Many people experiencing back pain are surprised to learn that exercise is something they should still be doing. When we’re in pain, it often makes us want to curl up and retreat to the couch. But exercise is a documented treatment for chronic pain, increasing serotonin levels, relaxing the muscles and reducing stress levels.

Furthermore, staying active avoids physical inactivity, which is an added insult to chronic pain conditions. With that said, there are some simple tips you’ll want to follow to prevent your back pain from getting worse. In other words, the right exercises will leave you feeling great, and the wrong ones will leave you in agony.

Let’s cover the do’s and don’ts of exercising with back pain.

When You Have Back Pain, DO the Following:

• Start with simple activities. This is especially important if you’re not used to working out and you don’t know your limits. Walking is a great ‘starter’ activity because it’s low impact. Start with just 10-15 minutes a day and see how you feel.
• Stretch out. The right exercises can help calm low-back spasms. Start with back pocket stretches and press-ups in the morning and evening, doing them 8-10 times each.
• Strengthen the core. A lot of times, lower back pain comes from our lifestyle, such as sitting all day at a desk. Work on centering your spine by strengthening your core muscles.
• Explore water activities. Water aerobics and pool exercises ease pain and won’t put pressure on the spine. Don’t limit yourself to land-based exercises only!

When You Have Back Pain, DON’T Do the Following:

• Work through the pain. Pain is a signal that something is wrong. While it’s normal to feel some discomfort while exercising, pain is a different thing. Pushing yourself to stay in a certain position can cause further tissue damage, as well as aggravate existing damage.
• Skip your warmup. Always warm-up before exercising. Many back pain issues occur when we put sudden pressure on the spine without warming up.
• Lift heavy objects or practice high-impact moves. If you plan on lifting weights, use only the weights you can handle. High-impact exercises like running, jumping and basketball should also be avoided because they place stress on your joints, which can worsen back pain.

Don’t Ignore Back Pain! Contact Jersey Rehab Today!

Once the issues that are causing your back pain disappear, your back pain should, too. If you are continuing to experience pain, contact a back pain doctor at Jersey Rehab today. We have a number of alternative ways to effectively treat back pain and get you back to living the life you love!