Professional Physical Therapists Give Exercise Tips For Lower Back & Hip Pain Relief
Are you having back pain? You could have hurt something shoveling snow recently. Perhaps it was from not lifting properly. Or it could be from something as risky as getting up from the sofa. Whatever the case, your back and/or your hip is giving you trouble and the simple act of just walking from one part of a room to another has become quite difficult.
There are certain things that you can do to try to alleviate this pain so that you can manage your day-to-day life much more easily. But what are they? It seems like there are a ton of advice videos out there and it can be difficult to sort out which will work and which ones may leave you in worse condition than you were in before. That’s the last thing you want to have happen to you.
Fortunately, the experts at Empire Physical Medicine are glad to help you. Here are 3 home therapy exercises for reducing back & hip pain.
External Hip Rotation Exercise
When it comes to keeping your body pain-free, having hips that move smoothly and can rotate well can play a very big part. Fortunately, you can ensure this by doing home exercises that require no expensive gym equipment – just you and your body on a floor mat.
- Clamshell: Lay on your side with one leg on the floor and bent. The other leg is also bent and you bring that leg down to the one that is on the floor. It looks like a clamshell opening and closing. Pause for a second and go back to the starting position. Do that 10-20 times depending on your comfort level.
- Fire Hydrants: Start off on all fours, your arms locked straight and your knees bent. Lift one leg sideways and then return it to the starting position. Do this 20 times per leg.
- Trunk Rotations: Lay on your back with your arms out to your side at shoulder level. Have your knees bent and then rotate your legs to one side and then back to the starting position. Do this 20 times each side.
Knee Lift Exercise
This is a simple exercise where you lay on your back with your hands at your side. Bend your knees at a 45 degree angle and then bring each leg individually up toward your chest. Keep your hands on the ground. Do it slowly and do 10-20 reps per leg.
Hip & Lower Back Stretches
You will have a pretty wide range of choices for stretching these areas. Here are a few:
- Butterfly Stretch: Sit with your legs crossed as if you were in a yoga pose. Bring the soles of your feet together and press down on your knees slowly. This will help loosen the hips.
- Pigeon Pose: Start on all fours as if you were doing a pushup. Bring your right knee toward your left wrist. Bring it back to the starting position after a second or two. Alternate legs. Do this 10 times each leg.
- Figure Four Stretch: Lay on your back with your legs bent. Rest your right calf on your left quadricep and bring the left leg toward your chest… slowly. Pause and go back to the starting position. Do this 10 times for each leg.
It’s good to pay attention as professional physical therapists give exercise tips for lower back & hip pain relief, but it’s also a good idea to try to do things to prevent it. While it’s not a guarantee, watching your weight is a good idea, since that extra poundage can put stress on your back and hip. Plenty of skinny people can hurt themselves with bad form, so it’s not perfect, but you can tilt the odds more to your favor if you do that.
You can do this from the comfort of your own home, but if things do not improve, then you should seek a doctor first, who will then likely send you to a physical therapist. Once you do that, you can work with the PT to map out a routine that will target your problem area and help you get back to where you were. Then you can be careful when it comes to doing things like shoveling snow.
Call Expert Physiotherapists In Brooklyn, NY
Are you having back and hip pain? If the above exercises don’t help, don’t hesitate to call expert physiotherapists in Brooklyn, New York. Phoenix Physical Therapy Rehabilitation PLLC has a location there as well as in Brooklyn and Rosedale. They have longer hours than many other places and will be able to suit your schedule. Give them a call today to make an appointment – 347-733-1916.
This post is courtesy of Empire Physical Medicine & Pain Management. They have Manhattan offices in two places – Midtown and Wall Street. If you live in that area, they can help you recover from a wide range of conditions and injuries – and they can also decompress your spine.
Phoenix Physical Therapy
Rosedale Location
23520 147th Avenue, Suite 1,
Rosedale, NY, 11422
Brooklyn Location
7510 4th Ave., Suite 3,
Brooklyn, NY, 11209
Phone: (347) 733-1916
