The ONLY 5 Exercises You Need to FIX Low Back Pain (Ages 50+)

[00:00] Do you want to know the biggest lie doctors tell about lower back pain? They say back pain after 50 is just a part of getting older. But that's not just wrong, it's a dangerous myth keeping you in pain. In this video, I'm going to reveal the number one cause of lower back pain and stiffness that most doctors miss completely. Then I'll show you the

[00:20] only five exercises you need to fix it at home. No equipment, no complicated routines. These are the exact exercises that helped my patient Mary go from barely able to tie her shoes to playing golf pain-free. At the end of the video, I'll also show you a simple physiotherapy trick to get faster results. Now, before we dive into it,

[00:40] these essential exercises, you need to understand why back pain actually happens after 50. Because without this knowledge, you'll keep wasting time on treatments that don't work. Now, despite what you may have read online, research shows that less than 2 to 5% of people with back pain have those serious spine conditions you see on the site.

[01:00] Google. So what about the other 95 to 98%? They have what back specialists call non-specific back pain, meaning there's no major disease or damage even though the pain can feel intense and scary. Non-specific doesn't mean imaginary. It means that your back is sensitive or deconditioned.

[01:20] Not broken. Think of your spine like a door hinge that hasn't been used in years. Over time that hinge gets stiff and squeaky. Nothing's broken, but it feels stuck and resistant when you try to move it. That's exactly what's happening in your back. Your muscles and joints have stiffened from underuse, largely due to age-

[01:40] related muscle loss, what we call sarcopenia, and lack of targeted movement. And just like that squeaky hinge doesn't improve by forcing it harder, it needs the right kind of gentle, consistent movement. Your back heals the same way. These targeted exercises act like WD-40 or oil for your spine.

[02:00] restoring strength, flexibility, and pain-free movement. Now here is the exciting part. There's a proven exercise approach that's backed by major studies as one of the most effective treatments for low back pain. It's called the McKenzie method, a powerful way to treat back pain quickly. I've seen dozens of my patients in their 50s and 60s

[02:20] completely turn their back pain around in just a few weeks. Take Paul for example. After just six weeks of targeted movements, he was back to his long walks and cycling with his wife. So now that you understand why the right targeted movement is your key to fixing low back pain and stiffness, let's dive into the only five exercises you need, which I've organized into an easy to remember

[02:40] system I call brace exercise number one so let's start by sitting on a chair with your feet positioned slightly wider than your shoulder width move forward just a bit and place your hands on your knees or thighs wherever they naturally land from this position slowly side your hands down your legs as you bend forward through your lower back and

[03:00] hips, go as far as you feel comfortable, and once you reach the bottom, hold that position for five seconds as you take one deep breath in and out. Then gently slide your hands back up and repeat this 10 times. The key when you bend forward is to allow your back and neck to fully relax.

[03:20] each repetition aim to go a little bit further. This exercise is called repeated lumbar flexion and it enhances the flexibility of your entire spine from your neck to your tailbone. It's like lubricating that stiff door hinge. Now here are two variations of that exercise that work the same way in the same joints, but slightly with more challenge.

[03:40] The easier option is called knees to chest where you lie on your back, lifting your knees to your chest, and use your hands to hold them there, holding for roughly 20 seconds, beating 3 times. If you have more flexibility to work with, you can try the Child's Pose, also known as Prayer Pose, starting on your hands and knees, then gently bringing your hips to your knees.

[04:00] back towards your heels, feeling a nice stretch in your lower back. From here, keep your head down, relax your neck, and let your upper and mid-back release the tension. You may extend your arms forward a bit more as you bring your hips closer to your heels. Again, holding this for 20 to 30 seconds, repeating

[04:20] three times. Now exercise number one called repeated flexions are especially beneficial for most people over 50, especially if you've been told you have stenosis, degenerative discs, or general stiffness. In that case, you can do this exercise daily even three to five times per day. However, if you have a disc herniation

[04:40] or true sciatica, this exercise might make your pain worse, although this is quite rare in people over 50. But if bending forward does increase your pain, switch to repeated extensions, bending backwards instead. You can do this by either arching your back while standing up like this or pressing up onto your hands or elbows while acting.

[05:00] on your stomach like this. Okay, so far we focused on joint lubrication exercises to improve bending in the forward and backward planes, flexions and extensions. For exercise number two, we're shifting our focus to improve rotation mobility, the R in brace. Start by lying on your back with your knees together and bent at roughly 9.

[05:20] Your feet are flat and your head is supported on a pillow. You can do the exercise on a bed, the floor, carpet, or a mat, wherever you feel comfortable. For whichever surface you're on, keep your low back relaxed and flat. Avoid overarching the back. From this neutral position, take a deep breath in and as you breathe out, slowly bring both knees in.

[05:40] towards one side. There is no need to touch the floor or go as far as possible, go only to a point where you feel a slight stretch in your lower back. From there, come back to the middle as you take a deep breath in and then repeat to the opposite side, breathing out and gently stretch it. The mistake I often see is people trying to force their knees to the ground. There is no need

[06:00] need, rather oscillate back and forth as you provide gentle and lubricating movements to your lumbar spine into rotation. I suggest repeating this 10 times in both directions. If you do hear some popping or cracking here, this is completely normal. That is a sign that your door hinge is slowly getting unstuck. Now this exercise is quite effective.

