In addition to passive therapies, active physical therapy (exercise) is also necessary to rehabilitate the spine. Generally, a patient’s program should encompass a combination of the following:

Stretching for back pain exercises.
Almost every individual who has suffered from low back pain should stretch their hamstring muscles once or twice daily. Simple hamstring stretching does not take much time, although it can be difficult to remember, especially if there is little or no pain. Therefore, hamstring stretching exercises are best done at the same time every day so it becomes part of a person’s daily routine.

Strengthening for back pain exercise.
To strengthen the back muscles, 15-20 minutes of dynamic lumbar stabilization or other prescribed exercises should be done every other day.

Low-impact aerobic conditioning.
Low impact aerobics (such as walking, bicycling or swimming) should be done for 30-40 minutes three times weekly, on alternate days from the strengthening exercises.

Even patients with a very busy schedule should be able to maintain a moderate back pain exercise regimen that encompasses stretching, strengthening, and aerobic conditioning.