Weight training has been found in studies to be safe and effective to ease back pain when done appropriately and under the right circumstances.
If you suffer back pain for a long time, your back muscles may lose bulk, become fattier and stiffer, which can lead them to tire more quickly and cause discomfort to intensify.
This soreness and fatigue can develop to a fear of movement, which can lead to back deconditioning and instability.
It's critical to regain movement and strength after a back condition. That promotes tissue repair and will assist you in resuming your normal activities.
You may not be ready to return to your previous exercise levels right away, and progress may be sluggish at first. However, there are several weight training exercises you can do to ease back pain.
Do you want to ease back pain? Try these best weight training exercises
Weight-training workouts can help you enhance your back's health by:
- Increasing the function of your back and core muscles
- Muscle strength improvement
- Increasing the amount of lean muscular mass in your body
- Increasing your spine's range of motion
- Getting rid of excess body fat.
Here are the six best weight training exercises you can do to ease back pain:
1) Leg presses
Leg presses are sitting leg exercises performed on a machine. Leg presses are a good way to strengthen your legs as well as ease back pain, but they can be dangerous if you try to lift too much load or lock your knees.
Here’s how to do it:
- Place your back against a soft headrest and your feet on two big footrests to begin.
- To begin the exercise, bend your knees.
- You must extend your legs and then restore them to their bent posture to transfer the weight.
2) Seated leg curls
The advantages are largely the same whether you do it lying down or sitting down — the leg curl is one of the best ways to strengthen hamstrings as well as ease back pain.
Here’s how to do it:
- When you sit on the machine, adjust the pads so that they rest gently against your lower back.
- Set up the cushioned handle so it rests just below your calves and the lap padding so it sits just above the knees of your thighs.
- Lift your legs firmly across in front of you and grab the machine's side grip.
- Pull the cushioned lever as far as you can with your knees, hold it for a while, then slowly bring it back to you.
3) Bench press
Once you've mastered the fundamental movement of bench press, you'll notice rapid gains in strength and growth in three primary muscle groups: the chest, front shoulders, and triceps. It will also help ease back pain.
Here’s how to do it:
- On the bench, lie flat on your back.
- Grasp the bar with your hands a little wider than shoulder width apart, such that your hands are precisely above your elbows when you're at the bottom of the move.
- As you breathe in, carefully lower the bar to your chest.
- Push up as you exhale, firmly grasping the bar and keeping an eye on a location on the roof instead of the bar to ensure it follows the same course each time.
4) Leg extensions
Leg extension, often known as knee extension, is a weight-training exercise. It's a great way to work on your quadriceps, which are the muscles in the front of your upper legs. It also helps ease back pain.
Here’s how to do it:
- Sit on a machine that extends your legs. Place your legs beneath the pad and your hands on the side bars. This is where you'll begin.
- Extend your legs as far as possible while exhaling. In this contracted position, pause for a second.
- As you inhale, return the weight to its previous place. Make sure your legs do not extend beyond a 90-degree angle.
- Rep until you've completed the required number of reps.
5) Incline press
The incline press, like the bench press, employs a bench with an elevated back that provides an adjustable angle that raises the user's upper body to rest against a slightly inclined bench. This inclination supports your back and helps ease back pain.
Here’s how to do it:
- Adjust the bench to 15–30 degrees incline.
- Place two weights in the grooves of your hips while sitting on the bench.
- Position yourself on the bench with dumbbells and engage your core.
- Dumbbells should be pressed towards the ceiling.
- Lower the dumbbell gradually until your upper arm is just past your back.
- Just at the bottom of the rep, pause for a second.
- Continue pressing until your arms are long and your elbows are slightly bent.
6) Good morning exercise
Good morning exercise isn't simply a kind greeting; it's also a fabulous lower back weight-training routine.
Good morning is related to the deadlift, but it requires you to bend much farther through your buttocks so that your torso is nearly parallel to the floor. This helps ease back pain.
Here’s how to do it:
- Stand shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees just a little bit. Hold a barbell behind your neck at the top of your shoulders and emphasize your core muscles.
- Instead of just leaning forward, bend at the pelvis, pressing your hips back.
- Maintain proper spinal and neck alignment. Your head should be in a neutral position at all times.
- Bend your knees with your hips pressed back until your hamstrings start to restrict your movement.
- Return to a standing position. At the top of the exercise, squeeze your glutes.