If you have experienced any back pain, our orthopedic back specialist Long Island knows just how painful and aggravating it can be. Since so many movements our body makes involve the back, this pain can limit our movement and activities. Performing back strengthening exercises is one way to take care of or prevent injuries in back muscles and improve your range of motion. Other benefits that come with back strengthening exercises are improving your posture and spinal position reducing pain in spinal joints, discs, and movements that can cause pain.

Back Strengthening Exercises

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Before performing any of these exercises you should perform a dynamic warmup to loosen up your muscles and get your blood flowing. Dynamic warmups should consist of full body movements with multiple muscle groups focused on. These exercises will target the following muscles:

  • latissimus dorsi (lats), located below your armpits down the sides of your back
  • Rhomboids, located in the mid-upper back
  • trapezius (traps), located from your neck to mid-back
  • erector spinae, which run along your spine

Here are some exercises that our orthopedic back specialist Long Island recommends for strengthening your back:

  1. Resistance band pull-apart – Stand with your arms extended while holding a resistance band parallel to the ground. Pull the band to your chest while bringing your arms out to the sides and keeping them straight. Bring your shoulder blades closer together while keeping your spine neutral. Slowly go back to the starting position and repeat. Perform 1-3 sets of 8-12 reps.
  2. Dumbbell bent over row – Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, slightly bend your knees and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your thighs. Allow the dumbbells to hang in front of you while making a hinge at your hips until your torso is at a 45-degree angle. Row with your elbows at a 90-degree angle, pulling the dumbbells up to the sky, and squeeze your shoulders at the top. While performing this exercise keep your core engaged and neck straight. Perform 1-3 sets of 8-12 reps.
  3. Superman – Lie on your stomach with your legs and arms above your head. Lift your lower and upper body off the ground as high as you can and hold for one second before lowering slowly. Perform 1-3 sets of 8-12 reps.
  4. Lat pulldown – If using a machine, position the pad so it is touching your thighs. Stand up, grab the bar wider than shoulder-width apart, and then sit down. Pull the bar down towards your chest while bending your elbows and don’t lean back. Slowly bring the bar back up while staying seated and repeat. Perform 1-3 sets of 8-12 reps.

Let Our Orthopedic Back Specialist Long Island Help!

  1. Seated Row – Sit up straight and place your feet on the foot supports with your knees bent. Grab the handles in front of you with your arms extended, and pull the handles towards you while bringing your elbows back and keeping them close to your body. Return to the start position slowly and repeat. Perform 1-3 sets of 8-12 reps.
  2. Good Morning – If you are using a barbell, place it on your shoulders and behind your head. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, hinge at the hips while slightly bending your knees, and lower your torso until it’s parallel to the ground. After reaching parallel, push through with your feet to return to the starting position. During this exercise, your back should remain straight. Perform 1-3 sets of 8-12 reps.
  3. Wood Chop – Hold a medicine ball or dumbbell above your head while keeping your arms straight. Bring the ball or dumbbell down to the outside of your right knee while turning your hips to the right. On the way up, twist your trunk back towards the left and bring the ball or dumbbell back above your head in a fast but controlled movement. Perform 1-3 sets with 8-12 reps on each side.

To learn more about back strengthening exercises, click here.

Contact Our Orthopedic Back Specialist Long Island

If you have experienced any back pain, our orthopedic back specialist Long Island knows just how painful and aggravating it can be. Since so many movements our body makes involve the back, this pain can limit our movement and activities. Performing back strengthening exercises is one way to take care of or prevent injuries in back muscles and improve your range of motion. Should you find yourself in this position, we highly recommend you consider working with our orthopedic back specialist Long Island here at Dr. Han Jo Kim’s office. Don’t hesitate to contact us and begin strengthening your back today!