Lower back pain is a common complaint across the globe and it’s one of the leading causes of disability. What gets less attention but is arguably harder to treat than lower back pain is middle back pain. Middle back pain can be a complex condition, with many patients never finding out the root cause of it. The middle back is a complex part of the spine: its job protecting the vital organs is crucial, but it’s also susceptible to stubborn pain. If you suffer from middle back pain, here are some stretches and exercises that can help. As always, talk to your doctor to ensure these exercises will be helpful for your unique case.

What causes middle back pain?

Upper and middle back pain is not as common as lower back or neck pain, but it still accounts for a sizable amount of pain. The upper and middle part of the back are known as the thoracic back. This part of the back contains the T1 through T12 vertebrae, part of the rib cage, and various muscles and ligaments that hold your spine together.

While the lower back and neck are made to be more flexible, the upper and middle parts of the back, along with the rib cage, are built for support and to protect many of the vital organs of the human body. This rigid structure means that the middle and upper back are naturally less mobile. It also means that when something happens to this area of the spine—trauma or another condition—it can be more difficult to treat.

On the positive side, many common complaints in the lower back and the neck are rare in the middle back. Spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, or disc herniation are rarely reported as a cause of middle back pain.

The main causes of upper and middle back pain occur from overuse or an injury that usually develops from continuous strain or bad posture. Continual high stress can also cause muscle tension, which can eventually devolve into a vicious cycle of stressing over ever-increasing pain that even affects your sleep.

Conditions that put pressure on the spinal nerves can also cause upper and middle back pain, such as a fracture of a vertebrae, scoliosis, or osteoarthritis.

This is especially true for those who work at a computer every day or who work in highly repetitive and physically active industries (e.g., warehouse work and construction).

Middle back pain symptoms

Some common middle back pain symptoms include:

• Pain that is either localized or spread over a large area
• Discomfort with a slow onset that gradually increases in intensity
• Pain made worse by certain activities or positions
• Variable pain that can be dull, sharp, or burning

In some cases, upper and middle back pain can be a sign of much more severe issues such as a cancerous tumor and diseases that affect the heart, lungs, and kidneys. If you experience any of the following symptoms, make sure you consult a physician immediately:

• Numbness or weakness in your extremities, chest, or stomach
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Chest pain or pressure
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fever

Upper and middle back pain is also a common symptom of heart attack in women. If the onset of pain is sudden without any physical trauma, contact your doctor immediately.

How to stretch the middle back 

The one thing that most back pain has in common is that it can be relieved with simple stretches and exercises to build muscle strength and reduce tension. Mid-back stretches and middle back strengthening exercises can offer profound relief and healing for many chronic pain conditions.

But this area of the body can be difficult to stretch. The skeletal structure only allows movement so far in one direction; you cannot stretch bone. There is no need for huge, dramatic stretches, though. One way to think about it is to imagine the shoulder blades as flat plates that can be shifted around on the back. Connected to muscles and tendons, even starting with this simple visualization can be helpful.

Back stretches for middle back pain

There are many different ways to treat middle back pain. Options like ice therapy, over-the-counter medications, and massage only provide temporary symptom relief. Incorporating regular middle back strengthening exercises can go a long way towards a more permanent reduction of pain.

Middle back pain stretches should be incorporated gradually and with your doctor’s supervision. Remember when doing these stretches to pay attention to your breathing and to never hold your breath. Exhale while stretching the muscle and inhale when you start to relax it. Pay attention to how it feels when you move. If something feels “off” or causes sharp, stabbing pain, move carefully out of the stretch.

These eight middle back pain stretches are a great place to start. You can also find more in our yoga for middle back pain post.

1. Seated twist

A simple stretch you can do at the office or while sitting in front of the computer is a seated twist. Inhale deeply, then as you exhale, press your navel to your spine as you twist to the right. If your chair has armrests, place the right hand on the back of the right armrest and the left on the front. If not, place your right arm on the back of the chair and let your left arm come to the outside of your right thigh.

If it feels good for your neck, you can look gently over your right shoulder. Otherwise, just look forward or to the side. Hold for three to five full breaths, sitting tall on the inhale and pressing your navel to your spine on the exhale. Return to the center on an inhale, then twist to the other side.

2. Passive back bend

A passive back bend is an amazing stretch to do at the end of a long day and requires minimal effort. Start by rolling up a towel or use a pillow or yoga bolster. Lay it down horizontally so your shoulder blades can lay across it. Lie across the rolled-up item so your shoulder blades are supported.

Breathe deeply and relax into this stretch for at least five minutes. If you would like a deeper stretch, you can turn the pillow or towel so that it runs vertically up and down your spine, or you can add another pillow.

3. Supported hamstring stretch

Hamstrings stretches should be part of middle back strengthening exercises. Try a supported hamstring stretch. It’s easy on the back and only requires a chair.

Stand in front of a sturdy chair and place the heel of one foot up on the seat. Hinge at your hips to fold forward with your navel to your spine and a long, straight spine. If you feel any pain behind your knee, bend the knee. You want to feel this stretch in the belly of your hamstring.

Take three to five full, deep breaths, lengthening your spine on the inhale, and folding on the exhale. Switch sides. This is a good stretch to do periodically during the day.

4. Cat-cow pose

The cat-cow yoga pose can really help with back pain. Start on all fours with shoulders over wrists and hips over knees. Come into cow pose. Inhale, arch your lower back to let your belly reach towards the ground as you draw your shoulder blades onto your back. Let your heart shine through your upper arms and lift your gaze to the sky.

As you exhale, tuck your pelvis under and arch your back like a cat, letting the shoulder blades fall away from each other as you press your hands into the ground and drop your head.

Follow your breath for a series of five of these mid-back stretches.

5. Heart-melting pose

Heart-melting pose is also called “puppy pose” in yoga. Start on all fours with your hips directly above your knees. Keep your knees and hips in one straight line as you walk your hands forward to lower your forehead towards the ground.

If this pose feels too intense on your shoulders, keep your arms separated. You can also place a bolster or a couple of pillows underneath your chest (and a block underneath your forehead) if you cannot quite reach the ground.

Breathe here for at least ten breaths, then slowly walk your hands towards you to come out of the stretch.

6. Thread the needle

Start on all fours with your hips directly above your knees and your shoulders above your wrists. Inhale, then twist your torso to reach your right hand behind your left wrist, lower your body so that your shoulder and the right side of your face rests on the ground and the back of your right arm is on the ground stretching towards the left. You can keep your left hand where it is or stretch it forward. Take three to five breaths in this pose, then press into your left hand to unwind.

Repeat on the other side.

7. Shoulder flossing

Shoulder flossing moves the shoulder blades gently through their range of motion. It is the same shoulder action as cat and cow pose, only this time you keep your lower body still and engaged, with your navel pressing to your spine.

On all fours, inhale and press the floor away, feeling your shoulder blades slide away from each other. Exhale and drop your chest so that your shoulder blades come together on your back.

Repeat three or four times.

8. Half-dog at the wall

Half-dog at the wall is a great upper and mid-back stretch that also stretches tight hamstrings. Stand at the wall with your hands flat on the wall. Walk your feet back and begin to hinge at the hips, walking your hands down the wall to gradually form an “L” shape with your body.

Pull your navel to your spine and move your shoulder blades together and down your back as you reach the crown of your head towards the wall. This creates space between your shoulders and your ears. Let your chest relax towards the ground but keep your belly engaged.

If your hamstrings are tight, bend your knees slightly, but make sure that your hips and ankles are in one line. Take three to five breaths here, then slowly walk your hands up the wall as you walk your feet forward.

Middle back exercises to try

It’s important to support your middle back pain stretches with some whole-body exercise and targeted middle back strengthening exercises. Improving your overall level of fitness is a great way to address the mental health aspects of chronic pain as well. A stronger back is also less prone to further injury in the future.

For low-impact exercise, consider beginning a walking program or hopping in a pool three to five times a week. Both of these offer full-body exercise that works well if you are still in the acute stages of injury. Engaging in tai chi or yoga is another great meditative way to slowly increase your fitness level, in both body and mind!

Once you are feeling stronger and can add some cardio, the following are great options:

• Stair climbing
• Using a rowing machine
• Biking

As your fitness level increases, you can also start to add some specific strengthening exercises. Try these three middle back strengthening exercises to start.

1. Resistance band pulls

Stand with feet parallel and hip-distance apart. Holding a resistance band, lift your arms out in front of you at shoulder height. Keep your navel engaged and stand tall.

Inhale, and on an exhale pull hands away from each other. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as your hands separate, then slowly release back to center. Repeat three to five times for three sets, increasing either the number of repetitions or moving your hands closer together as you get stronger.

2. Dumbbell row

This can be completed on all fours or with the use of a bench or a chair.

On all fours, start with a dumbbell in each hand. Engage your navel to keep your lower back supported. Inhale, and on an exhale, slowly lift your elbow to bring the dumbbell in your right hand to your armpit. Keep your arm hugged close to your body.

If you are using a bench, your left knee and hand stays on the bench and your right leg stays on the ground as you row on the right side. Aim for five to seven rows, starting with one set and working up to three.

3. High plank dumbbell row

If you want to combine a core-strengthening exercise with a cardio workout and muscle strengthening all rolled into one low-impact exercise, this is the move for you.

Come into high plank with your hands wrapped around dumbbells instead of on the ground. Makes sure your shoulders and hips are in line. Press your navel towards the sky to keep your lower back safe.

Moving on either an inhale or an exhale (whichever feels most natural to you), shift your weight into your left hand as you bend your elbow and bring the right dumbbell to your armpit (as in the dumbbell row). Alternate sides, making sure to maintain proper plank form with the crown of your head reaching forward, and your heels reaching back.

Complete three to five on each side, rest, and try another set. Again, increase either the number of repetitions or the amount of weight, one at a time.

How to relieve middle back pain 

Middle back pain stretches and strengthening are a great way to work on healing middle back pain, but what if they don’t completely help with your pain? Sometimes you need more than one approach. Physical therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and some types of injections are other treatment options to consider.

At Arizona Pain, we know that middle back pain can seem like an unsolvable riddle. With therapeutic options tailored to you, we can help you put the pieces together. Get in touch today.

