Ultimate Guide To Back Pain Relief PDF

The Ultimate Guide to Back
Pain Relief
By The AiraWear Team
32 Exercises You Can Do Today To Ease Your Pain, Relieve Your Tension
and Reduce Daily Stress
made with
Tell me if this sounds familiar:

You grind out work (or surf Facebook) at your desk all day long. Work is never ending
but you do your part for the day. Sometimes your back starts to ache but you ignore it
anyway. You know, because work isnt gonna finish itself.
Over time your back pain goes away, but sometimes it returns (worse than before).
Its an on and off relationship with back pain (ugh).
Finally, you seek a chiropractor or physiotherapist for help. You attend one or two
sessions.
After a while, your back pain gets better. But you find yourself unable or unwilling to
squeeze time to visit a professional. If you stop your visits on the other hand, the back
pain lingers and festers.
You either strain your back or your wallet...
And both are costly options.
Sounds like youre the one losing out here, doesnt it?
Thats why were stepping in. In order to come up with a simpler way for your back
pain relief, we created this guide for your back pain instead.
This guide is giving you 32 in-depth ways to deal with the pain that haunts you. Every.
Single. Day.
When can you make use of this guide? You can do the exercises inside at home, or
when youre taking a break from work.
With this guide you lose ALL EXCUSES not to take action *throws excuses out of the
window*.The exercise steps are so foolproof you can practically kiss your back pain
goodbye.
If youre truly lazy (much like someone I see in the mirror every morning)... Then
figuring out how to build a habit would be a good place to start.
Might as well overcome the laziness gap at the same time.

Its also understandable if you feel your back pain isnt that bad right now. Its
probably annoying at the very worst?
Well, do you want to wait until its too late? Dont let your ache grow into agony. Do
the smart thing for your body and your life.
Table of Back
Pain Exercises
The following has been
categorized for your convenience,
so feel free to jump straight into
the part where you think you
need help most:
Key Principles
1.
Ultimate Guide to Back

Pain Relief
2.
Chapter One: Key Principles
3.
Key Principles
4.
Chapter Two: Upper Back

Exercises
5.
Upper Back Exercises
6.
Chapter Three: Upper Back

Stretches
7.
Upper Back Stretches
8.
Chapter Four: Lower Back

Exercises
9.
Lower Back Exercises

Shoulder Roll
Scapular Squeeze
Upper and Middle Trap Pull Backs

Upward Stretch
Pec Stretch
Upper and Middle Spine Extension
Reverse Table Pose

Push-Ups
Partial Crunches
Superman
Bird Dog
Side Plank
Prone Push-Ups
Wall Squat
Seated Double Knee Lifts
Lower Back Stretches

Downward Dog Pose
10. Chapter Five: Lower Back

Stretches
11.
12. Before You Go...
Cat and Cow Pose

Childs Pose
Thread the Needle
Rabbit Pose
Legs Up the Wall
Baby Pose
Standing Lower Back Stretch
Supine Spinal Twist
Standing Hamstring Stretch
Supine Hamstring Stretch
Pigeon Pose
Sphinx Pose
Cobra Pose
Knee to Chest
Pelvic Tilt
Bridge
13. Want On-Demand Back

Pain Relief?
Chapter One: Key Principles

These fundamentals arch over a majority of the exercises and explain a
little about how to make your exercises more effective as a whole.
Key Principles
PRINCIPLE 1: Breathing
Exhale when youre exerting force, inhale when youre easing into another position. If
youre holding a position, remember to take deep breaths and let oxygen flow
through your body.
PRINCIPLE 2: Muscular Support

Understand that your muscles mutually support each other. So dont be surprised if
you see that some exercises seem to work more of your other body parts than the
back!
PRINCIPLE 3: Consistency
Make it a weekly or daily habit to do the exercises that work for you. There is no magic
bullet, there is no special secret - you have to work on yourself for yourself over a
period of time to see results. Lets keep it real here, shall we?
PRINCIPLE 4: Longevity
Youre in this for the long run. So do take note not to overexert yourself. Its okay to
push but its not okay to give yourself injurious pain.
And if youre already injured, avoid doing exercises that involve the injured area.
PRINCIPLE 5: Progression
Remember, our end goal here is to get rid of back pain by being better than yesterday.
If the recommended exercise says do 20 repetitions, and youre struggling at 15 or
even 5, its okay.
Theres no punishment or shame - this guide is not to make you feel bad for not
meeting some arbitrary standard.
So youve just read our equivalent of the Ten Commandments. Bear them in mind as
you go along and go deep into the exercises for your back.
Lets dive deep into the self-remedying exercises for your back pain.
Chapter Two: Upper Back

Exercises

EXERCISE #1: Shoulder Roll
How To Do The Exercise
Why does it help?
You know how sitting in front of the computer for hours creates tension in your body
right? Especially when youve been overusing some muscles and relaxing others for
way way way too long.
Besides making you feel good, shoulder rolls actually relieve tension in your shoulder
and neck muscles All while increasing the movement range of your arms. Who
knows, you might be a little bit more limber.
Steps for this back pain exercise:
1. Find a comfortable sitting position (on a chair or cross-legged on the floor)
2. Sit up straight (i.e. not hunched)
3. Slowly and gently rotate your shoulders forward
4. Reverse direction in equal amount of time/rotations
Muscles involved:
Shoulders
Scapula (at the shoulder blades)
Upper back muscle groups
Recommendation:
For such a simple exercise, do this up to 1 minute in each direction - forward and
backward.
To explore in-depth:
Shoulder Roll Progressions (teaches you how to shoulder roll in other ground poses)
EXERCISE #2: Scapular Squeeze

