These simple exercises will help with lower back pain and will work your core to make it stronger and more flexible, which is the foundation for a healthy lower back. When we hunch at computers, sit in traffic and slouch on the couch, we put strain on our lower back. The ideal alignment is a gentle arch and when your core is weak or tight, the curve will become flat or overarched causing pain in your lower back, hips or glutes.
1. Start with Standing torso twist, feet hip width apart and squeeze the glutes while you rotate your torso and keep your hips fixed. You can do these with light hand weights or without and breathe to a count of 3 and switch sides slowly.
2. Pelvic tilts - Lie on your mat with knees bent, feet on the floor. Raise the pelvis up and down for a raised pelvic tilt (similar to bridge pose) for 20 reps or you can lie on the mat and just tilt the pelvis forward and back to flatten the curve of the back into the floor (bottom pic). Hold for 5 secs and release. Do 10 reps.
3. Dead bug - Lie on your back with legs raised and bent. Engage your abdominals and bend your left leg and lift towards your chest and lower the right leg to hover off the floor. You can alternate arms with each leg overhead with 2-3kg dumbbells if you want to challenge yourself.
4. Bird dog crunch - Come onto all fours with hands under shoulders and your knees under your hips and flat back (mini plank) Reach your opposite arm and push your opposite leg straight back keeping your core engaged and hips still. Come back to crunch position and repeat 10 x each side.
Hope this helps
Suzanne
Lifestylist Health & Fitness