Understanding Lower Back Pain (LBP)
Lower back pain (LBP) is a common experience, defined as pain or discomfort in the lumbar region. This is the area of the spine between the bottom of the ribs and the pelvis. While LBP is highly prevalent, it can often be managed through movement, strengthening, and improved posture.
Relevant Anatomy and Function
The lumbar region is essential for function as it supports the upper body’s weight, and contributes to movement. The core musculature includes your abdominal muscles, back muscles, and hip muscles. These muscles throughout the trunk help stabilize, support, and move the spine. Specifically, the Gluteal Muscles, while outside of the lumbar region, assist to stabilize the pelvis and offload strain from the lower back. Weakness or an imbalance between these muscles can lead to pain, inflammation, and additional strains.
Potential Causes and Risk Factors
In many cases, LBP is not brought on by acute trauma, but developed over time through repetitive stress and mechanical strain. Poor form during exercise, heavy lifting, and poor posture may lead to muscle strains due to improper mechanics. Additionally, chronic weakness of the previously mentioned core muscles and excessive time in seated positions can often compromise the stability and natural position of the lumbar spine, leading to LBP.
Top Exercises for Lower Back Pain Relief
The following exercises are valuable for increasing mobility, relieving tension, educating safe spine movement, and developing deep core muscles. These exercises help to create a strong foundation, benefiting pain management, but can also be utilized when progressing to strength training for limiting injuries.
- Lower Trunk Rotations (LTR)
- LTR gently develops rotation of the lumbar spine, which promotes mobility to stiff joints and muscles in the hips, back, and core. Proper LTR form starts with lying on your back with knees bent, and feet flat on the ground. Slowly and gently rock your knees side to side, keeping them together, feeling a gentle stretch and keeping the core engaged, maintaining your shoulders in a flat position, pressed into the ground. Hold the rotated position briefly on each side before returning to the center and rocking your knees to the opposite side.
- Cat-Camel (Cat-Cow)
- The goal of this exercise is to improve spinal mobility by moving the spine through its range of motion in both directions (Flexion and Extensions). This motion contributes to low back pain relief by increasing segmental mobility. This can also be utilized to treat symptoms where a certain direction can relieve symptoms in the early stages of rehab. Perform Cat-Camel starting on your hands and knees (quadruped) with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. First, perform “Cat” by arching your back towards the ceiling, tucking your tailbone and letting your head drop. This motion teaches flexion of the spine. Next, perform “Camel” by letting your belly button drop towards the floor, lifting the chest and letting your low back extend. Perform this motion slowly, focusing on breathing throughout the movement.
- Side Plank
- The side plank is one of the three exercises in the “McGill Big 3”. These exercises are known to be some of the most effective for not only stabilizing and teaching proper core engagement. Side planks develop lateral stability. Starting on your side, position your elbow under your shoulder, keeping your feet stacked. Push through your elbow and feet, lifting your hips so that your body is in a straight line from head to feet. Contract the glutes and keep the core tight to maintain a straight alignment. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds where tolerable. This exercise can be modified to a short lever, with knees on the ground if a longer lever isn’t tolerated.
- Curl-up
- The McGill Curl-up is the second exercise in the Big 3, which engages the deeper abdominal muscles that are essential for spinal stability. Lie on your back with one leg straight, one leg bent and place your hands behind your lower back. Engage the core and bring your head and shoulders off of the ground. This motion should be somewhat small, keeping the low back flat. Hold the lifted position for 5 seconds and then return to the ground. This exercise helps to protect the spine, by activating the abdominal muscles, while limiting lumbar spine movement.
- Bird-Dog
- The third and final exercise in the McGill Big 3 is the Bird-Dog. This exercise improves limb coordination, balance, and core strength to maintain a neutral spine. To begin, start in the quadruped position. Simultaneously extend one arm forwards and the opposite leg back. Hold this position for a moment, return to the starting position and then alternate sides. Focus on keeping the core engaged, hips level, and avoid arching or rotating the back.
Lower back pain is common, but does not have to be permanent. By consistently performing exercises to increase stability, mobilization and strengthening the core and spine, you are taking the steps towards relief. Not only are these exercises beneficial for reducing pain, they can also lower risk of injury, whether that be throughout daily life, or if you are progressing to training. At Zarett Rehab, we take this one step further. Our treatment model is built on true one-on-one care, ensuring every patient receives focused attention and individualized progressions. Our highly trained Physical therapist and exercise physiologists play a major role in this process—they deliver precise movement coaching, corrective exercise progressions, and performance-based strengthening rooted in biomechanics.
