The Best Exercises For Chronic Low Back Pain – Can Chiropractic Help?

Low back pain is one of the most common reasons patients present to a chiropractic office.  What determines if low back pain is chronic?  If you have been experiencing your lower back pain for longer than 3 months then it is considered chronic low back pain.  So, are there exercises that you can do to help improve your chronic lower back pain?

The good news is that medical researchers have asked this very question.  There was a recent review looking at the effect of exercises in helping chronic low back pain.  Thus, the researchers reviewed several studies in which all patients were suffering from chronic lower back pain, some were given no exercises while others were given exercises designed to help their lower back pain. The evidence clearly shows that those who were not given exercises did not improve their lower back pain.  In many cases, their lower back pain worsened.  Conversely, the evidenced showed that many people suffering from chronic lower back pain improved when given exercises for their lower back.  Thus, the take home message is that if you suffer from chronic lower back pain then you should try exercises.

The next question that the researchers wanted to answer was, what are the best exercises for chronic low back pain?  The evidenced noted that exercises designed to strengthen the abdominals/core and glutes were by far the most effective.  An example of an exercise that strengthens the abdominals/core is planks.  This is an exercise where you are in a push up like position but the weight is non your forearms rather than you hands.

An effective exercise for strengthening your glutes is bridging.  This is an exercise where you are lying on your back with you hips and knees bent, feet on the floor.  You simply keep you feet on the floor and elevate your glutes and back off the ground.  You then hold that position for 10 seconds.  A few minute routine involving those two exercises on a daily basis are the best exercises for chronic low back pain.

Chiropractic adjustments are also effective in helping chronic lower back pain.  If you are tired of your chronic lower back pain, please call our office today at 651-779-5598 to setup a free consultation.  We help people feel better faster and do not recommend long term treatment plans, all recommendations are taken one visit at a time.

We serve many patients in Roseville, MN, Arden Hills, MN, Saint Paul, MN, Shoreview, MN, and Falcon Heights, MN.