Women are perhaps the sufferers of the worst lower back pain and this is more of an epidemic for stay-at-home mothers. Though they are the caregivers of the family, they often end up neglecting their own health, which often leads to serious problems in later age.
Causes of Back Pain in Women
Back pain in women may occur due to various reasons which may differ from person to person. The most common causes involve the following
- sleeping in an uncomfortable bed
- incorrect sleeping posture
- pregnancy
- incorrect sitting posture
- lifting heavy objects
- obesity
- back injury
- arthritis
- rheumatism
Prescribed medication is often the first resort for back pain. These drugs reduce pain and inflammation by tranquilizing the body or by depressing the nervous system. However, very often these painkillers fail to do the magic trick and patients continue suffering.
Besides, there are alternatives like visiting physical therapists, kinesiotherapists and chiropractors. These therapies do go a long way in providing the much desired relief but these are mostly complemented with back exercises.
Eight Simple Exercises to Relieve Lower Back Pain
These easy-to-do and less time-consuming exercises are perfect antidotes to severe back ache. These need to be done slowly, steadily, five to 10 times per exercise, per session and twice a day, every day. That's the mantra for having a strong back. Practice the exercises daily, with no lag.
Elbow Pressure: Lie on the floor with face down and arms at the sides. Push head and upper trunk up with the help of arms and shoulders so that the weight is rested on forearms. Hold the position for 10-15 seconds and relax. Repeat four times.
Double Knee-to-Chest Stretch: Lie flat on the floor with knees bent. Pull the knees toward the chest and hold it until a comfortable stretch is felt in the lower back. Repeat it four times.
Stabilizing the Trunk: Lie on the back with both knees bent and feet placed on the ground. Slowly raise the buttocks from the floor and keep the abdomen tight. Hold the posture for five seconds and release.
Lower Trunk Rotation or Lumbar Rotation: Lie on the back with both knees bent and feet on the ground, firmly placed. The exercise is done by bringing both knees toward the chest and rocking them from side to side in small range of motions.
Pelvic Tilt: Lie on the back with both knees bent. Feel flat on the floor with arms at your sides. Exhale and rotate the pelvis so that the lower back comes in total contact with the floor. Tuck the abdomen in and hold the posture for five seconds and then let go. Repeat this posture 20 times. It’s better to place a pillow under the head so that the neck doesn’t suffer a strain.
Back Arch or the Angry Cat Stretch: This is done by getting on all fours on the floor and tightening the abdomen while arching back. Hold it for three seconds and then release.
Quadruped: As the name suggests, the position has exact resemblance to a quadruped. Get on all fours on the ground and tuck the abdomen inside. Then slowly raise the left arm and the right leg at the same time. However, caution needs to be taken that the trunk doesn’t sag.
Leg Raise: Lie on the back with both knees bent and tighten the abdomen. Straighten one knee and slowly lift the leg as high as possible, but comfortably. Hold it for three seconds and then release and continue with the other leg.
Back pain has become a part of daily life in women. It's very important to take care of the back to prevent any such problems.A regular dose of these simple eight exercises like elbow pressure, double knee-to-chest stretch, trunk stabilization exercise, lumbar rotation, pelvic tilt, angry cat stretch, quadruped and leg raise can help in curing debilitating back pain problems.
Paulami Roy - Paulami Roy, is a freelance writer. Having attained her double masters in International Relations and MBA with specialization in ...
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