Exercises to strengthen your lower back
How many of you can relate to getting up in the morning with a nagging pain in the lower back, just to go about your day blaming it on your sleeping posture? Or spending your day sitting incorrectly on office chair, just to feel acute discomfort in your back by evening?
Not many know that back pain is way more severe than knee pain. As a matter of fact, back pain can be easily called the most common affliction in India. According to a study published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases journal, 1 in 10 people worldwide suffer from low back pain problem. Surprisingly, a large number of people complaining of back ache never go for any consultation.
Call it back pain, backache, spine ache or lower back ache, it all spells the same trouble - trouble in the back! Therapists from Vardan who specialise in FMT (Functional Manual Therapy) tell you ways you can heal back pain and also strengthen your back.
For the uninitiated, FMT combines active movements and resisted contractions with a specific directional pressure by the therapist to produce efficient mobility. It provides the therapist an ability to assess the effect of limited mobility on function in both weight bearing and non-weight bearing positions
EXERCISES TO STRENGTHEN LOWER BACK
PIRIFORMIS STRETCH:
Prone (lying with face down)
Come on your hand and knees
Bring your knee towards midline while keeping the other leg straight
Bend forward and extend the hands
Feel the stretch on the same side of buttock
Supine (Lying face upwards)
Lie on your back with knees bent
Place the foot of Right left over the knee of Left leg
Grasp the left thigh and pull towards the chest
Standing
Stand in front of a hip height table
Put the leg to be stretched on the table towards opposite shoulder
Hinge forward from the hip and feel the stretch over the back of buttock
Hold for 30 seconds and 5 reps
QUADRUPED ARCH-SAG EXERCISE
Starting position
Come on your hand and knees
Arch and sag your back to explore the range of flexion and extension of spine.
Find out which is more restricted. If the flexion appears to be more restricted, make an arch with full range and hold the trunk position. If extension appears to be more restricted, make SAG and hold that trunk position
SUPPORTED SITTING
Use a chair with back rest extending up till the neck
Chair height should be such that position of hips should be slightly higher than knees while sitting
Place a pillow along the length of the backrest of chair.
Sit on chair so that the back of the hips are completely in contact with the pillow.
Entire surface of feet should be in contact with the ground
Place another pillow in lap and place your forearms on top such that arms are in line with trunk
Maintain a neutral spine position avoiding excessive arching in lower back, hunching in upper back or rounding of shoulders.
Keep your chin tucked
LOWER TRUNK ROTATION/ PRONE LOWER TRUNK ROTATION
In supine
Lie on your back with knees bent
Brace yourself and slowly drop your both knees on side to side
Return to start position and repeat
Special instruction
Progress movement from inferior to superior (i.e movement at hip followed by pelvis, lower back then mid back, segmentally)
Keep your shoulder blades on the mat/floor during the exercises
Maintained relaxed diaphragmatic breathing
Note:
To facilitate more aggressive stretch, cross one leg over the other and perform movement towards non-weight bearing leg
Prine lower trunk rotation
Lie on your belly while keeping a pillow underneath to keep the back neutral
Bend your both knees and move the feet side to side while maintaining the brace
Return to start position and repeat
Special instruction Progress movement segmentally from hips to lower back to mid back Attempt to keep lower legs in contact with each other
Caution Above exercises should be performed very cautiously in patient irritated by rotation
HAMSTRING STRETCHES
In doorway - right side Patient position:
Keep the left knee bend and place the right buttock against a doorway
Keep your arms by the side or on your chest
Action: Slide the heel up the doorway until you feel a stretch
At this point, place a pillow between thigh and wall
Press thigh into the pillow
Keep bending ankle towards and away from yourself during the stretch
Stretch should be done for 30 seconds, repetition 3 times, twice a day
In supine:
Patient position:
Bend both knees with feet on the floor
Action:
Bring the knee to the stretched toward your chest and straighten your knee towards ceiling
Bend the ankle towards yourself
Apply pressure to the hand behind your knee for 6-7 seconds (same pressure from hands to knees and vice versa)
Straighten your knee and hold again.
Process is done 3-4 times
Place your right hand onto anterior aspect of thigh and apply traction upwards for 6 seconds.
