Safe Exercises to Help You Recover From a Back Injury
If you have ever had the unfortunate experience of injuring your back in any way, you will probably agree with the sentiment that the absolute last thing you will think about doing is going out for a jog or a swim, let alone going out for any sort of exercise. In fact, it probably seems like it makes more sense that a patient who is recovering from a back injury should stay pretty sedentary, and spend most of their time resting in bed and not moving much at all if they can help it.
As counter-intuitive as this might seem, it turns out that light exercise can actually be very beneficial to patients who are recovering from a back injury. In fact, more and more scientists and healthcare professionals are in agreement about the fact that too much time resting and being sedentary is actually more often than not, detrimental to a person's health and their recovery process.
If you are recovering from a back injury, you will probably want to start up a light exercise routine, just to keep your muscles and joints from getting too stiff. I learned about some pretty great exercises and stretches that back injury patients can perform from a post by the Arthritis Foundation, and I'll share what I learned here with you. Of course, be sure to consult with your chiropractor or primary healthcare provider about the safest stretches and exercises that you can perform at home, such as these.
You will want to start by performing some light stretches. Stretch out your hamstrings by lying on your back with both legs straight (you'll need a small towel for this exercise). From here, bend one of your legs at the knee and extend it straight up into the air. Take the small towel and loop it around the arch of the foot that is in the air, then push up with your foot as you pull down on the towel. Hold this stretch for thirty seconds, then repeat on the other side.
From this position,you can also try some leg raises. Raise your knees and flex them while placing your feet flat on the floor. Slowly raise your hips upwards from the floor and lower them back to the floor. Repeat this twenty times.
In addition to these simple exercises, you can perform light cardio workouts, such as jogging, swimming, or cycling. When supplemented with chirorpactic therapy, your back pain will more than likely heal faster.
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Ville de Victoriaville