AKA...
Ooh, my shoulder blades can actually touch each other!
Why does it actually help?
Not only does it help to improve posture (if done consistently)...
The scapular squeeze also strengthens your upper back (relieving some stress off the
lower parts of your torso).
1. Sit up straight (on a chair, or cross-legged on the floor - your choice, really)
2. Imagine theres a pencil vertically below the back of your neck, between your
shoulder blades
3. Squeeze your shoulder blades to grip that imaginary pencil - your upper back is
now tensed
4. Your shoulders should feel like theyre being pulled back, while your chest
automatically pushes out (you know how those confident people strut with their
chest out? Thats the feeling)
Beware:
Remember to keep your elbows by your ribs! Dont let them flail about or extend out
like chicken wings. This is to ensure your shoulder blades can pull as far back as
possible, not your deltoids.
Muscles involved:
Rhomboid muscles
Middle trapezius muscles
Recommendation:
Try this for 10 repetitions, tensing for 3-5 seconds per repetition.
If you are flexible enough, you can try clasping your palms together from behind (its
kind of like how the Thais do the wai or when yogis greet Namaste, but their hands
are actually *behind* them). This is also known as the Reverse Prayer Pose.However,
if you want to focus on the strength building aspect Find a pull up bar and grab on to
the bar, arms straight.
BUT dont actually do a pull up! All you need to do is raise your shoulders up as high as
you can. Dont bend your arms. At this point, your shoulder blades will be tense and
touching each other.
EXERCISE #3: Upper and Mid Trap Pull Backs

On top of actually strengthening the shoulders and upper back, this exercise can firm
up the outline of your shoulders a little.
Of course, going to the gym or using resistance bands will help. But well keep this to
our agenda of doing back pain exercises for relief.
1. Get into a sitting position, spine straight
2. Raise your hands above your head
3. Extend your arms high (into the sky) and back (behind your neck)
4. You should feel your shoulders (middle trapezius) tensing and shoulder blades
squeezing (see Scapular Squeeze)
Muscles involved:
Upper trapezius
Middle trapezius
Recommendation:
Repeat for 10 repetitions, extending and tensing for 3-5 seconds per repetition
You can actually do this at your workplace (assuming you have your own desk)... Just
be careful not to smack someone walking behind you with a mug of hot coffee.
Chapter Three: Upper Back

Stretches

EXERCISE #4: Upward Stretch
AKA
Reach for the sky! (Uhh, sort of)
Okay Im stretching the definition of back by a bit (no pun intended). But this shoulder
stretch involves your upper trapezius as well.
What this stretch does is to create then releases tension in your shoulders. Which part
of your shoulders? Specifically, your deltoids, as well as your traps. If you ever feel sore
from working the entire day, this is the stretch that you automatically do (your body
knows it too!).
1. Sit or stand straight - this is up to you
2. Interlace your fingers, palms facing away from you
3. Straighten your arms and let your palms reach out to the ceiling (or sky)
4. Extend your shoulders skyward
5. You should feel not only your shoulders relieving tension, but the spine is slightly
more concave and extended
Muscles involved:
Deltoids
Middle trapezius
Recommendation:
Hold for 15-30 seconds, then get back to whatever it was that you were doing. Cheers.
EXERCISE #5: Pec Stretch

Do you think you have rounded shoulders? Thats what happens when you hunch all
day (probably in front of a computer).
This stretch is to help reduce the overuse of your upper back muscles. Your chest may
feel tight in addition to feeling that your back and shoulders are aching all the time. By
stretching the chest muscles, you can reduce the activity (and strain) on your upper
back.
1. Lean your shoulder against something sturdy (like your door frame)
2. Push your chest forward, using the shoulder as a pivot
3. Simultaneously, squeeze your shoulder blades together
4. Hold for 30 seconds
Muscles involved:
Pectoralis major
Pectoralis minor
Recommendation:
You can do this muscle stretch anytime, anywhere. Even if youre at work. As long as
there is a sturdy vertical support (pole, door frame), this stretch can be properly.
Be careful if youre using the door though.

Stretch this muscle for as long as you want. But a minimum of 30 seconds would help
to make sure you get the stretch you need. Hold for too short and you wont actually
be releasing the tension or tightness in your muscles.
How to Stretch Your Chest
EXERCISE #6: Upper and Middle Spine Extension

AKA
Thoracic spine extension
Look at me, Im just arching my upper back whee
In case you didnt infer, thoracic just refers to the upper and middle parts of your spine
(the lumbar is the lower part of the spine).
Doing this exercise can counteract the effects of a hunch (an unnatural spine position),
and provide relief on the overactive neck and upper back muscles.
1. Find a chair that supports only up to your middle back
2. Press your lower back against the back support
3. Lean your head, neck, and upper back over the back support
4. Your upper and middle back should be arched and relaxed
Beware:
Dont let your shoulder blades be the ones obstructing your spine. People typically do
this when they spread open their arms.
You can relax your shoulders by your sides, or Lift your arms up and forward (not to
the side), then grab your head. This creates the space needed for your thoracic spine to
extend.
Body parts involved:
Upper half of your torso
Recommendation:
Extend for 15-30 seconds, and repeat up to 3 times
Thoracic Mobility Drill
Thoracic Spine Mobilizations
EXERCISE #7: Reverse Table Pose

