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Medical research has consistently concluded that most people with a common back pain problem would benefit by undertaking a gentle exercise program that involves a combination of stretching and light exercising such as yoga, pilates or just a gentle walk. The idea behind this concept is that stretching extends and expands your limbs, reducing the compression between the muscles and the joints, which can help to relieve the pain.
Stretching is particularly helpful if the source of the back pain is either a compressed nerve or a compressed disc which are common causes of lower back pain. For the long term relief of lower back pain you need to carry out your stretching and gentle exercise routine about three times a day to fully experience the benefits. By being consistent your body will adapt to the stretching and become suppler as you go on. If you suffer from a more chronic or debilitating form of back pain such as osteoarthritis then certain stretches can actually do more damage than good. However, any type of limited stretching is better than not stretching at all.
If you find that standing up to stretch is too painful consider adapting this by performing your stretches while sitting down in the comfort of your favorite chair. You can begin with ankle roles and stretching your forearms upwards as if you are picking grapes from a branch. Do the stretches in a slow, relaxed manner and try to avoid any quick, jerky movements. Listen to your body as you carry out these stretches and stop if you feel any discomfort or pain.
One particular stretch to focus on is the hamstring which runs down the back of each leg. A tight hamstring muscle can aggravate back pain and by stretching it and making it suppler you can help to alleviate the pain. An effective hamstring stretch exercise is the basic hamstring stretch and the donkey kick.
As I mentioned before you should try and combine a few low impact aerobic exercises that can help make the joints and in particular the lower back stronger. Take it gently and depending on your condition certain yoga poses such as the full shoulder stand maybe too difficult are painful to perform. It is best to try a few of the easier poses like the cat and dog stretch or the knee hug. If you find the yoga poses too uncomfortable then another great exercise is walking. Nothing too strenuous at the start, just 15 minutes a day and then gradually build it up from there each day.
While walking try and keep your back straight and prevent your shoulders from hunching forward. Swing your arms in a relaxed manner and keep your chin level and your eyes looking forward. With each step take a deep breath and exhale. Always consult a doctor before you perform a new exercise.
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