Say Goodbye to Back Pain!

Back pain is one of the worst kinds of pain! Your back is basically what’s keeping you in positon all day and night and when that is pain kicks in the word, “OUCH”. Did you know, almost 80% of Pakistanis experience some sort of back pain problem in their lifetime.

For many of them, the reason was that the pain arises from some sort of injury that is triggered by a strenuous activity, like picking up after kids or weight lifting. For others, bending down to pick up a pencil made them say hello the back pain.

I gathered some exercises you can do at home in need of saying bye-bye to your back pain.

1. Knee to Chest

Use this exercise to align the pelvis and stretch the lower back and rear end muscles.

• Lie flat on your back with your toes pointed to the sky.
• Slowly bend your right knee and pull your leg up to your chest.
• Wrap your arms around your thigh, knee or shin, and gently pull the knee towards your chest.
• Hold for 20 seconds and slowly extend the leg to starting position.
• Repeat three times with each leg.

2. Lying Knee Twist

Use this movement to stretch the Para spinal muscles and strengthen the abdominal muscles.

• Lie on your back with your legs extended straight out.
• Bend the right knee up and cross it over the left side of your body.
• Hold in a position that allows you to feel a gentle stretch through the back and buttocks muscles for 20 seconds.
• Tighten your core muscles and rotate back to center.
• Repeat three times on each side.
• For those who love to add in a little bit of yoga, well here is some to help with your back pain too!

3. Yoga Cat/Cow

• Start this more by kneeling on all fours with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips.
• Exhale and gently arch your spine.
• Inhale, tighten your core muscles and round your back, like a cat.
• Move slowly between movements and hold in each position for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

4. Cobra Stretch

A personal favorite of mine, this movement is helpful to stretch tight abdominal muscles and the lower back.

• Start by lying on your stomach with your legs extended and with palms planted on either side of your head with your forearms and elbows flat on the ground.
• Slowly, push your body upwards, so your weight is resting on your forearms.
• Be sure to keep your hips on the ground.
• Once you reach a comfortable position that gently stretches your abdominal muscles and lower back, hold for 10 seconds.
• Slowly return to starting position and repeat five times.
• If you have more flexibility in your lower back, try straightening your arms.

5. Restful/Child Pose

A common pose in yoga, the restful child’s pose can help you relax your body.

• Position yourself on the floor on hands and knees with your knees just wider than hip distance apart.
• Turn your toes in to touch and push your hips backwards bending your knees.
• Once you reach a comfortable seated position, extend your arms forward fully and allow your head to fall forward into a relaxation position.
• Hold this pose for 20 seconds and slowly return to starting position.
• Repeat three times.
• For modification if you have shoulder pain, place your arms on either side of your body, extending towards your feet.

So, there you have it readers. Hopefully this will help you with your back pain and give you a relief. If not, then it is advised you visit the doctor for any serious concerns.