Exercise for lower back pain

by Nathan Wei, MD, FACP, FACR

Nathan Wei is a nationally known board-certified rheumatologist and author of the Second Opinion Arthritis Treatment Kit. It's available exclusively at this website... not available in stores.

Click here: Second Opinion Arthritis Treatment Kit

As with any form of exercise always begin with a warm up and gentle stretching. The animated back exercises below show you how to do these.

1. Lie flat on your back. Hug your knees to your chest and at the same time, bring your chin to your chest. Repeat twice, holding for 15 seconds each.

2. Begin this back exercise on your hands and knees. Simultaneously raise and straighten your right arm and left leg until they are parallel to the ground. Hold for 2 seconds and come back slowly to a starting position. Repeat with left arm and right leg, alternating 10 times.

3. Lie facedown, arms extended overhead, palms on floor. Simultaneously raise your right arm and left leg as high as comfortably possible. Hold for 10 seconds and slowly return to start. Repeat with left arm and right leg, alternating 10 times. Gradually build up to 20 times.

4. Find a solid piece of furniture, such as a couch, to hook your feet under. Lie facedown, arms at your side and place heels under couch. Slowly raise chest off the floor as high as you comfortably can. Hold for 2 seconds and return to start. Gradually increase to 20 times.


Back pain will be improved significantly if these exercises are done at least daily. Put you favorite music on while you do them or time it for when something interesting is on the radio. [Source: US Food & Drug Administration ]

This exercise for back pain is one that you should do several times a day. If you do this every time you get up from a chair you will definitely get back pain relief faster.

This is a very quick and simple back exercise.

Stand with your feet a little more than shoulder width apart, and your knees slightly bent. Put the palms of your hands facing downwards on your lower back with the heal of your hand at waist level. Lean back as far as you can from the waist supporting your back with your hands. Hold for 10 seconds and then repeat.

When you have a flare up of lower back pain you should do this back exercise frequently throughout the day. Your back pain will be relieved surprisingly fast.

After a flare up do not neglect these exercises. Continue to do them a couple of times each day, particularly if you have a sedentary job or a job that requires you to bend over a great deal, such as gardening or housework.

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