Experts flood the health and wellness field, each offering sometimes contradictory advice for appropriate amounts of physical activity. Wondering “how much should I exercise?” Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has analyzed the data and issued guidelines that people can follow to stay fit. Here’s what you should know.

How much should I exercise? 

If your current levels of physical activity fall below the recommended guidelines, don’t let that keep you from exercising. Any amount of physical activity is beneficial. If possible, start small and gradually increase physical activity until reaching the recommended amounts. Here’s what you can expect based on your age and other guidelines.

Adolescents ages 6 to 17

Children at this age often have abundant energy, and while some get plenty of exercise, other find their imaginations captured more by television and video games than playing street hockey.

Federal guidelines recommend adolescents should get at least 60 minutes or more each day of moderate or vigorous exercise. Reaching that one-hour block of time impacts health more than the intensity or type of exercise, according to the guidelines. Most of the exercise should fall into the aerobic category. This includes running, playing team sports, or dancing. It should also include vigorous physical activity at least three days a week.

Adolescents should also work to build muscle at least three days a week, and complete bone strengthening exercises three days a week. Muscle strengthening exercises include climbing trees, playing on playground equipment, or lifting weights. Bone building activities could include running, tennis, or weight lifting.

Adults ages 18 to 64

In adulthood, recommended levels of exercise fall from 60 minutes daily to 150 minutes to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, although more exercise imparts additional health benefits. An equivalent combination of 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise is also a good amount to go for.

Activity should be at a moderate intensity, and can include activities such as gardening, walking at least three miles per hour, or slow bicycling. People who tend to workout more vigorously—think singles tennis, jump rope, or difficult hikes—can make do with 75 minutes each week.

Workout sessions should last at least ten minutes and spread them throughout the week, ideally on at least three separate days. At least two days a week, adults should work out all of their major muscle groups through activities such as weight lifting, using resistance bands, or doing pull-ups, push-ups, and sit-ups.

Adults ages 65 and older

Older adults should also aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise weekly, although additional exercise offers greater health benefits. Adults with chronic conditions that make it difficult to reach desired exercise amounts should do what they can and try to avoid becoming inactive.

Unfit older adults should take care to adopt an exercise regimen in accordance with their current levels of physical fitness and adjust as capabilities expand. Other than that, older adults should follow the same guidelines as younger adults. In addition to the general guidelines, they also suggest that older adults should:

• Be as physically active as their abilities and conditions allow, even if this isn’t 150 minutes of activity a week
• Do exercises that maintain or improve balance if they are at risk of falling
• Determine their level of effort for exercise relative to their level of fitness

People with health conditions (including pregnancy)

A final section of the report touches on additional considerations for special populations of adults. As the study notes, “some people have conditions that raise special issues about recommended types and amounts of physical activity.” The populations it looks at specifically in the guidelines are pregnant and post-partum women and those with chronic health conditions or disabilities.

The guidelines give examples of appropriate activities in their report, but they also point out three key messages for these groups. Namely:

• Adults with chronic conditions still obtain important health benefits from exercise
• If exercise is done according to a person’s abilities, it can still be safe
• Adults with chronic conditions or those who are pregnant should be under the care of a healthcare professional, consulting them as necessary as to the type and amount of activity appropriate for them

In all sections of the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines, healthcare professionals stress that physical exercise is crucially important for health and attainable for any person, no matter their age or ability.

Why is aerobic exercise so important? 

Cardio, or aerobic exercise, can promote good heart health, boost your energy, and help you control your weight. This type of exercise raises your heart rate and gets your blood pumping throughout your entire body. This boosts circulation of the oxygen and nutrients your body needs to work efficiently.

Federal guidelines recommend 150 minutes to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise, or a combination of the two. Here’s why they recommend making this a priority every week.

It helps you control your weight

It’s no secret working up a regular sweat is a great way to burn calories and shed fat. But did you know cardio exercise has also been shown to suppress appetite and curb cravings? The next time you feel tempted to head for the fridge, hit the treadmill instead.

It fights disease

Physical activity is linked with preventing heart disease, high blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, lowering risk of diabetes, combatting depression and other conditions.

It makes you happy

Cardio exercise promotes the production and release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers and “feel good” chemicals. As a result, you may find you feel happy, calm and relaxed after a good workout.

It gives you energy

It seems counterintuitive that rigorous cardio exercise would give a person more energy, but it’s true. Developing stronger muscles and elevating your heart rate on a regular basis will boost your overall physical stamina.

Studies have also shown that people who exercise regularly sleep better. There’s an exception to this, however. Don’t exercise too close to bedtime. You may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.

It makes you smarter

There’s some science to support the theory that regularly releasing the hormones associated with cardio exercise, plus increasing blood flow, helps your brain grow. In one study, researchers found that people who exercised for one hour per day, three days a week, over the course of six months, increased the size of their brains’ hippocampus — the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning.

A study conducted by the International Journal of Workplace Health Management also found that people who exercised during their workday were 23 percent more productive on those days than on days they didn’t exercise. And get this: 72 percent of the study’s participants did cardio exercise.

What do they mean by muscle-strengthening exercises? 

Along with aerobic exercise, muscle strengthening is a vital part of fitness for all age groups and levels of fitness. Muscle strengthening occurs when a specific muscle is put through a series of repetitions that build and condition that muscle. The ideal number of repetitions is the number right before you are not able to perform the exercise without help. Adults should aim for muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week. Before you begin any new exercise program, though, consult with your doctor.

You don’t have to restrict muscle strengthening exercises to the gym. Yoga, gardening that involves digging or shoveling, and pushups on your bedroom floor all count. As long as the exercises involve all of your muscle areas at some point, they count. Using resistance bands (standing on a band and doing curls) and your own body weight (pull ups) are both excellent ways to work your muscles.

Older adults should get the same amount of muscle strengthening but with special attention paid to changes in balance and endurance.  Some of the exercises may be completed while seated or holding on to a chair. Those new to strength training should work with their doctor to develop a safe, comprehensive plan that includes aerobic exercise and muscle strengthening.

Muscle strengthening with chronic conditions

Muscle strengthening is also an important part of health for adults with disabilities or chronic conditions.

A study in 2003 found that many symptoms of pain and weakness decreased significantly after exercising two times a week, and another study in 2007 found that those people suffering from arthritis had a higher quality of life if they exercised the recommended 150 minutes a week. Any muscle strengthening exercises can also be completed while seated or holding on to a chair.

Children should also incorporate muscle strengthening activity at least three days a week.  The best way to do this is through their regular play, adding games that use lunges, pull ups, or sit ups. Have them learn these exercises without resistance bands at first. The goal is not to become a bodybuilder but to help build strong, correct muscle groups and support bone density. Don’t skip the stretching and warming up, and remind kids to hydrate throughout the exercise.

Get started with exercise

It is important to note that you need not exercise in hour-long blocks to get the benefits or meet the guidelines. Brief, ten-minute muscle strengthening activities such as push ups at the office or lunges in the elevator help you meet the weekly requirements and are just as effective as a class at the gym. Add daily walks with your dog or significant other. It’s easy to incorporate these activities into your daily routine!

Could exercise change your life? In one simple, precise, and perfectly accurate answer: yes. Here’s why and how you can start exercising in 2019.

Why is it so important to start exercising?

We’ve heard the statistics. Two-thirds of people in the U.S. are considered overweight. We also know our lifestyles have greatly changed in the last several decades to include less physical activity – think of the time you spend commuting, instead of say, walking – and more processed foods.

The good news is, it is entirely within each person’s control to start exercising and change your life. New research shows behavior change isn’t as difficult as you may think. Fitting into those jeans in the back of your closet may be a goal that you achieve in 2019. And, exercise is the easiest way to change your health trajectory today. It needn’t cost hundreds (or even dozens) of dollars to get and stay fit. You don’t need a special trainer or a complicated fitness routine.

Evidence is mounting: if you want to improve the quality of your daily life while increasing your longevity, start moving. Here’s how it can benefit you.

Avoiding premature death

Sweating and increasing your heart rate daily is key to avoiding premature death. In a six-year study of over 246,000 people in Australia, researchers found that those who engaged in both vigorous and moderate activity daily decreased their chance of death by nine to 13%. Lead author Dr. Klaus Gebel from James Cook University’s Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention found the benefit of vigorous exercise crossed all demographics:

“The benefits of vigorous activity applied to men and women of all ages, and were independent of the total amount of time spent being active. The results indicate that whether or not you are obese, and whether or not you have heart disease or diabetes, if you can manage some vigorous activity it could offer significant benefits for longevity.”

Previous recommendations from the World Health Organization have included 150 minutes of moderate exercise and 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, but this new research increases the recommendation for vigorous exercise and suggests that interval training might be a way to work in the new recommended amount of daily sweat.

Helps with chronic conditions

Although the above study recommends an increase in vigorous exercise, not everyone can add more vigorous workouts to their daily routine. Fortunately, for some, moderate exercise is enough to increase the daily quality of life for people who desperately need a boost: cancer patients.

A study out of Kansas State University found that moderate exercise may be just what is needed to improve outcomes during cancer treatment. This same moderate exercise can counteract the negative effects of treatment, including low blood pressure, fatigue, and lost muscle mass. Exercise increases tumor oxygenation which can help improve treatment success for cancer patients, especially for those with difficult-to-treat tumors.

Brad Behnke, associate professor of exercise physiology, points out the potential for moderate exercise’s positive effects on both overall health and improved cancer treatments:

“If we can increase the efficacy of radiation treatment, then the patient’s prognosis is enhanced. An intervention like exercise has almost universally positive side effects versus other treatments that can have deleterious side effects. Exercise is a type of therapy that benefits multiple systems in the body, and may permanently alter the environment within the tumor.”

Moderate exercise also has progressive benefits for the elderly, including increased life expectancy and increased quality of life. This benefit starts in adolescence, as women who began exercising in their teens had a 16% lowered risk of death from cancer and 13% risk from all other types of death.

