Back pain can be debilitating. Fortunately, there are some exercises that you can do to help prevent this pain from reoccurring.

For a couple of days after the acute injury to your back, the doctor may require you to stick to bed rest. Your back may agree. During this time, you may be having muscle spasms. The spasms are the body's way of telling you to avoid anything that will cause further damage to your already injured back.

After the two days are over, you need to force yourself to get out of bed. Further bed rest causes weakening of the muscles and increases the time for healing.

For most people, a normal schedule actually makes recovery quicker. Normal activity at first is better than staying in bed or starting an exercise program too soon.

Once you have recovered completely from your injury, stay away from those activities that may be considered as high impact. In a few days you may want to increase your walking or start swimming. These activities that are considered low impact help to strengthen the back muscles. Stretching may also be used as it increased circulation, a key to healing. Warm showers are also useful in keeping muscles loose.

At some time between two and eight weeks, the back pain should be gone and you will be able to do more strenuous exercises. The doctor or therapist will help you to develop an exercise program to strengthen muscles without causing further injury.

Exercises need to target core muscles. Muscles in the buttocks, abdomen and back all support the spine. If these muscles are strengthened, then the back becomes stronger. This can take stress off the joints of the back and is an essential step to prevent recurring lower back pain.

If you strengthen the core muscles you may be able to prevent or reduce back pain. Sometimes this is all that is needed to eliminate the back pain.

Muscles that do not get stretched regularly can often become shortened. These shortened muscles can cause problems in the alignment of the spine and may cause back pain. Choosing stretching exercises will help to lengthen the shortened muscles and relieve joint pain. Muscles in the back and buttocks as well as the hamstrings and the quadriceps when tight can cause alignment problems. Stretching exercises are the best relief for these problems.

When back injuries do occur, medication may give temporary relief from the pain, but strengthening the core helps to keep new injuries from happening and lets you live with less pain.