Physical therapy for lower back pain comprises a combination of strengthening, stretching, and core-building exercises that aim to:
- Activate and train the muscles surrounding the spine to provide better support and stability to the lower back
- Foster healing in the spinal tissues to reduce pain, improve balance, and restore mobility
The exercise regimen typically starts with fewer repetitions and sets, working up to more repetitions as strength begins to build in the lower back.
The exercises described below are specifically designed to treat lower back pain by building endurance in the lumbar, pelvic, and leg muscles over a period of time.
It is very important to remember that the lower back needs to be properly assessed by one of our VanCity Physio Physiotherapists to accurately diagnose why the lower back pain is there, contributing factors, and what can be done to help it. For example, exercises for lower back pain due to Osteoarthritis are very different from those for Disk Irritations.
With that said, if you suspect a facet joint dysfunction or are suffering from chronic back pain due to prolonged standing, extending or lower back osteoarthritis, the following may help alleviate some of that. If any exercise causes an increase in pain, please stop doing them and call us to have one of our VanCity Physio Physiotherapists look at you.
1. Pelvic Tilting + Circles
2. Trunk Flexion – Unload the Lower Back
3. Trunk Rotation
4. Hip Flexion
We recommend trying to do the above exercises 2-3 times per day for a few days. If you start feeling better, it might mean that you had a facet joint irritation which these exercises helped open up; however, if you start feeling worse, please stop as these exercises are irritating your injury further. Whatever the case may be, make sure you call us at 604.398.5584 or book online to set an initial appointment with one of our amazing Physiotherapists whose job is to get you recovering faster, and help you gain lasting results!
Book a consultation today: https://vancityphysio.janeapp.com/
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