AKA
Ardha Purvottanasana
Table top pose
This pose actually strengthens the lower back, chest, shoulders and hips, while helping
you stretch your hamstrings. Its one of those positions that engages the whole body
well.
1. Start by sitting on your butt, legs straight and forward
2. Place your hands slightly behind you on the ground, fingers facing forward
3. Bring your feet closer to your knees
4. Raise your hips up until theyre at the same height as your knees and shoulders
5. Tense your core, shoulders, and thighs to support the position
6. To recover, ease your hips down until they touch the ground, then straighten your
legs
Beware:
You dont want to throw your butt down on the ground as you recover - thats a risk
for injury.
Muscles involved:
Shoulders
Chest
Core and hips
Hamstrings
Recommendation:
Hold the pose for 30 seconds, 1 minute if youre stronger.
If you want to bring up the level of this exercise, you can try straightening your legs
out from the reverse table pose. This increases the effectiveness of strengthening
your core as well.
How To Do Reverse Table Pose
Chapter Four: Lower Back

Exercises

EXERCISE #8: Push-Ups
AKA
Press ups
Some of the exercises here create relief for back pain. Push ups, on the other hand,
helps to prevent future back pain by strengthening your lower back and core.
The core and lower back are relevant here. When we sit too long, the core actually
relaxes, and we put a lot of unnecessary stress on the lower spine. Strengthening the
lower back will create a better support system for the spine instead.
1. Get into the push up position:
Shoulders above wrists
Body is planked and straight
Balls of feet are planted in the ground
Core and glutes (butt) are tensed and tight
2. If you just started trying push ups, support yourself by kneeling in the push up
position
3. Bend your arms to go down, with your chest as close to the ground as possible
without touching
4. Straighten your arms back to the neutral position
5. Repeat as you like
Beware:
Doing (a lot of) push ups wrongly could actually intensify or create more back pain.
You dont really want that. Common mistakes can be seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpobgeNpOCI
Muscles involved:
Your entire upper body all the way to the hips and glutes
Recommendation:
If you need a number, try 20 push ups first.
Since youre doing this exercise with the intent of relieving back pain (not trying to
achieve bulging biceps that crush skulls) Focus on the form of how youre doing the
push up rather than how many you can do. Tense your core as you do this exercise.
If youre just starting out, try push ups with your knees on the ground. That takes off
some weight from your arms and you can still benefit from this activity!
The Perfect Push-Up
EXERCISE #9: Partial Crunches

AKA
Half sit-ups
Chest lifts
Half crunches
The crunch that actually doesnt screw up your tailbone
It should be obvious that crunches strengthen our core muscles.
But heres the thing: weve been taught that crunches ought to go all the way up,
elbows should touch the knees.
And its easy to get injured while doing the full crunch (Im sure you know someone
from high school who couldnt do sit-ups without groaning about their back
problems).
The partial crunch actually shows you doing more and going further is not always
better. This crunch just activates your core muscles - and gives you a more effective
way to build strength - without damaging your body.
1. Find a spot where you can comfortably lie down on
2. Lie flat on your back, with your knees bent and raised, feet touching the ground
3. Cup your hands behind your ears
4. Raise ONLY your upper and middle back off the ground: your lower back should
remain grounded
5. At this point, your core should feel tense
6. SLOWLY ease your back down until your shoulders touch the ground. Head should
be lifted at all times
Beware:
As with full crunches, be careful not to slam your body down after going up.
Theres a reason for putting your hands behind the ears and not your head. When
youre feeling tired from the first few crunches, you may subconsciously rely on using
your arms to raise yourself up. Cupping your ears actually reduces the additional
support from your arms.
As this is simply a strengthening exercise, form is more important than numbers. So
dont worry too much about hitting 20 or 40 or 60 or 100 crunches as your goal.
Muscles involved:
Your core (youll feel the workout more at the upper abdomen)
Middle to lower back
Recommendation:
Include a towel under your lower back if you feel your lower back may (or actually)
hurts. This can reduce the strain from flat ground contact.
If you feel you want a more wholesome crunch workout, try reaching over to the
opposite side (e.g. left arm reaches across right side of body as you go up). This works
the obliques and not just the front abs.
EXERCISE #10: The Superman

Youll definitely feel the (good kind of) ache after doing this exercise And this is
effective for strengthening your lower back as well as improving your posture. After
all, this exercise strengthens your back extensors (muscles that keep you upright while
sitting or standing).
Even basketball teams in schools do this as part of their physical routine!
1. Find a mat or a towel
2. Lie flat facing the ground (if you use the towel, place it around your hip area), with
your limbs extending outward
3. When youre ready, raise all four limbs up in the air
4. Ease back down but dont let your limbs touch the ground
Beware:
If youve had a really bad low back injury before, you may want to check with your
doctor if this is recommended given your condition.
Also, avoid flinging your head up even more. Instead, aim to extend your head
outward.
Muscles involved:
Back extensors (the center of your lower back)
Erector spinae
Glutes
Hamstring
Recommendation:
For starters, try about 10-15 repetitions. Of course, feel free to do more at your own
pace.
Here a couple of variations of the superman pose (see above image):
Alternate limbs raised (e.g. left arm, right leg) with remaining limbs on the ground
Holding the raised pose instead of doing repetitions
EXERCISE #11: Bird Dog

