Lumbar support

Most people suffer from back pain at some time in their lives. Thankfully, most of us recover. But statistics show that between 10 and 25 percent of those who suffer from low back pain have long periods where the problem is so bad, they can't even work.

According to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, recommended treatments for low back pain should include drug treatments such as painkillers and - in some cases - antidepressants, as well as manual therapies such as massage. But staying active and doing exercises that help relieve back pain are also crucial, the experts claim.

Personal trainer Greg Brookes agrees. Here are the five simple exercises Greg recommends for relieving back pain:

1. Hip flexor stretch

The hip flexors are a group of muscles responsible for raising your knees to your chest. However, over activation and lack of stretching often results in a shortening of the muscles. As the muscles shorten they start to pull on the lumbar spine.

Solution: Take a deep lunge position (one foot a stride's length in front of the other, knees at right angles), then rotate your pelvis towards your chest while tightening your abdominal (stomach) muscles.

2. Hamstring stretch

Long periods of sitting with your knees bent can shorten your hamstrings (the muscles at the back of your thighs). This may ultimately cause lower back problems.?

Solution: Stretch the hamstrings by sitting with your lower back against a wall and straightening your legs in front of you, keeping your chest lifted.

3. Thoracic spine rotation

The thoracic spine runs from the base of your neck to your mid back. However, if you sit for long periods, your thoracic spine can 'lock up', causing limited movement. This causes the lumbar spine to move in ways it's not designed to move, causing lower back pain.

Solution: Sit tall on a backless chair and hold a stick across the back of your shoulders. Tighten your abdominal muscles to lock the lower back, then rotate your upper back and shoulders, slowly alternating sides.

4. Core muscle strengthener

Your core muscles - pelvic floor, diaphragm, transverse abdominis and mutifidus - are designed to support the lower spine. But again, long periods of sitting leaves these muscles weak.

Solution: Strengthen your core muscles by lying face down on the floor with your head on your hands. Breathe in deeply and push the belly into the floor, then breathe out deeply and pull the belly off the floor.

5. Core muscle strengthener 2

People's obsession with flat stomachs and six-packs has created? a multitude of abdominal exercises, most of which don't train the core muscles properly. Even sit-ups and crunches don't strengthen the core muscles - and strong core muscles are essential for a healthy back.

Solution: Instead of the usual abdominal exercises, work on your core stability. Hold a rigid press-up position, then slowly raise one arm and tap the opposite shoulder (if this is too difficult, just raise the arm and forget the shoulder tap). Repeat on the other side.

For more information, visit www.gbpersonaltraining.com

Instant help

Exercises that help relieve back pain are an ideal way to prevent the problem happening again, but it can take some time and practice for them to be really effective. In the meantime, your pharmacist can help provide fast relief via one or more of the following:

• Painkillers (tablets and gels)
• Heat patches/sprays/rubs
• Cold gels
• Back support products
• TENS machines (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation)

To find your nearest pharmacy visit the pharmacy finder.