Other benefits of exercise

Other research shows that exercise can:

• Reverse age-related bone loss in middle-aged men. Moderate exercise helps to improve balance and coordination, which can prevent the falls that lead to injury. This results in fewer incidents of brittle-bone fractures.
• Exercise with a physiotherapist as an add-on to medication results in a positive effect on depression. Study participants who exercised with an eye to reducing their weight and improving their physical fitness found the most benefit.
• Lessen the effects of brain damage due to senility or minor stroke, allowing those who suffer from either to stay active and mobile for longer.
• Improve erectile and sexual function in men; this result was found to cross race and economic status.
• Aerobic exercise lessens the severity of asthma attack symptoms by lessening the inflammatory response that is mounted by the body during an attack.

Exercise can save not only the life of individuals, but can reflect the improved life of an entire neighborhood. A community effort to revitalize a neighborhood in Birmingham, Alabama led to an increase in exercise and improved diet, both due to an increase in green spaces that include walking trails that led to grocery stores that had fresh fruits and vegetables.

How to start exercising

It is clear that exercise can change your life both in quality and quantity. Incorporating exercise into your daily routine does not require totally overhauling the way you live. If you’re planning to diet to lose weight or to get fit, exercise will likely be part of that plan. Working out and staying in shape can prevent pain and help with your weight loss efforts.

Start small

If you’re not currently exercising at all, your first step is simply to take the first step; you’ve just got to start moving. Talk to your doctor about your fitness goals, then start small by incorporating something as simple as a 15-minute daily walk.

Make it fun

Officials at Mayo Clinic report seven critical benefits of daily exercise. These include:

• Weight control
• Prevention of health conditions and disease
• Improvement of mood
• Increased energy
• Improved sleep
• Improved sex drive
• Fun

Fun?! you might be thinking, “If exercise was ‘fun,’ I’d be doing it every day already. One tool to behavior change is finding activities that are actually enjoyable and fun for you. Perhaps you don’t see yourself ever crossing the finish line of a marathon, but remember when you loved to golf? Enjoyed that bowling team? Caught up with friends on long walks?

To make exercise a lifestyle, you simply need to find an activity you like doing, and do it regularly. Set a goal to do something fun at least two or three times per week. Perhaps it is swimming laps, or chasing your grandchildren around the park. Maybe you enjoy yoga, golfing, tennis or even playing Frisbee with the dog. Just because you exercise doesn’t mean you have to strap yourself to an elliptical at the gym. Make exercising fun. If you find joy in an activity it won’t seem like exercise.

Exercise well

If you start with a daily walk, follow recommendations for both vigorous and moderate exercise by participating in interval training.

Walk for two minutes at a moderate pace, then increase the pace for one minute to work up a sweat and get your heart pumping. As your fitness level increases, swap that ratio and go for two minutes of vigorous walking with one minute of moderate rest. The same goes for other activities you do. Incorporate short bursts of higher intensity in your tennis match, swimming, or yoga.

Organize a buddy walk

Improving your own fitness is a great way to change your life, so why not improve the lives of those around you? Invite your kids, your neighbors, or your coworkers for a daily walk in the morning, during lunch, or after dinner. Exercising with others is a great way to build community and to hold everyone in the group accountable.

To find an exercise plan that works for you, it helps to have a buddy hold you accountable. If you have someone walking the neighborhood with you every morning, you’re less likely to pass on a chilly morning or a hot summer evening. You also want to find someone on a level playing field. If this is the first time you’ve worked out in ten years, you don’t want your buddy to be a fitness pro. Why do that to yourself? Find someone at a similar level and start there.

Stay consistent

Small changes add up but only if you stick to a daily schedule. If you follow the rule of not missing more than one day in a row you will build the habit of healthy exercise, and that habit will change your life.

Find your motivation

Once you set a goal and achieve it, give yourself a reward, but don’t reward yourself with food. That’s one of the bad habits you’re trying to break! “I’ve had a rough week. I deserve a pizza. Or a hotdog.” Nope.

You deserve good fuel in the form of a healthy meal and rest or self-care. That’s how you reward yourself. Take your kids bowling or spend the day at the park. Buy a new shirt. Now, that’s a reward.

Create achievable goals

Here’s how to make goals you can actually keep by:

• Being specific: Set a goal and give it detail. For example, “exercise more,” is great, but “exercise three times a week” is stronger. “Exercise for 20 minutes three times a week after I leave work” is best.
• Making attainable goals: Nothing is less motivating than constantly failing at your goal. Set a goal for drinking five glasses of water per day, or eating two pieces of fruit each day. Don’t make your goal, “Lose 20 pounds this month,” or you’ll likely feel miserable when your target is missed.
• Forgiving yourself: Exercise and weight loss is a long-term goal. Short-term weight loss has shown to be destructive and short-lived. Consider losing weight a life-long challenge and you’ll be more forgiving when you have that piece of fried chicken or hit the snooze button instead of going to the gym. Weight loss, like any behavior change, takes daily dedication over a long period of time.

Starting with exercise

Speak with your doctor today for more information about healthy weight loss. Your pain specialist will be able to tell you what your healthy weight is, and how being in this range will likely lessen your pain.

Let’s review. Finding an easy exercise plan to suit your needs means starting slow. You don’t want to take yourself out with an injury before you’ve been able to see and feel real results. Set your goals, find non-food rewards and a good buddy to work with you and you’ll feel better in no time! And keep the pain away. Hit the comments to share why you’re choosing to exercise in 2019 and how you’re going to get started.

Back pain is the second leading cause for visits to the doctor and the most common reason for missed work. Economically, low back pain alone costs the U.S. $100-$200 billion annually. On a personal level, back pain impacts a person’s ability to function in life every day, from small things like cooking dinner to picking up a child. Cost of treatment should not be a deciding factor on whether or not a back pain sufferer finds relief. What if the key to curing your low back pain was as easy as slipping on some shoes? And what if that same cure was free? What about walking? Is walking good for lower back pain? Walking may not cure the most severe forms of chronic back pain, but in many cases, walking is the cheapest, easiest, and most effective way to help heal and prevent back pain.

Is walking good for lower back pain?

Dr. Michal Katz-Leurer from Tel Aviv University’s Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions at the Sackler faculty of medicine and colleague Ilana Shnayderman, a graduate student at the department of physical therapy and a practicing physiotherapist at Maccabi Health Care, found in a recent small-scale study that a program of daily 20-minute aerobic walking that gradually increased to 40 minutes as endurance built was just as effective for low back pain as a twice-weekly muscle-strengthening program typical of physical therapy clinics for back pain.

The walking in the above trial was “aerobic,” meaning that participants were not just strolling along. A slow walk, while not as damaging as high-impact activities such as running, compresses the low back at a steady, constant rate and does not flex the spine.

Faster walking allows more movement and motion in the spine, especially when swinging arms are added. This ups the aerobic ante, too, allowing not only for therapeutic relief of back pain but also cardiovascular benefits.

Why is walking good for lower back pain?

Movement in the back and spine seems to be one of the keys to treatment, and another beneficial type of walking is that of hiking with a loaded backpack over varied terrain. Adding 20 to 25 pounds of weight in a backpack forces the body to remain upright to balance the weight. The uneven terrain helps promote increased movement in the lower body, moving the spine and its attendant muscles.

In addition to promoting movement, which increases blood flow to muscles, and spinal flexibility, walking promotes an overall feeling of well-being.

Aerobic walking releases serotonin and releases endorphins, both “feel-good” chemicals in the brain. Combining this feel-good release of chemicals with work in the large muscles of the torso and legs actually distracts the brain with overwhelming signals. This may result in a decrease in the sensation of pain. This is simply because your brain is too busy processing your large-muscle movement and the surge of serotonin. This is the gate-theory of pain control. Large signals get more attention than small signals, and muscle movement is a larger signal than pain.

How to get started with walking for lower back pain

Talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise program, then lace up your shoes. Here are a few starting guidelines.

Start slowly, then work up

Especially if you have not exercised in a while, it is important to begin slowly. You needn’t plan on hours-long walks. You may start with just ten minutes of walking around the block or on the treadmill. As you gain strength and endurance, add time or intensity, one at a time (not concurrently). So go for longer walks at the same rate or walks of the same distance at a faster pace.

If you can sing when you walk, speed up

The rule of thumb for aerobic walking is if you can sing, you are not going fast enough to realize the most benefit. A good aerobic pace is when you can hold a conversation but not belt out a Broadway tune.

Use good form

Many people with low back pain suffer from lordosis, an overarching of the lumbar curve. This compresses the lumbar vertebrae and causes pain and can eventually cause serious damage. Before you start, take some time to check your posture. Raise your arms above your head (or high as you can if you have shoulder pain) and see what the rest of your body does. If your ribs stick out or your back arch increases, this is good information.

To begin to correct lordosis, lengthen your tailbone down without hunching forward. Lift up tall through the crown of your head. To place your shoulders where they belong, roll them forward, up, then back. Your shoulder blades should be on your back, tailbone should stretching down without tucking the pelvis, ribs should not be splaying forward, and crown of the head should be lengthening up.

Recognize there may be soreness, but don’t ignore pain

You may be sore after your first session. You are exercising muscles and flexing vertebrae that may be stiff from overuse. And, you are likely waking up areas in your body that have had a long slumber, so some soreness is normal and to be expected. Pain, however, is another story. Sharp, stabbing pain, or pain that radiates is a warning sign to back off. Do not ignore your body’s signals, but don’t be scared off by the soreness that comes after a good workout.

Recruit support

Sticking with exercise, especially when it might cause some soreness initially, can be difficult. Make your walks a time to catch up with your kids or visit with friends. Scheduling your walks as social time instead of just a work out can help you get into a routine and stick with it.

While a program of regular exercise can be difficult to get started (and stick with!), it is important to understand that you are not alone in trying to improve your health – literally. More evidence is growing that regular walking groups are good for not only your body but also your mind. Creating a walking group is a great way to improve your health while building supportive, positive relationships in your community.

Start a walking group

The idea of gathering in a group to exercise is not new, but recent research has shown that people who joined walking groups experienced lower blood pressure, resting heart rate, and total cholesterol. Additionally, they had a lower body mass index, a good indicator of physical fitness, and were more likely to stick with regular exercise than those who walked alone.

