Posture Exercises to Get Rid of Back Pain

 

Reverse Snow Angels

If you've read my posts on How to Alleviate Tech Neck and Stretches for Lower Back Pain Relief, then you know how important and impactful it can be to do stretches for back pain relief. Essentially, pain comes from the same imbalance in muscle tension that causes bad posture. If muscles and fascia are too short in some areas of the body, it will cause the opposing muscles to become over-elongated. These over-elongated muscles have to work harder to do the same job because muscles are at their weakest position when they are fully extended. In addition, a bad posture causes leverage against the over-extended muscles.

    To allow the posture to come back to a nice, straight, and efficient posture, the short muscles and fascia must be elongated. If these tissues are too short, then no matter how hard one tries to come back into an ideal posture, it won't really be possible. Or, if it is possible, it would require a lot of muscular work to come back into and hold a good posture.

    But, stretching alone will not holistically relieve low back pain. The victimized muscles of the posture must be strengthened to reliably and comfortably hold the body in a good position. The strengthening of the correct muscles will also beneficially shorten those muscles causing a therapeutic tension that makes the spine more stable. This effect is exponentially beneficial for back pain relief since the muscles become less irritable as they become stronger while, at the same time, the posture improves in such a way that the muscles are dealing with less stress, anyway. So what are some exercises for back pain?

Exercises for Back Pain

Skydivers

Basically, you could say there are 3 categories to these workouts to fix back pain: 

• Upper back workouts
• Lower back exercises
• Core exercises

    However, all of these exercises are calisthenics and can be done without the use of weights. They can be used to rebuild muscles for injury recovery (I've done that). These exercises can help your posture while at the same time being very safe for most people. I would even say that these same calisthenic movements could be some of the best posture exercises for seniors. In my opinion, the following are a few of the best exercises for posture.

Exercises for Upper Back

Bent-over Towel Rows

This section describes exercises for the upper back. However, in all of these back workouts, technically you're working the entire back. The focus of most of the resistance will be on the respective area of the back. The movements described could help with back pain and posture. In some cases, they may even be considered shoulder pain relief exercises.

Towel Rows

Towel Rows

Towel rows focus on the rhomboids and traps. The rear deltoids also get involved when doing this type of work. All you need for this upper back exercise is a towel. Since this movement does not involve weights, it's very safe for most people, and probably one of the best posture exercises for the elderly. This exercise might look very easy, considering that all you're doing is lifting a towel but don't let that fool you. If done properly, doing bent-over towel rows can really make you feel the burn in your upper back. Here's how it's done:

• Roll up a bath towel so that it is a short cylinder. 
• Bend over at the hips, maintaining a straight back and engaged core.
• Pull outward on both ends of the towel with your hands. This will already cause resistance in the rhomboids.
• Keep the tension in the towel as you slowly pull the towel up to your chest.
• Slowly bring the towel back down, remembering to keep tension in the towel at all times (keep a slight bend in the elbows).
• 12 repetitions per set are probably sufficient. 1 - 3 sets may be enough to stimulate the muscles.

Here is a video that not only describes how to do bent-over towel rows but also demonstrates how to add more resistance to it:

Video by J2FIT Strength & Conditioning

Similarly, you can do standing rows with a resistance band. All you need is a resistance band. They are inexpensive and conveniently available at Wal-Mart, Amazon, and many other large retailers.

Resistance Band Rows

• Wear eye protection. Most resistance band sets come with instructions, and those instructions usually tell you to wear eye protection.
• Place your resistance band around a stable object, such as a rail or a pole.
• Keep your back straight, your head up, and your knees slightly bent.
• Grip the band wherever feels comfortable to you and where you can feel good resistance throughout the whole range of motion.
• Pull back the band with both hands, focusing on contracting your rhomboids and traps.
• Slowly bring your hands away from your chest until your arms are almost straight.
• I like to do this in 1 - 3 sets of no more than 12 repetitions.

