3 Tips to Help Your Low Back Pain!

Amongst my clients, low back pain is one of the most common issues I come across and a common thing amongst all who have it is they sit for work. Sitting too much can be extremely detrimental to our health because it affects our body in so many ways. Increased sitting causes tight and/or weak:

• Hamstrings
• Glutes
• Hip Flexors
• Core

All of those areas directly affect our low back! This is why so many of us struggle with discomfort! So how can we fix this problem?

Here are 3 ways to help support your low back and open up your body!

 

1. Stretch

The low back is getting pulled on by so many other muscle groups so when those areas are tight, they cause a lot of stress on the low back. The areas we want to stretch are the glutes, hamstrings and hip flexors!

Here are 6 stretches (2 per muscle group: 1 beginner + 1 advanced) that will help you target those areas:

Glutes
Seated Glute Stretch
Elevated Pigeon Stretch

Hamstrings
Elevated Hamstring Stretch
Kneeling Hamstring Stretch

Hip Flexors
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
Couch Stretch

2. Strengthen

When an area is tight, it can be due to overuse or underuse. In this case, the glutes, hip flexors, hamstrings and core are underused.

This means that even though these areas are tight and need to be stretched, they also need to be strengthened as well because the stronger these muscle groups are, the better they support the low back.

Here are 8 exercises that will help you target those areas:

Glutes
Squats
Hip Thrusts

Hamstrings
Hamstring Curls
RDLs

Hip Flexors
Single Leg Banded Knee Tucks
Hip Flexor Leg Lifts

Core
Dead Bugs
Farmer Carry

 

3. Move Your Body Consistently

Now that you have the exercises to do, now you need to know how to apply them. Changing how our body moves, looks and feels is all about consistency.

Here are 4 tips to follow to move your body often throughout the day and to help relieve that lower back pain:

1. Perform stretches 1-2 times a day (morning and/or evening). Do each stretch 3 times for a 10 second hold. Be sure to relax and breath through the stretches
2. Perform strengthening exercises 2-3 per week. Add in these exercises into your regimen for 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps with a weight you can control and maintaining great form
3. Move your body every hour on the hour. Stand up every hour while you're working and walk around, do some stretches, etc. This gets you out of your chair and allows for more movement and blood flow throughout your body
4. 30 mins of cardio 3-5 days per week (walking, elliptical, biking). This is not only going to create more movement for you body but it is also going to improve your heart health, increase lung capacity and to  help you burn more calories

Thank You So Much For Reading!

Please share if you found this info helpful!