by John Brown

Created on: September 01, 2010   Last Updated: September 04, 2010

Low back pain can affect the back anywhere below the ribs and above the legs. The lower back  is the connection between the upper and lower body, and it bears most of the body’s weight. Because of these roles, it is easily injured when you lift, reach, or twist.

Almost everyone has low back pain at one time or another. The good news is that most low back pain will go away in a few weeks with some basic self-care.

Low back pain is often caused by overuse, strain, or injury. For instance, people often hurt their backs playing sports or working in the yard, being jolted in a car accident, or lifting something too heavy.

Aging plays a part too. Your bones and muscles tend to lose strength as you age, which increases your risk of injury. The spongy discs between the bones of the spine (vertebrae) may suffer from wear and tear and no longer provide enough cushion between the bones. A disc that bulges or breaks open (herniated disc) can press on nerves, causing back pain.

In some people, low back pain is the result of arthritis, broken vertebrae (compression fractures) caused by bone loss (osteoporosis), illness, or a spine problem you were born with.

Most low back pain is triggered by some combination of overuse, muscle strain, and injury to the muscles, ligaments, and discs that support the spine.

Sometimes there is no obvious cause for your back pain but what is important is how to prevent it.

There is no clear evidence that you can prevent low back pain. Nearly everyone experiences it at some time. But there are some things you can do to help prevent low back pain. And they can prepare you for faster recovery if you do have low back pain. Some of them also have added health benefits. Here are some things you can do:

a) Exercise.

Exercises that stretch and strengthen the muscles of your abdomen and spine can help prevent back problems. If your back and abdominal muscles are strong, it will help you to maintain good posture and keep your spine in its correct position.

Warm up your muscles with light aerobic activity like brisk walking before doing any strengthening or stretching.

But you should mention that if you have a herniated disk, consult your doctor before doing these exercises.

1)Lying supine hamstring stretch
2)Cat Stretch
3)Camel Stretch
4)Pelvic tilt
5)Partial curl
6)Prone hip extension

It is best to avoid the following exercises because they strain the lower back:

- Lying on your stomach with legs extended and

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