Cardio suggestions for people with back pain ?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| Even walking makes my back hurt. Walked 2.5 miles a day isn’t remotely enough for my needs. Cycling hurts much worse though I think a recumbent type one or exercise bike wouldn’t be as bad. I haven’t been to the gym since covid . I don’t think I could do cardio with a mask on so I probably have to Dyke out the gym until no masks there. Any other suggestions ? |
Anonymous
|
Have you seen a physical therapist? I couldn’t really do any cardio until I addressed the cause of my back pain (which was weak glutes and abs combined with hyperflexibility).
At the gym the thing that hurts my back the least is one of those elliptical machines that isn’t exactly an elliptical, it has more movement range than a typical elliptical. I can adjust my stance so that my back doesn’t hurt. I can now swim without my back hurting but it took a while. I think you should go to the gym. Many don’t require masks at all for vaccinated people and mine doesn’t require masks on the cardio machines (only every other one is available). |
Anonymous
I have a pinched nerve. Can you describe more the type of elliptical machine? I think my gym has only one type. I do enjoy the hydro bed but that isn’t exercise |
Anonymous
| Go to PT first. Also swimming. |
Anonymous
any recommendations? Swimming is out of the question as I have a phobia due to a childhood drowning incident I had. |
Anonymous
| Definitely take care of the pain so you’re exacerbating it with extra exercise. Ask your primary care Dr for a referral or recommendation. |
Anonymous
| Probably stop doing cardio if it's hurting you. No workout is worth seriously messing stuff up in your back, which is what serious pain indicates. Definitely see a PT, and swimming will probably help. Whenever I am having slight pain in a certain area of my body, I avoid using it completely- so if I am having slight pain in a leg, I will do upper body only or vice versa. So you could try squats or leg extensions that dont activate your back, but it's tricky. If you have to give up excercise for a while to let things heal, do it. I would never work out if I was feeling serious pain from it |
Anonymous
|
Why isn’t waking 2.5 miles enough for your needs? What are your needs?
If your need is fat loss that is all diet. |
Anonymous
|
Have you tried McKenzie back exercises? Not so much for the exercise but to help the pinched nerve. Definitely go to a PT.
If you can't swim, maybe find something that works up a sweat without lower body work for a little until the PT can get you back on your feet. I saw something that looked like a bicycle for arms once (when I hurt my hip and was desperate for exercise and the pools were closed). Since my issue was hip (not back), I ended up changing my workout to boxing (hitting a bag) until I could move again. Maybe you can do that without torqueing your back? |
Anonymous
| Try Curable pain app |
Anonymous
+1 Swimming, or even walking/jogging in the water if swimming is too much at first. |
Anonymous
| Personal TENS unit, sleep with it on if you have to. There’s an Aussie trading team with low-impact high-intensity moves that burn calories. They’re called Team Body Project. |
Anonymous
| Cycling - get a huge seat. Saw a few at my local cycling store this week. Some were even advertised as helping with lower back pain. |
Anonymous
Can you walk in the pool? You could walk side to side, or even backwards. |
Anonymous
| Diagnosed pinched nerve? Which segment? |