If you live with back pain, particularly chronic back pain, you’ll know it’s not much fun. From waking up in the morning feeling stiff, to muscle spasms while you’re sitting at work, it’s a lot to put up with day after day. So much so that you may feel like resting is the right thing to do. But actually, you’re better off focusing on regular exercises like resistance training or strength training, to keep yourself flexible.
What causes back pain?
It’s not always easy to specify the cause of your back pain. In most cases, it tends to be something simple like a muscle strain or minor injury. This is the type of back pain which will usually clear up by itself after a week or so. Then there’s the type of back pain caused by a medical condition like arthritis, or sciatica. These types of back pain are often treated with medication. But whatever the cause, the expert view is that you should try to maintain a simple home workout routine to help keep your back pain under control.
Why exercise is good for your back
If you injure your back, the muscles around the area tend to harden. This is the body’s way of ensuring any damage doesn’t get worse. The downside is that it makes you feel stiff and unable to move properly. If you try and rest the area, the muscles don’t get the chance to become more flexible again. So, you end up feeling stiff and in pain for longer. By contrast, if you can get into the habit of doing a simple home workout of stretches and strength training you can help your body loosen up and stay pain-free.
2 pieces of home workout equipment worth trying
When you’re dealing with back pain, there are two areas you should focus on – strength and flexibility. So, it’s a good idea to try some form of resistance training. If you’re not very mobile, start with some simple sitting exercises and build up slowly, increasing the number of repetitions over time. One piece of home workout equipment that’s well worth looking into is our Ab Doer 360. It’s an effective way to exercise your core in the comfort of your own home. It’s great for weight loss too, helping you to burn calories while you work out.
Best of all the AbDoer 360 lets you exercise safely. It allows you to improve your core and back strength, and flexibility, all in a safe, seated position.
Another option to try is our Total Flex M. This clever piece of home workout equipment gives you gym-standard strength training in the comfort of your own home. Like our Ab Doer 360, you perform most of the exercises on your Total Flex M while you’re sat down. You simply pull on the resistance cables, either with your hands or with your feet, which gives your arms and legs a safe, effective workout.
The kind of resistance training and strength training provided by both the Ab Doer 360 and the Total Flex M are excellent ways of keeping your back pain in check.
Find out more about Thane’s range of fitness machines here.