Low back exercises are like flossing daily, they can keep the doctor away!

1. Ball Extentions
– get on your knees, feet against the wall
– roll the exercise ball into your lap
– drape your body over the ball
– slowly straighten your legs until top of your chest is OFF the ball, but your belly is ON the ball
– hands at ears
– bend forward until chest touches ball, then curl back to lift chest (NOT belly) off ball
2 sets of 15-20 repetitions

photo courtesy marin/freedigitalphotos.net

2. L Sits
– lay flat on your back
– hands flat on ground next to your hips
– bend knees and bring them up to 90 degrees (perpendicular with floor)
– straighten legs out as much as you can and hold this position
2 sets of 30 seconds

photo courtesy marin/freedigitalphotos.net

3. Side Planks
– use hand to prop yourself up on your side
– straighten legs and raise hips up to form straight line with your body
– hold for 30 seconds flip over and so same on opposite side
Do 2 x each side overall

photo courtesy marin/freedigitalphotos.net

Many low back pain sufferers jump from one treatment to another and never get relief.

They will try chiropractic, massage, physio, acupuncture, etc. And yet continue to suffer.

In the past 2 years I’ve had the privilege of teaching a “Low Back Recovery” class at the University of Victoria. I never cease to be amazed at how many people needlessly suffer from lower back pain.

As a chiropractor I believe in “hands on” treatment. Deep tissue work, stretching the patient and adjusting their spines are all very key in treating low back pain.

However, very often, the missing ingredient is exercise.

For the past 10 years, I’ve worked in an exercise rehabilitation clinic and have been able to add exercise to the other treatments I do on my patients. The results speak for themselves.

If a patient does not begin and continue a low back exercise program, they will most likely never get full relief:

 head image by giopuo