We often experience some tiredness or tightness in our spine after a long and hectic day at work or at home with chores and children. But it is not feasible to pay a visit to the doctor every time as it seems very natural or the reasons are obvious for such symptoms. Hence, it is always necessary to keep your body, especially your vertebrae, in a healthy and active state so that it keeps on going good throughout the day. If your back pain is not due to a serious underlying condition, there are a lot of exercises that can be performed at home. These are simple, effective, and fun, and keeps you motivated to do it every day.
1) Cat and Camel Exercise:
Lay down on a flat surface. Come to the quadruped position. Now try to lift your spine towards the ceiling with the downward movement of your head. And again, bring the spine downwards with the head moving upward.
The respiration pattern should be - inhaling while spine downwards and exhaling while spine in the upward position.
2) Trunk Twisting and Rotation:
Sit on a chair with no arm support. Now, try to touch your left shoulder with your right hand by twisting your spine. Repeat the same on the other side. Do this for a count of 10 on each side. Now stay in that position, try to touch your left knee with the right shoulder, and vice versa. Do this for a count of 10 again.
3) Bridging:
Lie on a flat surface, preferably on a yoga mat. Now, bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the ground. Slowly lift up the pelvis to 35 to 40 degrees above the ground level. Head, neck, and shoulder should be supported on the ground with your trunk slightly bending upward. Hold your body in this position for at least a count of 10 and release it to the original position. You can repeat this exercise twice daily and do it 15 times.
4) Superman Pose:
Lie down in the tummy down position. Now lift your head with the right hand and left leg simultaneously, extended in the air. Hold this position for 10 seconds and release. This is a good exercise for stretching the entire spine.
5) Hand Opening and Closing:
Sit in an erect posture on a chair. Raise your hands and open then wide on either side of your body. Now simultaneously stretch out your chest with wide open hands, inhaling air inside. This gives a concave arch to your spine. Now slowly exhale out air and close your hands around the body with head down position and spine in a convex posture. This is good for the upper spine.
6) Straightening and Bending:
Stand straight with legs wide open (two feet apart from each other). Now raise your hands above the head, parallel to each other towards the ceiling. Now slowly bend forwards, count up to 10, and come back to the original position. Stretch the body as much as you can. Do not overstretch as it might hurt your back. Perform this activity twice daily in empty stomach (preferably early morning and evening).
7) Back Cushioning:
After a hectic day, your spine also needs some rest to keep hold of your entire body in a synchronized manner. So, give a little time to your supporting spine by cushioning it with some pillows. You can perform this activity in sitting and in lying down position as well. Place a pillow at the lower back of your spine. Try to push your spine and squeeze the pillow. Stay in the position for a count of 10 and release. Repeat this 10 times, after you finish it, remain in the position for 5 minutes and remove the pillow. Make it a point to relax your spine every day with this activity to keep it in a healthy condition.
8) Ball Pressing Against Wall:
Gym ball or therapeutic balls are now available in the market, 65 to 75 mm is the optimum size. Pump the ball up to maximum capacity. Now keep the ball against a clear wide wall. Stand with back supported on the ball. Press the ball and move it up and down with your spine without touching it with your hands.
9) Ball Crunches:
Take a gym ball of 65 mm in size, place it on the floor. Try to lie on it with back support and proper balance. Start doing the crunches. Keep it a point not to move and slip off the ball. Stay balanced and do the crunches with hands at your back of the head.
10) Modified Cat and Camel:
As discussed earlier, take the position on four of your limbs with palm and knee supported on the ground. Now inhale and stretch your body forward while slightly flattening the spine and raising the head upward. After a count of 10, exhale and come back to the original position with the head in a downward position. You can do this exercise after completing the original cat and camel one. Repeat it twice, 15 times each.
Tips for the Day:
Besides the above-mentioned exercises, there are other important things that one should adopt for a healthy spine, such as:
-
Drinking lots of water. Minimum 3 liters of water is advisable. It keeps the intervertebral space healthy and maintains the liquid content intact.
-
Maintaining optimum and good posture is mandatory. Keep a note on your table, which will remind you to consciously maintain your posture by correcting in the mirror every day.
-
Check the way you stand (do not slouch forward much or bend back with extending the knee joint). Maintain the shoulder joint in line with your ears. Lower back should not get too concave and no hunch should be present.
-
Meditation is a great way of keeping one positive and improving body language. At least 15 minutes of soulful and mindful silence is required for your body. This also improves blood circulation to your spine and keeps it healthy.
-
Positivity, motivation, and deep breathing exercises also contribute to maintaining the spine concrete and strong.
Following the imbibed lines, one can happily stay energetic and live long, as low back pain has become a generalized form of bodily complaint in many people. Thus participate and perform the above tasks and stay healthy.
