Can Exercise Can Help Back Pain?

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Sore back treatment varies depending on the cause of the back pain. In some cases, it will help to get immediate bed rest and keep the back inactive to avoid further pain. Over time however, it may not be in the best interest of the sufferer to avoid exercise. A number of studies have shown that exercise actually helps relieve chronic lower back pain.
One such study was conducted at the University of Alberta and published in 2009 (Kell, 2009). The study involved 240 men and women suffering from chronic lower back pain . Some of the subjects went to the gym for resistance training four times per week and the rest of the study group only went two or three times per week or not at all. The progress of the groups was measured over 16 weeks.
The results indicated that exercise helped as a sore back treatment. It was found that the level of pain decreased by 28 per cent for those exercising four days a week, by 18 per cent for those exercising three days a week and by 14 per cent two days a week. The quality of life, defined as general physical and mental well-being, rose by 28 per cent, 22 per cent and 16 per cent ...
... respectively
Another similar (though smaller) study that was conducted in Sweden in 2003 (Rassmussen-Barr E, et al. 2003). The study evaluated people at the three month and twelve month marks after receiving either manual therapy or doing resistance training on the abdomen and lumbar areas. The people who were involved in the study were experiencing chronic back pain that had lasted for at least six weeks. It was found that those who engaged in the resistance training had much less future treatment required for their lower back pain.
Other earlier studies suggest that lack of regular exercise can cause back pain. For example, in one study, only 47% of persons suffering from low-back pain exercised regularly, whereas 86% of people without back pain exercised regularly (Cox JM, et al. 1987). A study conducted in Denmark revealed that middle-age people who exercise at least 3 hrs per week had a reduced risk of low-back pain (Harreby M, et al. 1997).
There is evidence, however that excessive exercise can cause back pain. In a study involving Sydney Olympics athletes, athletes with back pain were found to have a higher prevalence and a greater degree of lumbar disc degeneration than the normal population (Ong A, et al. 2003). In adolescent athletes a recognised cause of back pain is a condition called spondylolysis. It can affect athletes between the ages of 10 and 15 years old, who are involved in sports that require frequent hyperextension of the lower back. Even low-impact exercise such as swimming can be the cause (Nyska M, et al. 2000). Of course, exercise at these levels is generally not engaged in by the broader population
There are a range of specific exercises for sore back treatment recommended by different health care disciplines. You should consult your health care professional exercises that may help your back pain.

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