AKA
The table pose version of Superman exercises
This exercise helps to stabilize the spine for everyday movements, while toning your
butt and hamstrings too. So yes its one of those overall firming and toning exercises if you do it enough.
1. Get into table pose (on your wrists and knees - hips over knees, shoulders over
wrists)
2. Tense your core muscles
3. Raise your left arm and right leg slowly, until they are straightened and at the same
level as your spine
4. Hold the position
5. Slowly bring the raised limbs down into table pose again
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 for your right arm and left leg
Beware:
If you have weak knees and wrists, please do this with some caution.
Muscles involved:
Upper back
Lower back
Core
Glutes
Shoulders
Hamstrings
Recommendation:
Hold the bird dog position for 10 seconds on each side for 3 reps.
EXERCISE #12: Side Plank

AKA
Oh god dont make me hold this for 3 minutes
It would really ache wayyy less if Jillian Michaels was standing over and screaming
at you (shes the Gordon Ramsay of fitness)
Apart from being a core and back strengthening exercise, it could help you firm up
your obliques too (buttt thats not the intention of this guide)
1. Lie on the floor, with ONLY one elbow grounded, and shoulder above elbow
2. Raise the body off such that only your forearm and the side of your feet (same side)
are touching the ground
3. Tense your core, glutes, and leg muscles
4. Tense your shoulders, making sure it pushes slightly away from the ground - dont
let the joint sink downward closer to your elbow
5. Straighten your unsupported arm toward the sky, or place them on your hips
Beware:
The wrong form may actually create worse back pain (e.g. letting your hips sag and
maintaining the wrong position). So if youre dropping or losing form, it might be
better to recover first and try a second time later. Better safe than sorry, friend.
Muscles involved:
Core muscles
Middle to lower back
Shoulder (one side)
Whole legs
Recommendation:
Try and hold the side plank for up to 15 seconds if youre just starting out. If youd
prefer as a beginner, use the side of your thighs/knees rather than the feet to prop
your body up.
You can also strengthen your shoulder instead of your core if you raised and
straightened your supporting arm.
EXERCISE #13: Prone Push-Ups

If youre already familiar with the sphinx pose and the cobra pose, this is actually a
useful transition between the two poses
1. Lie down on your tummy, legs stretched out
2. Place your elbows shoulder-width apart, and look straight ahead - this is the elbow
prone position
3. Lift off your elbows and straighten your arms in order to arch your back
4. Come back down slowly into the elbow prone position
5. Repeat
Beware:
If your triceps arent used to doing exercise, start off gently.
Muscles involved:
Triceps
Forearms
Core
Lower back muscles
Recommendation:
If youre not that familiar with push ups, aiming for 10 to 20 is good for this exercise.
If you wish to increase the intensity, raise your hips and knees off the ground as well
when you adopt the elbow prone position. This will boost your tricep training too!
EXERCISE #14: Wall Squat

AKA
Wall sit
Horse stance (unsupported)
In addition to strengthening your thighs, glutes and lower back, you are encouraging
your posture to straighten up as well. This is provided your neck and back actually
keep close and against the wall.
1. Stand tall with your head, back, hips and heels against the wall
2. Slowly, step further away from the wall, legs wider than shoulder-width
3. Step away until your thighs are at a right angle (90 degrees)
5. At this point, only your head and butt are leaning against the wall
Muscles involved:
Thighs (quadriceps and hamstrings)
Glutes
Core muscles
Lower back
Recommendation:
If youre comfortable with the wall sit, do this unsupported. Do the horse stance. Take
a step further away from the wall, and straighten your back. Raise your hands to
shoulder level, and feast in the thigh aches.
EXERCISE #15: Seated Double Knee Lifts

AKA
When youre restless in your chair, just do this
Apart from strengthening your core, its actually easier to get blood to rush to your
head without running around. Furthermore, you can do this exercise without moving
from your current spot at work. Convenient, isnt it?

1. Place hands by your thighs, on the edge of the seat
2. Place your knees together, feet on the ground
3. Raise your knees up as high as you can to your chest BUT DONT lean back (i.e. your
spine should be perpendicular to the seat)
4. Try not to grab the seat or place pressure on your hands Unless you lose balance.
This is to maximize the effectiveness and train your balance too.
Beware:
Just make sure you have space to raise your knees, and not hit the underside of your
desk. Ouch.
Muscles involved:
Abdominal muscles
Lower back
Recommendation:
Take a break every hour and do this exercise. Of course, walk around every once in a
while too after doing this. Your butt needs a break too.
Chapter Five: Lower Back

