SportsMed News

The Best Morning Routine for An Achy Back

July 13, 2018

Having chronic back pain is no laughing matter, with millions of people around the world suffering from an achy back every day. The truth is, many such cases can be circumvented with a proper morning routine to alleviate the pain one feels and improve one’s posture at the same time. Today, we’ll be sharing with you a powerful morning routine that will bring some pain relief for your achy back. The key, however, is to perform this routine on a regular basis. Do note that if you feel any pain at any point in the routine, it is advised that you stop immediately and consult a medical professional if the pain persists.

Good Mornings

Start with your feet apart at shoulder width and a slight bend in your knees. Bend your upper body at the hips at a slight angle, keeping your chest upright and your back strong and tight. Both arms should be by your side at a 45-degree angle at the elbows. This would be the starting position. A repetition is made when you rotate your hips downwards, bringing your upper body down, before returning to the starting position.

Hamstring Stretch

With your feet apart, bend your upper body down and stretch your fingers in front of you on the floor. Reach out as far as you can while keeping your knees fixed in a slight bent. You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings and might feel immediate relief to your achy back.

Lunge Stretch

With one foot forward and the other back, bend the front knee to a 90-degree angle while keeping the back foot straight and stretched. Bring both your hands above you and cross them, with the palms facing outwards. With your body upright, tilt your body to the left, feeling a stretch across your lower back and hip flexors. Repeat with the right side.

The Routine

Starting with the good mornings, perform 30 reps of it before returning to the starting position. Now, keep both your hands outstretched above your head for 20 seconds.

After that, bend your back slowly and reach out ahead of you, transitioning into a hamstring stretch. Do this without changing the position of your legs. Feel the stretch in your hamstrings for 30 seconds before transitioning into a lunge stretch. Perform 15 seconds of lunge stretch to each side of your body before switching the position of your legs and repeating the exercise.

Finally, perform the same upper body motion as the good mornings, while in the lunge position for 30 reps. Upon completion, bring your hands all the way up, keeping your back tight and hold for a final 15 seconds. You have completed the routine and may repeat it as per needed.

With these exercises in place, your back should be stronger and in a better place than it was before the routine is performed. Pay close attention to the details in this routine and remember to practice good form. If these exercises are done incorrectly, it could potentially make your achy back worse, especially if you have a pre-existing condition.