It’s estimated that up to 80% of people will experience low back pain during their lifetimes, making tasks at work more difficult, disrupting sleep, and often preventing people from participating in social activities, which greatly affects quality of life.

Medications, epidural injections, stem cell therapy, and surgery can definitely help, but they often don’t completely fix the underlying source of pain and still require exercise therapy to achieve beneficial long-term results.

Due to injuries incurred while competing in high-leveled sports, Jeremiah also suffered from extremely severe low back pain and has personally undergone all of these treatments. This firsthand experience allows Jeremiah to speak with deep understanding and expertise.

When suffering from any level of back pain, resting may seem wise, but exercise is quite literally the best way to help reduce pain and increase blood flow. Improved circulation helps alleviate back pain by delivering oxygen and nutrients that reduce inflammation and promote healing.

Chronic back pain is often due to wear-and-tear changes, such as a degenerated disc and/or osteoarthritis. Spinal stenosis, disk herniation, and bulging disks can also cause debilitating back pain. The most ideal exercise regimen for each condition depends on the exact medical diagnosis. That’s why Jeremiah highly encourages clients to get an MRI to review the radiologist’s report.

It’s also vital for people with back pain to avoid exercises that exacerbate their condition. Exercises should relieve pain, not increase it or make it worse. For instance, someone diagnosed with spinal stenosis should avoid the cobra pose stretch, as it can significantly worsen pain.

After determining which movements—such as flexing forward or extending backward—worsen or improve pain, Jeremiah tailors an individualized training strategy to help clients mitigate back pain. The good news is that most clients’ back pain issues have vastly diminished or completely disappeared after consistently integrating, he recommended exercises into their lifestyle.

Generally speaking, self-mobilization techniques, targeted stretches, decompression, proper postural alignment, and core strengthening exercises are effective for reducing or eliminating back pain. However, not all activities work for everyone—some may even make symptoms worse. That’s why professional guidance from a trainer with substantial experience in successfully reducing low back pain is crucial.