Hold at the new range.
Circumduction or bend ankle towards and away from yourself.
In standing:
Patient position:
Stand in front of a chair
Chair height should be of knee height of the patient
Place the heel of the leg to be stretched on the table
Action:
Bend forward from the hips.
Keep your back straight (neutral).
Drop your pelvis downward
Bend and straighten your opposite knee
Bend your ankle towards and away from yourself
BASKING SEAL
Lower limb:
Side lying posture
Spine neutral with no rotation and side bending.
Hips and knees bent with knees below hips
Drop your feet towards floor (Posterior depression)
Hands on pelvis and now slowly raise your feet towards ceiling (anterior elevation)
Place your knees slightly above the level of hips Relax the legs down (anterior depression)
With a hand on pelvis slowly lift your feet up towards ceiling (posterior elevation)
Upper limb:
Side lying posture
Bend down and forward or down and backward with hand on the head with rib cage towards pelvis
Beginners level: Start with feet on the bed Advanced level: The upper and lower limb. Bask and seal can be done together Note: Exercise to be done on a firm surface with no rotation or extension
SIDE LYING SLEEPING POSITIONS
Lie down on your back in a relaxed position
Support neck with down feather pillow
Support under knees with one/two pillows
Place from sit bone to underneath knees up to ankles (if possible)
Folder towel underneath back (Upload the spine)
Side lying sleeping position:
Lie down on your side
Support neck from base through Feather/Down Pillow (Shoulder should be off the pillow)
Place pillow between both bend knees to support hip joint and pelvis
Caution: Shoulder dysfunction: Thin pillow/ foam piece under rib cage Pregnant women: Small pillow/ soft foam under baby
ABDOMINAL BRACING/ CORE ENGAGEMENT
Lie on your back with both knees bent and neutral spine alignment with head and neck supported.
Place your hand over your stomach 2-3 inch outward and downward from your navel
Now try to dig in your fingers and by voluntary contraction of muscles, don't let them dig in.
Make sure your belly doesn't protrude
Do not try to hold your breath for contracting deep abdominal muscles
Do it for as long as you can palpate the correct muscles contraction. Try to achieve it for 2-3 minutes
Not many know that back pain is way more severe than knee pain. As a matter of fact, back pain can be easily called the most common affliction in India. According to a study published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases journal, 1 in 10 people worldwide suffer from low back pain problem. Surprisingly, a large number of people complaining of back ache never go for any consultation.
Call it back pain, backache, spine ache or lower back ache, it all spells the same trouble - trouble in the back! Therapists from Vardan who specialise in FMT (Functional Manual Therapy) tell you ways you can heal back pain and also strengthen your back.
For the uninitiated, FMT combines active movements and resisted contractions with a specific directional pressure by the therapist to produce efficient mobility. It provides the therapist an ability to assess the effect of limited mobility on function in both weight bearing and non-weight bearing positions
EXERCISES TO STRENGTHEN LOWER BACK
PIRIFORMIS STRETCH:
Prone (lying with face down)
Come on your hand and knees
Bring your knee towards midline while keeping the other leg straight
Bend forward and extend the hands
Feel the stretch on the same side of buttock
Supine (Lying face upwards)
Lie on your back with knees bent
Place the foot of Right left over the knee of Left leg
Grasp the left thigh and pull towards the chest
Standing
Stand in front of a hip height table
Put the leg to be stretched on the table towards opposite shoulder
Hinge forward from the hip and feel the stretch over the back of buttock
Hold for 30 seconds and 5 reps
QUADRUPED ARCH-SAG EXERCISE
Starting position
Come on your hand and knees
Arch and sag your back to explore the range of flexion and extension of spine.
Find out which is more restricted. If the flexion appears to be more restricted, make an arch with full range and hold the trunk position. If extension appears to be more restricted, make SAG and hold that trunk position
SUPPORTED SITTING
Use a chair with back rest extending up till the neck
Chair height should be such that position of hips should be slightly higher than knees while sitting
Place a pillow along the length of the backrest of chair.
Sit on chair so that the back of the hips are completely in contact with the pillow.
