Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide: 619 million people, or 1 in 13 people, experienced low back pain in 2020, representing a 60% increase from 1990. Cases of low back pain are expected to rise to 843 million by 2050. Low back pain is such a pervasive issue that it was chosen for the theme of World PT Day this year, which is coming up on September 8.
Low back pain can happen for many different reasons, at any age. Yours could be a result of an imbalance, a mechanical issue, a degenerative condition, an old injury or something else. It’s important to understand what’s causing your low back pain and what exercises will help or hurt your condition.
This article walks you through eight weightlifting exercises you can add to your routine to build strength and reduce pain in your lower back.
How do strengthening exercises help improve low back pain?
Depending on what’s causing your low back pain, different types of exercises may affect it in different ways. In general, strengthening the muscles of your back and your abdomen will create more support for your spinal column. The tendons that attach your muscles to your spine can become inflamed or damaged when you overuse them, especially if you have weak spots or imbalances. Regularly working and stretching them keeps their fibers flexible and resilient so they move smoothly.
Your workout program should engage both the muscles deep within your back and the ones closer to the surface that run vertically. Your abdominals, hips, glutes and hamstrings all play a role in supporting your back as well. It’s important to strengthen each of these muscle groups evenly to avoid imbalances. Be sure to stretch your whole body after exercising.
What weightlifting exercises can help me improve my low back pain?
Some of the exercises below can be done with free weights or no weights at all. When you’re using free weights, it’s important to move with control and avoid overextending your joints. Exercise machines often provide more support, and using them with a spotter may help you reduce your chance of injury.
The exercises in this article can cause a “good burn” sensation in your muscles when you’re nearing your threshold. If a particular exercise causes you intense pain, you should stop doing it and let your physical therapist know. If you experience mild pain during one of these exercises, you might try reducing the amount of weight you’re lifting, performing fewer sets or reps, or decreasing the range of motion.
If your back pain is intense, frequent or consistent, you should work with a physical therapist to create a strengthening program that’s safe for you. They’ll start with an in-depth assessment to get to know your symptoms and observe how your back is currently functioning. From there, your PT will show you how to exercise your back safely and help you determine how many repetitions and sets of each exercise you should start with.
If any part of your weightlifting routine is causing pain in your low back, try the following exercises to build strength and support:
- Back extensions — This exercise usually requires a machine, but you can do a modified version lying face down with your hands laced behind your head. Bring your shoulder blades together and lift your chest off the floor without straining too hard. If you have a machine, make sure it’s adjusted to support your upper thighs without impeding your range of motion. You may choose to hold a weight at your chest or just cross your arms. With control, bend all the way forward and keep your back straight as you bring yourself back up.
- Glute-hamstring raises (Nordic curls) — To do this exercise, you’ll need a machine or a heavy piece of furniture to hold your lower legs down behind you. Start by lying face down; then use your glutes and hamstrings to bring yourself up to a kneeling position, keeping your back straight. This will work your back too, but you should mainly be using muscles in your lower body.
- Modified deadlifts — Traditional deadlifts put a lot of strain on your lower back because you’re bending all the way forward to lift a barbell from the floor. Try using free weights to do Romanian deadlifts, which allow you to control how far you bend forward. Keep your feet shoulder width apart and let the weights hang with your hands facing your thighs. Slowly bend forward, keeping your back straight, until you feel your hamstrings start to engage. Then raise yourself back up. Rack pulls are similar, except you lift a barbell from the floor to start and then bend at the waist for each rep.
- Good mornings — These work the same spinal erector muscles you use for back extensions. Begin with a barbell resting at your shoulders as if you’re about to do a squat. Keeping your back flat, bend your knees slightly and fold forward until your torso is parallel to the floor. With control, bring yourself back up.
- Goblet squats — This exercise is so named because you’ll grip a kettlebell or a free weight as if you’re holding a goblet. With your feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed slightly outward, bend your knees and sink down until your hips are at or below your knees. The goal is to keep your hips level and your spine neutral. Use your thighs to push back up to starting position.
- Bird dogs — You can do these with or without free weights. Start on all fours or in “tabletop position.” Engage your core as you lift your right arm and your left foot until they’re extended straight out, maintaining control. Lower them and repeat with the opposite side.
- Hip abductors — If you don’t have access to a machine, there are a few ways you can work your hip abductor muscles with a resistance band or no weights at home. With a machine, make sure it’s adjusted to fit you and focus on bringing the weights back down steadily, with control. With a resistance band, loop the band around the back of your ankles just above the bone and squat slightly. Step your right foot out sideways and bring it back in; then repeat with the left foot. If you don’t have any equipment, you can do clamshells: Lie on your side with your knees bent and your ankles together. Open your knees up so the top one is pointing to the ceiling and then close it. Do one set of 10 to 15 reps and repeat with the other side.
- Seated rows — This exercise works the abdominal muscles that support the spine. You can use a machine or hold free weights out in front of you. Keep your shoulders square and engage your core as you slowly lean back and extend your legs; then return to starting position.
Alliance PTP can connect you with the physical therapy practice you need for low back pain
Don’t forget to stretch well after exercising, and consider combining regular walks with your weight training program. Low-impact aerobic exercise helps promote healing and reduce stiffness in the back by increasing the flow of blood and essential nutrients to muscles and soft tissue.
The surest way to relieve low back pain is to find out what’s causing it and get personalized recommendations on how to care for it. A physical therapist can help you with this, and they may be able to do some hands-on treatments that mobilize stiff muscles and joints to relieve pain fast.
Ready to try in-person physical therapy for your injury or condition? Our team can quickly put you in touch with one of our Alliance PTP partner clinics near you, and their friendly and knowledgeable local staff can help you find care for your low back pain.
Still have questions about what we and our partners can do for you? We’re ready to answer them and help you find the physical therapy you need.
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