These minimal exercises relieve back pain

Fight back pain with simple exercises

Back pain has become a true folk disease. Patients are often advised to withhold physical activity complaints. However, according to health experts, it is wrong to be overprotective with back pain. Rather, it is important to strengthen the back by exercise and to relieve the symptoms. You can help with some simple exercises.

Almost everyone knows back pain

In Germany, there are more and more treatments for back problems. According to health experts, over 80 percent of the pain is muscular. Therefore, it is usually advised to strengthen the back by movement. Especially people who work at the desk often suffer from back pain and neck tension. That's not surprising. After all, scientific studies have also shown that sitting a long time makes you sick. Experts therefore always point out how to alleviate and prevent back problems - not just in the office.

People who work sitting down often get back pain quickly. Simple exercises - which are also possible in the office - can help prevent the symptoms and alleviate them. (Image: Andrey Popov / fotolia.com)

Do not bother too much

Persons who are too concerned should not take too much care. The German Society for Orthopedics and Traumatology (DGOU) and the Professional Association for Orthopedics and Traumatology (BVOU) point out this in a joint press release.

If a dangerous cause or pathologically changed structures can be excluded for the complaints, also physical activity is required.

"Lack of evidence of dangerous or specific causes of low back pain such as fractures, infections or a herniated disc help symptomatic treatment and exercise," said BVOU President. Johannes Flechtenmacher.

Good ergonomics in the workplace

To prevent pain, it is very important to pay attention to good ergonomics in the workplace. For example, with a tilt-and-turn screen that is adjustable in height, you can avoid having to lean too far forward or backward all the time.

The viewing distance to the screen should be at least half a meter, according to experts. Often helpful are also special keyboards or mouse pads with palm rest.

It is also recommended to work on the desktop PC and not on the laptop if possible.

Movement in the office

No matter if you are in the office or elsewhere: When sitting, a hollow cross should be avoided. A strong abdominal and back muscles make this easier. It is also not advisable to stay in a rigid position for a longer period of time.

The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Baua) recommends working people occasionally with the pelvis back and forth or to shift the weight from one buttock half to the other.

More generally, more exercise in the office can make sense for better health. Also exercises to avoid back pain should be done regularly. Helpful here are exercises such as Katzenbuckel, Hacker and Krauler.

In the latter, the low-lying back muscles are trained with the swimming motion by lying on the stomach and legs and arms moves up and down.

The hacker is chopping high-low movements performed with the forearms. And the cat hump helps to keep the individual vertebrae moving. For this, the back in quadruped stand is made as round as possible.

Recommended are also regular stretching exercises - which can also be performed at the workplace.

Sports for the prevention of back problems

Even regular yoga can reduce back pain.

Overweight should be avoided or reduced. The extra pounds weigh on bones, intervertebral discs and joints.

Sport is especially advisable for the prevention of back problems. Recommended are swimming, Nordic walking or hiking. When training in the gym you should only go in consultation with qualified trainers to the machines.

Physicians also advise to walk in the fresh air more often and to come to rest. Because stress is an essential trigger of back problems.

Warmth helps many

If symptoms have already set in, sometimes special back pain exercises or heat therapy can help.

Sometimes a warm bath, a warm shower, a warm cherry stone pillow or a warm blanket is enough.

In some cases, orthopedists recommend back massages that can relieve tension. Depending on the type of symptoms, physiotherapy, natural mud baths or exercise exercises in the thermal water may be useful. (Ad)