Chiropractic Care | The Best Core Exercises for Back Support

Chiropractic Care | The Best Core Exercises for Back Support

Chiropractic Care | Low back pain can be caused by many different factors. Typically pain is triggered from overuse, tension, muscle strain, and injuries that have occurred to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments supporting the spine. Muscle injuries that are not taken care of can lead to imbalances in the spine. Doing the proper exercises that build strength to support your back is the best way to prevent and help ease back pain. Exercises that are focused on building abdominal core strength help to stabilize the spine and support your back.

Chiropractic Care | Here are a list of core exercises that help build core strength:

  • Abdominal draw in Lie on your back on a flat surface with knees up and feet flat. Draw your abdominal muscles in and push your lower back onto the surface. Repeat 20 times. 

  • Supine Twist- Lie on your back on a flat surface with knees and hips bent at 90 degrees. Feet should maintain flat on the floor; draw in core, slowly rotate knees to one side, while keeping hips in contact with the floor; return knees to the center and repeat on the opposite side. Repeat 10-20 times. 

  • Plank- Lie on your stomach on a flat surface with forearms and elbows on the surface. Draw in abdominal muscles and rise up with weight distributed evenly between both arms; your back should be completely straight. Hold position for 15 sec – 1 min. Repeat 5-10 times. 

  • Superman presses- Lie on your stomach with legs extended straight and hands palm down near the shoulders. Retract shoulder blades down and in; lift the chest off of the floor and hold for 3-5 seconds. Keep the back of the neck long and hip bones on the floor. Repeat 10-20 times. 

  • Modified Curl-up: Lie on your back with one knee bent and the other straight. Place hands under the arch of your lower back. Engage your abdomen and maintain your gaze at the ceiling. Lift shoulder blades off the ground while keeping the neck and spine straight. Complete 3 sets of 12 curl-ups. Switch legs and repeat. 

  • Side Bridge: Lie on your side and prop yourself up on your elbow. The elbow and shoulder should be directly on top of each other. Keep your legs straight, and place your top foot on the ground in front of your bottom foot. Place your top hand on your hip; engage your abs, squeeze your glutes, and lift your hips off the ground. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 3 times on each side.

  • Bird Dog: Start on your hands and knees. Engage your abdomen and squeeze your gluteal muscles. Lift your right arm straight in front of you until it is level with your shoulder. Simultaneously, straighten your left leg straight back until it is level with your hips. Hips should remain square to the floor. Slowly return to the starting position and switch sides. Perform 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions on each side.
     

If you are experiencing back pain or suffering from an injury, consider a consult with a chiropractic doctor Shawnee, KS who can help create a healing treatment plan for you. Specific exercises that are designed to help you build strength and support for your back can be prescribed based on your needs. Chiropractors are trained in providing treatment plans to help manage pain and heal injuries in a holistic manner.

Thanks to LifeWorks for their insights on the best core exercises for back support, as well as alternative medicine.