There are many remedies which can help to alleviate lower back pain. Non-prescription anti-inflammatory meds and pain relievers can be had from a simple visit to the nearest drugstore. A gentle massage on the back can also help relieve the pain and ease the tension on the back.

Your doctor is also likely to recommend that you do certain physical exercises and lower back stretches to help manage your back problem. Moreover, such exercises and stretches will make your abdominal muscles and other muscles surrounding the back strong. The stress that the back usually carries, and pays for in terms of pain, will then be lessened. The other muscles will be able to help out. Usually the back makes up or compensates for the inability of the other muscles to pull their weight in terms of sharing the burden. If these other muscles get strong enough and are utilized efficiently, your back will be less burdened.

What kinds of exercises are usually recommended for back pain?

If the muscles on your back are efficient and supple, this helps to reduce back pain. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons state that a combination of aerobic exercise, abdominal work-out, and gentle stretches is apt to curtail the stress put on the back.

You can do sit ups to strengthen your abdominal muscles. However, make sure that you do these with your knees bent to cushion the impact on the back. Doing these exercises with straight legs will just undermine the benefits that you stand to gain from the exercise. It will compromise your back and even make the condition worse. So when you try to strengthen the stomach muscles by curling your body up towards your knees, keep the knees bent. Press the lower back onto the floor. Keep your stomach in and tight. Do the exercise deliberately. Do not make the slip of using the shoulder muscles to raise your upper body. Do not rock. Use your abdominals to carry the chest up. When you bring your back down on the floor, do so slowly, one vertebra at a time, to maximize the motion in terms of using the abdomen.

Lower back stretches are also very important. These will help release the tightness in the core area and relieve the pain. As you become more flexible, you become less likely to harm your back.

One exercise begins with you lying flat on your back. Bend both knees and bring them close to your upper body, holding the knees with both hands. The movement should make you feel the lower back and the buttocks stretch. Maintain the position for about five seconds. Then bring the legs down on the floor to the initial position. Do the exercise ten times.

Stretching your hamstring will also prove helpful. Lie on your back. Grasp your leg behind the knee. Keep the leg bent as you bring it close to your chest. Then unhurriedly stretch the leg out, straightening it as much as you can without strain. Bring the leg down on the floor. Do the alike thing on the other side.

Another stretch is also done with you lying flat on your back. Bow your knees and keep both feet flat on the floor, close to each other. Softly and quietly bring both knees to the right, as close to the floor as possible. Then bring both knees over to the other side. This exercise will release the tension on the buttocks and lower back. You can do this routine between ten and twenty times.