- Lumbar spine: causes of pain
- Exercises for the lumbar spine for a senior - for whom?
- Exercises for the lumbar spine for the senior
- An exemplary training plan for a senior when his back hurts
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Exercises for the lumbar spine for seniors are the basis for maintaining fitness every day. Older people must take special care of the lumbar spine, as it causes more and more pain with age. Learn about exercises for the elderly that reduce back pain and improve joint function.
The lumbar spine endures heavy loads on a daily basis. Especially now, when we lead a rather sedentary lifestyle. Our spine is becoming less mobile and flexible. This causes a reduction in the synovial fluid between the vertebrae and a reduction in the space between the vertebrae, which in turn leads to faster tissue degeneration.
In the elderly, degenerative processes progress even faster when they lack physical activity. We must remember that our spine loves movement and it is created for it! However, you have to exercise wisely, and not every training will be suitable for a senior.
For this reason, we have prepared exercises that can be performed by every senior citizen and that are safe for the spine, as long as it is not affected by more serious diseases. Such training can be performed not only by seniors, but also by people complaining of overloading the spine, beginners or people returning to sports after a long convalescence.
Exercise for the lumbar spine, if done regularly, can bring relief when this stretch really starts to hurt.
Lumbar spine: causes of pain
The lumbar spine can hurt for a variety of reasons, but the most common causes of this condition are:
- progressive tissue degeneration and articular degeneration caused by the aging processes of the body - these processes cannot be undone, but appropriate exercises and treatments can certainly slow down or calm them down,
- muscle weakness,
- wrong posture during the day - e.g. prolonged sitting,
- exhausting muscles and joints through long-term hard work,
- not enough traffic,
- rheumatic diseases,
- neoplastic diseases.
Exercises for the lumbar spine for a senior - for whom?
Exercises for the lumbar spine are intended for every senior who wants to improve the quality of everydaylife and start moving more.
Contraindications to independent lumbar exercises will be:
- discopathy,
- serious spine injuries,
- other chronic diseases of joints and muscles.
Before starting exercise, a senior should make sure that he has no serious diseases and consult a physiotherapist or general practitioner on the appropriateness of exercising.
The following exemplary set of exercises for the lumbar spine for seniors is dedicated to those who do not have major problems with daily movement. It may turn out that not all exercises will be feasible for a senior. However, do not worry about it, but do exercises that bring relief and do not increase overload and back pain.
Exercises for the lumbar spine for the senior
Exercise 1.
Sit on the mat with your legs slightly bent, and rest your hands on the back of your hips. The fingers of the hand should point forward. Remember not to overstretch your elbows. Try to keep your shoulders pulled back and your chest pushed forward. The head should look straight ahead in a line with the spine. Keep the buttocks on the sciatic tumors and stick your feet firmly to the mat. Hold this position for about 30 seconds. Take a deep breath to relax tense muscles and joints.
Exercise 2.
Lie down comfortably on the mat with your legs tucked up. Place your arms parallel to the sides of your body. Keep your pelvis neutral. Do not stick the loins too tightly to the mat, nor allow your belly to be too bloated. Then bring the knee of your left leg closer to your chest and put it back on the mat. Breathe slowly and keep movement under control. Try not to tense your lumbar region, but to relax it with each breath. As you bring your leg closer to the cage, deflate, and as you move your leg away from the cage, draw air into the diaphragm. Repeat the exercise for both legs 10 times per side, alternately.
Exercise 3.
Lie down comfortably on the mat and gently bend your legs. Position your pelvis in a neutral position, gently pull your stomach in by bringing your belly button closer to your spine and take a deep breath. On the exhale, bring your knees closer to your chest and hold them with your hands. Hold this position for 10 seconds while breathing deeply. Then go back to the starting position and do 5 of these sequences.
Exercise 4.
Lie down on the mat with your knees bent and brought closer together. Put your hands on your head and stick the shoulder blades to the ground. Chestkeep it open and don't mess with your head. Then bring your knees towards the right side of your torso and try to bring them closer to the mat. Do this very slowly and stop in a place that is painless for you. Hold this position for a few minutes. The movement should only be made by your knees and hips. The torso must be stuck to the mat and still. Do the exercise 6 times per side.
Exercise 5.
Lie down on your stomach with straight legs and arms stretched out in front of you. Keep your head in line with your spine pointing downwards. Raise one hand and the opposite leg up. Stop at the moment you feel the tension in your spine and buttock. Only come to the point where you feel your muscles working, not pain or discomfort. Then do the exercise to the other side. Repeat this 10 times on each side. Perform this exercise alternately.
