Summer is a time to enjoy the warm weather and sunshine without the worry of dealing with back pain. Unfortunately for millions, warm weather activities often lead to everything from a mild twinge in the lower back to excruciating pain of the spine. Here are a few exercises you can do help with your back pain this summer.
Don’t Be Afraid of a Little Cardio
When your back feels strained, you may think that cardio is something to avoid. Nothing could be further from the truth – you just want to keep your exercise routine more on the low-impact scale.
The fact is, aerobic exercise helps to increase blood flow and give nutrients a push in getting through the body where they are needed. This can help reduce inflammation, promote healing, decreases stiffness and even strengthen the spine.
So what type of low-impact exercise should you be doing when dealing with a sore or injured back? Here are a few choices that can help relieve your discomfort.
Stretching
Yoga and Pilates are two great exercise routines that can help strengthen weakened back muscles and increase flexibility in the torso and spine. While stretching is usually safe, be sure to talk with the doctors at Capital City Neurosurgery to make sure you know how to stretch the right way.
Swimming
The most common causes of back pain are from strained muscles and ligaments. Thankfully, the buoyancy of water can help you strengthen them without causing even more strain. Water exercises are also great for increasing range of motion while easing the stress on muscles and joints.
When first starting out, simply walk or jog in place in a pool up to your waist with water. As you grow stronger, you can add more exercises or begin swimming using vertical strokes. This will help keep your spine straight as you swim and alleviate the pain.
Walking
While jogging and running can jostle joints and cause even more back pain, walking can be very beneficial. Not only does walking help strengthen the legs, feet, and hips (which by the way are all responsible for supporting the spine), it also helps to boost circulation, flush out toxins from joints and muscles and strengthen bones.
Remember though, walking with a back injury must be done carefully. Avoid hills and rugged terrain. Always wear good support on your feet and use trekking poles to help ease the pressure on the back if necessary.
Find Relief at Capital City Neurosurgery
If you are tired of suffering chronic back pain and want relief, then it is time to make an appointment with Dr. Kelly Kiehm at Capital City Neurosurgery to see what options are available for treating your back pain.