Stretches

EXERCISE #16: Downward Dog
AKA
Downward-facing dog
Adho mukha shvanasana
Downward dog
Down dog
The downward dog helps to decompress the spine when the position is done right.
1. Place your hands and knees on the ground: shoulders above wrists and hips above
knees. Youre on all four limbs? Good.
2. Lift your knees off and straighten your legs (without lifting your feet off the
ground).
1. As you do step 2, bring your ears next to your shoulders.
2. Your shoulders should be supporting your weight as you resist the ground.
3. Keep your spine as straight as possible.
3. Your final position should create a triangle between you and the ground.
4. TIP: one way to keep your lower spine straight is to bring your belly button as close
as you can to your thighs
Beware:
Dont try to achieve the perfect form if you cant yet. The idea here is to help your
spine relax, so its fine if your legs cant straighten fully. Remember: spine, spine,
spine.
Umm. Also - I have no nice way of putting this across - your arms are going to ache.
Muscles involved:
Deep abdominal muscles
Hamstrings
Calves
Shoulder muscle group
Recommendation:
1 to 3 minutes in the pose. Do this anywhere with sufficient space (and isnt
obstructive)! Well, try not to do this in the corridor at your workplace.
The Proper Way to do a Downward Dog
Downward Dog
EXERCISE #17: Cat and Cow Pose

AKA
Marjariasana
Cat and camel pose
Note: doesnt matter which animal were talking abou - the point here is to learn
the exercise
This exercise actually improves:
1. The flexibility of your neck, back and spine.
2. The strength of your core and back muscles
You can see how one pose is effective at getting you multiple physical benefits So
lets get down to it
1. Get on your fours (hands and knees) - shoulders over wrists, hips over knees
2. Let your spine sink in (chest closer to the floor), while breathing in: apparently this
is how a cow eats
4. Now arch your back away from the ground while breathing out: this is like a cat
arching up to look bigger
5. In relation to the ground, your spine is concave at step 2, and convex at step 4
Beware:
You may want to do this gently and slowly - say, 5 seconds to slowly transit between
the two bends
Muscles involved:
The neck
Entire back
Core muscle group
Recommendation:
Find an open space (probably in your bedroom) to do this exercise. Stretch often if
needed. If your knees hurt - thats when a yoga mat or even a towel comes in handy!
EXERCISE #18: Childs Pose

AKA
Balasana
Childs pose is actually a resting pose that derived from yoga. And it relaxes the entire
body - especially from the torso and above.
1. Kneel down:
1. Knees are shoulder width apart
2. Both your feet soles are facing away from the ground (that means your toes
arent supporting your weight)
2. Bring your butt down to your heels
3. Bring your forehead to the floor (or as close as you can get)
4. Let your belly touch or come close to your thighs
5. Your arms can either:
1. Rest by the side, relaxed OR
2. Stretch forward (as far away from your feet as possible)
Beware:
If your knees hurt, it would be a great idea to support yourself with a thick towel (or
fold up a thin one). Place the towel under your knees and ankles, so that they dont
take unnecessary pain :)
Muscles involved:
Lower back
Glutes (the butt area)
Lats (AKA the back muscles known as wings) - if youre stretching forward in step 5
Ankle zone
Recommendation:
Stay in the pose for 1-3 minutes, and keep the body stretched!
How to do a Child's Pose
EXERCISE #19: Thread the Needle

Its a position that relaxes the body while letting you stretch different muscle groups
simultaneously - your shoulders, upper back, and neck. Not only is it effective for
upper body stretches, its quite simple (like the childs pose).
1. Get into the table pose - thats the one where youre on all fours Shoulders over
wrists, hips over knees
2. Notice how your left arm and knee forms a gap or a hole: this is where your right
arm (needle) will go through and thread
3. Plant your right shoulder and right side of your head on the ground as your arm
goes through the hole
4. Raise your left arm for the ceiling
5. Reach you your right arm until you feel a stretch
6. Come back up into the table pose and repeat steps 2 to 5 for your left arm
Beware:
Similar to the childs pose, your knees and ankles may feel some pain from heavy
contact with the ground. Either use a yoga mat or place a thick towel under your
knees and ankles to counter the effect.
Muscles involved:
Shoulders
Upper back
Neck
Recommendation:
For each arm, hold about 1 to 3 minutes.
EXERCISE #20: Rabbits Pose

AKA
Sasangasana
Its another exercise that helps to decompress the spine, while relieving tension stuck
in your neck, shoulders, and back
1. Get into a kneeling position, with soles (and toes) facing away from the ground:
ankles and knees should be supporting your weight
2. Bring your chest and belly to your thighs, with head close to but not touching the
ground yet
3. You know where the top of your head is? The area where your teachers took
height from? Bring that part into contact with the ground
4. Let your hands reach and grab for your heels

5. Breathe in the position
6. Get back up onto your knees when youre done
Beware:
By right, your head shouldnt be feeling too much pressure from contact. If it does, use
your arms to reach further back at your toes instead of your heels.
Muscles involved:
Trapezius (neck to middle back)
Shoulders
Arms (see below recommendation)
Recommendation:
If you want to stretch your shoulders and arms even further, dont reach for your
heels. Interlace your fingers and let your palms face the sky or ceiling.
How to do a Rabbit Pose
EXERCISE #21: Legs Up The Wall

AKA
The name is as literal as it can get Maybe we can call it The Floor L-Sit
Inverted lake
Viparita Karani
The pose improves your blood circulation, on top of stretching the back of your neck
and your chest area. And most importantly, it relieves the lower back pain that may
have brought you here in the first place.
1. Get a pillow (or roll up a towel/blanket until its as thick as your fist)
2. Find a wall!
3. Place the pillow about one hand away from the wall
4. As you place your butt on the pillow, lie your upper body on the ground
5. Adjust your hips and butt such that the back of your thighs comes into contact with
the wall
6. Your legs should straighten and lean against the wall
7. Your tailbone should be dropping into the gap between the pillow and the wall
Beware:
If you have a sensitive lower back, its best to do the exercise with a pillow.
You can choose to do this without the pillow. But it may not give the lower back relief
as much as you want it to be. This variation can still be as effective for the purposes of
improving blood flow.
Muscles involved:
The lower back
Thighs
Back of the neck (upper trapezius)
How to Do Legs Up The Wall Pose
EXERCISE #22: Happy Baby