Exercise 6.
Assume a propped kneeling position. Keep your knees slightly wider than hip width apart, and bring your big toes slightly closer together. Do not overstretch the elbows, keep the shoulders and head back in line with the spine. Then, inhale and bring your chest towards the mat, bending the spine downwards. As you exhale, assume a cat's back position and suck your navel into your spine. Remember that the head is also mobile in this exercise. Pull it far up when you bend it down, and bring your head closer to the sternum when you bend it up. Do the exercise very slowly, always to the limit of comfort and pleasant relaxation. Repeat this exercise 10 times.
Exercise 7.
Assume a propped kneeling position. Keep the abdomen slightly tucked in and the spine in line with the head. Then raise one hand forward so that it forms one line with your spine. Set the thumb of your hand up. Hold this position for two seconds and slowly change the page. Perform 6 repetitions on each side, alternating between them.
Exercise 8.
Assume the propped kneeling position and position your body as in the previous exercise. Your opinion will be to raise your arm and the opposite leg at the same time until they form a straight line. Be sure not to overstretch the upper and lower limbs. Make sure your hips don't sway sideways. Keep your abdomen constantly tense, especially the deep abs, which you activate by gently sucking the navel. Perform 6 repetitions on each side, alternating between them.
Exercise 9.
Perform this relaxing exercise lying on the mat with your curlsupside down. Place your arms parallel on both sides of your torso. Then inhale and bring your straight hands behind your head. As you exhale, return to the starting position. Remember to perform this exercise very slowly. The rhythm should be given by your deep diaphragmatic breathing. Allow yourself to relax and soothe your entire spine. Do this exercise 10 times.
Exercise 10.
Sit on your heels, place your knees a little wider than hip width, and run your hands far ahead. Try not to lift your buttocks up. Place your chest on the ground, press your hands to the mat, and rest your forehead on the floor. Take deep breaths. Meanwhile, think about directing the air to your loins and ribs on the back. Let the air fill your torso and let it fall freely. Hold this relaxing position for 1 minute.
An exemplary training plan for a senior when his back hurts
To make it easier for seniors to find themselves in the exercises for the lumbar spine, we have prepared an exemplary training plan for the back muscles. These are not only exercises for the lumbar section, but also the adjacent muscles that interact with the work of the entire spine.
For this reason, the exemplary exercises and training that we have prepared will be appropriate for every elderly person who wants to strengthen the entire body, and above all: spine muscles, abdominal muscles, hip muscles, shoulder muscles and pelvic muscles. Improving the work of all these areas will provide relief and relaxation to the lumbar spine, but also strengthen it and make it more flexible, preventing pain and overstrain.
Training for the lumbar spine for seniors at least 3 times a week. Over time, if you feel up to it, you can increase the number of repetitions of the exercise. However, remember to make this progress approximately every third workout. And most of all - listen to your body's needs.
Take a break of 15 seconds between exercises. During this time, take a few deep relaxing breaths.
Exercise scheme:
| Exercise 1 | 30 seconds |
| Exercise 2 | 10 repetitions per page |
| Exercise 3 | 5 repetitions of 10 seconds |
| Exercise 4 | 6 repetitions per page |
| Exercise 5 | 10 repetitions per page |
| Exercise 6 | 10 sequence |
| Exercise 7 | 6 repetitions per page |
| Exercise 8 | 6 repetitions per page |
| Exercise 9 | 10 repetitions |
| Exercise 10 | 1 minute |
Exercises for back pain for the elderly will certainly help reduce or even completely eliminate unpleasant ailments. However, in some cases, training alone is either impossible or insufficient. When back pain does not go away after exercise, or worse, it gets worse, you should immediately see a specialist, such as a physical therapist. The physiotherapist will loosen the tense tissues, use physical therapy treatments and recommend appropriate exercises.
First, we should go to the family doctor and ask for rehabilitation from a qualified physiotherapist. The family doctor can also prescribe medications that will reduce pain. These will include anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications in the form of ointments, gels or oral tablets.
About the author
Małgorzata Kośla She is a qualified fitness instructor and certified personal trainer. Since childhood, her greatest passion was sport - she played football and basketball. Then a new love came - dance, especially dancehall. He likes to sweat at the gym and relaxes in yoga and meditation sessions. He is constantly expanding his knowledge about training and a he althy lifestyle. What besides sports? He runs a store with natural cosmetics and he althy food, writes his own blog (stylzyciadowolny.pl) and deals with copywriting.
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