Back pain exercise

[Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain]

I’ve got back pain possibly from bad seating posture (but have decent work/office chair. I’ve had plantar fasciitis in the past and sciatica which is now better.

I walk a lot and do cardio low impact you tube videos. I’d love to restart running/jogging but this partly caused my plantar fasciitis (not cooling down) in the beginning I think.

Could I do any other exercise to help the back pain?

Pilates is the usual recommendation for core strength and posture. My DH sometimes has back pain and has been recommended various exercises (mainly stretches) by a physio which look exactly like some of the Pilates I do.

Depending on the type of pain, massage can help too.

@ErrolTheDragon great - that's exactly what I was thinking of doing - Pilates or back exercises, I had some when I saw a physio over lockdown. Thanks for this.

Do find a good instructor. You really want to find someone who starts with a one to one session to see what your weaknesses are and then can adapt as necessary.

Tom Morrison's Simplistic Mobility Method is good. Then I'd focus on strength training to get a stronger back that'll be less liable to hurting.

You are so right about the strength training, weights right? Or light ones.

It doesn't help in my case that I had bad whiplash in mid/upper back and one knee which was never treated properly by NHS (I did see an osteopath a few times) from a car crash and I've had intermittent pain on and off since.

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain yeh with weights. If you can with a PT who can write you a programme for your needs. I relatively recently got into strength training and a strong body feels so different. I might have thought in the past I had back issues, but being strong makes such a difference. As does someone who knows what they're doing helping you with it. Things like rows will help get a stronger back, but then strengthening other bits so you're balanced is helpful, which is where the well designed programme comes in.

Long time sufferer with lower back pain, after years the only thing I found really helped was strengthening my core. Had to reduce the amount of running I was doing too

Interesting re running and strengthening lower core is on my to do list.

As I said before though my back is F’d from whiplash which was never treated properly years ago. Good old NHS! I did do physio/osteopath too but wasn’t quite sure what to go for/what worked and NHS person I saw said “it’ll get better in time”. Yeah right… not! It’s been dodgy ever since.

That’s really interesting and I’ll look into that. Currently thinking more about Pilates but my friend’s one on one instructor uses weights too. She’s not cheap though! I do know someone who does a good class nearby.

Which part of your back OP? If you walk a lot and sit at work, it can be caused by tight glutes and hips. Stretching will help and throw in some strength work to future proof you from further back pain.

I used to have terrible back problems but they've gone thanks to Pilates. Because of the frequency that I feel I need it and busy days I use online Pilates classes before my day starts on YouTube but plan my own rotation and listen carefully to alignment instructions. In an ideal world a one to one instructor would have been fab however I have managed to strengthen my core and eradicate my back problems. I get up earlier and do 30 minutes a day for at least 5 days . I've also added some hand held weights and ankle weights and also realised recently what a game changer a resistance band is .. I've noticed a huge difference in strength and tone

It varies from upper to mid to lower back. But I did get sciatica which I thought was gone and noticed slight hip pain on walking this week which I’ve never ever had before in one leg - both those are in different legs not the same one.

Will definitely do stretching and strength work, thanks.

This is what leads me to think I’ll do Pilates! I did have a strength band, have small dumbbells and what you do is exactly what my friend who had a stroke does with her 121 Pilates sessions and by herself. Like you, she’s strengthened and toned massively through resistance bands and weights. What’s the online Pilates class you do please?

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain honestly it's helped so much.. I hope it will for you too. My favourite is a lady called Alex whose YouTube channel is Keel Pilates - love her calmness and teaching style - she's very careful to warm up and stretch out . Others I've used are move with Nicole and also girl with the Pilates mat but Keel is my favourite and there are beginners courses free to use on her YouTube channel

Also just to add I pay for YouTube premium so I don't get annoying adverts - you can also search for Pilates classes and it helps to put the time in the search otherwise you get a wide variety of videos that might not be what you were looking for !

Youtube has lots of home exercise videos 4 back pain

Thank you for the advice. It really helps.
I don’t mind paying for you tube premium. Or even in person classes. Bit gutted if it means I can’t run again.

I did find a great (can’t think of his name) American guy who did sciatica exercises on you tube which really helped when I had that!

Half my back pain is from driving I think and sitting down for work, so unless I can find a good class locally I can walk to or short drive I’d prefer online for now. Thanks!

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain I don't run anymore ( disnt ever really enjoy it ) but found classes such as Eleni fit help with cardio

I do the body project for cardio. I was getting into running when I could do it but I think it partly caused plantar fasciitis due to not cooling down properly though I did do it!

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain haven't heard of that thank you for sharing ! Going to have a look

He has lots of different workouts both high and low impact but he’s such a friendly and encouraging man, and funny! Really seems to genuinely enjoy what he does and he’ll say when he’s feeling tired or the pain after one workout which means you relate to him a bit more! 🙂