Researchers from the University of East Anglia used data gathered from over 1,800 study participants in 14 countries. These walkers spent a total of 74,000 hours walking in groups. They included people with health conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, fibromyalgia, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Study leader Sarah Hanson of UEA’s Norwich Medical School pointed out that it isn’t just the activity that makes a walking group such a powerful tool for good health, saying:

“People who walk in groups also tend to have a more positive attitude toward physical activity, a shared experience of wellness, and say they feel less lonely and isolated. Taking regular walks can also be a catalyst for adopting other healthy behaviours. The research evidence suggests people enjoy attending walking groups and appear less likely to drop out than many other forms of activity.”

Get outdoors

The social benefits of walks appear to be amplified when they are taken out in nature instead of in a gym or at a track, even helping to ameliorate depression and stress.

Researchers at the University of Michigan found that outdoor group walking significantly boosted mood and improved walkers’ sense of well-being. Senior author Sara Warber, M.D., associate professor of family medicine at the U-M Medical School and member of the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, studied nearly 2,000 people participating in walks through the Walking for Health program in England. This program organizes over 70,000 walkers into 3,000 walks annually.

Warber pointed out the high return on investment when joining a walking group, specifically one that meets outdoors, saying:

“Walking is an inexpensive, low risk and accessible form of exercise and it turns out that combined with nature and group settings, it may be a very powerful, under-utilized stress buster. Our findings suggest that something as simple as joining an outdoor walking group may not only improve someone’s daily positive emotions but may also contribute a non-pharmacological approach to serious conditions like depression.”

Celebrate success

Whether it is months in existence, miles walked, or some other goal reached, take some time to celebrate. And, after several walks, take some time to figure out what is working and what needs work in your walking program.

What other tips do you have for getting started with a walking program for lower back pain?

We spend over half of our lives split between full-time work (2,000 hours) and eight hours of nightly sleep (2,920). The other 44% of our life may be spent running errands and taking care of our families. But when is there time to take care of ourselves? The good news is that it is easy to fit exercise in at work during those 40 hours, regardless of what you do. And that small amount of time can significantly decrease the back and neck pain you’re experiencing at your office job. Here are 14 ways to get more and better exercise at work.

1. Start with your commute

The average commuter spends nearly 100 hours a year commuting to work. The majority of commuters travel less than ten miles to work.

Easily increase exercise in your workday by walking or biking to work. Not only are you doing something great for your health, but you are also one less frustrated commuter on the road, and one car less pollution in the world.

2. Take phone calls standing up

If most of your day is spent tethered to a phone, use that time as a great way to log some miles on the Fitbit. Wear a path in your office carpet as you stroll while you talk.

3. Take the stairs

Getting more exercise at work may be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

4. Take bathroom breaks on another floor

If possible, increase your stair use by utilizing the restroom on a different floor (or all the way down in the lobby). While this may be an unusual way to add exercise, think of it as something else you are doing for your health.

5. Use the printer that is farthest away from you

If your work uses networked printing, choose the printer farthest from your office. Every time you print you get a chance to stand up and move your body.

6. Hold walking meetings

Meetings may be a necessary evil at your workplace, but they don’t have to do harm to your exercise routine.

Walking meetings are excellent especially for one-on-one meetings that are held to generate ideas or discuss options (two things that may not require written notes). Research is beginning to prove the theory that exercise boosts creativity, and walking meetings can help reap that benefit.

7. Do chair yoga

If you must remain seated during the day, or if pain or injury prevents you from too much standing activity, chair yoga is a great way to gradually build strength and endurance. A few simple exercises can get you started. Move on to more advanced, flowing sequences as you gain strength.

8. Use a standing desk

Sitting down is epidemic in U.S. culture, and it is easy to remedy. Standing up on a regular basis (at least ten minutes every hour) is one way to reverse the ill effects of sitting, or you could simply get rid of your chair altogether in favor of a standing desk. While working at a standing desk may be tiring at first, your body will begin to adjust until sitting become the uncomfortable part of the day!

9. Use a treadmill desk

Treadmill desks take standing desks one step further (pun intended!). While they do take some getting used to, treadmill desks allow you to stroll as you work.

Speeds are variable, so it may take some adjusting to find the one that allows you to work without worrying about what your legs are doing.

10. Swap your chair for an exercise ball

If possible, swapping your standard office chair for an exercise ball is a nearly effortless way to add exercise to your day.

Balancing on an exercise ball requires core engagement and proper posture. These two actions help to strengthen your body while you sit. Bouncing lightly keeps your leg muscles active, too, and you can always use the ball for a quick set of pushups or sit-ups if the impulse strikes.

11. Deliver your message personally

Have a quick memo to email to colleagues in the office? Skip the email. Walk to deliver your message instead. While this may take more time than simply typing out what you want to say, walking through the office gives you a chance to stand up and move around.

Figure out the most essential information you need to convey, and deliver your message quickly so as not to disrupt too much (or get sidetracked).

12. Keep free weights handy

Having one or two free weights in your office can help you exercise easily.

Plan on a daily number of repetitions, then check them off as you are able to do them. Complete one set of arm curls when you are on the phone, then do the next set before you head out for lunch.

13. Go for a bike ride… without leaving your office

Researchers at the University of Iowa provided workers with portable pedaling devices and found that everyone who used them lost more weight, missed less work due to sick days, and reported better concentration.

The study noted that design of the devices was crucial, as was the privacy of the exercise itself (i.e., a pedaling device hidden under a desk rather than a very visible office exercise space). Portable pedaling devices are a much more affordable, accessible, and sustainable way to get regular exercise at work than a high-end employee gym. You may even be able to cover the cost with a flexible spending account!

14. Split your lunch break in half

Do you normally take an entire hour for lunch, running errands while eating on the go or eating mindlessly while surfing the internet on your phone? Try something new. Start your lunch break by drinking a big glass of water then heading out for a brisk walk (rain or shine). Finish your break in good conversation with your coworkers as you sit down and eat lunch.

Turn off your phone, save the errands for later, and really pay attention to your food and your company. Fitness is just as much about the mental and emotional components of health as the physical. This routine at least two or three times a week can boost energy, improve physical fitness, and help you to focus more as you move through your day.

Does it work? 

Recognizing that many workers are struggling to meet the demands of their jobs and families and still take care of themselves, many companies have begun instituting workplace wellness programs. These can be anything from gym facilities in the workplace to group runs and walks and long-term paid maternity and paternity leave.

While some workplace wellness programs have struggled to take hold, there is increasing evidence that including exercise in workers’ daily lives is the key to happy, healthy employees.

What the research says about workplace wellness programs 

A case study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, the official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM), found that one company’s quest to improve employee mental and physical wellness resulted in decreased healthcare costs and increased productivity.

The company, which is not named in the study, implemented various workplace wellness programs over five years as they moved to a consumer-driven health plan in accordance with the Affordable Care Act. Wellness offerings included on-site workout facilities and programs for smoking cessation and weight loss.

The 2,000 employees included in the data showed a significant increase in wellbeing over the five years, with an increase on the wellbeing index of over 13%. Significant decreases were found in important health measures also, including:

• Healthcare costs: Down 5.2%
• Obesity rates: Down 4.8%
• Smoking rates: Down 9.7%

In addition, productivity increased and worker absenteeism dropped.

How much do these programs cost? 

While the full implementation of the Affordable Care Act may have resulted in increased costs for both employers and employees, including a workplace wellness program for the company in the study actually reduced the overall costs. Aaron Wells, PhD, of Healthways, Inc., in Franklin, Tennessee and the author of the study pointed out that spending the extra money on these programs benefits everyone, saying:

“Transitioning to a CDHP combined with a robust well-being improvement strategy is an effective means for both employer and employees to benefit. Both entities save money and are more productive as a result.”

How to make a workplace wellness program stick 

All of the positive workplace wellness programs in the world won’t help if employees do not utilize them.

Employers are trying to find ways to help encourage employees to take advantage of wellness programs, and one study published in International Journal of Workplace Health Management may have found a way to do that: implement a health code of conduct.

Health code of conduct

This small-scale study surveyed 157 people regarding their attitudes towards a workplace health code of conduct. Essentially, this health code of conduct would be signed upon hiring. Lead author and doctoral candidate Rebecca Robbins described the health code, saying,

“[It is] a contract that employees sign at the start of employment to opt into a work culture that promotes and rewards employee health and wellness through monetary rewards, such as prescription discounts and reduced co-pays, and through recognition programs.”

Co-author Brian Wansink, director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab and author of Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life notes:

“Rewarding employees for complying with health initiatives can be as easy as lowering co-pays, offering prescription discounts, vacation days, and vaccinations. Offering recognition is also a great way to show employees that their health and wellbeing are valued by the company.”

Start at the beginning 

Another study conducted by the U.S Department of Labor found that the most effective workplace wellness programs started at the hiring date to tailor their programs to the employees. Eighty percent of the companies in this study screened employees prior to or just after hiring and then selected workplace wellness programs targeting specific health issues.

Companies then offered two types of preventive interventions:

• Primary prevention: This type of program focuses on lifestyle changes to promote wellness among employees with risk factors for conditions such as diabetes
• Secondary prevention: Secondary prevention helps employees improve disease management for a condition they already have

Workplace wellness programs in this study varied widely, with most employers offering smoking cessation; weight loss or weight management; targeted education and activities for diabetes, heart disease, and mental health; and other interventions like onsite vaccinations and healthy food options at the company cafeteria.

This study found that those who participated in the workplace wellness programs offered by their employers improved their health dramatically, but there is one issue: few employees in the study took advantage of the programs offered. Just 46% of new hires opted in to a screening process for the wellness programs, and of those, less than 20% chose to participate.

How can these programs help in your efforts 

Lack of participation in workplace wellness programs has been an ongoing problem since their beginning, and can affect how your own exercise efforts go.

A Gallup-Healthways poll found that the disconnect may be between the employees and the program designers. In the U.S., 85% of employers have workplace wellness programs in place, yet less than 25% of employees actively and regularly participate in them.

The poll suggests that the missing link may be employee managers, those people with direct, daily contact with and influence on workers. Employee-manager relations plays a strong role in employee wellbeing.

Another Gallup poll asked whether or not employees felt that their manager cared about their wellbeing. Those who answered positively had fewer sick days, were more productive, and changed jobs less frequently than those who did not feel cared for by their direct supervisors.

The end result is that workplace wellness programs are an affordable and effective way to increase employee health and wellbeing, but only if they are implemented effectively and utilized by employees.

