, exercises and massage, a chiropractor will help to ease stress and tension in your joints and muscles, freeing up your movement and reducing pain.
At Morley Chiropractic Clinic, we specialise in treating sports injuries and in providing rehabilitative care following any damage to your back, neck or shoulders, so you can be sure we’re experts in the care you need.
If you’d like to find out more about how we can help, don’t hesitate to get in touch today!