Entire surface of feet should be in contact with the ground
Place another pillow in lap and place your forearms on top such that arms are in line with trunk
Maintain a neutral spine position avoiding excessive arching in lower back, hunching in upper back or rounding of shoulders.
Keep your chin tucked
LOWER TRUNK ROTATION/ PRONE LOWER TRUNK ROTATION
In supine
Lie on your back with knees bent
Brace yourself and slowly drop your both knees on side to side
Return to start position and repeat
Special instruction
Progress movement from inferior to superior (i.e movement at hip followed by pelvis, lower back then mid back, segmentally)
Keep your shoulder blades on the mat/floor during the exercises
Maintained relaxed diaphragmatic breathing
Note:
To facilitate more aggressive stretch, cross one leg over the other and perform movement towards non-weight bearing leg
Prine lower trunk rotation
Lie on your belly while keeping a pillow underneath to keep the back neutral
Bend your both knees and move the feet side to side while maintaining the brace
Return to start position and repeat
Special instruction Progress movement segmentally from hips to lower back to mid back Attempt to keep lower legs in contact with each other
Caution Above exercises should be performed very cautiously in patient irritated by rotation
HAMSTRING STRETCHES
In doorway - right side Patient position:
Keep the left knee bend and place the right buttock against a doorway
Keep your arms by the side or on your chest
Action: Slide the heel up the doorway until you feel a stretch
At this point, place a pillow between thigh and wall
Press thigh into the pillow
Keep bending ankle towards and away from yourself during the stretch
Stretch should be done for 30 seconds, repetition 3 times, twice a day
In supine:
Patient position:
Bend both knees with feet on the floor
Action:
Bring the knee to the stretched toward your chest and straighten your knee towards ceiling
Bend the ankle towards yourself
Apply pressure to the hand behind your knee for 6-7 seconds (same pressure from hands to knees and vice versa)
Straighten your knee and hold again.
Process is done 3-4 times
Place your right hand onto anterior aspect of thigh and apply traction upwards for 6 seconds.
Hold at the new range.
Circumduction or bend ankle towards and away from yourself.
In standing:
Patient position:
Stand in front of a chair
Chair height should be of knee height of the patient
Place the heel of the leg to be stretched on the table
Action:
Bend forward from the hips.
Keep your back straight (neutral).
Drop your pelvis downward
Bend and straighten your opposite knee
Bend your ankle towards and away from yourself
BASKING SEAL
Lower limb:
Side lying posture
Spine neutral with no rotation and side bending.
Hips and knees bent with knees below hips
Drop your feet towards floor (Posterior depression)
Hands on pelvis and now slowly raise your feet towards ceiling (anterior elevation)
Place your knees slightly above the level of hips Relax the legs down (anterior depression)
With a hand on pelvis slowly lift your feet up towards ceiling (posterior elevation)
Upper limb:
Side lying posture
Bend down and forward or down and backward with hand on the head with rib cage towards pelvis
Beginners level: Start with feet on the bed Advanced level: The upper and lower limb. Bask and seal can be done together Note: Exercise to be done on a firm surface with no rotation or extension
SIDE LYING SLEEPING POSITIONS
Lie down on your back in a relaxed position
Support neck with down feather pillow
Support under knees with one/two pillows
Place from sit bone to underneath knees up to ankles (if possible)
Folder towel underneath back (Upload the spine)
Side lying sleeping position:
Lie down on your side
Support neck from base through Feather/Down Pillow (Shoulder should be off the pillow)
Place pillow between both bend knees to support hip joint and pelvis
Caution: Shoulder dysfunction: Thin pillow/ foam piece under rib cage Pregnant women: Small pillow/ soft foam under baby
ABDOMINAL BRACING/ CORE ENGAGEMENT
Lie on your back with both knees bent and neutral spine alignment with head and neck supported.
Place your hand over your stomach 2-3 inch outward and downward from your navel
Now try to dig in your fingers and by voluntary contraction of muscles, don't let them dig in.
Make sure your belly doesn't protrude
Do not try to hold your breath for contracting deep abdominal muscles
Do it for as long as you can palpate the correct muscles contraction. Try to achieve it for 2-3 minutes
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