4 Movements to Boost Your Spine Health

Spine pain is, unfortunately, a very common pain many people experience daily. It can be debilitating and greatly lower the quality of your life due to chronic pain or immobility caused by spinal distress. Thankfully, we’re here to help you reduce and aid in your spine health with a few simple movements. 

Every individual experiences back pain differently, which is why we recommend trying more than one of these movements to improve your spine health. Along with a good firm mattress to help your spine relax during sleep, proper movement and stretching can make a huge difference in the level of back pain you experience each day. 

4 Movements for Better Spine Health

1. Strengthen Your Core

Having a strong core aids in spinal strength by stabilizing the muscles around your back. The pain you feel when bending, twisting, or lifting could be from weak spinal muscles. When upper spinal weakness occurs, the lower back tends to bear the brunt of the weight, which increases spinal pain. Performing core strengthening movements will increase muscle strength and flexibility in both the abdomen and muscles around the back. They can be done at various times throughout the day, more than once a day, and from the comfort of your own home. 

Regularly working out at a gym, in classes, or at home is another way to help spinal pain. You don’t want to overdo it though, especially if you don’t exercise regularly or haven’t worked out in a while. Working out excessively can have the opposite effect and add injury if you’re not careful. We suggest starting with the big three and moving up if you want to. If not, these three moves below are meant specifically for spinal pain. 

2. Curl Ups

• Begin on the floor by lying on your back with one leg straight and parallel to the floor. Pull your other leg up until your knee is near your chest, bent at the knee. 

• Put your hands beneath your lower back, take a deep breath and raise your head, chest, and shoulders all in one motion. Only pull up off the floor until there is tension in your muscles, not pain. 

• Hold between ten and fifteen seconds, then lower back down. Repeat five to ten times, then switch legs. Keep your back straight. You shouldn’t feel any pain during the movements. 

3. Side Planks

•Lay sideways then slowly raise your upper body up with one arm. Palm and forearm flat on the floor. Tuck your feet back, ensuring your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. 

•  Place your free hand on your hip, then slowly and carefully raise your hips until they’re parallel with the rest of your body. Hold this position for ten to fifteen seconds, then lower. Make sure to breathe through the movements. 

4. Bird Dog

• Ready yourself on the floor on your hands and knees. Make sure you’re on a comfortable surface that won’t hurt your kneecaps or shins. 

• Lift your right arm and left leg simultaneously. Extend both outwards, arm out forward and leg back, keeping both appendages completely straight. Hold for ten seconds, go back to the resting position, then switch sides. Left-arm and right leg. 

• Repeat three to five times. 

None of these movements should cause pain. Depending on the strength of your muscles, you may be able to handle longer holds than we’ve described. Doing these movements consistently will help strengthen the core and spinal muscles, relieve tension in your lower back, and expand flexibility to combat pain during regular daily motions. 

Contact the team at Integrative Spine & Sports for more information about spine health and alleviating back pain. Fill out the form below to get started!