AKA
Ananda Balasana
Probably the most fun-looking exercise on this list
Besides actually stretching out your groin and extending your spine, you get to calm
your mind in this relaxing position.
1. Lie on your back (head and shoulders all the way to your tailbone)
2. Raise your legs and let them hover above your torso
3. Spread your legs slightly wider than your shoulder width, soles facing skyward
4. Grab the outer part of your soles with your hands

5. Create some resistance by
1. Pushing your feet upward
2. Pulling your hands downward
6. Take deep breaths in this position
Beware:
You dont need to bring your legs far above your head. The emphasis will be on
feeling the stretch itself.
Muscles involved:
Inner groin
Entire back
Recommendation:
If you cannot grab your soles, wrap and loop a towel around your soles by grabbing on
to the towel instead.
EXERCISE #23: Standing Lower Back Stretch

AKA
Bending over backwards
Well you feel good from the release in tension - and Im not just talking about your
lower back. Your whole upper body just feels great and soothed (as if your body is
yawning)... And its something even I cant explain.
Dont believe me?
Try this stretch now (its one of the few exercises here that you can do even at work or
in public - and people will forgive you because they know its just that intuitively
good).
1. Stand straight, and place palms behind your hips
2. Lean your back slowly while keeping your head aligned with your spine, pushing
your hips forward to counterbalance
3. Arch your spine until you start to see the ceiling (or even the people behind)
4. Slowly return to the standing position
Beware:
Dont whip your body back up! You dont want to be doing more damage than your
body has already.
Muscles involved:
Abdominal muscles
Lower back
Pectoralis major and minor
Recommendation:
Doing this every morning for 30 seconds sounds like a great idea. Yeah, I mean right
out of bed. Furthermore, this exercise is really easy to follow through.
EXERCISE #24: Supine Spinal Twist

AKA
Reclined spinal twist
Supta Matsyendrasana
Knee rolls
Because it sounds like a cool wrestling finisher move... And you can tell people at a
cocktail party about how you practice it every single day.
You could achieve the dream of being like your favourite half-naked chiropractor
Chris.
Okay, the spinal twist brings relief in more than one way. After all, it is a slow, relaxed
exercise. You get to lengthen and straighten your spine, as well as calm and soothe the
mind.
1. Lie flat on your back

2. Raise your legs to the extent that your hips are slightly above the ground
3. Bend your legs such that they form a 90 degree angle, knees stuck together
4. Spread your arms flat and wide, fingers and palms pressed onto the floor
5. Slowly and gently twist your hips to the right side. The side of your right knee will
be close to, if not touching, the ground
1. If your left shoulder lifts off, thats fine. Do keep both shoulders as flat (to the
ground) as possible.
6. Hold and take deep breaths
7. Slowly recover and raise your hips and knees to face skyward
8. Repeat steps 5 to 7 for your left side
Beware:
Avoiding jamming and thrusting your knees into the floor. Remember, its meant to be
slow. Faster isnt always better when it comes to therapeutic exercises :)
Muscles involved:
Hips
Glutes
Thighs
Lower back
Recommendation:
If your knees cant touch the floor but youd like to get used to holding the position,
heres what to do. Place a couple of pillows on each side where your knee can rest on.
That way, you can lie comfortably in the supine spinal twist position.
You may also do this exercise with only one leg going across (e.g. if youre twisting to
the left, your right leg will be up and your left leg will be in contact with the floor)
EXERCISE #25: Standing Hamstring Stretch

Its also one of the recommended exercises for people with sciatica. When stretched
via the proper method, it can ease the nerve irritation.
But even if you dont have sciatica, you still benefit as much from a proper hamstring
stretch.
1. Find a small elevated step thats about a foot high. If theres none around you,
thats fine, just stick one of your legs out
2. Straighten the leg that is in front of you
3. Lower your chest and belly down to your thighs - you want to get close to the knee
in front of you
5. Recover by slowly curling your lower, then middle, then upper spine up until your
head is facing upright
Beware:
You would want to avoid curling your lower spine at step 3: thats why Im
emphasizing the chest and belly touching the thighs. Notice how theres no mention
of using your head to reach your knees. That encourages the lower spine (lumbar)
to curve in a way where the lower (lumbar) spine experiences discomfort and maybe
get injured.
Muscles involved:
Hamstring (a tight hamstring is usually associated with low back pain)
Recommendation:
You can do this exercise while sitting down on your chair:
Ensure both feet are grounded. Instead of straightening the leg (that you want to
stretch) first, bring your chest and stomach close to your thighs.
From there, slowly lengthen and straighten out one of your legs.
This way, the whole spine is locked in its straightened position and you can still do the
hamstring stretch without worrying.
Hamstring Stretch Technique
EXERCISE #26: Supine Hamstring Stretch

