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How I Fixed My Back Doing a 7-Minute Workout for 30 Days
One day, shortly after my 30th birthday, I woke up in the middle of the night with a terrible pain in my lower back. Since that time, I started experiencing that excruciating pain from time to time. I went to several doctors, but no medicine or chiropractor could help me. So, after a couple of years of struggling, I decided to make a change and incorporate some simple exercises into my daily routine, instead of filling myself up with painkillers. Turned out, this was one of the best decisions of my life.
Especially for Bright Side, I’d like to share my workout routine that helped me get rid of back pain in just 30 days.
Step 1. Release tension
How to do it:
- Standing on the floor with your feet wider than hip-width apart, your toes slightly pointed to the sides, and your knees bent, raise your arms and stretch your back and neck upward, as high as you can.
- Then start slowly bending forward until your hands reach the floor.
- Put your hands on the floor and release the muscles of your neck and back.
- Stay in this position for a few seconds, then lift your upper body back into a straight position.
- Repeat the exercise for 30-60 seconds.
Step 2. Return flexibility
How to do it:
- Get down on your hands and knees, placing your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Your toes should also touch the floor.
- Keeping your spine straight and your knees bent, lift your left leg away from your body, as high as you can.
- Return your leg to the initial position and repeat the exercise on the opposite side.
- Keep doing this exercise for 30-60 seconds.
Step 3. Stretch the back muscles
How to do it:
- Get down on your knees and slowly bend your upper body forward until your hands reach the floor in front of you.
- Keeping your knees bent at about a 90° angle, arch your lower back toward your knees until you feel a stretch in that area.
- Slowly lower your head, put your chin on the floor, and relax the muscles of your neck. Make sure that your elbows are not touching the floor.
- Hold the position for about 30-60 seconds.
Step 4. Fix your posture
How to do it:
- Lie down on your stomach with your arms at your sides and your legs together.
- Keeping your left arm and leg in the same position, simultaneously slide your right arm above your head and bend your right knee away from your body, as high as you can. Make sure that both your right arm and leg are always touching the floor.
- Slide your right arm and leg back to the initial position, then repeat the exercise on the opposite side. Do this for 30-60 seconds.
- After that, do the exercise with the opposite leg and arm — slide your left arm and your right knee out, then your right arm and left knee. Also do this for 30-60 seconds.
Step 5. Stretch the hips
How to do it:
- Sit down on the floor with your spine straight and your legs together in front of you.
- Keeping your left leg straight on the floor, raise your right leg, bend the knee, and grab the right calf with both hands.
- Gently pull the leg toward your chest until you feel a stretch in your hips.
- Hold the pose for 30-60 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side.
The results
- The first thing I noticed is that the muscles of my back have become stronger and my posture significantly improved. Although this was not my intention at the beginning, it’s become much easier for me to maintain the right posture while sitting at my desk at work.
- Besides saying goodbye to my back pain, I also have less headaches now, and my overall health has become better.
- Regular exercises also give me more energy. After doing this set of exercises for 30 days, I’ve stopped waking up in the middle of the night because of that terrible pain and, as a result, I don’t feel sleepy during the day anymore.
Do you have back problems? How do you deal with them? Please share your experience with us in the comments!
Illustrated by Natalia Okuneva-Rarakina for BrightSide.me
