Back pain is nothing new. It’s something everyone struggles with at some point. If you’re currently experiencing back pain or looking for ways to alleviate it, there are plenty of exercises and stretches that can help.
Our friends at Aligned Modern Health recently published an infographic outlining exercise that can help relieve back pain either in your workspace or at home.
Ready to hit the ground running? Try these simple exercises:
HAMSTRING STRETCHES
The hamstrings run through the back and top part of the leg. If they’re too tight from sitting all day, they can pull your back, causing discomfort.
To stretch these muscles, lie on your back with both legs straight. Bend one leg at the knee and extend the other straight up in the air. Next, loop a towel over the arch of the extended foot and gently pull on the towel while pushing against it with your foot.
Hold for 30 seconds on each leg then relax.
WALL SITS
Wall sits are a challenging exercise that strengthen your leg muscles to ensure they can adequately support your back as well as the rest of your body.
To perform the movement, stand about a foot away from a wall and lean back until your back is flat against the wall. Slowly slide down the wall until you are in a sitting position and hold for 10 seconds.
Repeat this exercise eight to 12 times.
BACK EXTENSIONS
To perform a back extension, lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders and use both hands to push your upper body off the floor. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat one time.
BRIDGING
Bridging helps strengthen your legs and abs to help stabilize your back. Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees flexed. Next, tighten your lower abdomen and glutes and slowly raise your hips off the floor until your shoulders, hips and knees are in a straight line.
Hold for six seconds and lower. Repeat eight to 12 times.
PELVIC TILTS
To perform a pelvic tilt, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Tighten you stomach and press against the floor then begin rocking your hips back and forth. Hold for ten seconds while breathing in and out smoothly. Repeat eight to 12 times.
BIRD DOG
While on your hands and knees, tighten your stomach muscles and lift and extend one leg behind you, keeping hips level.
Hold for five seconds and switch to the other leg. To make this exercise harder, extend one arm in front of you during each repetition.
Repeat eight to 12 times for each leg.
PIRIFORMIS STRETCH
This movement will stretch, strengthen and loosen your pelvic muscles to ease discomfort.
Lie on your back crossing one leg over the other. Gently pull the knee toward the chest until you feel a stretch. Hold for 30 seconds then relax and repeat three times per leg.
LEG RAISES
Lie on your stomach and raise one leg slightly off the floor. Repeat 20 times on each leg.
Once you’ve completed all the exercises, you’re well on your way to maintaining a healthier back and a healthier body! If you’re on a roll and looking for other ways to ensure you stay active in your workspace, give VARIDESK® a try.
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For more on Aligned Modern Health, visit their website.