AKA
Towel hamstring stretch (depends on whether youd like to use the towel)
This is the version of the hamstring stretch that is easier to stretch the right way mainly because your spine is already straight when you lie down on the floor. Of
course, whether you are going to actually lie on the floor is another issue.
1. Lie flat on your back, with the leg you want to stretch bent and close to you (other
leg is straight and flat on the ground)
2. Bring the bent leg up, until your knee is facing the sky (at least perpendicular to
your lying body)
3. Use both hands to grab and hold the underside of your thigh
4. Slowly straighten the raised leg. Your hamstring should feel the stretch
5. Hold and release when done
6. Repeat step 1 to 4 for the other leg
Beware:
Dont rush to bring your legs closer to your chest. Slow and steady is good.
Even though it is harder to do so, you may want to take note and ensure that your
spine is flat - NOT CURVED - against the ground even after raising your leg up in the air
Muscles involved:
Hamstring
Recommendation:
If you have a towel, belt or strap, wrap and loop it around the sole of your upward
foot. Hook the towel while your stretching leg is still bent and tucked. From there,
slowly straighten your leg until you feel the stretch nice and good.
EXERCISE #27: Pigeon Pose

The pigeon pose is actually one of those exercises known as a hip opener. And hip
opening exercises actually help to relieve tension in the lower back too.
1. Sit with one leg in front of you, and the other extended and straightened behind
you
2. The leg in front of you should be bent (as if you were sitting cross-legged) - that
means the outer side of your calf and ankle comes into contact with the ground
3. Straighten your back, with your chest up and forward
4. You may use your arms to support you by placing them next to your knee
6. You should feel your glutes and part of your lower back stretching
Beware:
If you have weak knees and/or a tight thigh, you may want to reduce tension placed
on your front knee. To do so, lift your butt off the ground, so youre elevated. If it still
hurts, then please, please, please - dont try this and consult your doc instead.
Muscles involved:
Hip muscle groups (flexors, rotators)
Groin area
Chest and shoulders (if youre doing the recommendation below)
Recommendation:
If you want to extend the stretch, arch your back such that your head faces the ceiling.
This slight variation can give your upper body a fuller and more vigorous stretch!
How to do the one-legged king pigeon pose
EXERCISE #28: Sphinx Pose

AKA
The gentler version of the cobra pose
Salamba Bhujangasana

The sphinx is one good exercise to introduce back bending if youve never done it
much. It strengthens and stretches parts of the body at the same time, but at a more
comfortable rate.
1. Lie flat on your stomach
2. Bring your forearms next to you, wrists and palms downward. Keep your elbows
by your ribs.
3. Arch your upper back, while lifting your upper arms away from the ground
4. Hold the position There you have it, the sphinx pose!
Beware:
If you have severe spinal or back injuries, take extra caution in approaching this
exercise.
Muscles involved:
Upper back
Upper core muscles
Shoulders
Triceps
Recommendation:
Hold the position for 3 minutes. If youre ready to take this to the next level, see the
cobra pose.
EXERCISE #29: Cobra Pose

AKA
The straight arm-ed, more intense version of the Sphinx
Bhujangasana
This is a more wholesome version of the Sphinx - that means more intensity, and
more muscle groups being activated here. Its both a stretching and strengthening
exercise. Also, the cobra lengthens the spine as you stretch.

1. Lie flat on your stomach
2. Place hands by your chest, palms facing down
3. Raise and straighten your arms, while arching your back. Your hips, thighs and feet
(soles facing sky) are in firm contact with the ground.
4. Finally, extend your neck to face the ceiling and stretch it too
6. To recover, either lie back down so you can repeat the stretch Or raise your hips
up slowly to table pose to exit and get up.
Beware:
If you have severe spinal or back injuries, take extra caution in approaching this
exercise. This is even more so for the cobra pose than the sphinx.
Also, avoid a harsh exit from the pose as doing so may hurt yourself.
Muscles involved:
Stretched:
Abdominal muscles
Front of hips
Front of neck
Strengthened:
Lower back
Glutes
Recommendation:
Hold the position for 2-3 minutes. If you would like to increase the strengthening
exercise, lift your thighs and knees off the ground. Ta-da, thats the upward dog pose
for you.
Sphinx, Cobra and Upward Facing Dog
EXERCISE #30: Knee to Chest

How To Do The Seated Version
AKA
Eye of the needle
Sucirandrasana
Theres a seated version for this too but unfortunately we dont have a cool name
for this yet
The exercise reduces stiffness in your outer thighs, and gets a lot of that blood in you
flowing through your legs. For some, it increases mobility - meaning youre more able
to move around without feeling like a wooden block. Or feeling as if someone is
pulling tied strings to you as you walk.
1. Lie flat on your back
2. With one leg bent (knee raised), cross over the other leg to form a figure 4 with
both legs
3. See how theres a hole formed between your legs? Put one hand through it and
the other hand on the outer side of the grounded leg
4. Use both hands to grab the thigh of the grounded leg
5. Use both hands to raise and pull the legs toward your chest
6. Hold the position and stretch
7. To stretch the other leg, repeat steps 2 to 6 for the other side
Muscles involved:
Glutes
Lower back
Recommendation:
Hold each side for 30 seconds to 1 minute. If you wish to do this at work, cross one leg
on top of the other. Then bring your chest and belly close to your thighs, keeping your
back straight. Ta-da, another simple exercise to be done anywhere!
EXERCISE #31: Pelvic Tilt

