Although many people suffer from back pain, not everyone knows the best way to reduce it. One major cause of lower back pain is weak abdominal muscles, which can result in poor core strength and lack of stability.
When the core muscles are weak, there is an increased risk of injury and strain in the lower back area when performing activities like running or lifting heavy objects.
It’s important to keep your core strength with a variety of exercises that specifically target this part of your body. These nine exercises can help strengthen your lower back and ease low back pain so you can move more comfortably through your day.
What Causes Lower Back Pain?
A weak lower back often means weak abdominals, which can result in poor core strength and lack of stability. Core stability is vital for the effective stabilization of your spine. When your core isn’t stabilized effectively, it can cause strain on your low back.
Weakness or instability in certain muscles surrounding your spine, such as abdominal or gluteal muscles, may be responsible for causing pain that radiates down from your low back. Proper exercise can strengthen these muscles and help reduce pain caused by muscle imbalances.
So what causes lower back pain exactly?
There are many things that can lead to it including poor posture, weak abdominal muscles, improper lifting techniques, and weak gluteal muscles. It’s also possible that there is no single cause of low back pain; it could be a combination of these factors. Your body will feel better when you strengthen your core regardless of its source.
Here are nine exercises to help you do just that!
9 Exercises to Strengthen Your Weak Lower Back and Ease Pain
1) Plank
If you have weak lower back muscles, planks can be a valuable exercise. In a plank, you support your bodyweight with your forearms and toes; since it’s just enough to sustain you, planks give your core muscles a great workout. It’s important that in order to do planks properly, they should only be performed if there is no history of serious lower back pain or injury.
2) Pikes
Pikes target lower-back muscles and increase overall abdominal strength. It’s a great exercise for runners or anyone else with weak lower backs, or those looking to improve stability in that area. Start by lying faceup on a mat. Then, using your abdominals, lift your legs so they’re parallel with your body at hip level. Slowly lower your legs back down—pike is harder than it looks!—and repeat as many times as you can.
3) Leg Lifts
A great exercise for strengthening your lower back is leg lifts. Start by lying on your back with your legs straight up in the air. Bend your right knee at a 90-degree angle, and then press it back toward your chest while lifting your left leg up toward that same knee. Continue moving both legs in a semi-circular motion until you’ve gone all around. Complete 10 repetitions, rest for 30 seconds, then switch legs and repeat. This is one set of five sets total.
4) Supermans
These relatively easy exercises strengthen your lower back while also working out your abdominals. All you need is a flat surface, so try doing these during commercial breaks (it takes three times as long to watch a 30-second ad than it does to do a full set of Supermans). Hold each position for at least 30 seconds, or until you start feeling fatigued.
5) Crunches
Doing abdominal crunches will strengthen your core and tighten your lower back muscles. A weak lower back can result in poor core strength, which causes injury and discomfort. Crunches require very little equipment (you can do them without any weights or machines), making them a convenient choice for most workout regimens. However, it is crucial that you maintain proper form throughout.
6) Bridges
Bridges are a great way to work your abdominal muscles because they involve almost every muscle group in your body. Start on all fours, with your arms under your shoulders and knees bent underneath you at a 90-degree angle. Push yourself up onto your hands, raising your back straight off of the floor. Tuck in your chin slightly so that you’re looking at between one and two feet directly in front of you. Hold for ten seconds before releasing slowly back down to all fours.
7) Russian Twists
This movement is a favorite among many for targeting lower abs. Start in a lying position with your knees bent, feet on floor, hands behind your head and elbows out. Tighten your stomach muscles and twist from side to side at least ten times per side. You should feel a nice burn throughout your core as you do it. If that’s too easy, you can add weight by holding a dumbbell or plate in front of you.
8) Cat Stretches
Cat stretches lengthen muscles that have been shortened by repeated use or injury. They are performed in a series of eight repetitions, each done slowly. To begin, stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and place your hands on your hips. Inhale as you slowly push your head forward, keeping it level. Exhale as you pull your head back to its original position. Repeat 7 more times before moving on to cat spine stretch poses
9) Partial Ball Roll-Outs
This exercise is a modification of a traditional ball rollout, which strengthens your core muscles. By partially rolling out on a ball, you’ll not only strengthen your core but also improve flexibility in your lumbar spine. This allows you to move fluidly without pain in daily life activities.
Summary
The lower back, one of the most commonly injured areas of the body, is essential for many everyday movements. When there is a pain in your lower back it can limit how you move and put you at risk for further injury.
To strengthen your core abdominal muscles try these exercises above. Do each exercise slowly for three sets of 10 repetitions several times per week.
For more strengthening try yoga poses! Read the article below to learn more:
8 Amazing Poses in Yoga for Posture
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