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Low Back Pain: Exercises to Reduce Pain
Exercises that may help reduce or prevent low back pain include:
- Aerobic exercise, to condition your heart and other muscles, maintain health, and speed recovery.
- Strengthening exercises, focusing on your back, stomach, and leg muscles.
- Stretching exercises, to keep your muscles and other supporting tissues flexible and less prone to injury.
Some exercises can aggravate back pain. If you have low back pain, avoid:
- Straight leg sit-ups.
- Bent leg sit-ups or partial sit-ups (curl-ups) when you have acute back pain.
- Lifting both legs while lying on your back (leg lifts).
- Lifting heavy weights above the waist (standing military press or biceps curls).
- Toe touches while standing.
Test Your Knowledge
Do not exercise if you have low back pain.
TrueIf you have low back pain, doing aerobic, strengthening, and gentle stretching exercises may help you gain or maintain good health, strength, and flexibility. Certain exercises may reduce your low back pain.
FalseIf you have low back pain, doing aerobic, strengthening, and gentle stretching exercises may help you gain or maintain good health, strength, and flexibility. Certain exercises may reduce your low back pain.
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Why is it important to do exercises for low back pain?
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Low Back Pain: Exercises to Reduce Pain
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: March 1, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Robert B. Keller, MD - Orthopedics | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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