I get asked all the time if I recommend special exercises for back/neck pain all the time and my answer is "Everything works with regularity and moderation."
Several years ago researchers at two large university settings looked at what exercises worked best for people with back pain hoping to publish some magic regimen and the answer was surprising. They looked at swimming, biking, walking, ballroom dancing, yoga, pilates, weight lifting, etc and came to the conclusion that 30-45 mins of exercise 4-5 days per week regularly led to fewer flares of back pain, less days of missed work, less medication use, fewer imaging studies, less surgery in people who had been seen for back pain in the previous 12 mos vs a group that either did not exercise or did so only intermittently.
Find something that is enjoyable and sustainable for you and you should enjoy better back health. Working out too hard can cause problems too, so just try to stay fit not necessarily super-fit.
I'm off to Spin Class. Have a great day!
Dr.Ronan
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