Many people feel that lower back pain is a curse that they have to live with. However, this does not have to be the case. There are many small things you can change in your everyday life to improve the health and happiness of your lower back. One of these is to make your life less comfortable in the short term for improved health in the long term. By making changes to your desk or chair, you can introduce unconscious exercise.

Use a Pilates Ball Instead of a Chair

To exercise your back whilst sitting, you can replace your comfortable office chair with a large pilates ball. The ball should be large enough so that you sit at the same height as when you are sitting in your normal office chair.

Once you have found the right sized ball, you want to ease in to the habit of sitting on it. Start by switching to the ball for short periods, 10-15 minutes is enough in the beginning. If you find your back getting sore or exhausted, stop using the ball for a period. Then, when your back is better, slowly start using the ball again. Over time, your muscles will build up and you will feel more comfortable using the ball. Your core area will also become stronger, which will reduce the pain in your lower back.

How Does a Pilates Ball Exercise Your Back

Since the ball is not stable, all the little stabilizing muscles around your core area will be working hard to keep you upright. This type of training will build up strength in the muscles that keep your spine balanced, especially around your lower back. A spine that is out of balance can become aggravated and even inflamed. By targeting the stabilizing muscles in your exercise, you get more relief from pain than if you were doing exercises such as sit-ups.

Introduce Small Movements to Increase Blood Flow

To make this method even more effective, you can move your pelvis to the sides every now and then. Or use the elasticity of the ball to bounce up and down. A few centimeters to an inch is enough to increase the blood flow in your lower back and at least temporarily reduce the pressure on your discs. All of these exercises will help to make your lower back healthier and happier.

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