Chronic back and hip pain can devastate your sense of well-being and quality of life. Fortunately, hip pain treatment is easily accessible and cost-effective. Rather than feeling miserable as you stay at home, unable to enjoy your favorite activities, you can take control and turn your life around.
Where to start? Contact Nordik Chiropractic in Jupiter, Florida, for personalized chiropractic relief plans. In conjunction with your chiropractic treatments, here are a few therapeutic exercises to strengthen the muscles of your core, which will alleviate some of your back and hip pain.
Why Back and Hip Pain Treatment Is Necessary
As we age, hip and back pain become increasingly common. Whether you suffer from dull, ongoing pain—or sharp pains that take your breath away—you’re in plenty of company.
Whether your pain is from the wear and tear of arthritis, inflammatory conditions such as tendonitis or bursitis, or from a muscle injury, be sure to see your chiropractor to get a diagnosis and treatment.
Chronic hip pain takes a toll on your day-to-day life, while acute pain can spike at any time to cause significant life disruptions—especially to people who are accustomed to being physically active.
Strengthening Your Core to Ease Back and Hip Pain
As you supplement your chiropractic care with therapeutic exercises, focus on improving the strength of your body’s core. Building up your core can alleviate stress on your back and teach your muscles to re-align themselves correctly. The following exercises are useful in developing core strength—and taming back and hip pain.
- Bridge Exercise
Borrowed from yoga, the bridge exercise is a simple way to focus on strengthening your stomach muscles. Simply lie down on your back then lift your butt off the ground until your pelvis is arching like a bridge. Hold the pose for thirty seconds, then lower yourself to the floor.
If you do ten repetitions every day, you will start to see some real change in how much back and hip pain you experience.
- Modified Crunch Exercise
Those of us who can’t quite do full crunches anymore will benefit from modified crunches. Modified crunches still work your core muscles but require a lot less range of motion than full crunches.
Lie on the floor on your back, as you would for a regular crunch, and lift your upper body off the ground, tilting your head and shoulders towards your stomach. You should feel a small contraction in your stomach. You may fold your arms behind your head or extend them along your sides.
- Hip Stretch Exercises
Hip stretches can help you tame back and hip pain, keep your hip flexors loose, and prevent injuries. Not only are hip stretch exercises gentle on your body, if you do them regularly, you will be less likely to have cramps after exercising.
You can do hip stretches, kneeling or sitting up. If you’re kneeling, place your right knee on the floor and your left leg at a 90-degree angle in front of you. Keeping your back straight, put your hands on your left leg. Press your right knee into the floor, lean forward into your left hip while squeezing your right buttocks. Hold that position for 30 seconds. Repeat the same exercise, this time with the left knee on the floor and your right leg at a 90-degree angle in front of you.
You can also stretch your hips in a standing position. Begin by standing on your left foot, with your toes turned slightly inward. Place your right foot on the seat of a chair in front of you. Hold your arms straight out in front at chest level, then slowly raise them straight up as you squeeze your buttocks and gently push your pelvis forward. As you do this, you will feel the stretch in your left hip. Return to standing position, then repeat the exercise, this time standing on your right foot.
- Bird Dog Yoga Pose Exercise
The Bird Dog Yoga Pose is a simple core exercise that improves stability and balance, encourages a neutral spine, and alleviates lower back pain. This exercise is also safe for everyone, including seniors, no matter their level of athleticism. Using a mat, get down on all fours in a tabletop position, with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Engage your abdominal muscles to keep your spine neutral and draw your shoulder blades together. With shoulders and hips parallel to the floor, raise your right arm and left leg. Hold this position for a few seconds, then lower your body back into the starting tabletop position. Repeat the exercise, this time raising your left arm and right leg. Complete about two-to-three sets of eight-to-12 repetitions for best results.
- Plank Exercise
Planks specifically target your core muscles by training them to be strong, still, and sturdy for extended periods. A plank involves positioning yourself face-down on a mat, then raising your body so that it is held up by the toes of your shoes and with your arms. Keep your body straight and unfolded.
You can do standard planks by fixing your toes on the ground and holding yourself up with your hands so that your body is in a slight diagonal position. You can also do modified planks by going lower and resting your upper body on your elbows.
Once you have achieved your plank, find a focal spot on which to fixate. That will help you concentrate. Try to hold your planks for at least 30 seconds each.
Visit Your Chiropractor
Although you can try to treat back and hip pain at home, there is no substitute for a great chiropractor. If you have back or hip pain, be sure to contact our team at Nordik Chiropractic in Jupiter, Florida. Do not suffer through unnecessary pain! Help is available to regain your life and your healthy, active lifestyle. Call us at 561-658-1180 today.
Nordik Chiropractic
1001 W. Indiantown Rd #103
Jupiter, FL 33458
561-658-1180
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