Good back strength is essential for maintaining a healthy strong spine. Being strong in your core and back helps to improve back pain, improve posture, and recover quicker if you do have back pain. It is important to work on strengthening your back muscles, as it can reduce the risk of developing chronic back problems.

The back is composed of many different muscles, including the trapezius, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and erector spinae. These muscles are responsible for supporting and stabilising the spine and upper body. Weakness in any of these muscles could be a contributing factor to poor posture, chronic back pain, and even injury.

Therefore, it is important to strengthen your back muscles on a regular basis. There are a variety of exercises that can be used to strengthen your back. These include exercises that target the core muscles such as planks, bridges, and supermans. You can also use free weights, resistance bands, and medicine balls to strengthen your back.

Not only is back strength important for physical health, but it can also improve mental wellbeing. When back muscles are strong and flexible, it can help reduce stress, anxiety, and fatigue. A strong back can also help improve posture, thus improving confidence.

At Surrey Physio, back pain is the most common presentation. We see it ALL the time. And in so many cases, we mobilise the back with manual therapy, and help patients to strengthen their spines. If you want to seek professional advice and guidance, or get manual therapy treatment for your back, call us at Surrey Physio or book online (link at the top of the page) to see one of our amazing team.

Our Top 5 Back Strengthening Exercises:

Bird Dog / Horse Stance / Quadruped: Go on to all fours, and keep good posture. Draw your tummy inwards (towards the ceiling). Straighten your arm in front of you, and your opposite leg behind you. Repeat each side. This is a great core stability and core control exercise to work the deep abdominal muscles. The exercise will also strengthen the lumbar erector and gluteal muscles. Hold for fifteen seconds each side, and repeat three times.

Superman Prone: Lie on your front, and lift your opposite arm and leg, keeping them straight. Hold this position, and then relax. This exercise helps to arch your lower back (to create what is known as a lumbar lordosis) while strengthening the lower back and buttock muscles. Hold for fifteen seconds each side, and repeat three times. Hold for fifteen seconds each side, and repeat three times.

Supine Bridge: Lie flat on your back with your arms across your chest, and with your knees bent. Squeeze your bottom muscles and lift your body upwards. Make sure you maintain good posture (do not over-arch your lower back) and contract the deep abdominal muscles by squeezing your tummy towards your spine. This exercise helps to strengthen the abdominal, lower back, gluteal and hamstring muscles. Repeat ten times, three times per day.

Fire Hydrant: Go on to all fours, and keep good posture. Draw your tummy inwards (towards the ceiling). Lift your elbow and knee outwards and hold this position. This is a great core stability and core control exercise to work the deep abdominal and gluteal muscles. Repeat ten times, three times per day.

Plank, or Variation of Plank: Rest on your forearms and your toes. Hold this position. Keep good straight posture, and do not let your back arch too much. This is a core strengthening exercise. Hold for thirty seconds, three times.

In conclusion, good back strength is essential for overall health and fitness. It can help reduce the risk of developing chronic back problems, improve posture, reduce stress, and improve confidence. To maintain good back strength, it is important to regularly perform exercises that target the core muscles and maintain flexibility.

(Physios and Therapists: these videos are provided by Rehab My Patient – the best exercise prescription software for therapists to prescribe exercises www.rehabmypatient.com. Patients: if you are a patient needing advice, call Surrey Physio to book a telephone/video consultation with one of our expert physios or osteopaths, or book in face-to-face for an appointment. You can call us on 0208 685 6930 or book online by clicking the link at the top of the page).