Good posture is crucial to preventing back pain. Poor posture can lead to muscle imbalances, spinal deformities, and discomfort. It can cause pain, affect overall health, and lead to long-term health problems. Do you want to correct your posture? You can achieve your goals by practicing certain poses. Learn more about some of them below!

10 Best Exercises to Improve Posture and Relieve Back Pain

Here are some exercises to help maintain proper posture and relieve back pain. So read them briefly!

1. Bird dog

This exercise targets the abdominal viscera and buttocks and promotes spinal stability. Practice this pose with all four limbs in a tabletop position. Place your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.

Gradually, extending the right arm forward and the left leg back while maintaining a neutral spine will help. Work your abs throughout the exercise. Stay in the same position, then return to the starting point. Repeat the movement on both sides, but start with 10 to 12 reps. You can increase over time.

2. Sit-ups to relieve low back pain

Sit-ups can help strengthen your abdominal muscles, which are important in maintaining good posture. To get into this pose, lean your back against the floor and bend your knees.

Place your hands behind your head, relax your torso, and bend your shoulders toward your pelvis while keeping your back flat on the floor. Your focus must be on working your abs, not pulling your neck. Complete 10-15 reps, gradually increasing reps as you progress.

3. High Plank

The high plank is mostly about proper alignment and requires focus on the core, back, and shoulder muscles. Start this exercise in a push-up position. Draw an even line from the toes to the head. Avoid sagging or lifting your hips. Staying in the same place for about a minute is suitable for beginners. Alternatively, you can do planks on your forearms if your wrists are more comfortable.

4. Cat-Cow

Do you want to improve the flexibility of your shoulders, neck, and spine? Cat-cow pose will help! Sit on your limbs like an animal. Inhale and arch your back, relaxing your chest and tailbone while lifting your head. Exhale and twist your spine into Cat Pose. Repeat the sequence 10-12 times, focusing on fluid and controlled movements to increase spinal flexibility and improve posture.

5. Unboxing

Open-chested posture helps counteract rounded shoulders and promotes a more open and upright posture. Put your hands behind your back and straighten your arms. Expand your ribcage to allow articulation of the chest area. Relax your neck and let your head hang freely in the air. Hold the same position for 30 seconds while breathing deeply.

6. Side Plank

The side plank pose strengthens the core, shoulders, and hips and helps with proper alignment. Start in a plank position. Keep your entire body straight as you engage your heart and lift your hips. Hold the same place for up to a minute. Side planks increase lateral stability and support proper spinal alignment.

7. Down Dog

Downward Dog stretches and strengthens your back, shoulders, and hamstrings. After lifting your hips and doing an inverted V:

1. Press your palms into the floor, straighten your spine, and keep your heels pointing toward the floor.

2. Tighten the core muscles and relax the neck.

3. Hold the same posture for half a minute to a minute, and take a deep breath.

Downward Dog promotes spinal extension and relaxes the spine, helping to release tension in the back and shoulders.

8. Pigeon breeding

This pose focuses on the glutes, pelvis, and lumbar spine. From a taller seated position, quickly step back with your left leg and lower your hips to the floor. Align the hips, gently lower the torso over the front legs, and extend the arms forward.

9. Goalpost Squeeze

The goalpost squeeze trains the upper back and shoulder muscles, which promotes good posture and strength. A goalpost squeeze strengthens the muscles responsible for shoulder retraction, counteracting the effects of rounded shoulders and improving overall posture.

10. Wall squat

Wall squats help you focus on strong muscles like your calves, abs, butt, balance, and more. To come into this pose, stand tall against the wall, then gradually sit down, as if sitting in a chair, with your back away from the wall. As you bend, ensure your knees form a right angle with the floor. Hold the same position for about 30 seconds while pressing your back against the wall.

Diploma

Incorporating poses such as the chest opener, side plank, downward Dog, pigeon pose, and goalpost press into your routine can dramatically improve posture, increase muscle strength and flexibility, and prevent back pain. Don't overwhelm yourself; consider your body's capabilities and adjust your training intensity to your fitness.