Rock Therapy

Sudden or long-term back pain? Exercise is the answer!

Or at least it usually is! Back pain affects nearly all of us at some stage in our lives. Normally, lingering or ‘chronic’ back pain as well as acute back pain will improve with some form of exercise. There are 3 main exercises that chiropractors, myotherapists and physiotherapists all use for back pain. They’re called ‘the big three’! Research has shown these to help with back pain 70% of the time. When performed together, you have around a 70% chance of improving your pain!

Exercise 1 – Bird Dog

Probably the most commonly seen lower back exercise. Bird dog’s are low intensity, pain free stabilising exercises.

• Step 1 – get into an ‘all fours’ position on the floor with hands under shoulders and knees under hips
• Step 2 – you should be looking at a point on the floor just in front of you. Head shouldn’t be dangling and you shouldn’t be straining your neck to look up
• Step 3 – test for pain by lifting one arm to parallel to the floor, the the other arm. Repeat the process with both legs.
• Step 4 – now try lifting the opposite arm and leg. Nice and slow and controlled to the top. Nice and slow and controlled back down. Repeat on the other side.

Normally this exercise will be performed for 1 minute at time, 3 – 5 times per day. Ideally sprinkled throughout the day.

Exercise 2 – Sideplanks!

Arguably no one’s favourite exercise; but so good for your back! Sideplanks are a really great way of developing strength to ensure that you don’t put your back out in future.

• Step 1 – lay on your side on the floor, propped up on your elbow making sure your elbow, hip, knees and ankles are all in alignment
• Step 2 – for level 1 you’ll bend at the knees (lining up the knees with the shoulder) or for level 2 you’ll have the whole body in a straight line
• Step 3 – lift the hips towards the roof until you feel like you spine is in a straight line, then slowly lower back down to the ground.

This exercise is normally performed 10 times, with 3 – 5 sets per day, ideally sprinkled throughout the day. As an idea for a goal, being able to hold a full side plank for 90 seconds is a benchmark for back health!

Exercise 3 – Mcgill Crunch

This is an exercise developed by Stuart Mcgill; a physical therapist famous for studying and developing back pain management tools. Think of this as an awkward but effective sit-up.

• Step 1 – lay on your back with one leg bent and one leg straight
• Step 2 – place your hands just under your lower back; the hands are here to act as pressure sensors when you start your sit-up
• Step 3 – tuck your chin to your chest slowly without starting a situp
• Step 4 – slowly roll up one vertebrae at a time, until you feel a big build in pressure against your hands; then, slowly, roll back to the starting position.
• Step 5 – swap your legs over and repeat the process

The idea with this exercise is to be able to get as high as possible, without increasing pressure in the hands. This will make you activate the deep core muscles that so often switch off in the presence of low back pain.

This exercise is normally performed for 3 – 5 sets of 10 reps every day.

See also: fix your back pain

Low Back Pain Treatment Brisbane

We are located just across the road from Suncorp Stadium! If you are experiencing lower back pain of any kind, be sure to book in with Matt our Myotherapist or Dr. Jack our Chiropractor. They can not only help with the injuries you have currently, but also guide you towards strengthening to make sure it doesn’t happen again! We see lower back pain in clinic very regularly so you’ll be in good hands 🙂

So click here to make a booking today, our feel free to contact us by filling out the contact form below 🙂