What are the best back exercises? Here’s a fictional day-in-the-life showing the spine’s point of view. This might look familiar 🙂

“Maija goes to bed at 10 PM, tired and with a bit of ache in her back. The nagging has actually been there for years and tends to get worse toward evening. Still, she sleeps well and wakes at 6:30. Her back feels a little stiff, but it doesn’t ache the way it does at night. 

Oh dear… Maija starts dressing, bends to put on her socks and notices a slight “sensation” in her back, but not real pain. Within a minute she’s ready and heads to breakfast, though she first leans over the sink to wash her face. She brushes her teeth sitting down. While eating breakfast and scrolling the newspaper and her iPad, Maija rushes to catch the bus. Shoes on, jacket on, and off she goes. Phew… she makes the bus just in time and sits down, catching her breath. Luckily the journey is only an hour; it’s enough time to listen to some music and relax. Her commute is two hours a day, so ten hours a week.

Maija hops off the bus and walks about 200 meters to work. Finally she can sit and start working; the clock reads 8:16. During the day she has to collect printed papers from the printer a few times. Luckily the break room is just around the corner and the lunch spot is one floor up in the same building. Of course she takes the elevator like everyone else. Around four o’clock Maija heads home and spends another hour sitting on the bus.

After dinner Maija takes the dog for its daily walk. She walks a kilometer or two, which takes just over half an hour. The walk feels good for her back and the ache disappears. After walking the dog she sits in her armchair and watches TV for about an hour. Then a light supper and she lays out her clothes for the next day, after which she goes to bed.

Stand Tall

Maija’s story has several lessons, but let’s quickly look at her day from the perspective of her spine’s movement. How often did Maija actually move her spine through all its possible ranges? The answer: not very often. In the morning and evening when dressing and undressing, and again when putting on shoes, Maija bent forward a few times. Honestly, she only used a tiny fraction of her spine’s available movement across the whole day. For most of the day our spines sit upright and still—like a stick or a stiff pole.

The spine, like the rest of the body, was built to move. Otherwise, why would we have muscles and joints, or so many degrees of freedom in the spine? People say “the best posture is the next one,” meaning there isn’t a single perfect position. The healthiest thing for your back is to move it in varied ways, every day, and often.

Move Your Back Every Day

The problem is we simply don’t move our backs enough, and especially not in varied ways. The spine thrives on movement—discs, vertebrae, muscles, fascia, nerves and blood vessels all need daily motion. Keeping the back still does it harm. Movement is medicine!

Here are some tried-and-true basic back movements that go a long way and help with stiffness and aches. These movements are familiar and safe, but underused in daily life. NOTE: If any movement causes pain or you’re unsure about doing them, see a specialist who can advise you on the right way to perform them for your situation.

“Can you bend your spine into many different positions, or do you frequently move your back into various poses?”

Master the basic movements

Vertebra-by-vertebra roll

• Do slow forward bends, rolling your spine into a rounded shape and keeping your belly relaxed throughout the movement. Repeat 10–15 times a day; you can do the set several times daily—just make sure you actually do it 😉

Side bends

• Gently bend your body to each side in a smooth, rhythmic motion. Occasionally reach one arm up toward the sky as you bend. Do 10–15 reps per side every day. Remember to breathe freely the whole time.

Rotation

• Rotate your torso and back to the right and left in a rhythmic motion. Repeat 10–15 times a day.

Back extension

• Bend your back backward; if it feels painful, reduce the range of motion. Even a small backward bend helps. Bring your hands above your head to make the extension feel more comfortable.

Thanks for reading my blog — keep moving! You might also be interested in my article Back wear and tear (link).

If you need help with your back pain and guidance on exercises, book an appointment with me here.

Jerry
osteopath, personal trainer