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Treating Your Lower Back Pain with Exercise Rehabilitation

Posted by Rick on Tuesday, November 1st, 2011 in back pain, chiropractic, Exercise Rehabilitation

At Austin Active Life we have several methods to relieve you from lower back pain and improving your functioning throughout your daily routine. One of our methods is through exercise rehabilitation.

Exercise rehabilitation is a combination of techniques derived from osteopathy, physiotherapy, remedial massage, myotherapy, pilates, exercise physiology and personal training. Exercise rehabilitation can also help you avoid future injuries as well as recover from those made in the past. Exercise rehabilitation is key to increasing flexibility, building endurance and strengthening the muscles used to support the spine. There are different types of exercises for back pain. Stretching works best for reducing pain and strengthening exercises are best for improving function.

Exercise rehabilitation typically involves a combination of stretching, strengthening and aerobic exercise for the back and body. If a spinal disc is injured for example, exercise is needed to facilitate the exchange of fluids and to reduce swelling that occurs in tissue around the injured disc. Exercise also helps the patient keep the spine in a neutral position in day to day activities.

It’s very important that a person with lower back pain have an exercise program. At Austin Active Life we will custom tailor a program that will best relieve your pain. You will be educated and trained in proper movement.

Some exercises that you may be guided in through exercise rehabilitation follow. This list is from an article published in the New York Times expressing the importance of those who suffered from lower back pain to seek exercise rehabilitation.

  • Low Impact Aerobic Exercises. Low-impact aerobic exercises, such as swimming, bicycling, and walking can strengthen muscles in the abdomen and back without over-straining the back. Programs that use strengthening exercises while swimming may be a particularly beneficial approach for many patients with back pain. Medical research has shown that pregnant women who engaged in a water gymnastics program have less back pain and are able to continue working longer.
  • Spine Stabilization and Strength Training. Exercises called lumbar extension strength training are proving to be effective. Generally, these exercises attempt to strengthen the abdomen, improve lower back mobility, strength, and endurance, and enhance flexibility in the hip, the hamstring muscles, and the tendons at the back of the thigh.
  • Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Kung. Practices originating in Asia that combine low-impact physical movements and meditation may be very helpful. They are designed to achieve a physical and mental balance and can be very helpful in preventing recurrences of low back pain.
  • Flexibility Exercises. Flexibility exercises may help reduce pain. A stretching program may work best when combined with strengthening exercises.

No one should attempt an exercise program on their own while experiencing lower back pain. The pain could be made worse without a trained professional guiding you. Please make an appointment with Austin Active Life today. We will evaluate the cause of your pain and put you on a proper exercise regiment to stop the pain and get you back to functioning normally in your life.

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