In these unprecedented times, with more people than ever either staying home or working from a home office, there has been a big increase in back pain with my patients and many requests for recommendations for exercises to reduce pain. Much of this has to do not only with working from home, but also combined with the fact that less people are getting their regular exercise due to the current pandemic situation.
A while back, I posted a video regarding my top 3 exercises in order to relieve back pain at the office, and I realized that these exercises are especially relevant in today’s “normal” of working from home because they apply to any situation, whether it’s your regular office or your home office, or just your desk at home where you pay your bills and browse on the internet.
In the video, I go over my top 3 exercises/stretches for back pain that I always recommend to my patients:
- Desk Back Bend (with hip stretch variation)
- Simple Side Stretch
- Seated Lower Back Stretch (with leg variation)
These easy, simple, physical therapy-based motions should help ease pain and improve blood flow in the back area. Just remember, as always, these exercises should not cause any pain. If pain is felt, it can be the sign of a bigger problem, and an appointment with a qualified physical therapist should be made immediately.
Dr. James Pumarada is a licensed Physical Therapist and co-owner of Complete Physical Rehabilitation. With over 19+ years of treatment experience, he is a Sports Therapy Certified physical therapist, focusing on treating and training runners of all levels, and is one of the most sought after vestibular therapy specialists in Elizabeth and Jersey City where, along with his wife, Dr. Asha, they specialize in the treatment of all dizziness, vertigo, and imbalance issues.