How do you get in more exercise at work? Doing so is the first step in reducing aches and pains from a desk job. 

By now we all know that exercise is great for the body. After all, it increases strength, stamina, and longevity; reduces obesity; and reduces the risk of mortality from disease like diabetes and heart disease. It’s also one of the most important treatment aspects for chronic pain patients. New findings are going deeper than that, connecting the mind with the body and elaborating on the benefits of exercise and the brain. For example, can exercise make you smarter?

What do we know about exercise and the brain? 

For a long time, the link between exercise and the brain has been explored, but only on a small scale. It is well-documented that the brain releases a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This works to calm and relax you after exercise. Additionally, the longer you exercise and the higher the level of intensity, the more likely that endorphins, or feel-good hormones, will be released. These also produce a feeling of well-being.

What other benefits are there for exercise and the brain?

1. Improves memory and overall brain function

Aerobic exercise like running, dancing, bike riding, fast walking, and swimming appear to increase connections in the temporal lobe, the area of the brain that decreases reaction times and promotes vocabulary acquisition.

Other neuroprotective benefits of exercise on the brain include:

• Better memory storage (also related to an increase in the size of the temporal lobe)
• Release of endorphins in the pituitary gland
• Increased level of brain-derived neurotropic factor (maintains and creates adult nerve cells)

Kids who exercise regularly also get a better night’s sleep, which is closely correlated with better performance in school.

2. Boosts brain function

The University of British Columbia found that sweaty, heart-pumping cardiovascular exercise appeared to increase the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain associated with learning and memory. This result was not found through toning and balance exercises alone.

The benefits of cardiovascular exercise on the brain include decreasing inflammation, fighting insulin resistance, and promoting the release of growth factors in the brain. These growth factors help to build more blood vessels and keep existing brain cells strong and healthy.

Dr. Scott McGinnis, a neurologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an instructor in neurology at Harvard Medical School, pointed out that this can occur at any age:

“Even more exciting is the finding that engaging in a program of regular exercise of moderate intensity over six months or a year is associated with an increase in the volume of selected brain regions.”

3. Keeps the brain young

Didn’t exercise enough in your youth? No matter. A research article in the open access journal PLOS Biology has found that long-term aerobic activity started in middle age can help protect your brain from age-related deterioration. The efforts of exercise and the brain health last a lifetime.

Gareth Howell, Ileana Soto and their colleagues at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine gave mice a running wheel at 12 months of age (the equivalent of middle age) and then examined their brains at 18 months. Eighteen months in mice is an equivalent human age of about 60. And, this is when Alzheimer’s and other dementia conditions begin to appear.

Each mouse ran approximately two miles a night, and the changes were profound. Older mice spontaneously acted in the way that younger mice would. It seems that regular, long-term aerobic exercise increases the strength of the blood-brain barrier. Age-related deficits in this barrier have been identified as key causes of dementia. Aerobic exercise appears to strengthen this barrier and keep the brain’s structures young and healthy.

Dr. Howell, one of the study’s authors, elaborated on the benefits of exercise on the brain, even for those who are unable to exercise, noting:

“In this day and age, with so many distractions and conveniences, it is easy to fall into a lifestyle that does not include enough exercise. With an aging population, I hope our study helps in encouraging a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise. For those that are unfortunately unable to exercise, our study provides insight into a possible mechanism by which exercise may benefit the aging brain and may one day lead to improved treatments for age-related cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.”

4. Prevents mental disorders

A study conducted by researchers from Faculty of Sciences for Physical Activity (INEF) and Sport at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) in collaboration with the European University (UEM) found that adults in Spain who regularly participated in physical activity had better mental health than those who did not.

The study looked at people aged 15 to 74, using version two of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. This assesses frequency, intensity, and duration of participants’ physical activity. The General Health Questionnaire was then used to evaluate mental health. These two tools in combination were able to ascertain mental disorders and psychological morbidity.

Researchers found that the risk of mental health disorders was reduced by between 54 and 56% among those participants who were deemed “sufficiently active.” The study authors believe that although exactly how this connection is made is still unclear, the connection itself is clear enough to affect recommendations for treatment of mental health disorders.

5. Makes your brain more agile 

Researchers in Finland, a country with one of the best school systems in the world, have begun to examine the connection between physical activity, academic achievement, and the way these two are linked. The project is called Active, Fit, and Smart (AFIS), and its goal is to:

“…explore how physical activity and fitness are linked to academic achievement, cognitive functions, brain properties and executive functions at different ages, both in children and adults.”

Tuija Tammelin heads the project through Finland’s research program The Future of Learning Knowledge and Skills. There are three subprojects in this study. The first subproject looks at how physical fitness affects learning, cognition, and academic achievement at all stages of a person’s life. It will be longer in scope, using cohort studies to examine the connections, either positive or negative.

The second subproject will look at how the structural integrity and function of the brain is affected by either lifelong physical activity or inactivity. The final project will use animal models for a physical examination of the brain. This will look at both intrinsic (already existing) and acquired levels of fitness to see what the physical structures are.

Researchers hope that examining large data sets on multiple levels in an interdisciplinary manner will yield conclusive information on physical activity’s effect on memory, attention, information processing, and problem solving. Nineteen teams will look at 11 different projects between 2014 and 2017. These projects should provide baseline data on how physical activity affects the brain. Educators, researchers, parents, and anyone else who works with learners of any age should benefit from these research findings.

How to get started with exercise

The best news regarding the benefits of exercise on the brain is that it is never too late to start. The majority of research points to aerobic exercise as the best way to exercise for the brain. In other words, while yoga and other meditative types of exercise can boost mindfulness and keep you calm, it may not be the best way to improve brain health. Mix in some cardiovascular workouts to increase brain strength.

A few good guidelines for finding exercises that benefit the brain include:

• Aim to get sweaty with an elevated heart rate during your workout, no matter what you choose.
• Exercise for at least 30 minutes daily.
• Timing is everything. If you exercise before work you may feel more relaxed and better able to handle the stresses of the day.
• If you find yourself getting bored with repetitive workouts like running or biking, try some circuit training at the gym. This moves you quickly through weight-bearing exercises that get you sweaty but don’t give you time to lose interest.
• Never underestimate the power of jumping jacks. If you find yourself feeling fuzzy-brained or mentally exhausted, stand up and do enough jumping jacks to get your heart moving. You may find this brief aerobic exercise offers enough of a mental and physical boost to get you through the day. This can be especially helpful between 2 and 4 pm, when most people experience a dip in energy.

The benefits of exercise on the brain are clear. Do you exercise your body to help your brain?

If getting to the gym is preventing you from working out, forget the gym and workout anyway! If you don’t want to exercise outdoors, get sweaty right in your living room, no fancy gym equipment required. Your own body weight easily provides all the strength training you need. And, exercise can help you reduce pain and get back to your life. Here are a few of the best ways to develop a home exercise program as a pain patient.

1. Turn your own neighborhood into Muscle Beach

Have you ever been to the famed original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica where parallel bars, rings, and other oceanside gymnastic equipment has been attracting gymnasts and body builders for decades?

If your city doesn’t quite have its own muscle beach, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create your own. Warm up by taking a jog to your neighborhood park where a workout could transition into pushups and lunges, perhaps using playground equipment to practice pull-ups.

2. Just dance

This one might be for the ladies, but gentlemen, feel free to give it a try. Turn on your favorite upbeat tunes for the most fun home exercise program—using YouTube videos or streaming music from Spotify if you don’t have much of a collection—and just dance. Jump up and down, shake those hips, and let it all go. You’re never too old or too young to have fun and dance.

Dance for five minutes, ten minutes, or longer, depending on how you feel. This is not only a great workout, but also a great stress reliever. Have fun!

3. Internet home workouts

Thanks to Internet-accessible cell phones, tablets, and laptop computers, you can access the world’s top trainers anywhere to create the best home exercise program. On YouTube, you’ll find a range of free workout videos that range from dance to cardio to strength building.

Other video workout sites include Grokker.com, which also offers free exercise videos, although signing up is required. Paid options include CodyApp, through which you can buy online streaming workouts and gain access to them for life. Choose from videos focusing on weight loss, strength building, yoga, or functional fitness and access them from your cell phone or computer any place that has Internet access.

4. Build muscle using body weight

Using the body’s own weight during a strength building circuit is an easy, fun way to stay fit. Feel free to get creative, using the stairs to assist with pushups, or doing lunges in your backyard or living room. Here’s a sample home exercise program you can try.

Pushups

Why buy expensive fitness equipment when one of the best ways to exercise is to use your own body weight? Pushups are a perfect example of this. If you aren’t able to do a full one, try bending the knees and placing them on the floor to provide added support, or try the stair push-up mentioned earlier.

Planks

A great core strengthener and fitness move is plank pose. This shape resembles the top of a pushup. Keep the hands underneath the shoulders, legs extended behind you, toes tucked under to support the legs. Distribute pressure evenly through the hands, making sure not to dump all the weight into the wrists. Engage the abdomen, tucking the pelvis slightly to keep the body in a straight line.

Stay here for 30 seconds to three minutes. To modify this pose, rest on the forearms instead of using straight arms.

Leg lifts

Another good exercise to strengthen the outer leg and hips is leg lifts. Come into all fours, hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Stretch the left leg straight behind you until it’s in line with the rest of the body. Hold for a breath or two before releasing and switching to the opposite leg.

To increase the strength-building aspect of this move, lift the alternate arm along with the leg—so you would extend the right arm with the left leg and vice versa—extending both limbs in a straight line with the body before lowering to the floor. Repeat ten times.

Wall squat

Next, work the legs and glutes with a wall squat or yoga’s chair pose. For people with limited strength and mobility, it is best to use a wall.

Stand a few feet away from the wall, and press your sit bones back. Use the leverage of your glutes against the wall to lean your back flat against it. Step your feet a few more inches out until your knees are in line with your ankles. Lower down to make the thighs as parallel to the floor as possible. Stay here for a few breaths, as long as you can, and then gently walk your feet back towards the wall and come out of the pose.

For chair pose, start from standing. Inhale, lift your arms up as you bend your knees, sticking the sit bones out behind you. Lower down as much as feels comfortable, keeping your heart open and arms reaching in one strong straight line towards the sky. Stay here for a few breaths and release. Repeat if desired.

