Here are seven more exercises to strengthen your lower back area against the onset of pain.     

Exercise #4: Straight Leg Raises

1. Again, lie on your back.

2. Tighten your abdominal muscles so that you will stabilize your lower back.

3. Keeping the left leg straight, bend the right knee up at a 90 degree angle.

4. Now, raise your left leg straight up about six to 12 inches off the bed. Hold this for one to five seconds.

5. Lower your leg slowly.

6. Repeat this 10 times with each leg.

Exercise #5: Single Knee Stretch

1. Lie on your back with both legs flat.

2. Bring your right knee up, allowing your foot to leave the bed, until you can grab your leg behind the knee.

3. Holding your right thigh behind the knee, bring the knee up towards your chest.

4. Hold it for about 20 seconds, slowly stretching it in a bouncing motion.

5. Return the right leg back to the bed and repeat with your left leg.

6. Repeat five times with each leg.

Exercise #6: Hamstring Stretch

1. Lie on your back with both legs flat.

2. Bring your right knee up, allowing your foot to leave the bed, until you can grab your leg behind the knee.

3. Holding your right thigh behind the knee, bring the knee up as straight as you can, towards the ceiling, slowing straightening the knee until you feel the back of your thigh stretch.

4. Hold it for about 20 seconds, slowly stretching it in bouncing motion.

5. Return the right leg back to the bed and repeat with your left leg.

6. Repeat five times with each leg.

Exercise #7: Leg Side Stretches

1. Again, lie on your back with both legs pointing towards the foot of the bed.

2. Raise your right leg up, bent at a 90 degree angle.

3. While your body remains flat against the bed, bring that leg over the top of your body and slowly place your foot beside you on the bed. Don't force this stretching motion; especially if you are feeling any pain.

4. Ease it slowly towards the bed, allowing the muscles to stretch.

5. Then return the leg back to its original position.

6. Now repeat the same action with your left leg.

7. Repeat 10 times.

Exercise #8: Back Cradle

1. Again, lying on your back, bring both legs up towards your chest. Grab your legs on the thighs behind the knees with both arms, cradling them as I am showing in this illustration.

2. Hold this position for five seconds then relax, and let the legs go back down to a lying position.

3. Repeat this 10 times.

4. If you are not experiencing any low back pain with this exercise, trying rocking back and forth to add a little more stretching action.

Exercise #9: Wall Squatting

1. Stand with your back leaning against wall.

2. Walk your feet about 12 inches in front of your body.

3. While keeping your abdominal muscles tight, slowly bend both knees to about a 45 degree angle.

4. Hold this position for five seconds.

5. Slowly return to a completely upright position.

6. Repeat 10 times.

Exercise #10: Heel Raises

1. Stand in front of a wall with your weight evenly distributed on both feet.

2. Slowly raise you heels up and down. (You can use your hand to steady yourself against the wall).

3. Repeat 10 times.

I hope, as I have, that you will experience lower back pain relief using these exercises.

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Nikki London's

BodyLifeSecrets.com
Maui, Hawaii
 

Back Pain Facts

Did you know... Low back pain is the fifth most common reason for all physician visits in the United States.

Approximately one quarter of U.S. adults reported having low back pain lasting at least one whole day in the past three months, and 7.6 percent reported at least one episode of severe acute low back pain within a one-year period.

Back pain is the most frequent cause of activity limitation in people younger than 45 years old.