The muscles at the centre of your back are important for flexibility and relief from pain. The large muscles of the stomach, back, hips, and pelvis stabilise what is known as the core of your system and will make life easier for you when you are lifting or just generally moving around. Firming these muscles reduces pain, prevents back problems and increases your flexibility.
Here are some simple exercises to strengthen your core system.
- Lie on your stomach with your arms and legs pointing out and stretched. Lift your right arm and your left leg a few centimetres off the floor keeping toes pointed and head in line with the body. Hold then relax. Do the other side. Do the whole exercise about 5 times each side.
- Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Keeping your stomach muscles tight, lift the arms and make a scissors movement backwards and forwards for about half a minute. Then lift the knees to a 90 degree angle and do the arm movements again.
- Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Keep your stomach muscles tight and your lower back pressed into the floor, while slowly lifting your knees and pulling them to your chest. Hold for a while then lower your legs. Do this about 5 times.
- Next is a spinal twist which you may have done in Yoga. Lie on your back with your knees bent towards the chest and arms out at the sides. Move both legs to the left side not touching the ground while gently turning your head to the right. Hold for a short while then bring your knees back to your chest. Now do the other side. Do about 6 of these.
- The cobra is another Yoga move. Lie on your stomach with hands flat on the floor shoulder height and your head back but be careful not to hurt your neck. Slowly arch your spine while straightening your arms and hold this for a few seconds then come back down to the ground. Do this about 5 times.
The back care exercise roller is designed to bring energy into the feet-legs-hips-pelvis, open the muscles of the sacrum (lower back), increase mobility of the spine, stretch and open up the upper abdominal (stomach muscles), chest/back, release tightness in the hip muscles, loosen the sacrum, mobilize muscles and stretch the front of the body as well as open up from throat to solar plexus (stomach area) and the pelvis. It is used to roll on frontwards and backwards and also strengthens the core system. They are available in Australia.