Triceps dip

Find a step, bench, or other elevated surface. Standing with your back facing the step, bend the knees until the hands are able to grasp the edge. Keep the fingers facing forward, bend the elbows to 90 degrees, keeping a line that extends straight back from the shoulders, not allowing the elbows to cave in or splay out.

Lower down, allowing the triceps to take the weight, before lifting back up to starting position. Repeat ten times.

Jumping jacks or rope

You might not have done jumping jacks since high school physical education, but they’re still one of the best ways to get your heart pumping. Be sure to wear supportive shoes and go for it. Start with the feet together and hands by the sides, then in a jump, spread the feet apart and lift the hands up high. Jumping again, come back to center and repeat 10 or 20 times.

To spice up your jumping, you may also opt for a jump rope. This works your heart and lungs along with your muscle coordination, giving the brain a workout, too.

Bicycle

This one works the abs and core. Coming onto the back, bend the knees so they rise directly above the hips. Bend the arms and rest the hands onto the back of the head.

Extend the right leg straight keeping it off the ground, twisting the torso and gently lifting the abdomen, pressing the right elbow toward the bent left knee. Switch to the other side, extending the left leg as you bring the right leg back in, rotating the arm position.

Repeat the bicycle for one to three minutes, taking your time to breathe and support the body with core muscles. Hold the head gently and without pressure, using the abdominal muscles to curl up instead of the head.

5. Use your own household objects

If you’re looking to turn your home into a fitness wonderland without spending a lot of money, it’s completely possible with a little creativity. Everyday objects that you might never have imagined could be used to build strength and flexibility hold the key to your greater health and well-being. Once you learn how to view everyday, home objects as tools for enhanced fitness, you’ll likely see potential everywhere you look. No one said a home exercise program had to be expensive!

Canned food

Canned beans or soups effortlessly become light weights, perfect for building biceps and triceps. It may feel funny at first to grip such a wide object, but you’ll soon grow accustomed to it. The small weight is perfect for those just starting to build strength.

Stairs

Stairs provide such a sweat-inducing workout that even gyms have stair-masters. Why pay for an expensive fitness membership when you likely have stairs right in your own home?

The easiest way to work out with stairs is to simply run or walk up and down them multiple times. The recommended number of intervals varies depending on the number of stairs and your level of physical health. Try continuing until you feel sweaty, or at the very least, like you’ve physically exerted yourself.

Another stair exercise features a modified pushup. Come into the top of a push up, placing your hands on the edge of a stair close to the floor and extend your legs, tucking your toes under. From here, do as many pushups as possible. The incline dilutes the effects of gravity, making it easier for you.

Scarf or tie

If you’re getting started with yoga, you will find a belt or towel handy to substitute as a strap. Straps are essential for beginners, helping to make poses more accessible.

Starting an online yoga class and hearing the instructor mention that you’ll need a strap could be a buzzkill for your fledgling effort to practice. Instead, use a belt, tie, or even a scarf, anything you can wrap around your body and grab onto.

Books

Another prop commonly used in yoga are blocks. Blocks are typically placed on the ground, elevating it and making it easier to reach in some postures. Not having a block could affect your ability to do a full practice, but books will save the day.

Stack a few to reach a good height—this may take some experimentation—and practice away. The stack of books may not be as mobile as a block, but it will do the trick just as well.

Blanket

Yet another easy-to-find home item, this is another great yoga prop. Blankets can be used for restorative yoga poses or yin postures that are held for long periods of time. If you’ve never tried this type of practice, it’s wonderful for reducing stress and anxiety and cultivating deeper feelings of self-love and peace.

Thick and thin blankets both have their place. A thick blanket is a great substitute for a bolster, a prop that’s generally used to drape the torso over in, for example, forward folds. Meanwhile, a thin blanket is great for rolling up and placing underneath the shoulder blades to support the back in a passive backbend. It also makes a great cushion to sit on during meditation.

6. Go to bed

The best thing about body weight fitness is that you can do it from bed at home. Getting your blood flowing while still warm under the covers is a great way to start the morning. First, wake up all the joints by rolling your wrists in one direction, and then the other. Then, move to the ankles, rolling them in both directions five or six times each way.

To work the stomach, lie on your back and bend one leg, pressing the knee into the belly. Gently extend the leg to meet the other at the starting position. Then alternate, bending the opposite knee and bringing it knee into the belly. Continue like this in a crawl motion, possibly placing your hands under the small of your back for added support.

Get started with your home exercise program

Before starting any home exercise program, it’s important to talk to your pain doctor. They’ll help you avoid any exercises that could cause more pain, and can suggest exercises that can help.

A home exercise program doesn’t need to litter your house with unnecessary equipment. And, it doesn’t have to be expensive. You can create a quick adaptable home exercise program that fits your lifestyle. Hit the comments now to share any of your advice for creating a home exercise program as a pain patient.

The best exercises for sciatica leg pain include stretches that can relieve tightness, yoga poses to reduce tension, and cardio activities like dancing and walking. Learn more about how you can start incorporating these exercises for sciatica leg pain into your daily routine to help you relieve your pain.

Performing exercises for sciatica leg pain

Before getting started on exercises for sciatica leg pain, it’s important to have a really good understanding of what sciatica is and how it’s different from more general types of leg pain or tightness. As some of our presenters of sciatica leg pain exercises will point out, often people believe they have sciatica when it’s actually just tightness in the piriformis muscle.

What is sciatica? 

Sciatica is a pain symptom that is felt when the sciatic nerve is irritated or inflamed. Since the sciatic nerve runs all the way down the spinal cord and the legs, the pain follows and may be felt as tingling or numbness in the legs and feet, as well as pain up through the lower back and buttocks. This pain is normally caused by a herniated or slipped disc that impact the sciatic nerve.

Sciatica pain can also be caused by:

• Extreme forms of chronic lower back pain
• Pinched nerves
• Spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal that can put pressure on the nerves
• Piriformis syndrome, spasms in the piriformis muscle
• Spondylolisthesis, vertabrae that slip one over the other

Unfortunately, for many people today, sciatica pain can be exacerbated by long bouts of sitting. While there are multiple treatment options, the first preventative step for many office workers is to remain as active as  possible during the day and to take short breaks from sitting.

Other simple changes can also have a big impact on sciatica pain, including exercises for sciatica leg pain which we’ll discuss shortly. Other options include proper eating, massages, or physical therapy. Alternative therapies like yoga and acupuncture have also been shown to help people with sciatica pain. People with more advanced sciatica pain may be able to find some relief with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like aspirin or ibuprofen, or interventional procedures like epidural steroid injections, Botox injections, spinal cord stimulation, or intrathecal pump implants.

With any form of pain, it’s best to talk with your pain doctor before undergoing any new treatment. This includes exercises for sciatica leg pain. He or she can help you find the best options for your pain symptoms.

You can learn more about sciatica by watching the video below.

What is leg pain? 

More general types of leg pain may strike in any part of the lower limb, from the hip to the knee, calf, and on down to the ankle. Causes of leg pain vary greatly, and may be attributed to an acute injury or more serious underlying condition, including sciatica. Types of pain and prognosis vary depending on the cause. As we’ll see, leg pain that occurs in the hips, knees, and ankles are often attributable to other underlying conditions–not sciatica.

Leg pain in the hip

Hip pain is hard to ignore since it can linger and make walking difficult. The hip, formed by a ball-and-socket joint, is built to support our bodies as they run, jump, and walk through life. However, over time, the cartilage that cushions the hip and helps it move smoothly erodes.

This weakened cartilage may lead to arthritis, which causes inflammation and pain. For many people, pain might be the first symptom that arthritis has developed. Pain associated with arthritis feels dull or aching. It may feel worse in the morning and decrease during the day as activity levels increase. Finding a balance in activity may help manage hip pain since vigorous activities like running have been known to exacerbate it, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

Hip pain may also result from tendinitis, a painful, inflammatory condition typically caused by muscle overuse. Tendons are strong, thick bands of tissue that hold bones and muscles together. Fractures are another potential cause of hip pain, but most frequently occur in elderly people or those with osteoporosis, a condition of thinned bones.

Leg pain in the knee

The knee is the largest joint in the body. It connects the lower leg bones—the tibia and the fibula—with the upper leg bone, or the femur. The knee achieves this monumental task with a network of tendons, ligaments, and muscles. The knee also has a cartilage cap, making this joint also susceptible to the pain of arthritis.

Knees absorb the shock of impact from walking and running, and they frequently break falls while playing sports or just living life. The knee was the joint people most commonly reported as causing pain in a 2006 CDC survey.

While the knee can develop arthritis or other problems resulting in pain, most knee pain is caused by injuries, according to WebMD. Injuries may result from a fall or abnormal twisting of the leg. Parts of the knee susceptible to damage include the meniscus, a tough, rubbery cushion located between the femur and tibia. The tibia is also known as the shinbone. Older people who have weakened cartilage may also tear the meniscus.

Many times, the telltale sign of a meniscus tear is a popping noise. Pain and swelling will continue for several days. Treatment may include rest, ice, and elevation, although surgery is sometimes necessary for more serious tears. The knee may also become swollen or tender from overuse. Tendonitis, strains, and sprains can cause knee pain as they can with other joints in the body.

Leg pain in the ankle

The ankle is a complex cluster of joints and bones that’s responsible for joining the foot to the leg. It bends and turns with an astonishing range of flexibility, but even the mighty ankle succumbs to pain.

A frequent cause of ankle pain is sprain. Sprains may happen from daily activities or from a wrong turn or fall while playing sports or going for a hike. In sprains, the ankle turns or twists in an abnormal direction, resulting in the ligaments sustaining small tears. Symptoms include swelling, bruising, and difficulty walking.

About 40% of people who sprain their ankles develop chronic pain, even after the injury heals, according to a study published in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons journal. Researchers said these individuals may have torn ankle tendons. Symptoms include pain that doesn’t respond to treatment and pain outside the ankle or behind it.

Arthritis may also develop in the ankle as age wears down the bone and cartilage during daily use. Symptoms of arthritis in the ankle include stiffness, swelling, and difficulty walking. Treatment may include physical therapy, custom shoes, or weight control.

