Exercise to reduce back pain

[audreyh1]

Oh right - the Swiss ball!

I need to get back to those!

[gcgang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danmar I had debilitating back pain when I first retired in 2006. Took cortisone shots to get me going again. Since then I exercise every day with a view to keeping my back strong. So far it has worked. Focus on core strength, back extensions, cat's backs, hip stretches, planks, ab crunches, etc.

+1

I had very similar situation and remedy, to my "arthritic spurring" and bulging disk at L4-L5 in 1998. I also do "exercise ball" stretches, planks, etc, and "band work", which really helps with what is most likely the long term cause of my problem, my golf swing.

Had a friend who was my orthopedic guy. He said, as a surgeon, I'm going to tell you I can fix you. As your friend, as long as you can still do what you like without unbearable pain, put off the surgery as long as you can. 18 years later, still no surgery, though my leg has never regained the 10% feeling originally lost, and my foot still has numb spots.

[wrl11]

I work out with weights 4 or 5 times a week depending on my cycle, but like another person said here, when I hurt my back it is not with the weights, its picking up something light, like a bag, twisting the wrong way or something. Always seems to be the left side, so I probably have something wrong there.

On the back extention machines, these actually hurt my back when I tried to use them. I find stiff legged deadlifts much better.

[mystang52]

The multiple, varied, responses here show there is no one-size-fits-all. And this includes those with "structural" issues where specific exercise is simply not a viable option to resolve the pain.
But I do think two common thread. As one responder noted, "babying" oneself may actually be counter-productive. And, as a general rule staying active has positive long term effects to keeping back issues at bay.