Making sure your back gets enough movement during the working day with a few simple exercises is especially worthwhile in the long term. Not long ago, we introduced four back exercise routines that can be easily integrated into your working day. Getting up from your office chair is the first step. The following four are more suitable for home, as they involve positions that could roughly be described as “not suitable for the workplace”. In fact, the first one starts with lying down… We hope you enjoy them and wish you good back health!
- Constant dripping wears away the stone
- First exercise: Front crawl on dry land
- Second exercise: Beetle on your back
- Third exercise: Ski jump
- Fourth exercise: Fly like Superman!
Constant dripping wears away the stone
As with the office exercises, the key is consistency, not the number of repetitions. If you find it difficult to repeat the back exercises as often as recommended, just do half as many – and instead fit in an extra session during the day. After all, the worst thing for your back is not so much sitting down to work, but the lack of balance: well over three quarters of all Germans say they suffer from back pain at least once a year. In many cases, the causes are not skeletal disorders, but rather muscle tension or even hardening caused by too little movement.
If you do not have time for regular sport, you should at least integrate small back exercises and plenty of physical variety into your daily routine. Occupational health specialists refer to the 50/25/25 per cent formula: half of working time should be spent sitting, a quarter standing and a quarter moving. Quite apart from loosening exercises for the office and the health benefits of taking the stairs instead of using the lift regularly, it certainly does no harm to make a little room after work for back-friendly exercise too. As with all physical activity: never push through pain, and stop immediately if an exercise causes any discomfort. If you are not sure whether you should be doing a particular exercise because of an existing diagnosis, ask your doctor. This topic includes training exercises that require practically no equipment apart from a floor – and perhaps a mat or a blanket.
First exercise: Front crawl on dry land
Loosen up by taking a few slow steps around the room. Then lie flat on your stomach. A blanket or yoga mat is helpful here, but not essential. So, you are lying flat on your stomach with your arms and legs stretched out. Now raise your left arm and right leg slightly at the same time. Keep your gaze directed at the floor – and hold this position for between 15 and 30 seconds. Then switch sides and repeat the exercise five times.
Second exercise: Beetle on your back
Now turn onto your back. Make sure your back lies flat, but do not press your spine into the floor. Now pull your knees towards your chest so that there is roughly a right angle between your thighs and lower legs. Wrap your arms around your shins and lift your head and shoulders off the floor. Hold the tension for ten to 15 seconds, then give yourself a short break. Repeat the exercise three times in total.
Third exercise: Ski jump
Turn back onto your stomach and support yourself on your palms and knees. Your arms are straight; your shoulders are above your palms and your knees below your hips. Breathe steadily and slowly move your upper body backwards until you can sit on your feet. Your hands, however, stay where they are the whole time. Lengthen your back fully and feel the relaxation. As you inhale, slowly return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise three to five times.
Fourth exercise: Fly like Superman!
Lie flat on your stomach again, with your arms pointing forwards as in the first exercise. Breathe in and out calmly. As soon as your breathing has become calm and steady, tense your stomach, back and buttocks. Place your toes on the floor while lifting your upper body slightly. Keep your head as relaxed as possible; your gaze should remain directed at the floor. Hold the tension for a good ten seconds, then lower your upper body again. Repeat the exercise up to ten times.
Anyone who already keeps fit during the day with small exercises at the desk should take care at first. Too much training can be too much of a good thing – and cause quite a bit of muscle soreness. Gradually increase the number of back exercises throughout the day. The same applies to repetitions: do not overstrain your body. After all, no one would think of running a marathon from a standing start. Even if the exercises do not seem strenuous, some of your muscles may need to build up first.