Other causes of leg pain

Other leg pain causes may include:

• Leg cramps: Muscle cramps come on quickly and frequently leave just as fast. Causes may include dehydration or depleted levels of important minerals such as potassium, magnesium, sodium, or calcium. Some medicines, including diuretics or stratins, may cause leg cramps. Another frequent cause is muscle fatigue from overuse or staying in one position for too long.
• Tumors: Although most leg pain is due to injury or arthritis, sometimes leg pain signals a more serious medical condition that requires urgent medical attention. Some bone cancers such as osteosarcoma or Ewing sarcoma result in leg pain. Benign tumors, so called because they’re not cancerous and not fatal, may also grow in the leg and cause pain.
• Blood clots: Blood clots in the legs may also result in pain. Atherosclerosis, the medical term for hardening of the arteries, is the same process that leads to a heart attack, but it can also occur in the leg. Years of fat and cholesterol buildup in the arteries and lead to hard plaque deposits, making it difficult for blood to flow. In addition to pain or discomfort, symptoms include fatigue and achiness.

If you’ve ruled out these leg pain causes and identified sciatica as a source of your pain, it’s time to get started with some exercises for sciatica leg pain.

10 stretches for sciatica leg pain

If your sciatica pain starts from the moment you wake up, try one of these six exercises for sciatica leg pain you can do in bed. Prevention.com shows how to perform each stretch safely and effectively.

If you’re looking for a deeper stretch, try one of the following stretches for sciatica leg pain.

1. Leg up the wall stretch

Dr. Paula Moore gives a quick stretch you can do anywhere in her short video.

2. Low lunge

This classic pose gently stretches the hip flexors. This is a good stretch to help the body relax. Only go so deep into the pose as feels comfortable for you.

1. Come to a kneeling position. Send the right leg in front of you, coming into a low runner’s lunge. If the knee feels any strain, fold up a blanket and use it for support.
2. Adjust your stance as desired. The lunge can be a long or short one, whichever feels best for you.
3. Place the hands on the knee, or if it feels good, lift the arms overhead, breathing into the space behind the heart. Stay here for five to seven breaths, enjoying a gentle opening down the hip flexor and spine.
4. Relax and repeat on the other side.

3. Seated hip stretch

This is another classic pose that’s easy to do just about anywhere (even the break room!). Morgan Sutherland at Mind Body Green gives a breakdown and illustration of this sciatica stretch.

4. Foam roller for sciatica pain

This rolling sciatica exercise from Prevention.com is great for opening up the hips and easing pain.

Link to Video

4 yoga poses for sciatica leg pain

When exercises for sciatica leg pain are discussed, yoga is one of the first practices that’s mentioned. And there’s a reason.

People who sit a lot tend to have short, weak hip flexors, so stretching and strengthening helps restore them to better health. Focusing on hip flexor strength and flexibility can help reduce leg and sciatica pain. Yoga does just that. Yoga is a practice of cultivating balance, emphasizing both stretching and strengthening to ensure the muscles become as healthy as possible.

1. Pigeon pose

Healthline.com pulls together multiple examples of how to do this deeply therapeutic pose. Pigeon pose is one of those exercises for sciatica leg pain that can be modified for any person. The most gentle variation is shown below in the GIF Healthline created to illustrate this pose.

2. Extended hand-to-big-toe pose (utthita hasta padangusthasana)

This pose may seem difficult, but it can be modified for any level of ability. It’s excellent for building hip flexor strength, improving balance, and increasing hamstring flexibility.

1. Stand tall, with both feet on the ground, hands by your side. Keep the spine nice and long and press all four corners of the feet into the floor.
2. Press weight into the left foot, firmly rooting down. Bend the right knee and lift it up towards the stomach, keeping the foot flexed and parallel to the floor. Stay here for a breath.
3. If it feels good, clasp your right big toe between your index and middle fingers from the inside of your leg. Begin to straighten the right leg so it’s parallel to the floor. It’s okay to straighten the leg halfway, with a bend still in the knee. Just make sure your back doesn’t hunch forward. Stay as tall as possible.
4. If you need to modify this yoga pose for sciatica leg pain, try a strap. Wrap the strap around the ball of the right foot and use it as an extension of your arm. Likewise, an even more gentle variation is to do this pose with a something to rest your foot on, like a tall chair or stool.
5. Wherever you are in this posture, keep your shoulders firmly on your back. Find a steady point of focus to help you balance.
6. Stay for three to five breaths, simply returning to the posture if you fall out, before repeating on the other side.

3. Boat pose (navasana)

Boat pose is a wonderful strengthener for the entire core. Strengthening the core can help with reducing the tension in your legs. Again, the full pose can be a little intense, but many modifications are available to make this pose suitable for every body.

1. Start from a seated position, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor in front of you. Place your hands on the floor by your sit bone.
2. Lift one leg up so the calf is parallel to the ground. The first option is to stay here for a couple of breaths before lowering down and repeating on the other side. Or, if that feels good…
3. Lift the second leg up and keep both legs raised simultaneously for about five breaths. Rest and repeat three more times. Leave the hands resting on the floor or extend them straight past the knees. If you’d like a little more…
4. Straighten the legs, coming into the full pose, which resembles a V-shape. Keep the spine long with the arms extended straight past the knees. If it feels like too much, don’t be afraid to back out of it and return to the bent-leg version, also known as half-boat, or ardha navasana.

Yoga Journal provides a more in-depth explanation of this yoga pose for sciatica pain.

4. Tiger pose (vyaghrasana)

This gentle movement stretches and strengthens the hip flexors while also strengthening the lower back, making it a highly effective back strengthening exercise for sciatica pain.

1. Come to all fours, with the knees underneath the hips and wrists underneath the shoulders. Press firmly down into the finger pads, taking the weight out of the wrist. If the knees hurt, place a rolled-up blanket underneath them for padding.
2. Extend your right leg straight behind you. If it’s possible, also extend the left arm in front of you.
3. Bend the right leg and bring the knee toward the forehead. If you’re using your arms as well, bring the elbow and knee to touch or as close as possible.
4. Maintain the movement, expanding and contracting, in concert with the breath. Continue about five or six times, breathing nice, long, and deep, before switching to the other side.

2 of the best exercises for sciatica leg pain

After you’ve tried stretches and yoga poses for your pain, try out one of these more fun cardio exercises for sciatica leg pain.

1. Dance!

Most of the recommendations to reduce leg and sciatica pain don’t sound very fun, but we’ve got a very special one that’s sure to put a smile on your face and joy in your heart: dancing! That’s right, research has discovered that dancing the night away—or the afternoon for that matter—is a highly effective way to reduce pain and get your groove back. It’s why it’s one of our favorite exercises for sciatica leg pain.

The research behind dancing for leg pain

Researchers at Saint Louis University Medical Center examined senior citizens living in an age-restricted apartment complex. Most residents were women with an average age of 80. All the study participants reported stiffness or pain in their hips or knees, and most of that discomfort was related to arthritis. The specific type of dance used in the program was customized for the needs of people with hip or leg pain.

Researchers noted that dancing was a wonderful way to help seniors become more agile and increase the pace of their walking. Walking speed is important because a gait that’s too slow is considered a risk factor for falling and subsequent injury and hospitalization. Health care professionals consider a person’s walking speed to be a sixth vital sign, researchers said, helping to predict which patients are at high risk for injuries.

But dancing did more than help people walk faster. It also reduced pain and increased quality of life. In the group that danced, people were able to lower the amount of pain medication they took by 39% while people who didn’t dance actually had to increase their pain medicine by 21%. Krampe says:

“Those in the dance group talked about how much they loved it. It’s exercise, but it’s fun… This is not surprising because those in our study are from a generation that loved dancing.”

Dancing is an activity that many younger people do, but with age, those same dance lovers often give it up. But you’re never too old or young to dance. Dancing does more than make you fit and healthy—it makes you smile. In this way, it reduces stress, which can also reduce the amount of pain a person experiences.

Try these types of dancing

If you’d like get into the swing of things, here are some ways to get started.

• Salsa: Salsa is a Latin-themed style of dance, and many classes are held in restaurants and dance centers. Many facilities offer salsa dance socials preceded by lessons, allowing you to learn or fine-tune your skills and then practice and have fun doing the real thing.
• Zumba: Zumba is a popular type of workout that’s infused with Latin-style rhythms. Classes are offered at many gyms. Zumba is also all levels since dancers can move at their own pace and take breaks whenever they’d like to. This is a solo dancing experience, too, making it perfect for those not interested in tangoing with a partner.
• YouTube at home: For a private, no-fear experience, try dancing at home. Let your inhibitions loose and don’t worry about what you look like or even what you’re wearing. YouTube offers many free home workouts that you can try at your own pace, on your own time. From weight loss to cardio dance, YouTube has you covered. Workouts come in a range of lengths, anywhere from ten minutes to 30 and beyond. If you try this option, find a space in your house with hard floors and not carpet. Dancing on carpet can lead to a tweaked knee or ankle since the non-slippery surface inhibits freedom of movement.
• Dancing classes: Dance classes are a bit larger of a commitment because sign-up typically occurs in sessions lasting several weeks. However, lessons are a great way to get out of the house, meet people, and have fun all while dancing and improving your health. Plus, making that commitment could be a good thing, helping you to stick to your newfound hobby long enough to truly decide whether you like it.

2. Walking

Walking is one of the simplest exercises for sciatica leg pain. Even parking the car farther away from your destination or taking a stroll around the block after lunch can provide health benefits, such as as reducing low back pain and lowering the risk of heart disease.

Benefits of walking

One study published in The Lancet found that people who have problems tolerating glucose reduced their risk of heart attack or stroke by walking an additional 2,000 steps per day. That’s about 20 minutes at a moderate pace. The American Heart Association (AHA) considers walking one of the most important things people can do for heart health. The AHA recommends walking for 30 minutes daily, however ten minute walks taken three times a day have the same effect. Every hour of walking helps to increase your life expectancy by two hours, according to the AHA.

Walking also helps to reduce low back pain and sciatica pain. A team of Israeli researchers published a study in Clinical Rehabilitation, revealing that walking two or three times per week for 20 to 40 minutes provides the same amount of lower back relief as specialized physical therapy programs.

