The Best Indoor Activities for Back Pain

The summer heat is gone, and the cool of autumn is here. With the dips in temperature, staying active can be more difficult, especially if you prefer cuddling inside in the heat during the season. Staying active is essential year-round, especially when you have back or spine pain.

If you prefer the warmth of the indoors or the comfort of your home, there are tons of activities you can do to keep your spine healthy. From exercises like stretching and virtual yoga to normal daily activities like cooking and walking, you can reap the benefits of an active lifestyle while not freezing outside. Here are some of the best indoor activities for a healthy spine.

Stretching

Stretching daily can help you gain strength and mobility. By stretching, you’ll reduce strain on your back and find it easier to move. While you don’t want to overdo it when stretching your back, as you can cause more problems, you can feel less pain over time. Some of the best stretches for your spine include:

• Knee to Chest
• Cat-Cow
• Child’s Pose
• Spinal Stretch

Exercises

Whether at home or the gym, there are multiple exercises you can do to strengthen your back. Some exercises you should avoid as these can aggravate your pain and create more long-lasting problems. But, for full-body workouts, some exercises you can try include:

• Wall Sits
• Partial Crunches
• Glute Bridges
• Oblique Twists

Lifting weights can also benefit your back and spine, but you should do these in moderation. Start slow and check in with your body. Pain lasting longer than a few minutes during or after a workout should not be taken lightly.

Cycling

Even though the weather is cold, you can still reap the benefits of cycling from inside. You can continue cycling with a home stationary bike or cycling classes at the gym. Because cycling uses a wide range of motion and targets your core, it is a great exercise for reducing lower back pain.

Yoga And Meditation

Research shows that yoga can reduce chronic back pain. Structured yoga classes could be a beneficial way to manage your back pain and help improve physical functioning. When it comes to yoga, classes are the ultimate motivation, working with others and ensuring you are practicing correctly so as to not add further stress on your body. However, with pain and busy schedules, it can be difficult to find the right classes to attend, but there are online and virtual alternatives to practice yoga from your living room.

Meditation can also help alleviate chronic pain in your back and spine. Yoga and meditation combined can keep you healthy during the cold season.

Cooking

If you love baking apple pies or preparing Thanksgiving dinner, you can still find joy in this with back pain. Cooking involves lighter movement than other activities and can result in healthy meals that can help manage your pain. Standing for too long could make your back or spine pain worsen, though. Find the routines or strategies to adapt to cooking with back pain.

RELATED: Fall Foods for a Healthy Spine

Dancing

Dancing could be a helpful alternative if you find regular exercises monotonous or boring. Different dances, such as belly dancing, can strengthen your spine and enhance your posture.

Swimming at the Community Pool

While it’s too cold to enjoy the outdoor pools, if you are a member of a community center, you can utilize the swimming pool to strengthen your muscles and relieve back pain. Without added pressure on your spine with walking, running, or standing, swimming can bring you the added benefits of exercise. Swimming laps or taking water aerobics classes could be a great way to socialize and stay healthy.

Walk Around Your House

For staying strong and exercising, it can be as simple as walking around your home. If it’s too cold to get some fresh air, find a comfortable pace and walk around. You can avoid your stairs and pace around the room, all while getting the joint-relaxing and mood-boosting benefits of an outdoor walk.

Work with Your Specialist

Staying active is important to your overall health, not just for managing your back pain. While these activities could be beneficial for you during the season, you shouldn’t rely on them as the only treatment. And you shouldn’t push yourself too hard to enjoy your favorite activities if the pain is too much. At Inspired Spine, we work with each of our patients to find the right treatment plan. By digging deep, we can help you manage your pain and help you have a healthy spine.

Request an appointment online or visit our website to learn how Inspired Spine can get you back to life without the pain.