Low back pain is a common problem that we treat at Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine. If you’ve had low back pain, you understand how frustrating it is to have pain every time you get our of ac chair or bend over to pick something up off the floor. We understand that feeling and are here to help you understand why it keeps happening so you can stop your low back pain.
When your low back gets hurt repeatedly, it is often due to a couple of things. A lack of strength in your hips and back muscles can contribute to the problem as well as poor ability to control the position of your pelvis. When these two things occur, your back gets overworked with daily life and that is what can cause your back pain.
Bridges are a great exercise to build strength in your hip and low back while relearning how to control your pelvis and stop your low back pain
Bridges Level 1
In the video above, the pelvis doesn’t move. The gluteal muscles work to do most of the lifting while the low back muscles assist.
Try starting with 10 times, holding at the top for 5 seconds. Do this twice a day for the best results. As this gets easier, progress to 3 30 second holds, and eventually a 1 minute hold.
When you can hold the top for 1 minute without dropping at all, progress to the next exercise.
Bridges Level 2
For this progression of the basic bridge, you still want to keep your pelvis position at the top. Once you reach the top, extending one knee makes you increase the work load on your glute by lowering down with only one leg
This may be difficult the first few times you try it. That’s ok, it just means these muscles are really weak and need to relearn how to work.
Do this for 2 sets of 10 reps with a 5 second hold at the top. As this gets easier, follow the same progression as before, gradually working up to a 1 minute hold.
When you can hold this for 1 minute, move on to the next progression
Bridges level 3
This bridge progression is great because it continues to build glute strength, but the repeated change in the leg that is supporting you challenges your ability to control the pelvis and turn your muscles on and often quickly.
For this exercise, start with trying to stay at the top and change the support leg repeatedly for 10 seconds. Do this 10 times. As it gets easier, progress to 3 rounds of 30 seconds and eventually 1 minute.
If you’ve tried these and you’re still hurting, we can help you!
At Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine in Alexandria and Springfield, VA, our physical therapists are experts at treating back pain and will develop a plan to help you stop it.
Call us at 703-299-3111, or click here to request an appointment.
A member of our team will schedule you an appointment with one of our expert physical therapists.
What happens if you don’t have a plan to stop your low back pain?
- Your family and friends get tired of hearing you groan every time you get out of a chair because your back hurts
- Your afraid to tie your shoes because your back hurts every time you do it
- You get out of shape and are more likely to get other diseases and injuries
But WITH a plan to stop your low back pain you can live the life you want again.
The exercises above are a great way to get started. They don’t require a ton of time and are pretty easy to do correctly. They can help you get moving and living an active life again.
But if you want an expert to listen to your unique problems and guide you to success, a Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine physical therapist in Alexandria or Springfield, VA will create a plan specifically for you.
You’ll feel confident that you have the knowledge and ability tostop your low back pain and do all the things you want.
Call us at 703-299-3111, or click here to schedule your appointment and start your path to healing.
Working to keep you living your best life,
The Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Team
