Low Back Pain Exercises

Anyone who might have experienced chronic or acute episodes of low back pain, is aware of the discomfort one has to endure sometimes when standing, sitting or even sleeping. The question is, what are some of the main causes of low back pain?

The back is subjected to a tremendous amount of wear and tear on a daily basis -- not to mention over the course of our lives. As the muscles, ligaments, vertebrae, nerves and other structures of our back continue to degenerate over the years, we will experience some form of back pain at some point in our lives, especially as we grow older.

As the baby boomer population continues to grow, we will see an increase in the number of people complaining of back pain due to osteoporosis and poor ROM (Range of Motion), which are two major causes of low back pain in the middle-aged and also the less active individuals. However, simple back stretching exercises can help to strengthen both the deep and the superficial muscles of the back, improves the overall flexibility of the upper and lower back, and help to reduce episodes and the severity of low back pain or discomfort in this population.

Osteoporosis which is characterized by a loss in mineral density or bone mass is often experienced by most women during their postmenopausal stage of life due to hormonal changes. Although it's primarily seen in postmenopausal women, you will also see several males with cases of osteoporosis; however, this is usually genetically related.

Poor range of motion can cause low back pain in the young, the old, and especially the more sedentary population. Although poor range of motion(ROM) is known to be a major cause of low back pain, in both the young and elderly population, low back pain may result from several other pathological issues. It should be noted that individuals with chronic low back pain can perform simple therapeutic stretching exercises to improve trunk and hip-joint ROM.

Presently,there are several back pain relief products on the market to help with lower back pain exercises. However, some have not been clinically tested or studied, thus caution should be exercised when using these back stretching devices! Manufacturer guidelines should always be followed.

Conclusion

Because several factors are responsible for low back pain and back discomfort, it is highly recommended that you first consult your health care provider or back pain specialist to rule out disc slippage/damage, pathology or to know the precise reason for your back pain.

However, due to the fact that poor range of motion is known to be one of the primary reasons most sedentary people especially experience low back pain, one should frequently perform low back exercises. Simple back exercises can be done in the comfort of your home. Exercises that stretch and strengthen the back muscles will improve overall flexibility and ROM of the entire back. Maintaining the correct posture, when sitting, standing, and sleeping is also very helpful in reducing the stress off your lower back.

Adhering to the correct principles of workplace ergonomics driving ergonomics, seating ergonomics and so on, is also very important in preventing long term back injury and disability. You can access other useful and relevant back pain prevention and back care information at http://www.portablebackstretcher.org