    If resistance band rows are done properly, you should feel your scapulae come together. If you don't feel like your shoulder blades are going to your spine, it helps to keep your head up, and your heart in front of you. When your head is held high and your sternum is in front of you, it almost automatically helps you stand with your shoulders back. So, an added bonus to strengthening these postural muscles is that a person may realize things about his or her posture that can help one learn how to fix rounded shoulders.

Decline Rows

Decline Rows

Another great exercise for upper back muscles is the decline row, sometimes referred to as "Australian pull-ups." This is another one of my staple exercises for shoulder pain. If I start to notice that I have a shoulder in pain throughout the week, I make sure to do this exercise or seated rows. 

    The reason why these upper back exercises are also good exercises for shoulder pain is that our shoulders have the best range of motion (ROM) when our posture is straight, and our shoulders are back. Having rounded shoulders actually limits the ROM of your shoulders. A limited range of motion in your shoulders could eventually lead to frozen shoulder syndrome (adhesive capsulitis). So, if you're looking for frozen shoulder exercises, this blog post may be good for preventing frozen shoulder. If you already have adhesive capsulitis, it's best to check with your doctor before attempting anything like this. Your doctor may strongly recommend against doing decline rows, depending on your own unique situation. 

How to do decline rows:

• Set up rings from a strong, sturdy, dependable structure (or go to a gym that already has them installed).
• Grip the rings, keep your legs and back straight, and slowly lower yourself down into a hanging plank-like position.
• Keep your legs straight with a slight bend in the knees, keep your back straight, keep your core engaged.
• Slowly pull yourself up so that you are pulling the rings toward your shoulders. 
• Remember to retract your scapulae and feel the rhomboids working.
• Slowly lower yourself down almost until your elbows are straight.
• I like to do 1 - 3 sets of this exercise for about 12 reps.

Here's a clip of a guy doing decline rows. He's doing the upstroke explosively. I prefer to do a slow, 3-second movement up and then an equally slow negative. This clip gives you an idea of how the exercise is done.

Video by Lewis Hood

Though I categorized the decline row as an upper back exercise, you'll see when you actually do the exercise that it really works your whole back and your core. Since a lot of our back pains come from overworked muscles, and these pains can often be reduced or prevented by strengthening the achy muscles, I believe that the decline row can be put in two other categories: exercises for mid back pain, and exercises to relieve low back pain. In my opinion, this exercise has potential to alleviate pain in the sense of a long-term goal in which you're building the muscles over time and making the muscle more resilient. 

Low Back Exercises

Decline Rows

Like what is written in the above section, I'm loosely describing the workouts in this section as low back exercises. However, these exercises work the upper back and mid back as well. With the idea in mind that stronger muscles feel less irritation during light, daily activities, I could consider the calisthenics in this section to be some of the best exercises for mid back pain, and low back pain.

    Just a reminder, please don't take anything written in this post as medical advice. If you do feel back pain and think that any of these activities might help with your issue, please consult a doctor first and see if the doctor agrees that any of these exercises are good for you and your situation.

Skydivers

Skydivers

Skydivers, when done correctly, are an excellent exercise for improving posture. Since good posture and pain relief are closely related, skydivers are a great exercise for mid back pain, and they are also one of the best exercises to relieve pain in the lower back. When you do skydivers correctly, you'll feel the burn in your upper, mid, and low back.

How to do skydivers:

There are various ways to do skydivers, but the way I'm most familiar with is as follows:

• Lay on your belly with your arms out to the side, bent at about 90 degrees at the elbows, and with your knees apart.
• lift your head, chest, arms, feet, and knees off the ground as far as you can.
• You can either do several reps of this motion in a slow, controlled fashion or you can do static holds at the top for a duration of your choosing.

Video by Umana Health

If you've given skydivers a try, you might agree as I do that you're not just working the mid and low back, you're also doing a good exercise for the upper back.

Reverse Snow Angels

Reverse Snow Angels

Another one of the best posture exercises to relieve pain in the lower back is "reverse snow angels." As with doing skydivers, you're definitely going to feel a lot of good work in the rhomboids, traps, neck, and deltoid. But, this exercise works the low back a lot more than bent-over rows. So, I categorize it as a low back workout.

