Best Exercise Program for Lower Back Pain

Women over 50 commonly experience low back pain. This at home video series leads you step by step to feeling bouncier.

The best stretches for low back pain may not be stretches at all! My clients often ask me, “Should I stretch my lower back if it hurts?” My answer is maybe no. That might sound crazy coming from a yoga teacher, but it is based in the latest exercise and pain science.

My suggestion, based on decades of working with women over 50 who have lower back tightness and pain, is to first ease the tension out of the general back area. Some muscles have likely been working overtime. Other muscles are likely sleepy. Before we can begin unwinding all that complication, the whole system needs to calm down.

The worst thing you can do for a tight or painful lower back is tackle it with aggressive stretching. Oh wait… there is one worse thing… sit ups! The risk to a mature spine is just too great. In this at home video series, you’ll learn the safe exercises and stretches for releasing low back pain

Best Exercises for Low Back Pain

Following these simple practices, all less than 15 minutes, consistently, will retrain the muscles to glide into easier movement. This program is evidence based and considered very safe by physiotherapists and doctors.

If anyone promises a quick fix… 5 super stretches to fix your back (you know what I mean)… be very suspicious. Stretches to ease lower back tightness are part of this program but they are carefully sequenced and explained in detail.

Usually, lower back tension and tightness is due to a myriad of muscle imbalances. Just stretching the hamstrings or tightening the abs is not a long term solution. These videos explain what is happening during the poses. Best exercises for low back pain also emphasize breathing. This is essential to create an environment in which your brain can focus on new patterns of movement. If you follow the anatomy, breathing is also intimately integrated into your spinal muscles.

The yoga therapy approach is about small changes in movement patterns repeated frequently. To use this program, plan to spend about 20 minutes a day, maybe two times per day. Focus on each video on its own for awhile, even weeks. You’ll know when you feel your body is ready to progress. Rushing, and doing all the videos at once, is counter productive.

Let’s get started.

If getting to the floor is too painful, do these movements on your bed. These are safe, basic ways to mobilize your pelvis and hip joints. The spine rests on this important foundation. We can progress to more back exercises after a couple weeks in this stage.

Moving on to mobilizing the spine…

There are six basic movements of the spine. This short routine will help you explore all ranges of motion, carefully and without load bearing. This is an essential step to feeling out your body in this moment and learning how to get through your day safely.

Feeling more confident? Let’s start strengthening.

The core is the area from the pelvis up to the armpits. In this sequence, we’ll work on integrating the front, back and sides as well as the all important fluidity of your diaphragm. Wait until you can complete the previous practices pain free before progressing to core strengthening.

Level Two is waiting for you when you are strong enough.

It’s essential that you take your time through this program. Make sure you’ve completed a week or two of level one before proceeding. More is not necessarily better!

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Thanks so much for trying yoga therapy for a bouncier back. If you would like further information, or a more customized approach, Cheryl would be happy to chat!

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