How to strengthen back muscles with back pain?

Doctor's Answers 1

It sounds like you are having a challenging time with your back symptoms and certainly walking should be an easy task that does not lead to aching.

There can be many different reasons for back pain and it maybe worthwhile getting your back assessed prior to undertaking an exercise program. This might elicit the areas that require work and certainly if there are any points of concern, these can also be addressed.

If you are keen to look into the strengthening as a first line, then options include seeing a Sports Physician/Physiotherapist or a personal trainer with experience in dealing with back pain.

The important elements to consider are:

  1. Managing weight - so cardiovascular exercises are useful
  2. Strengthening the “core” muscles - this has become a big buzz word in strength and conditioning, but essentially it means strengthening the muscles around your midriff and re-learning how to appropriately engage them. There are many different exercises that have been developed to enable this and simple examples are the plank (and variations to this) and breathing exercises.
  3. Focussed exercises for areas of deficiency

There are many online programs that are also available, but please take case as doing them without supervision or if done incorrectly, it can lead to injury and further symptoms.

I hope this helps.

BW

Similar Questions

How does a Sport Doctor help to treat lower back pain in gym goers?

Back pain is a complex yet common problem that affects many people and there can be many causes from a disc prolapse with nerve root irritation, muscular spasm, facet joint pain or fascial pain. A Sports/MSK physician will take a detailed history, perform a thorough clinical examination and, depending on symptoms/signs, may organise investigations such as X-rays, MRIs or blood tests. For the majority of back pains, conservative (non-operative) management will suffice. This may include physiotherapy, guided injections or analgesia.

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Answered By

Dr Dinesh Sirisena

Sport Medicine

How can I get rid of persistent back pain that is not responding to physiotherapy?

Thank you for your email and I am sorry to hear about your ongoing pain symptoms. This can be an issue after surgery even if it does resolve the disc issue/symptoms that you were experiencing. The only way to resolve pain is to assess you and consider the pain generators in the back - unfortunately there can be many. It could be residual pain from degenerative discs, facet joints, nerve irritation, muscular tightness, scar tissue formation and so on.

Photo of Dr Dinesh Sirisena

Answered By

Dr Dinesh Sirisena

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