Winter is a season when many people hurt their backs and looking for back pain relief. Forgetting that prevention is always preferable to dealing with pain. A few minutes a day of simple postural exercises can prevent or at least minimise injuries at the first place. Today, I am going to give you a set of easy movements for hip and back pain relief.
Simple exercises for low back pain relief
Since I started doing Egoscue exercises several years ago, I developed a personal favorite routine for hips and low back pain relief. I always do it in the morning. When I don’t have time to do my regular menu, I do these several exercises before I start my day. If I feel stiff after sitting at the computer for several hours, I do this sequence and it always brings back pain relief. It also works well before and/or after snow shoveling. It is a combination of several easy movements that naturally flow into each other:
- Knee Drops
- Knee ABduction-ADduction on the floor
- Assisted Hip Lift Position
- Hip Crossover Stretch
- Pelvic Tilts
Knee Drops and Knee Abduction-Adduction on the Floor
These sequence allows the low back muscles to relax. It will also increase the flow of the synovial fluid to the hip joints. These gentle movements often bring a noticeable back pain relief.
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There are three parts to this sequence:
For all of them, start in the Hooklying position:
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Unilateral knee drops:
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Bilateral knee drops:
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Abduction-Adduction movement:
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Assisted Hip Lift Position
This exercise improves pelvic position through external femur rotation. Especially beneficial for people with internal femur rotation, pelvic disparity, hip elevation, or pelvic rotation.
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Keep your shoulders and arms relaxed. |
One side will feel harder to do. Try doing it 2-3 times in a row to feel that that stiffer side feels more mobile. It often brings back pain relief.
Hip Crossover Stretch
This exercise is a natural progression from the Assisted Hip Lift Position. It promotes hip and spinal rotation with scapular engagement. It increases the hips mobility and may help to improve the SI joint position and back pain relief.
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One side will feel harder to do. You may want try doing it 2 times in a row to feel that the stiffer side feels more mobile to experience back pain relief.
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Pelvic Tilts
Pelvic tilts is one of the best exercises for the back pain relief. Use small pelvic movement to bring tailbone towards the floor (low back down) and tailbone away from the floor (low back arched). Use your pelvis to facilitate the movement. Do not engage abdominals or press feet too strong into the floor. Keep your body relaxed.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip width apart, parallel to each other.
- Make sure your hips, knees and feet are aligned on the imaginary line from shoulders to toes.
- Relax arms at 45 degrees from sides with palms facing up.
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You may want to put a pillow between your knees to keep legs at the same position during the tilts. |
All these movements improve position of hips, pelvis, and surrounding joints. They are gentle but may effectively mitigate the effects of snow shoveling or stiffness associated with lack of movement. Try them yourself and see if they bring back pain relief.
Be Healthy. Be Active. Live Pain Free.
Learn here how YOU can restore your posture at my Upright Posture Fitness Studio in Hudson, MA
