How Do You Strengthen Your Lower Back After 50
After 50, it is important to make sure that your lower back is strong enough. This way you can avoid future injuries and keep your weight from shifting to other areas of your body.
Below are some simple exercises for seniors to strengthen the lower back. Some might seem easy, while others will require more effort and time.
Regardless of which exercises you choose, be sure to see a doctor before starting them so that there are no potential health risks associated with doing them incorrectly.
Exercises for seniors:
- Be sure to use proper form.
- Pay attention to the intensity of the exercise.
- Remember not to overdo it.
To strengthen your lower back, try these exercises:
Back Muscle Exercise For Seniors And The Elderly
Arm Raises On Your Back
Back muscle exercise for seniors and the elderly like the arm raise below will help strengthen and stabilize your upper and lower back muscles. These are great to do while you are lying in bed or on the couch.
Arm raises on your back with your knees bent are a good way to gently stretch and strengthen a back that is tired or sore due to overuse. This will also help with shoulder range of motion, scapular mobility and chest expansion if you incorporate breathing exercises along with the movement.
Think about relaxing the chest and neck muscles as you raise your arm up. Then breathe in and try to bring the air all the way to your abdomen. If done correctly, your abdomen will rise as the air comes in.
Purpose of this exercise
This exercise improves the range of motion in your upper back and shoulders. When correctly stabilizing the lower back, this exercise will help strengthen your postural muscles including the abdominal muscles.
How Can Seniors Strengthen Their Lower Back
A senior’s lower back is a critical area of the body that must be protected and exercised so that they can walk, sit, and stand comfortably. Elderly adults afflicted with chronic low back pain have significantly decreased muscle strength, leading to an increased risk of falling.
Back strengthening exercises are essential for seniors to maintain their independence in their daily lives. In many cases, preventing or correcting back problems at home may be feasible through proper exercises for seniors.
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What Exercises Should Seniors Avoid For Their Back Health
Training that involves heavy weights is generally contraindicated for seniors as well as stretching exercises that involve hyperextension of the back . To make the back stronger, seniors must perform gentle exercises regularly that activate the core and keep the small muscles in the back fully engaged. Stretching exercises that involve bouncing should also be avoided.
Below are exercises that individuals over the age of 65 years should generally avoid:
â Weight training
â Long-distance running
â Abdominal crunches and sit ups
â Upright rowing
â High intensity interval training
â Rock climbing
Most Effective Back Exercises For The Elderly
For senior citizens to feel relaxed walking, sitting, and standing, the lower back is one of the most critical areas of the body that must be covered and exercised.
Since the spine is the starting point for all movements, an injury to this region of the body can be fateful for the elderly.
Numerous tiny muscles that work together to produce fine movements that are needed for balance keep the spine and lower back secure. For seniors to be able to work independently in their everyday lives, they must engage in back-strengthening exercises.
Not all back-strengthening exercises are suitable for the elderly. Back exercises should always have a stabilizing element to keep the lower back strong while the surrounding muscles stretch.
A good lower back exercise, for example, could stretch the muscles in the back of the leg while keeping the lower back relaxed and engaged. The lower back is strengthened in this way, and the spinal muscles learn to contract and stabilize in response to leg movement.
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The Worst Core Exercises
In the old days, sit-ups and crunches were the go-to moves to keep your core muscles in good shape. But those exercises are not as effective as we once believed. They strengthen only a few muscles, and they pose risks for older adults.
“They’re dangerous because you’re pulling on your neck,” Boehm says. “And they don’t train your core. They train the hip flexor muscles. If those muscles get too strong, they pull on the lower back and contribute to back pain.”
Exercises That Strengthen Your Lower Back
Most people will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. In fact, lower back pain is one of the most common chronic pain conditions in older adults. There are many possible causes of lower back pain, like disc degeneration or arthritis, so see your family physician and/or a physiotherapist if you think you might have these conditions.
Related:
Unfortunately, some lower back stretches can contribute to the problem instead of fixing it. One common culprit is the bend-over touch-your-toes move, which puts the lumbar spine under excessive stress. Instead, focus on strengthening your lower back muscles with the moves described below. The exercises below are only intended for muscle-related lower back pain.
1. Bird Dog
This exercise is a fantastic core and back strengthener that also makes an effective warm-up move before lifting weights or playing sports.
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Start on all fours, with knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders. Brace your abdominal muscles.
