Back pain is frustrating, particularly when it limits your ability to perform simple everyday tasks, or when it prevents you from being as active as you’d like to be. At Dynamic Health, we want to help our patients find relief and return to their optimal comfort level, but we know it can take some time to get there.
Our medical doctors and therapists will find the treatment solution and rehabilitation plan that eliminates your back pain, but we know that many of our patients won’t want to give up exercise while on the road to recovery. Our rehab specialists can help you come up with safe exercises and activities to keep you healthy during treatment, but for those who prefer to design their own workouts, we’ve got a few tips to make sure you don’t end up exacerbating your pain.
Read below to see which exercises to avoid if you suffer from back pain or are undergoing treatment to correct chronic back pain.
To Protect Your Back, Avoid These Exercises
If you are currently experiencing back pain, or are prone to injuring your back, don’t attempt the following exercises:
- Sit-ups and leg lifts: Great to tone your midsection, not so great for minimizing back pain. These exercises rely on your hip muscles and can put too much strain on the spine and lower back.
- Overhead weights: Overhead presses and extensions strengthen the shoulders but compress the spine. Avoid these exercises, particularly with heavy weights, if you are prone to back injuries.
- High impact aerobics: Ditch the burpees and the jump rope. High intensity aerobics are popular right now, especially for those focusing on weight loss. All that impact is tough on the spine, so you’re better off opting for swimming or walking to minimize stress on your back.
- Deadlifts: Designed to strengthen your back, deadlifting a weight is the act of bending at the waist and lowering the weight towards the floor, then rising in a controlled motion to return to your normal height. Many people use improper form when completing this exercise, putting strain and pressure on back muscles.
For more information about which exercises may be causing or worsening your back pain, reach out to our team at Dynamic Health in Charlotte, North Carolina. We can help you find the root of your problem and devise a treatment plan that works for you.