Staying Active For Better Back Health with Chiropractic

By Stepy Kamei

When you're dealing with a bad bout of back pain, whether it's acute or chronic, it may ring true that the absolute last thing you want to think about doing is moving around, staying active, or even outright exercising your muscles. There is definitely something to be said for resting and taking it easy as you recover from your back pain. However, it may surprise you to learn that there are certain exercises you can perform, even while in the midst of dealing with any sort of back pain or discomfort, which tend to make the recovery process faster, the pain lessened, and mobility strengthened. Make sure you're striking a healthy balance between movement and rest in order to improve your back pain in a safe and effective manner.

Exercise: The Partial Curl

You may not have realized this, but the muscles in your core and abdomen play a big role in terms of supporting and stabilizing your spine and back. Strengthening these muscles can fortify your back to reduce back pain and prevent future instances of discomfort in the area. To perform a partial curl, lie on the ground and keep your knees bent. Cross your hands over your chest and take a deep breath in. As you exhale, pull your bellybutton inward, toward your spine, to brace and engage your core muscles. Now, slowly lift your shoulders up and off the ground for a few seconds. Keep your neck aligned with your spine to prevent it from becoming a full crunch. Return to the starting position, and repeat up to 10 times. You may have to work your way up by only repeating three or four times at first; this is OK, and a much safer way to strengthen your core over time at a steady pace.

Low-Impact Exercises

Low-impact exercises will engage many muscles in your body, but you will be able to control the pace and difficulty level of the workout, which means you're less likely to harm yourself on accident or make the injury worse. Walking, cycling, and swimming are each classic examples of effective low-impact workouts.

Chiropractic 

Finally, you should consider seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis for spinal adjustments and health and wellness advice. During each session, your chiropractor can monitor your progress before performing another adjustment on your spine in order to relieve back pain, reduce inflammation, and improve mobility and flexibility in your joints.