Quote:
Originally Posted by PenChick
Lower back exercises
1. Lie on your stomach with your hands extended in front of your head. Lift your right leg and left arm at the same time. Switch leg/arm repeat. Do 10 reps each leg
2. Lie on your stomach and lift your knees and feet and flutter kick (as if you were swimming freestyle) Do 3-4 reps.
This is actually part of my workout routine. The author of my book is real keen on exercising your lower back and stretching it.
I agree I had back surgery (partial laminectomy L4-L5) for a ruptured disc. I did physical therapy THREE TIMES and every day they had me doing the exercises above AND also
*on your hands and knees, knees below hips, hands below shoulders-- raise your right arm paralell with the floor straight out in front of you (keep looking at the floor so you don't strain your neck) and then switch to your left arm. then do the same with your legs extending them one at a time all the way back paralell with the floor. Once you build up enough strength to do this start doing your right arm and left leg at the same time. and then switch to left arm and right leg...
*If you have a sturdy enough table or counter top-- hip level-- lay on it until your hip bones are resting on the edge of it. lay your top half of your body down on the table(face down) with your toes touching the floor(use a towel under your hips if it's a hard surface so it's not uncomfortable). Raise one leg at a time, keeping it straight pulling your heel towards the ceiling and repeat this with both legs alternating from left to right.
*if you have a resistance band put it around something that will not move or close it in a door about ankle level. Put your foot in it, face the door far enough away to hold the band straight(no drooping in the band) and pull with your heel backwards a few inches holding your leg straight.
there are tons of exercises you can do...*google lower back exercises) these are a few that I still do today that I was taught in Physical therapy. BUT make sure it is cleared with your doctor first!! You definitely don't want to hurt it any more or cause a bigger problem. I also did crunches to strengthen my core-- knees bent, small of your back flat on the floor, lifting your shoulders up just far enough to get your shoulder blades off the floor. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE the inversion table!! or zero gravity table!! It does WONDERS! I shrunk from 5'9" to 5'7 3/4" after my surgery and with the use of the inversion table, with dr.'s ok, i'm' back to 5'9" again!!
Good luck and my heart goes out to you as a fellow back pain sufferer, actually chronic back pain sufferer, over 2 years now) I feel for you and pray you feel better soon!!