Reverse Snow Angels are done in a similar fashion to skydivers:

• Lift your feet, knees, arms, hands, and head off the ground.
• Expand your legs and arms so that your feet are far away from each other and so are your hands.
• Make full sweeping motions with your arms and hands as you would if you were making a snow angel (sand angel in Florida).

In this YouTube video, a different version of reverse snow angels, in which the movement is solely being done by the upper body, is being demonstrated.

Video by Paradiso CrossFit

Core Exercises

Plank hold

If you try looking up "exercises to relieve pain in lower back" in a Google search, shockingly, the two I'm writing about in this section are nowhere to be found on the entire first page of search results. So, if you thought this blog post has been valuable and helpful so far, it gets better!

Planks

Another exercise that is great for posture, as well as pain relief, is planks. Planks help to ease back pain, prevent back pain, and improve posture because they strengthen important core muscles for supporting the spine. Namely, the transversus abdominus (the corset muscle) gets a real test during a forearm plank. The corset muscle helps to "suck in your gut" and keep your spine well supported against the weight and leverage of your own body. 

    Often, when people suffer from low back pain, it's partially a result of having weakened core muscles. Quite often, if someone has weak abdominal muscles and if it is verified that there is no apparent cause for that person's back pain, strengthening the transversus abdominus yields relief from that pain. To strengthen the core muscles enough to get some back pain relief with this exercise, one may only need to do this exercise up to 3 times per week for only a few weeks. I, myself, have found improvements within 2 weeks of doing exercises like the ones listed in this blog post.

How to do forearm planks:

• Kneel on the ground.
• Place your forearms on the ground.
• Put your toes on the ground and extend your legs into a straight position.
• At this point, you should be supporting yourself on just your forearms and your toes. No other part of your body should be touching the ground.
• If you feel any pain in any of your joints, adjust your position so that you are comfortable holding a plank.
• Hold the plank for a duration that is challenging for you, but not so difficult that you have to sacrifice form to keep it going.

When holding a plank, your back should be straight, your head should be up, and your core should be well-engaged. Below is a video explaining planks much better than I can in this post.

Video by Physique 57

Planks can be really dynamic. There are different ways to do them, including side planks, one-legged planks, and more. As a massage therapist, I've met far too many clients who thought they needed a massage to help their back when, in reality, the only thing they needed for back pain relief was a stronger core. When muscles need to be strengthened for back pain relief, a massage does not help. A massage only lengthens and relaxes muscles. Sometimes our pains come from a need to build muscles and make them stronger. Planks could go a long way toward achieving that goal.

Crucifix Crunches

Crucifix Crunches

I love crucifix crunches. I've heard them called crucifix sit-ups and just "crucifixes." But, whatever way you want to say it, they're awesome! When I was a kid, I could easily do 100 sit-ups without stopping. When I first attempted crucifix crunches, I could barely do 10. So, I think crucifixes are a very efficient and effective exercise for strengthening your core.

How it's done:

• Lay on your back.
• Open your arms wide.
• Keep your feet together and your legs straight.
• Lift your head, arms, and legs off the floor.
• Keep your head, arms, and legs off the floor for the whole duration of the exercise.
• Slowly and steadily sit up into Boat Pose.
• Smoothly come down into the crucifix position.
• Do as many reps as you can in perfect form.
• Remember to never let your head, arms, or legs touch the ground between reps.
• Feel the awesome burn!

Boat Pose

Here is a video on a different variation of crucifix crunches:

Video by Hotspot Fitness Wagga

Exercises to Improve Posture and Relieve Pain

Thanks for reading this post. I hope you've found it helpful. If you'd like to stay updated on this blog and the latest things that I put out on my social media, subscribe to this blog's push notifications and email list.

Hopefully, after reading this post, you've learned that pain relief is closely associated with improving posture. It's a concept that I work with on a daily basis as a holistic wellness worker. If you've tried these exercises and found that they are helpful, leave a comment on my blog. Also, let me know if there are any other holistic wellness topics you'd like for me to cover in a future post.

Thanks for reading,

-Donny Podcast