It is important to do exercises to keep your back in good shape. Exercising about 20 minutes a day at least 3 times a week is very important for back health. You should consult your doctor before you begin any exercise program targeting the back if you have an injury. If your back pain is due to a health condition, seek the advise of your doctor. If your pain is from an injury, keep up your every day activities as much as you can.
You only want to have bed rest for a couple of days after an injury. Lie on a firm surface for the first couple of days to keep the muscle spasms to a minimum. After you have rested a couple of days, you need to be up and moving. Resting too long weakens the muscles, and healing takes longer. The best way to heal quickly is to continue your everyday routine.
Gentle stretching exercises are best immediately after an injury. More intense back exercises are best done after the back pain is milder. Getting up and walking around your home will strengthen the muscles as you heal. Try to do a few more exercises for back pain every day.
Swimming is a great exercise for your back. You can swim when you still have some pain. Walking is another great exercise for back pain. These both are low impact, and will strengthen your core muscles. Do not do any kind of activity involving jumping or running until you have no back pain. You should not do any type of weight training while you have back pain either.
Take a warm shower to loosen the muscles before you exercise. Exercises performed in warm water are best. This will help increase circulation, eases pain, and also relaxes the muscles.
Some exercises you can do to help your pain are:
Lying on your back stretch your legs out, and move your ankles up and down 10 times.
Lay on your back and slowly bend and straighten your knee. Repeat this 10 times.