Lower Back Pain

Lower Back Pain Exercises

Pay attention to how your body feels as you perform each exercise. The purpose of this is to help you develop your enteroception, also known as your mind-body connection. Enteroception is an essential tool for managing pain. Remember, pain is an output. The brain consults neurotags to determine whether it needs to create pain to protect itself. Neurotags are patterns of safety and danger. If the brain believes every movement is unsafe, then you will be in a constant state of pain.

The goal of these exercises is to perform them safely and comfortably. You need to create a pattern of safety for the brain to identify. This may take some time, and growth never takes a linear path. There will be days when you feel you are making great strides, and others when you feel you are taking two steps back. Have hope and know that when you have perseverance and faith, you will one day feel delightful in wonderful ways.

The goal of these exercises isn’t to become the strongest person on earth; it is to teach your mind and body that it is safe to move, live, and exist. Take your time, be safe, and use discipline as you move. If an exercise hurts when you do it, don’t do it. While it is important to challenge your body, you need to baby it. Be fair and reasonable with your expectations, so that it knows you would never put it in harm’s way. Remember, pain is your brain’s way of showing fear; give it something to trust by being responsible in how you treat yourself.

Cat Camel Stretch

Single Leg Back Stretch

Heat on Lower Back

Heat can help reduce inflammation and pain. If you are experiencing discomfort, you can sit in a chair and place a heat pack, wheat bag, or hot water bottle over your lower back. Be mindful of the heat; you don’t want to burn yourself, so create a barrier between your body and the heat source as needed. If the heat ever feels painful, remove it immediately.

Sometimes heat can intensify after it has been applied; this is often the case with moist heat, so be mindful of how it feels to avoid injury and discomfort. Remember, the goal is to manage your pain by retraining your brain. You need to show it that it can trust you; if you cause injury in the attempt to treat the pain, you are reinforcing the brain’s belief that it needs to create more pain to protect itself.

Sleep Routines

If you are hurting when trying to go to sleep, take into account your environment and ask yourself if it is conducive to safety and sleep. Are there elements that could be distracting you or inducing stress? Some people have nightly routines that help calm them before bed. Since your pain started, have you continued to participate in your nightly rituals?

Pain has socio-cultural and psychological components to it. If you are not engaging with the routines that are important to you, this could be contributing to your pain. For example, if you are used to sleeping beside your spouse at night, but have been sleeping on the couch instead, the lack of perceived safety, reduced comfort, and absence of your routine could be causing discomfort.

Back Extension Gentle

Lumbar Rotation

Lumbar & Thoracic Side Flexion Standing 1

Lumbar & Thoracic Side Flexion Standing 2

Pelvic Tilt | Pelvic Tuck Lying

Double Leg Back Stretch

Floor Superman Opposite

Standing Rotation Hips Locked

Hamstring Stretch 1

Supine Bridge Basic

Lumbar Figure of Eight Rotation SB

Oblique Stretch

Sitting Rotation

Sitting Extension

Standing Extension

Lumbar Rotation Opposite Twist

Rest Position

Tummy Vacuum

Floor Superman One Arm

Marching

Lumbar Rotation Opposite Twist

Single Straight Leg Raise

Pelvic Tilt | Pelvic Tuck Sitting

Bruegger’s Posture Standing Wall

Rotation Standing with Dowel

Lunge

Supine Bridge Medium

Lumbar & Thoracic Side Flexion with Dumbbell

Bird Dog Quadruped Horizontal

Lung with Medicine Ball Twist

Back Extension Medium

Lumbar Rotation Feed off Floor

Hip Abduction Lying

Floor Superman Two Arms, One Leg