Is it okay to exercise with a back pain? 'This exercise' can actually help.

Many people avoid exercising because they have back pain.

It would be good to exercise gradually while paying attention to your body condition so it doesn't feel burdensome.

When my waist or knee joints hurt, I used to swim beforehand, and it was easy and not burdensome.

There are specific types of exercises that are good for the back and others that are not, so it might be helpful to keep that in mind.

 

When my back hurts, I worry about whether it's okay to exercise. I think I should strengthen my back muscles through exercise, but I'm worried that exercising recklessly might cause more injury. Is exercising helpful when experiencing back pain?

First of all, it depends on the duration of the persistent back pain. Back pain is usually classified as acute if the severe pain lasts less than 4 weeks, subacute if it lasts from 4 to 12 weeks, and chronic if it persists for more than 12 weeks. For patients with chronic pain, exercise is recommended. In fact, a research team from the Institute for Work & Health in Canada conducted 61 clinical trials involving a total of 6,390 people. As a result, the team confirmed that exercise helps alleviate pain and speeds up the recovery of back function in patients with chronic back pain. Patients with subacute back pain can see pain relief effects by gradually increasing exercise intensity, while there was little difference whether patients with acute back pain exercised or not.

For acute patients whose exercise effects are not clearly evident, it is more important to accurately identify the cause before exercising. Exercising arbitrarily may cause even greater damage. If the cause is a common condition such as sprains or muscle pain, it is advisable to take anti-inflammatory medication and rest, then start light exercise once the pain subsides. If a month has passed since the onset of pain and the condition has entered the subacute stage, low-intensity exercises such as walking should be started, gradually increasing the intensity. If the cause is a chronic spinal condition like spinal stenosis that causes persistent pain, conservative treatment or surgery should be used to address the underlying cause. After that, about a month of rest followed by exercise is recommended.

Stretching that relaxes the muscles around the lower back can help reduce back pain. ▲Lying face down and straightening and bending the back ▲Good morning exercises are recommended. Lying face down and straightening and bending the back starts from a position where the stomach is on the floor. Place both hands on the ground, keep the elbows straight, and extend the back as much as possible, holding the position for 2 seconds. Then, push the hips back and bend the back. Repeat this position 5 to 7 times in 3 sets. The good morning exercise is a combination of back extension and squat exercises. Stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart, push the hips back, and bend the upper body forward. While bent, as if bowing, bend the knees as much as possible and sit down. Then, push the hips back again, bend the upper body forward, pause for 1 second, and then straighten the knees to stand up. Repeat this 5 to 7 times in 3 sets. Keep the back as straight as possible and perform the movements as slowly as possible.

 

 

In addition, good exercises for the waist include walking, cycling, and swimming. In particular, swimming has buoyancy, which reduces weight load by about one-third, thereby alleviating strain on the waist. Among swimming strokes, freestyle puts the least stress on the waist. Conversely, sports that are bad for the waist include badminton and table tennis. Sports that involve contact with people, such as basketball, volleyball, and soccer, are also recommended to be avoided when experiencing waist pain.

<Source: Health Chosun>