Exercises for the Back

Exercises for the Back

Exercise is very important for preventing and curing backache. As we grow older, we lose not only bone mass but also muscle mass. 

We lose almost 6-8 pounds of muscle every ten years, and we can retard or minimize this loss by exercising our muscles to build them up. 

To begin with only exercises that involve bending backwards (extension exercises) should be performed and only after three months of developing the backache, the forward bending exercises can be stored.

Initially, there can be a slight increase in pain but we must continue with the exercises as after sometime it will gradually reduce. Walking is the best exercise and also the safest at any age. Walking backwards helps strengthening the back muscles. Similarly, swimming on the back is also very useful. 

Following exercises should eb avoided by patients who have suffered from an episode of backache:
All sports involving sudden jerky or uncontrolled movements.
Aerobics

When exercising in a group, care should be taken to stay within one’s limits of tolerance and not over strain oneself by trying to compete with others in the group

Restring correct posture should be the first priority of any exercise programme, before taking up actual exercises for the back. 
Stretching is also a good exercise which can be done safely even in the acute stages. It helps in relaxing tight muscles. Stretching can be done while lying down or standing on toes. Before beginning exercises some warm up exercises described below are advisable. 

Warm Up or Stretching Exercises
These should be performed before actual exercises for the back are performed. A few stretching exercises have been described here (picture overleaf).

Tadasan
Standing straight on toes, stretch your hands fully upwards, while taking a deep breathe, pulling your body away from your legs and keeping gaze fixed in front. Maintain this pose as long as it is comfortable and breathe can be held. Now, slowly come back to original position as you breathe out. Repeat the action five to b\six times.

Tiryak Tadasan
Next, stand against a wall, and spread legs apart. Stretch hands above head and pulling body upwards, slowly bend to right, come back to centre ad bend to left. Repeat the action five to six times.

Kati Chakrasan
Keep left hand on right shoulder, and right hand on back and turn head and body to left slowly. Similarly repeat on right side. Repeat this 5-6 times. 

Stretching while Sitting
Sit against a wall, tighten your stomach muscles and pull them back till the lower back touches the wall, now touch chin to chest. You will find the whole back being stretched. Count till five and return to original position. 

Tadasan Tiryak tadasan Kati Chakrasanan


Back Extensions
As soon as pain is less, back extensions exercises can be started. These are the safest exercises for strengthening the back muscles. Examples are yogic asanas like Bhujangasan Shalabhasan, Dhanurasan and Navakasan (illustrations below). Back extension exercises can also be done with the help of a bamboo ( see illustration) under section on abdominal exercises for a strong back. Press-ups also help. 

Bhujangasana : Lie down on stomach with chin resting on ground. Bring hands to shoulder level and pressing them downwards simultaneously raise the upper body slowly and then bring it down. Repeat this action five times. 

Step I

Step 2

Bhujangasan.


Shalabhasan: Lie down on the floor on your stomach, with chin touching ground. Stiffen the right leg and slowly raise it without bending at the knee. Now slowly bring back to the ground. Repeat with alternate les, five times.

Step I

Step 2

Shalabhasan

Tiryak Bhujangasan: Lie on stomach at full stretch. Keep hands near shoulders on the floor. Now slowly raise hed and body off the floor, maintain, and then taking a deep breath, rise up further while turning head to look at right foot. Bring head back to centre, ad slowly come back to original position. Repeat turning head to left side. Do the asana five to six times. 

Triyak Bhujangasan

Dhanurasan: Lie on stomach as for Bhujangasan. Bend knees as shown, hold with hands, and raise upper body, arching it backwards, while pulling the legs backwards. Slowly come back to original position. Repeat the action five times. 

Dhanurasan

Navakasan: Lie down as in Bhujangasan but with hands stretched in front, a dsimultaneously raise both upper and lower parts of body. The name is derived from the posture that makes the body look like a boat. 

Navakasan

Other Exercises for the Back

1. Pull both legs up and fold over stomach, grip behind knees. Now, lift shoulders and try to roll from side to side. 
2. Lie on back with one knee bent and the other flat on floor. Now, flex both feet, grip bend leg behind knee and pull toward chest, to feel stretch in buttocks and lower back. Repeat with the other leg. 
3. Lie on stomach with upper body propped up on forearms, press pelvis down and hold for two minutes. 
4. Press a smooth bamboo against lower part of back as shown and slowly bend upper part of body backwards as shown, maintain for sometime and come back.
5. Lie on back with knees bent, feet touching floor and head turned to left. Now, bring knees to chest, and slowly, let them fall to the right till they rest on the floor, and hold for 10 seconds. Some back to the original position and repeat on the other side. 
6. Lie on back with knees bent, palms facing down, lift your head and shoulders, slowly, count three and come back to the original position. 

Arching the back as shown in picture is also a very good exercise for low backache.

Massage your own back: Stand against the wall with legs stretched in front and knees slightly bent, ( see picture) till the affected (painful) part of the back is firmly pressed against eh wall. Maintain this posture for sometime. It is a very comfortable posture and can be maintained for quite sometime. To increase the pressure, bend your toes upwards once ina while. This can be repeated many times a day and it always works. After sometime, slide your back up and down on the wall pressing the affected part to massage it. 

Exercise against resistance: Walking on sand, or water is a very good exercise for the back, especially walking backwards. The flow of water and resistance of sand makes walking difficult that is why it is called an exercise against resistance. Swimming is also an excellent resistance exercise. These exercises strengthen the back quickly. 

Strengthen your thigh muscles : Strong thigh muscles as already stated, help to take the load off the back. Weighted belts (available at sports shops) can be tied to a thigh, and the leg should be slowly raised and brought down. Repeat the action alternately with the other 10-15 times. The same exercise helps to strengthen the knee joint also. 

People who are looking for backache causes also interested in back exercise .

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