Ursa Minor

Hi All, lately I've been having some lower back pain and stiffness. Does anyone
know any back exercises I can do to increase flexibility and strengthen my lower back?
Thanks in advance,

Charlie

10 Wheels

When I first started riding my back would get stiff.
Soaking in a Hot bath helped me.

Taking one Aleve before you ride also helps.

goldfinch

Mayo Clinic has a pretty good set online, I've used these and similar ones when I have had lower back pain in the past. The key is to keep doing them after your back is better.

https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/back-pain/LB00001_D

These are the one's I got from my doc when I had back trouble:

https://www.nismat.org/orthocor/programs/lowback.html

I couldn't do all of them.

Neil_B

These are very good. The OP should try them.... and expect to be sore after the first couple of days.

Ursa Minor

thanks for the links... I'll try them out

Charlie

Neil_B

The one I found best is "building a bridge." It's not just for the back, but it builds core stability as well.

mawtangent

I do some mild stretching (like lying on my back and bringing my knees to my chest), but I end with standing, legs strait and touching my toes, I hold this position for about a minute, I take a break for a few minutes and repeat the minute toe-touch again. I was having nagging back issues for years and stretching every morning has made a great positive difference.

jethro56 

Stretching like mawtangent mentions is a great beginning and will give some short term relief. Long term relief requires some analysis of why you're having the pain. For me I had muscle imbalance from 25 years of being bent over at a desk writing computer code. Poor posture combined with impact from driving tractors led to injury because my spine wasn't shaped properly to take the jolting. In order to reshape the spine and achieve better posture I took a pilates course at the Y. I remember the first time I went the instructor said "I bet you're here because of back pain." No surprise that the exercises that were hardest to do were the ones I needed the most. I've identified 7 exercises that I need to do about 5 times a week. They take 20 minutes to do. 2 of them are what mawtangent suggests and are a great beginning. I'd add planks after you see the benefits of the first two as almost all males benefit from these 3 exercises.Beyond that I'd check out a class so a trained instructor can observe and advise you.

indyfabz

+1 When I was suffering the effects of messed up disks and going to PT, bridges were the first thing I would do each session. Strengthening your core helps with a lot of lower back problems.

Neil_B

Did you put your feet on an exercise ball? Or on the mat? The OP might want to start with the mat and then try the ball after a week or two.

RichardGlover

Bridges & Planks are good. Once you're doing planks regularly, add pushups to start working on your upper back, arms, and shoulders.

stonefree

Pullups or otherwise known as chin ups are best for the back, IMHO.

Daspydyr 

I'm rehabbing a Compression Fracture at T6. The exercises on these sights have been real good. The PT I was using also used these types of exercises.

backzilla.com

bodybuilding.com

As Backzilla will point out, bike riding is a good back exercise to warm up with. The exercises mentioned above are all saying what my links say as well. I would also recommend the hot tub as hot as you can stand it for therapeutic rehab, not just relaxing with a beer. A massage therapist is also a great help.

Ursa Minor

Thanks all, I feel more confident now that I can do something about the back ache.

Charlie