Exercise is something we all know we should do, but not many do it for one reason or another. However, the evidence is mounting that exercise has many health benefits, including improving back pain and overall spine health.
That actually makes sense if you think about it. If you exercise, you are going to have stronger muscles to support the bones, ligaments, and joints of the spine. This will help the spine last longer, and you will be able to do more before muscle soreness and fatigue set in. You are likely to weigh less so your spine has to carry less weight.
Recent evidence actually suggests that exercise seems to have a rejuvenating effect upon the spine. Specialized MRI studies (not routinely available) were performed on study participants before and after an exercise program. The discs showed signs of improved health much more quickly than previously thought possible. These results suggest that simply walking can lead to improvements in the health of your spine. It also suggests that we should avoid prolonged static positions like sitting too much.
Walking is the best exercise for your spine. I recommend walking at least 30 minutes a day. If you cannot walk 30 minutes at a time, it’s okay to break it down into smaller segments. Walk at a comfortable pace. You should walk as much as your pain level permits. Start small then gradually increase the distance you walk. Inclines and stairs may have some added benefits. You should be able to increase your distance until you can walk at least 30 minutes. Your long term goal should be to walk between 30 minutes and two hours daily.
You also need a core strengthening program. This sounds complicated but it’s not. Your core muscles are activated by almost any activity, so most types of exercise will work. Generally, you should find something that you enjoy doing and that you will actually do – something that gives you a little bit of resistance training and will help you break a light sweat.
That means that almost any exercise will help: swimming, biking, tennis, hiking, yoga, dance…you name it. But, it can’t help unless you do it.
Some patients need a little bit of help getting started with an exercise program. For these patients physical therapy can be very helpful. It can get you started on exercises using proper posture and body mechanics. It can help you develop the ability to do exercises that you couldn’t do before. If you are new to exercise, therapy might just be the thing to get you started.
Here are a few core exercises that you could start on your own right away:
Not everyone can do every exercise; not every exercise will work for will work for every person. You may have other health conditions which limit you. But you have to find an exercise regimen you will do if you want to keep your spine healthy and stay as fit and active as you can be.
