Back pain can be uncomfortable at times but this shouldn’t be an excuse for you to not work on your abdominal muscles especially when you want to have a toned midsection. Did you know that having a strong core can actually help prevent back problems? What’s more, working on your core muscles can help your posture which minimizes the pressure on your back.
The question now is what ab exercises you can do even when you have back pain. For those who still want to work on their abdominal muscles even when there is pain in their back, here are some exercises that you can do.
- Pelvic Tilt. This is a simple exercise that can help you tighten your core muscles while at the same time correcting your posture. To do this exercise, you will need to lie on the floor first with your feet planted on the floor and your knees bent. Engage your core muscles so you can press the lower portion of your back on the floor. For sure you will find relief immediately. You might be tempted to hold your breath as you engage your abdominal muscles but do try to breathe regularly. Hold this pose for five seconds then release. Repeat several times.
- Knee Side to Side. What’s great about this exercise is that aside from exercising your core muscles, the side to side workout helps in stretching and realigning your back. Again, lie down on the floor with your feet flat and knees bent. Engage your core muscle and slowly roll knees towards your left. Make sure that your knees are together. Go as low as you can before rolling back to first position. Repeat in the opposite direction.
- Cat and Camel. The cat and camel is actually good for your back pain because it helps massage the nerve roots in your spine. To do this exercise, you need to go down on all fours first then slowly raise both your head and hips so that your midsection and your back will sag. Your posture should imitate the space between the humps of a camel. For the cat pose, slowly lower your head in between your arms as you arch your back just like a cat would when stretching. This will help in engaging your core muscles. Do this five times to really tighten your core.
- Crunches. Tightening your midsection means doing crunches but can you still do them when you have back pain? As long as you modify your workout, you won’t aggravate your back at all. The best way to minimize back pain while doing crunches is to rest your calves on a coffee table or chair or anything for that matter as long as your calves are parallel to the ground. Cross arms over your chest then lift shoulders off the ground. Make sure that your lower back remains flat on the ground. You can also extend your arms out in front of you instead of crossed to ease the pressure on your back and stomach.
