The Most Common Exercises for Back Pain

If you’ve been told that you should exercise to help your back pain, you may wonder which type of activity is best for you. After all, you don’t want to make your pain worse or do any damage to your spine. Here are six common types of exercise recommended for back pain. And what should you do if exercise doesn’t help or if it makes your back pain worse? Skip the conventional treatments and try an innovative approach to back pain that’s more effective and less risky than others.

Walking is a great exercise because you can do it virtually anywhere for free. If weather is a factor, head to the gym or invest in a home treadmill. You can add Nordic walking poles to get more of a full-body workout, similar to cross-country skiing.
If your back is really sore, avoid steep slopes in either direction. Also, make sure you wear proper footwear with good arch support and impact absorption. Walking on a softer but level surface, like grass or dirt, will be less jarring than exercising on asphalt.

Yoga can be a great exercise for the back to build both strength and flexibility. The key is not to push too hard or exceed the limits of your stretching ability. Therefore, a gentle yoga class is best if you don’t practice at home on your own.
Be sure to tell your instructor about your back pain and any limitations you have. A seasoned yoga instructor will know how to modify positions for you to protect your back. You can always build up to more challenging asanas once your back pain has healed.

Swimming is the perfect way to exercise when your back is bothering you because it’s so low-impact, and you get the support of water all around you. Avoid strokes that require excessive back arching, like the butterfly, and opt for a workout that keeps your back in a more stable position. You can always grab a kickboard or leg float (aka water saddle) if you only want to work one-half of your body at a time or if that makes your back pain feel better.

Pilates was developed nearly 100 years ago to help soldiers and dancers recover from injury. It uses prescribed moves, either on a floor mat or Reformer machine, to work out the entire body and build strength and flexibility in equal measure. Pilates is particularly good for developing core strength, which will help support your back.
It’s best to learn Pilates from an instructor before attempting it independently, especially if you have back pain. They can make sure you’re going through the correct range of motion for each move and help you select a degree of difficulty that won’t set your pain back.

Tai chi is often called a “soft” martial art. In fact, it looks more like slow-motion dance than a method of self-defense. This centuries-old school of movement that originated in China is a bit like a moving meditation. It’s ideal if you want to release stress and focus the mind while engaging in exercise that’s good for your back.
These days, it’s easy to find a tai chi class in most areas to learn the various forms that are choreographed sequences of movement. Because it’s so slow and methodical, it’s easy to protect your back while practicing tai chi. And you can add deeper knee bends and a wider stance as you progress, making it more challenging and appropriate for your level of fitness.

Yes, you read that right: aerobic exercise! This type of workout isn’t for everybody, but it might be right if you have mild back pain that’s due to carrying excess weight and you need to lose some pounds. Aerobic exercise gets your heart pumping and pushes your respiratory system to burn calories while you improve muscle tone and dexterity. It improves your mood – important if you have chronic pain – and it increases circulation for faster healing. It may even reduce your need for pain medication because aerobic exercise generates the production of endorphins, which are your body’s natural feel-good chemicals.
Of course, you don’t want to do any aerobic exercise that could irritate your back, so stay away from high-impact workouts. Instead, choose one of these types of exercise:

• Swimming

• Water aerobics

• Speed walking

• Elliptical training

• Stationary bicycling

• Ballroom dancing

• Light resistance circuit training