AKA
Yoga bridge
The less intense version of the fully extended bridge
This exercise is simpler and easier to do than the full bridge (listed in this post as well).
The benefits are similar, but you can start off with this if youre not so keen on trying
advanced back bend exercises.
1. Lie flat on the floor, feet tucked near the butt and thighs parallel to each other
2. Slowly raise your hips up, lifting your thighs and lower back gradually, until your
upper back is slightly above the ground
3. At this point, only your feet, neck and back of head are in firm contact with the
ground
4. As your hands are free, you can use them to
1. Support your lower back (palms pressing upward, elbows on the ground)
2. Otherwise, interlace your fingers and place your arms under your hips
6. Slowly return back to the ground, unrolling your spine. Your butt should be the last
to land gently
Muscles involved:
Thighs
Glutes
Lower back extenders
Core
Recommendation:
If youre ready to try something more intense, see the other bridge exercise below. It's
distinctly different from this one.
EXERCISE #32: Bridge

AKA
Wheel (different name in yoga)
Crab
This is probably one of the most vigorous exercises in this list (unless youre a yoga
practitioner, breakdancer, or gymnast).
The bridge utilizes the whole body to create the backbend stretch. This is how holistic
and effective the exercise is. It may look difficult but thats only because the ideal form
is what you see on images and YouTube.
In truth, as long as you feel a stretch in your whole back, core, and chest, thats when
you know the stretch exercise works for you.
1. Lie flat on the ground, legs bend close to the butt and parallel to each other
2. Place your hands next to your head, finger tips pointing downward toward your
feet
3. Slowly raise your hips up until your head, hands, and feet are the only parts
touching the ground
4. At this point, your head should be looking straight ahead, across the room (or
wherever youre at)
5. If you can push further, raise your head off the ground by straightening your arms
Beware:
If you arent used to doing the bridge, or are not physically adept for it, you may want
to try the yoga version of the bridge (not the wheel - its a similar but separate
exercise).
The yoga bridge does not involve pushing your hands up. Instead, you can raise your
hips until your feet, neck, and head are on the ground.
Muscles involved:
Hamstrings
Lower back extenders (erector spinae)
Glutes
Shoulders
Upper back
Abdominal muscles
Recommendation:
Hold the bridge for 30 seconds to 1 minute. For the extra stretch, bring your chest
further away from your legs (i.e. move it upwards). Doing so will help you push out
your chest and head beyond your arms.
Before You Go...
Know that you dont have to try every single exercise.

Do what you feel youre comfortable with, because ultimately this is for nobodys
benefit but yours.
Dont worry if you only are able to do it 1-2 times a week, be it at work or at home.
Because that beats not doing something for yourself. Just remember the tortoise and
the hare Slow and steady won the race.
Want On-Demand Back Pain

Relief?
Check out AiraWear, the Smart Massage Hoodie that relieves your back
pain anywhere and anytime you want with just one simple click.
Get 20% off AiraWear when you order today.
LEARN MORE
made with

Ultimate Guide To Back Pain Relief PDF

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Ultimate Guide To Back Pain Relief PDF

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

The Ultimate Guide to Back

Tell me if this sounds familiar:

Might as well overcome the laziness gap at the same time.

Ultimate Guide to Back

Chapter One: Key Principles

Chapter Two: Upper Back

Upper Back Exercises

Chapter Three: Upper Back

Upper Back Stretches

Chapter Four: Lower Back

Lower Back Exercises

Upper Back Exercises

Upper Back Stretches

Lower Back Exercises

Lower Back Stretches

10. Chapter Five: Lower Back

Lower Back Stretches

12. Before You Go...

Cat and Cow Pose

13. Want On-Demand Back

Chapter One: Key Principles

PRINCIPLE 2: Muscular Support

Chapter Two: Upper Back

Upper Back Exercises

EXERCISE #2: Scapular Squeeze

EXERCISE #3: Upper and Mid Trap Pull Backs

Chapter Three: Upper Back

Upper Back Stretches

EXERCISE #5: Pec Stretch

Be careful if youre using the door though.

EXERCISE #6: Upper and Middle Spine Extension

EXERCISE #7: Reverse Table Pose

How To Do The Exercise

How To Do Reverse Table Pose

Chapter Four: Lower Back

Lower Back Exercises

EXERCISE #9: Partial Crunches

EXERCISE #10: The Superman

How To Do The Exercise

EXERCISE #11: Bird Dog

EXERCISE #12: Side Plank

How To Do The Exercise

EXERCISE #13: Prone Push-Ups

EXERCISE #14: Wall Squat

EXERCISE #15: Seated Double Knee Lifts

Steps for this back pain exercise:

Chapter Five: Lower Back

Lower Back Stretches

EXERCISE #17: Cat and Cow Pose

EXERCISE #18: Childs Pose

EXERCISE #19: Thread the Needle

EXERCISE #20: Rabbits Pose

4. Let your hands reach and grab for your heels

EXERCISE #21: Legs Up The Wall

EXERCISE #22: Happy Baby

4. Grab the outer part of your soles with your hands

EXERCISE #23: Standing Lower Back Stretch

EXERCISE #24: Supine Spinal Twist

1. Lie flat on your back

EXERCISE #25: Standing Hamstring Stretch

EXERCISE #26: Supine Hamstring Stretch

EXERCISE #27: Pigeon Pose

EXERCISE #28: Sphinx Pose