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In a controlled motion, lift your right arm and left leg off of the floor, straightening both so theyre in line with your torso . Ensure your lower back doesnt arch, and theres no excessive motion in your hips. Return to the start position and switch sides. Aim for 10 slow repetitions on each side.
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2. Pelvic Tilt
3. Side Plank
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How Often Should Seniors Do Back Exercises
The key to strengthening the back for seniors is consistency. As with any other workout program or good habit, a little bit every single day is the best way to reap the benefits. Instead of trying to do too much all at once, do less, but more often.
For example, you can try to practice 5 of these exercises at least 3 to 5 days per week. That way, you build up stamina and familiarity both in your body and mind. Overall, including your routine as part of your lifestyle will have the most rewarding, long-lasting effect on your overall health.
Talk to your doctor beforehand if you need help creating an exercise plan that focuses on your back or any other area of the body. A professional can advise you on best practices and how to prevent injury.
They also can guide you based on your specific physical condition and current health status. The suggestions mentioned above are simply options for any older adults who want to take charge of their fitness.
Back Pain Exercises For Seniors
Back stretches are the best back pain exercises. Stretching the glutes and hamstrings helps tremendously with the pressure those muscles put on the back when they pull on them. Try some of these stretches:
The cat and camel exercise is a beginners stretch that strengthens the abdominal muscles and keeps the hips limber.
- Start on all fours on a soft surface, even your bed with your knees a few inches apart. Your hands should be shoulder width apart fingers facing forward and your back straight. Engage your abdominal muscles and arch your back and lift your head so you are looking as far up as you can. Be gentle and stop if you feel discomfort.
- Now curve your back upwards and lower your head to look at the ground
- Repeat 10 times breathing in when your back is arched and out when your back is curved.
Bridges are simple but help strengthen the core including abs and lower back. Also, they give a good stretch through the hips for more range of motion. Its another exercise that can be done in bed.
- Lay on a soft surface with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep your arms at your sides.
- Slowly raise your butt up and tighten it until your body is straight.
- Slowly lower it back down.
- Repeat 10 times.
Side beds are great for building back strength as well as other core strength.
The bent knee raise is a simple and effective exercise that increases abdominal and lower back strength. It can improve stability and reduce pain associated with a lack of lumbar support.
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Lower Back Pain: How Exercise Helps
You may feel like resting, but moving is good for your back. Exercises for lower back pain can strengthen back, stomach, and leg muscles. They help support your spine, relieving back pain. Always ask your health care professional before doing any exercise for back pain. Depending on the cause and intensity of your pain, some exercises may not be recommended and can be harmful.
Lower Back Pain Exercises For Seniors And The Elderly
Bridging
Lower back pain exercises for seniors and the elderly, like the bridging exercise below, will help strengthen your core muscles of your lower back.
This basic lift exercise is an important one to learn especially if you spend a lot of time in bed. To prevent bed sores and strengthen the ability to reposition your body by lifting your bottom off the bed, perform at least 8 to 10 of these exercises.
If you experience pain in your low back, try pressing your back into the bed before beginning to align your spine. Good luck.
This exercise helps strengthen the hip extensors, buttock muscles and hamstrings. It also helps strengthen the low back and sacroiliac. This can improve your ability to stand and maintain your balance.
Purpose of this exercise
This exercise helps strengthen the hip extensors, buttock muscles and hamstrings. It also helps strengthen the low back and sacroiliac. This can improve your ability to stand and maintain your balance.
How to do it
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Best Back Strengthening Exercises For Seniors
A healthy spine and back are essential for almost every movement in daily life. In childhood and young adulthood, people tend to not realize the importance of back strength.
Over time its quite common to give in to what feels comfortable: slouching, sitting, and remaining sedentary. Its easier to neglect the everyday habits that keep our health working for us instead of against us.
Knee To Chest Stretch
The knee-to-chest stretch is one of the best back strengthening exercises for seniors.
In fact, the knee-to-chest stretch can help improve posture and help with chronic pain.
This stretch starts with the person lying on his or her back, then bends the knees up and brings them toward the chest.
Next, the person grasps the back of the thighs and pulls them toward themselves to get a deep stretch of the spine.
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Free Back Strengthening Exercise Plan For Seniors
Below is an exercise plan with 7 exercises that do not require any equipment. This can be done at home and targets the upper, middle, and lower back. Some exercises may be performed on the bed, floor, or chair. Hyperlinks are attached to each listed exercise for demonstrations. This back-strengthening plan with additional exercises is available for downloadhere.
