Back pain is often caused from sitting, but it can be due to an injury, twisting awkwardly, or lifting weights that are too heavy. Exercises that strengthen the glutes (the hips and butt muscles) have been shown to relieve back pain.
Below are the exercises in order:
- Standing hip lift and drop. Stand, lift one leg at 90 degrees, lift hip up and down for 10 reps. Repeat on other side.
- Side leg lifts. Lay on your side, both legs are bent. Put head in your hand, place other hand in front of you, with palm on the floor. Tap top knee to the matt and lift upwards and back 45 degrees. 10 reps.
- 45-degree side leg lifts. Repeat #2 on other side & then complete #3.
- Bird-dog. On all fours, lift one leg up and tap down for 10 reps. Repeat on other side.
- Rope pull-through. Stand with feet wider than hip width, with bent knees. Envision a rope is behind you and you are pulling the rope straight forward. Hinge from the hips and squeeze your butt when you stand up with knees slightly bent the whole time. Keep your back flat as in a deadlift.
- Inner thigh leg lifts. Lay on your side. Top leg is bent with that foot back on the matt. The bottom leg is bent, bring that knee to your abs and kick straight, toe pointed internally. 10 reps. (If you have fibromyalgia, you may want to skip this one because the pressure on the lower hip is quite intense in this exercise)
- Glute stretch on the floor
- Standing reaches to decompress the spine
Press the play button on this 12-minute video to perform these glute exercises and stretches with me.
