While we all know that Aerobic fitness such as running is vital for keeping fit and healthy, however many of you who struggle with Lower Back Pain can find this kind of exercise really difficult and therefore painful due to the impact and jarring that for instance running can cause. This blog will aim to give you a few extra ideas about certain types of cardio that can actually help to treat your back so you can get fighting fit again.
Swimming
Swimming can be an excellent exercise for anyone with lower back pain this can be put down to three main reasons: The water is able to completely support your body weight meaning that you won’t get any sudden jolts to the back this then allows your muscles to relax giving them a little rest. The hot water is also brilliant for that.
Next, swimming is a great exercise for your core, as you have to be able to support your body in a straight line and transmit power from your legs. This is brilliant as it can allow your muscles to support the weight of your body when bending or moving out of your comfort zone.
Finally when swimming you are moving your back constantly when breathing or taking strokes which loosens any stiffness in the joints in your spine.
Cycling
Again cycling is an excellent exercise for anyone trying to reduce the amount of shocks and bumps to their back and is a great option for any runners because it still allows you to explore the countryside. Be it on a static bike or in the great outdoors cycling is brilliant for keeping your back moving especially if you’re getting up and out of the saddle regularly.
Moreover when up out of the saddle you really have to use your core muscles to transfer power to the pedals.
Elliptical
Usually on of the most popular machines at the gym, and an excellent example of a full body workout that can reduce the amount of strain on your back. This machine is brilliant for any runners as it can mimic the muscle groups you use in running whilst reducing the amount of impact the body has to deal with.
Yoga
Be it Vinyasa or Lyengar, yoga is a great way of raising you heart rate , however the biggest benefit that we can take from yoga is the focus on flexibility and stability when doing all exercise sequences. This again really pushes the mobility of your back and can drastically improve the strength of the muscles responsible for stabilising the spine.
Running
Running itself can be a great exercise for those of you with back pain however as we pointed out in her blog ‘Is Running bad for your back?’ there are some things you have to keep in mind, but you will have to read it to find out.
Thank you for reading,
George Stacey-Stevens
Physiotherapist at Cirencester Physiotherapy Centre
PS – If you’d like to book an appointment at the clinic with myself or any other physio, please give us a call on 01285 238240 or email us at and we’ll be happy to help!