Lower Back And Hip Pain Exercises For Seniors And The Elderly

Hip Extension

Lower back and hip pain  exercises for seniors and the elderly include the leg extension exercise  below. This is a great exercise not only for the low back but also the buttock muscles and hip.

Try these exercises 3 – 5 times per week to decrease your symptoms and increase your strength and endurance all day. If you have trouble getting up off the floor, you may want to perform this exercise on your bed or couch.

If able to do this on the floor, try kneeling on gardening pads. This helps protect painful knees from  pressure. Also for those with arthritic hands, investing in a pair of inexpensive push-up handles will bring your wrists into a neutral position and decrease wrist pain.

Purpose of this exercise

To stretch and extend the lower back and hip muscles. It can also help with strengthening the pelvis and leg muscles reducing symptoms.

Step 1

Begin by getting on your hands and knees, place your pelvis in a neutral position.

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Step 2

Begin to bring your right leg back, extending it as far as comfortable. Return to starting position and repeat 10 times.

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Breathing

Inhale during the upward movement phase. Exhale during the downward movement phase.

Tips

Keep breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Don’t let your legs get away from you. Try to keep your hips as still as possible. This will assist with  pelvic stabilization and strengthening.

Take it up a notch

 Make it a little harder by lifting your foot toward the ceiling.

How to do Hip Extension

More Back and Trunk Exercises

1. Eccentric Straight Leg Raise

2. Bent Knee Raise

3. Curl Ups

4. Cat and Camel

5. Back Extension

6. Leg Extensions

7. Bridging

8. Pelvic Tilt

9. Sit Backs

10. Arm Raises On Back

11. Arm Raises On Knees

12. Hip Flexion

Resources Stay Independent
https://www.cdc.gov/steadi/pdf/STEADI-Brochure-StayIndependent-508.pdf