Get started

If incorporating 30 minutes of physical activity in your day seems overwhelming, start where you can and progress from there. Incorporating just five minutes of walking into your day helps to create good habits. Once the endorphins from exercise kick in, you might be inspired to move some more!

Tips to get stepping include:

1. Wear a pair of comfortable shoes so your feet have adequate support.
2. Try to walk at the same time every day, possibly after lunch or dinner, to create a habit.
3. Don’t push yourself too hard. If you haven’t exercised for a long time, take it slow and work up to 30 minutes gradually.
4. Recruit a walking buddy. Walking with a friend or loved one provides an added push and makes exercise fun. 

What other exercises for sciatica leg pain have worked for you? If your sciatica pain isn’t relieved by these exercises for sciatica leg pain, it may be time to talk to a pain doctor. They can provide additional treatment options to relieve your pain.

Joint pain can have a negative effect on everyday life, making almost everything you do a painful chore. Knee pain is especially annoying as you are reminded of it each time you get out of bed or simply move from one place to the next. It doesn’t help that knees are the most commonly injured joint on the human body either. That being said, you know how important it is to take care of your knees when they are injured. It is also crucial to know what to avoid and be careful of in your everyday life. But, what exactly can cause chronic knee pain and what knee pain exercises can you do to help?

What puts the pain in knee pain exercises?

Knee pain exercises can really help with long-term pain, but first, it is a good idea to know what kind of pain you are dealing with before you jump into exercising. It is always necessary to consult your doctor before starting any exercise program. This is to ensure you don’t exacerbate the condition. Even if your doctor says it is okay, remember to go slowly at first as going too hard out of the gate on an injured knee can do some serious damage.

Here are some of the most common causes of knee pain:

• Osteoarthritis is what happens as the body ages and wear-and-tear sets in. This type of arthritis is the most common kind in people over 50 and it can cause the knee to swell during periods of activity. However, there are hundreds of kinds of arthritis that can affect the joint health of your body.
• Knee bursitis is another common knee pain condition that comes from overuse or blunt force. This can cause the bursa, the small fluid sacs that cushion the knee joint on the top of the kneecap, to swell leading to intense pain.
• Tearing lower leg muscles can also cause pain, as ligaments such as the anterior cruciate ligament and the medical collateral ligament, make up the tissue that connects the thigh bone to the lower leg. This condition can result in severe knee pain and might require surgery to fix the issue.
• Iliotibial band syndrome is a condition in which the iliotibial band, the long, thick band of tissue running from your hip to your knee, becomes inflamed or swollen. This is generally due to straining the muscle through overuse. This pain usually gets worse with additional movement.
• Broken cartilage can also be an issue. If the knee is struck forcefully enough, the cartilage will splinter apart and a small amount might get stuck in the joint. This leads to pain and swelling in the knee region.

This is not an exhaustive list as there are too many to name, but these are the most likely and common causes of chronic knee pain.

Signs and symptoms of knee pain may vary as well, but overall, the signs that are most likely to indicate knee pain are:

• Swelling, inflammation, and stiffness
• Weakness in the knee muscles
• Popping or crunching noises in the knee

Since we use our knees so much, they definitely need looking after. Over 50 million people suffer from knee pain problems, so you are not alone. Try these 5 knee pain exercises to really stretch out your muscles and help alleviate some of the pain you might experience on a daily basis.

Knee pain exercises to help the pain

As with all exercise and stretching, it is wise to do a brief warm up before you start a routine. Try a brisk walk around the block or ride a stationary bike for five minutes to do so.

Remember that many of the following exercises focus on the muscle groups surrounding your knee. It takes strengthening of all related parts of the knee to truly make a difference in your pain management. Don’t overwork your muscles either. You want to feel a good stretch, but make sure you are not in pain when working your muscles.

1. Straight leg rise

This is a pretty easy and low impact knee pain exercise to do and helps prevent pain by building the quadriceps. Lie down on the ground facing upwards. Bend one knee so you have one foot firmly planted on the ground and then lift the other leg up about a foot. While lifting, turn your foot away from your other leg by 45 degrees. Slowly lower your leg back down. Do 15 of these and then switch legs.

2. Hamstring curls

Tight hamstrings can cause a lot of pain in the knees by limiting range of motion. Start by standing with both hands firmly planted on the back of a chair. Curl your foot up, bringing your heel as close to your backside as possible, and then gently lower it back to the ground. Do this ten times and then switch legs. Try doing three reps to start and add more weight or reps as needed.

3. Calf raises

This exercise lengthens the muscles that support the back of your knee by building your calves. Start by standing and facing a wall. Stretch your arms out so you can just barely touch the wall. Then move your body from standing with flat feet to being on your tiptoes by raising and lowering your heels.

4. Partial squats

Squatting so your thighs are parallel to the ground can be quite a challenge for those with knee pain. So instead, partial squats can be used to strengthen the thighs and glutes, which help support the knee.

While in a standing position, lower your body downwards by bending the knees. Instead of going all the way down, stop around 45 degrees and come back up. Always make sure your knees don’t pass the tip of your toes or you will be putting too much pressure on your joints.

5. Knee flexion

This stretch is great for increasing the range of movement in your knees. Start by sitting on the edge of a chair with your back straight and your feet planted on the ground. Lift one knee straight up and then extend your leg outward. Next, curl your leg back in and gently lower it to the ground. Try ten of these and then switch legs.

What knee pain exercises and stretches do you use to help?

About 36% of all U.S. adults do not exercise during their leisure time, according to research from Florida Atlantic University. That’s a sobering statistic, especially considering the well-known health risks that arise from physical inactivity.

Many common health conditions, including deadly ones, have been linked to a sedentary lifestyle. That includes conditions like back pain, but also more serious ones like heart disease, which is the nation’s top cause of death.

The good news is that this lifestyle behavior is highly modifiable, and taking just a few more steps each day can make a profound difference in your overall level of health.

Increasing physical activity can also help reduce your risk of developing diabetes, colon cancer, osteoporosis-related bone fractures, and hypertension, the Florida researchers said. Physical inactivity even accounts for 5% of breast cancer cases, they added. The compounded effects are gigantic. The researchers said the nation’s sedentary lifestyles account for about 2.4% of all healthcare costs, amounting to $24 billion annually.

Physical inactivity costs the nation $24 million annually and is directly attributable to a large percentage of deaths.

Here’s some good news: walking briskly for 20 minutes each day reduces the risk of heart attack by 30-40%, report the Florida researchers. Dr. Charles H. Hennekens says:

“Unfortunately, most Americans prefer prescription of pills to proscription of harmful lifestyles such as physical inactivity…In general, any (medicine) should be an adjunct, not an alternative, to therapeutic lifestyle changes such as increasing levels of physical activity.”

Other goods news is that exercise is free and comes without harmful side effects, like many pharmaceuticals.

Experts attribute nation’s increase of deadly belly fat to less exercise, not added calories.

Physical inactivity is likely to blame for expanding waistlines in the U.S., according to research from The American Journal of Medicine. Health experts frequently discuss calorie reduction as a way to lose weight, and while eating nutritious food is important, increasing physical activity may be even more important for slimming the belly.

Belly fat is considered especially dangerous because deep, subcutaneous fat can surround the internal organs and impair their ability to function at optimal levels. Belly fat is so lethal that it’s considered an “independent indicator of mortality,” even among people with healthy body weights, researchers said.

The drop-off in physical activity is especially prevalent among young women aged 18 to 39, researchers said. From 1994 to 2010, the number of women in that age group who don’t exercise at all jumped from 19% to nearly 52%. All the while, waistlines have expanded while nutritional habits have not changed significantly. Dr. Uri Ladabuam says:

“The prevalence of abdominal obesity has increased among normal-weight women and overweight women and men.”

Just 30 minutes of exercise six days each week cuts early death risk by 40%.

The misconception is rampant that people must spend hours at the gym to be healthy or that health is about having the perfect body, but those goals, while motivating for some people, actually keep the majority of people from feeling their best.

Health isn’t about being a certain size or looking a certain way, but building more physical activity into your day. You can hit the gym six days each week and maybe you won’t attain the body type you deem “perfect,” but if you exercise consistently, you’ll feel great and probably lose a couple pounds as a bonus.

The dramatic effects of reducing physical inactivity are, for elderly men, as powerful as giving up smoking, according to research from the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The researchers found that just 30 minutes each day, six days each week reduces the risk of early death by 40%.

Although a higher benefit was found among those who participated in more rigorous activities like competitive sports, protective benefits were also conferred by lighter exercise like going to the gym.

Physical inactivity is linked to lower mental capacity among older adults.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have discovered that physically fit people have more brain activity while at rest. Earlier research had revealed that people who exercise regularly also tend to have healthier brains, with larger volume and more white matter.

This amplified brain activity confers enhanced cognition. The study shows that in the future, it may be possible to determine the level of one’s physical fitness by imaging their brain.

Standardizing residents’ access to health classes and health counseling could cut health care costs.

Canadian researchers from the University of Waterloo have found that offering people standardized services to help them reduce physical inactivity could lower the approximately $7 billion the country spends on health care related to sedentary lifestyles.

The services vary and range from simple efforts like organizing informal walking groups to organizing aerobics classes or offering people health coaching. Researcher Cameron Moore says:

“Physical activity services are certainly part of the broader health promotion picture, but they are unique in their cost-effectiveness and ability to improve health and well-being for all patients, not just those with a chronic condition.”

Since most people first access health care through their primary care provider, researchers said that makes an excellent starting point for talking with patients about the benefits of exercise. It would also be a great place to teach patients how to exercise.

Simple initiatives like hiring exercise specialists to work with patients and help them make needed lifestyle changes could save lives and reduce health care costs, researchers said.

In Ontario, 67 family health teams receive money to pay for these health promotion initiatives, although researchers didn’t examine how this model could translate into the U.S. health care system, which doesn’t have the same standardization of care.

As medicine moves more towards inter-disciplinary care, with doctors and health experts from various fields communicating about the patients in their care, these health promotion roles could take on greater importance while guiding patients through these sometimes difficult, but necessary changes.

Health counselors could help patients better adhere to exercise programs and changes in diet, improving health outcomes and reducing costs.

Why do you think physical inactivity is on the rise?