There are a number of exercises for lower back pain. But let’s first focus on what causes the pain? Lower back pain can be caused by bad posture, sitting incorrectly for long hours, lifting or general daily tasks and not moving your body in the correct way. If you have a sitting or standing job your body probably uses some muscles more and some other muscles less creating muscle imbalance. As a result of that you may experience lower back pain. One benefit of pilates is to improve bad posture. Pilates is a whole body workout and therefore it reduces muscle imbalance which in turn reduces lower back pain. The NHS recommend performing pilates regularly to prevent lower back pain.

6 Exercises for lower back pain

Below we have put together 6 exercises for lower back pain to ease your achy spine. These exercises are suitable for any fitness level. If you feel pain or discomfort while performing these lower back exercises, stop immediately and consult your doctor.

Exercises for lower back pain #1 Pelvic Curl

–        Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the mat. Feet and knees are hip-width apart. Place your arms by your sides and relax your body.

–        Tilt your pelvis into neutral position, pull your belly button in, breathe in to prepare and slowly roll your spine off the matt one vertebra at a time into a bridge position. Your body should be in a straight line. Hold for a couple of seconds and as you breathe out slowly roll your spine down one vertebra at a time until your spine is back to the starting position.  Repeat 10 times.

Exercises for lower back pain #2 Roll up

–        Lie on your back, your arms are overhead, your legs are straight and your feet are flexed. Relax your body.

–        Pull your belly button in and engage abdominals. Breathe in to prepare, lift your arms to ear height, tuck your chin in and as you breathe out slowly roll yourself up one vertebra at a time using your abdominals into a seated position.

–        Breathe in, lengthen thorough the spine, your arms should be parallel to the mat. As you breathe out reach forward towards your toes. Hold for a couple of seconds and come back to the seated position.

–        Breathe in, lengthen through the spine, round your lower back and as you breathe out slowly roll your spine down back to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

Exercises for lower back pain #3 Saw

–        Sit upright with your legs opened and feet flexed. Lengthen through the spine and reach your arms forward.

–        Breathe in to prepare. As you breathe out rotate your upper body to the right side and reach towards your toes. Hold for a couple of seconds, come up and come back to the centre.

–        Breathe in to prepare. As you breathe out rotate your upper body to the left side and reach towards your toes. Hold for a couple of seconds, come up and come back to the centre. Repeat 5 times on each side.

Exercises for lower back pain #4 Star

–        Lie on your front with your legs straight, slightly wider than your hips and your arms are overhead. Push your pubic bone forward and lift your head and chest off the mat.

–        Breathe in to prepare. As you breathe out lift your right arm and left leg up, hold and lower down.

–        Breathe in to prepare. As you breathe out lift your left arm and right leg up, hold and lower down. Repeat 10 times in total.

Exercises for lower back pain #5 Cat Stretch

–        Start in table top position. Your arms are directly below your shoulders and your knees directly under your hip joints. Pelvis should be in the neutral position.

–        As you breathe out round your lower back first and follow with the upper back. Hold for a couple of seconds, extend your upper body all the way up and come back to the starting position. Repeat 5 times.

Exercises for lower back pain #6 Rolling like a ball

–        Sit at the end of your mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the mat.

–        Hold your shins and round your lower back. Pull your belly button in, engage abdominals and as you breathe out roll yourself back to the upper back and come back to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

That is your lower back pain workout. Do this 3 times a week for a few weeks and you should strengthen your back. Your back muscles work together with your abdominals therefore it is recommended that you strengthen your abdominal muscles too.

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