What Is The Best Exercise For Lower Back Pain
Struggling with lower back pain? You’re not alone! Those aches in your back can really impact your life for the worse. There are many reasons you can have lower back pain, including an injury, age, activity level, your mattress, and more. But, no matter the reason, one thing is for sure – it’s annoying! So, what does the evidence tell us about exercising for back pain? It’s pretty clear: All exercise can help lower back pain. However, there are some exercises that are better than others. Let’s check out what they are and how they can help get rid of your lower back pain.
Pilates For Lower Back Pain
One study compared Pilates to a stationary bike program over 8 weeks and found that both were effective for reducing pain, disability, and catastrophizing. However, at the 6-month follow-up, there were no between-group differences. This result was replicated in a larger meta-analysis of core stability exercises versus general exercises for chronic back pain. The authors concluded that core stability training outperformed general exercise in the short-term, but not in the longer term.
Another study found that a successful outcome for LBP using core-based exercises was not associated with improved abdominal muscle function. This suggests that the positive effects of stability exercises may be due to central mechanisms unrelated to abdominal muscle function, such as the expectation of receiving the most clinically relevant treatment.
A systematic review with meta-analysis concluded that there is strong evidence that stabilization exercises are not more effective than any other form of active exercise in the long term. This conclusion was based on the low levels of heterogeneity and a large number of high methodological quality studies available at long-term follow-up.
Long story short: Pilates won’t hurt your back further. However, it’s not a miracle like others may make it out to be. Though it will help you more in the short term, when compared to other exercises, it doesn’t outperform in the long term.
Does Walking Help Lower Back Pain?
Walking is often seen as one of the best things you can do for your low back pain. But, what does the research say? A walking program was compared to specific back-strengthening exercises in another study. Both were performed twice a week for six weeks, and both groups improved, with no significant differences between them. This suggests that the activity itself, rather than the specifics of the activity, may be the most important factor for sedentary individuals.
Another randomized control trial looked at a higher-loading exercise program versus a lower-loading ‘motor control’ program for patients with mechanical LBP. The lower load group outperformed the high load group in some measures, but at the 12- and 24-month follow-up, there was no significant difference in the outcome measures. This suggests that there is no real difference between two distinct exercise programs, as both can make improvements.
Whole Body Exercise Is The Best Exercise For Lower Back Pain
A comprehensive review found beneficial effects for exercise over 39 randomized controlled trials, with a small but significant effect on LBP for both strength/resistance and coordination/stabilization programs. The largest effect size was seen with exercise programs that focused on the whole body, which tended to be strength/resistance-based.
In conclusion, the evidence of any real superiority of one type of exercise over another for LBP seems to be lacking. Rather, the most effective exercise for LBP will likely be the exercise that is performed. Individuals should consider what activities they enjoy, how easy it is for them to do, and how relevant it is to their functional outcome measures. Additionally, exercise interventions have been deemed more beneficial than other treatments for lower back pain, suggesting that exercise should be considered as a primary treatment option.
Top-Rated Franklin Physical Therapists Can Help
At Beyond Physical Therapy in Franklin, TN, we believe in the power of exercise. We take a whole-body approach to help you heal from your lower back pain, including specific exercise programs that you enjoy. If you’re ready to say goodbye to lower back pain, contact us today at (629) 239-3170 to make an appointment!