By Heath Gallentine
Being the 2nd most common neurological disorder in the US, back pain affects almost every individual's life in some way or another. Whether you're an office worker or a house wife, back pain can interfere with your normal lifestyle. The worst part is the fact that it can sometimes be highly frustrating for both you and your doctor. As far as the causes are concerned, back pain may result from an internal injury in the bones or muscles, spinal problems, abnormalities in certain abdominal or pelvic organs, issues related to the kidney or ovary, different forms of infections and several other health-related problems. Recent surveys have revealed that about 80-85% of individuals suffer from back pain at some point in their lives, making it rank as the third most expensive treatment in America.
No matter what causes the pain, getting rid of this awful condition is extremely important to live a normal life. Now, there are a variety of treatment approaches to relieve pain in the back that commonly involve chiropractic, bed-rest, use of medications, ice or heat therapies, exercises and, lastly, surgery.
Experts believe that exercise serves as the most successful approach to speed recovery from back pain, and water exercises, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular in relieving and relaxing people suffering from the condition. By providing the safest conditions for healing back injuries, water can significantly reduce the stress in the back while supporting the weight of the body. Pool/water exercises have proved to be an excellent way of strengthening the back muscles without causing additional inflammation or pain. Here are a few back pain exercises that have proved to promote successful recovery in a considerably shorter period.
Warming up before performing any kind of pool exercise is essential, as it lets the heart rate and body temperature adjust to the level required for the exercise. The warm-up session normally takes approximately 5-10 minutes and usually involves performing the planned exercise movements in a slow manner. Remember, there are various forms of pool exercises and no matter which exercise you go for, missing the warm-up session can be a big mistake.
You can start your session with a simple pool exercise by standing in water at the mid-chest position. For around two seconds, stand on the tips of your toes and then return to your original position, followed by standing on the heels for approximately 2 seconds. Repeat the two movements 20 times.
There's another simple pool exercise that involves standing at a distance of around 12 inches from a side wall, having the toes and heels separated from the wall, and your back facing the wall. Try to adjust into a sitting position with the back leaning against the wall, hold for a few seconds, and then return to the starting position.
You may also consider performing an unusual yet effective form of exercise. Stand with your body immersed into the water up to chest level, lean forward in a slight manner and start running for approximately 5 minutes.
Some pool exercises also use the float belt, which helps in holding your body upright while keeping you from sinking. There's an effective exercise that requires you to pedal the legs, in the pool, in a bike-riding manner. You need to bicycle for approximately 5 minutes in each of the two directions ... i.e. backward and forward.
When performing back pain exercises, working the abdominal muscles is highly recommended. To fulfill this requirement, you may consider a simple exercise that requires you to bring your knees up to the chest, hold briefly, and then return to your original position. Performing this exercise 10 times can significantly help relieve pain in the lower back.
Once you've performed these exercises, don't forget to cool down by walking slow within the pool for at least 5 minutes. Remember, stretching your legs and hips is necessary for readjusting the back muscles to their usual resting positions and preventing additional soreness.
Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net
