Backache is often associated with high levels of suffering and usually has a major impact on the daily life of those affected; in some cases this can even make them unfit for work. One of the key problems is a lack of exercise which is a trend to be found in all age groups of society and eventually leads to atrophy of the muscles and damage to the spinal column. It is therefore very important to use back-friendly everyday commodities and to take sufficient exercise. Only sufficient exercise stimuli can ensure that the spinal column works without pain and without restrictions. One essential aspect for both prevention and also for treatment of already existing backache is to strengthen the trunk muscles. Here it is particularly effective to combine a mixture of strengthening, coordination and stretching exercises. The AGR has worked together with the back expert Ulrich Kuhnt, Member of the Board in the Bundesverband der deutschen Rückenschulen (BdR - Federal Association of German Back Schools) and the Head of Hannover Back School, to put together a number of simple exercises that you can integrate easily in your everyday procedures without any great effort.
Stretching exercises
Simple stretching exercises are good for starting off and warming up. They relax the muscles and keep them supple.
Exercise 1: stretches the arm muscles
Stretch your right arm forwards and turn it so your hand is facing down. With your left hand, grasp the fingers and palm of your right hand and pull them towards your body. Hold the tension for approx. 10 seconds and repeat with your left arm.
Exercise 2: stretches the neck muscles
Stretch your cervical spine and turn your head to the right. Now let your chin swing slowly in a semicircle across your chest to the left side. Repeat about 10 times.
Exercises with barbells
Straight short barbells are easy to handle and therefore ideal for effectively improving your endurance. Choose the barbell weight so that you can do the exercises without any tension in your shoulders.
Exercise 1: trains the back and shoulders
Bend your elbows again and lift your arms up at the sides. Then turn your arms alternately up and down in the shoulder joints. Repeat about 10 times.
Exercise 2: strengthens the shoulders
With your arms on the level of your breast bone, stretch them both out in front of your body. Then move them sideways past your body to the back and bring them forward again. Repeat about 10 times.
Using the exercise mat
Simple functional exercises to strengthen the muscles.
Exercise 1: stretches the back
Lie relaxed on your back and grasp your knees with both hands. Carefully pull your knees towards the upper part of your body. Hold the tension for one minute.
Exercise 2: strengthens the gluteal muscles
Kneeling on the floor, bend the upper part of your body forwards and support yourself on your lower arms. Now push your left ankle vertically towards the ceiling, with the knee and foot joint angled at 90°. Repeat the exercise about twice for each leg until the muscles start to tire.
Using the Powerball
The Powerball is ideal for varied stretching and strengthening exercises and is particularly effective for training your sense of balance.
Exercise 1: strengthens the gluteal muscles
Lying on your back, place your heels on the ball. Then move your hips slowly up and down, making sure you don't do a hollow back. Repeat about 20 times.
Exercise 2: stretches the shoulder muscles
Kneel in front of the Powerball and place both arms on the ball. Push your breastbone carefully towards the floor and turn the upper part of your body from left to right. Repeat about 10 times.
Using the exercise bar
The exercise bar is ideal for strengthening and stretching the shoulder muscles. It is also suitable for enhancing your own bodily awareness. Hold the bar vertically on your back with both hands. Do the back of your head, your thoracic spine and your pelvis touch the bar? If so, then at least your spinal column is straight.
Exercise 1: stretches the chest muscles
Grasping the bar with both hands, lift your arms with your elbows bent. Now move your arms and the bar slowly backwards to different heights. Do this exercise for one minute.
Exercise 2: strengthens the arm and shoulder muscles
Sitting in an upright position, stretch the bar horizontally to the front. Now try to pull the bar apart and then push it back together again. Repeat for one minute.
Using the Thera tape
Thera tape is good for strengthening individual muscles. The tapes are available in various thicknesses. For the following exercises, choose the tape thickness so that you can repeat the exercises 10 times.
Exercise 1: trains arm and shoulder muscles
Wind the ends of the tape around your palms and stretch your arms up at the side. Now pull the tape apart slowly with both hands. Release the tension and repeat about 10 times.
Exercise 2: strengthens the arm and back muscles
Sit on the Thera tape and grasp the ends with both hands. Now move both arms diagonally in alternating forwards and backwards movements. Repeat about 10 times.
Stretching exercises
Simple stretching exercises are good for starting off and warming up. They relax the muscles and keep them supple.
Exercise 1: stretches the arm muscles
Stretch your right arm forwards and turn it so your hand is facing down. With your left hand, grasp the fingers and palm of your right hand and pull them towards your body. Hold the tension for approx. 10 seconds and repeat with your left arm.
Exercise 2: stretches the neck muscles
Stretch your cervical spine and turn your head to the right. Now let your chin swing slowly in a semicircle across your chest to the left side. Repeat about 10 times.
Exercises with barbells
Straight short barbells are easy to handle and therefore ideal for effectively improving your endurance. Choose the barbell weight so that you can do the exercises without any tension in your shoulders.
Exercise 1: trains the back and shoulders
Bend your elbows again and lift your arms up at the sides. Then turn your arms alternately up and down in the shoulder joints. Repeat about 10 times.
Exercise 2: strengthens the shoulders
With your arms on the level of your breast bone, stretch them both out in front of your body. Then move them sideways past your body to the back and bring them forward again. Repeat about 10 times.
Using the exercise mat
Simple functional exercises to strengthen the muscles.
Exercise 1: stretches the back
Lie relaxed on your back and grasp your knees with both hands. Carefully pull your knees towards the upper part of your body. Hold the tension for one minute.
Exercise 2: strengthens the gluteal muscles
Kneeling on the floor, bend the upper part of your body forwards and support yourself on your lower arms. Now push your left ankle vertically towards the ceiling, with the knee and foot joint angled at 90°. Repeat the exercise about twice for each leg until the muscles start to tire.
Using the Powerball
The Powerball is ideal for varied stretching and strengthening exercises and is particularly effective for training your sense of balance.
Exercise 1: strengthens the gluteal muscles
Lying on your back, place your heels on the ball. Then move your hips slowly up and down, making sure you don't do a hollow back. Repeat about 20 times.
Exercise 2: stretches the shoulder muscles
Kneel in front of the Powerball and place both arms on the ball. Push your breastbone carefully towards the floor and turn the upper part of your body from left to right. Repeat about 10 times.
Using the exercise bar
The exercise bar is ideal for strengthening and stretching the shoulder muscles. It is also suitable for enhancing your own bodily awareness. Hold the bar vertically on your back with both hands. Do the back of your head, your thoracic spine and your pelvis touch the bar? If so, then at least your spinal column is straight.
Exercise 1: stretches the chest muscles
Grasping the bar with both hands, lift your arms with your elbows bent. Now move your arms and the bar slowly backwards to different heights. Do this exercise for one minute.
Exercise 2: strengthens the arm and shoulder muscles
Sitting in an upright position, stretch the bar horizontally to the front. Now try to pull the bar apart and then push it back together again. Repeat for one minute.
Using the Thera tape
Thera tape is good for strengthening individual muscles. The tapes are available in various thicknesses. For the following exercises, choose the tape thickness so that you can repeat the exercises 10 times.
Exercise 1: trains arm and shoulder muscles
Wind the ends of the tape around your palms and stretch your arms up at the side. Now pull the tape apart slowly with both hands. Release the tension and repeat about 10 times.
Exercise 2: strengthens the arm and back muscles
Sit on the Thera tape and grasp the ends with both hands. Now move both arms diagonally in alternating forwards and backwards movements. Repeat about 10 times.