Terminology:
- Repetition : the number of times a specific exercise is performed
- Duration: the amount of time a specific exercise will be performed
- Sets: the number of cycles of reps that are to be completed
DISCLAIMER: Keep in mind that this exercise plan is NOT for everyone. Please consult with your Physician prior to following an exercise plan.
| Exercise | |
| 3 | 10 reps |
In addition, the CDC, states that physical activity can prevent or postpone conditions that come with age. Older adults are recommended to participate in muscle-strengthening activities for at least 2 days per week. The CDC provides several different examples of muscle-strengthening activities such as carrying groceries and gardening.
No specific amount of time is recommended for older adults to perform muscle-strengthening exercises. However, the activity should be performed to the point at which it would be difficult to complete another repetition . Some exercises can be used while completing house chores. This may include carrying a full laundry basket or moving furniture around.
Be as physically active as your abilities and conditions allow you to be.
Take It To The Next Level
If the above feels good and not like anything is being strained, you can increase the stretch and get the entire spine involved. It can help relieve pain in other parts of your back as well as increase spinal mobility.
The lower back is where a lot of people feel pain. As we age, spinal degeneration and osteoarthritis become much more common. It is also common for some of us to stand with a flat pelvis when we have poor posture, which can cause quite a bit of lower back pain. Doing Cat-Cow helps stretch the lower back muscles as well as working some of the core muscles and keeping the spine healthy.
Muscles worked: This works and stretches your erector spinae, serratus anterior, iliac rib muscle, and abdominal external oblique and rectus abdomius.
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Lower Back Exercises For Seniors
As you get older, your body’s back and abdominal muscles can become weaker. This can trigger or worsen lower back pain.
Fortunately, this can be corrected by stretching and strengthening these regions. Both Harvard Health Publishing and a January 2016 publication in JAMA Internal Medicine say that exercise can help manage and prevent future bouts of lower back pain. Good exercise routines typically focus on your back, buttocks and abdominal muscles.
Tip
Everyone’s lower back pain is different. This means that the recommended back extensor exercises for elderly adults with arthritis may not be appropriate for seniors who have back pain caused by a spinal problem. Consult your doctor or physical therapist before starting a new exercise routine.
The Cleveland Clinic recommends a variety of different lower back exercises for seniors, including the plank, side plank and scissors.
Best Lower Back Pain Exercises Vs Lower Back Pain Exercises To Avoid
Dr. Kaliq Chang with Atlantic Spine Center Offers Tips to Soothe and Strengthen.
As we age, our spine does too, of course meaning lower back pain becomes more of a looming possibility. But fortunately, many exercises for seniors with lower back pain can help soothe an achy back and strengthen surrounding muscles to keep pain at bay, says Kaliq Chang, MD, of Atlantic Spine Center.About 8 in 10 Americans experience lower back pain at some point in their lives, according to the National Institutes of Health. But people who are 60 and older face even higher odds of dealing with low back pain simply because their age equates to a higher risk of degenerating joints in the spine, explains Dr. Chang, an interventional pain management specialist. Osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis, two common causes of lower back pain, also occur more frequently in older adults, he says.
Pain and stiffness in the lower back thats worse both in the morning and evening is quite prevalent in my older patients, Dr. Chang says. They may complain that their pain even wakes them up at night or intensifies with too much motion during the day. It can hamper their ability to bend comfortably and do all their favorite activities.In this article, we cover most common back pain causes, some benefits of exercises and other ways to relieve pain. Dr. Chang also shares some best exercises for back pain, which are designed specifically for senior people.
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Strengthening Exercises For Seniors
Strengthening exercises for seniors are great for strengthening bones and joints. They help with mental wellness and mood. They improve balance and mobility which promotes independence. Back strengthening exercises should be performed at least 3 times a week in order to make a difference in balance and mobility, but the more the better. Rest between exercise sessions if your back feels tired or sore after the workout. In the case of elderly people, no pain, no gain doesnt apply. Listen to your body!
Training that involves heavy weights is discouraged for seniors as well as stretching exercises that hyperextend muscles and joints. Seniors need to perform gentle exercises regularly that activate the core and keep the muscles in the back engaged.
Individuals over the age of 65 years should avoid:
- Weight training with heavy weights
- Long-distance running
There are many resistance band exercises that are great for seniors and strengthening their backs. Check them out by clicking on the link above.
Remember, before starting ANY kind of exercise, consult with your doctor to make sure they recommend it.