[06:20] active and doable for most people. But if you're finding pain with it, just reduce the amount of movement and then gradually work your way to increased range of motion. So now that we've worked on joint mobility in all directions, bending forward and rotation, it's time to focus on strengthening the muscles around the spine, the abdominals, the A in brace.

[06:40] Exercise number three targets a key core muscle called the transversus abdominis. This deep muscle wraps around your spine like a belt and is essential for maintaining good posture, trunk stability, and reducing back pain. Here's how to perform the modified crunch, a version most people can do. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.

[07:00] flat on the floor or on your bed, place your hands on your thighs. From here, engage your abdominal muscles by pulling your belly button down towards the ground. Imagine the muscles of the core getting slightly tighter while your low back gets flatter against the bed. If you have back pain, this slight movement of a pelvic tilt

[07:20] can give you relief. From here, inhale deeply and as you exhale, lift your shoulder blades off the ground. Focus on using your abdominal muscles to curl up rather than pulling with your neck or chest. Only go as high as you can, holding for a moment at the top, then slowly lowering back down as you

[07:40] inhale, repeating for 2 sets of 15 repetitions. If you have neck pain, you can place your hands lightly behind your head for slight support. But again, do not pull with your neck. Ensure the movement is mostly coming from your core. Before an easier version, you can perform a partial crunch, lifting just your head and shoulder

[08:00] slightly off the ground, maybe an inch or two, but you should still be able to feel this in your core. Remember, quality is more important than quantity. Concentrate on engaging your core throughout the movement while breathing on the way up and down. Start with two to three sets of 10, three times per week, and increase as you build strength and entrance.

[08:20] So far, we've covered exercise to improve bending, rotation, and abdominal strength, BRA. But there's one more key element to address, compound strength. This means building strength across multiple joints and muscles simultaneously, including your back, core, hips, and knees. In my experience, compound exercises are

[08:40] game-changers for daily activities like getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, lifting, and carrying. That's why for this exercise, we're going to do the number one recommended compound movement backed by research from the Tufts University and their John Hancock Center for Physical Activity. They have highlighted this exercise as essential for all older adult

[09:00] because it strengthens your hips, thighs, and glutes, the exact muscles you need for climbing, walking, stairs, and maintaining independence. Here's how to do it. Stand in front of a sturdy chair with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. You have two options for your arms. Either extend them straight out in front for balance or place your hands on the armrests for action.

[09:20] added support. From there, shift your weight back onto your heels, keeping your chest lifted and your core engaged. Begin to lower yourself toward the chair, slowly counting to four as you descend. Imagine yourself lowering onto a fragile surface, gentle and controlled. Once you lightly touch the chair, you don't have to fully sit.

[09:40] Rise back up quickly, counting to two as you stand. This is called a controlled chair squat. The slow descent helps build muscle mass and strength around the spine, while the quick rise improves speed and power, both crucial for staying strong and functional as you age. I recommend starting with 10 repetitions, taking a one to two minute rest.

[10:00] and then completing another two sets of 10. To make it easier, use the armrest for support throughout the movement. To make it harder, you can always hold a weight like a dumbbell or household item close to your chest as you perform the squat. Finally, we reach the last letter in BRACE, E, which stands for endurance. Now this isn't just another guideline

[10:20] recommendation, it's a breakthrough I discovered through my own back pain crisis at age 21. You see, I had just finished my bachelor's degree and was about to embark on a dream trekking trip to Peru when crippling back pain hit me. I seriously considered canceling because the thought of walking for hours each day seemed impossible. But I took the chance and com-

[10:40] committed to that five day trek, pushing through almost 20,000 steps daily. But what happened next completely shocked me. My back pain virtually disappeared within days. Now this obviously won't be the case for everyone, but this personal revelation transformed my understanding of back pain. I realized that consistent, low-impact, endurance movement

[11:00] isn't just helpful, it's essential for back pain and stiffness. Since then, I've watched countless patients experience the same transformation with endurance exercises. One patient, Sarah, could barely bend down and pick up her granddaughter. Now she's able to do 5K walks three times a week completely pain-free. And the science is clear to support this.

[11:20] endurance exercises, boost circulation to muscles and joints, release natural pain-fighting endorphins, and improve sleep quality and stress level. These are all critical factors in back pain recovery. What's remarkable is that the latest research recommends combining strength and flexibility with endurance exercises two to three times a week to even

[11:40] prevent back pain from coming back. So here's your action step. Choose one enjoyable activity from this list, walking, swimming, cycling, or even dancing. Start with 90 minutes weekly, which is only 15 minutes, 6 days a week, then gradually build to 150 minutes per week, which is the general physical activity guideline worldwide. Remember, movement.

[12:00] is medicine, your back craves it, and consistent endurance exercise might be the missing piece in your recovery puzzle. So now that you've mastered the brace exercises, I'm going to share another secret. This is a physiotrk that is how patients see dramatic improvements in as little as one to two weeks. This technique comes straight from the McKenzie method and I

[12:20] it's called the directional preference test. A simple way to personalize your recovery by finding your body's preferred movement pattern. Now caution, use this at your discretion. This doesn't replace medical advice from your health care team, but if you want to try it, here's how to do it. First, from a standing position, perform 5 to 10 gentle forward bends like this.

[12:40] You don't have to go too far. Next, perform five to 10 backward bends with your hands supporting your lower back like this. Now here's the crucial part. After doing these two movements, ask yourself which direction felt better or easier. If forward bending feels better, which is common for people over 50, then your directional preference is flexion. If backward bending

[13:00] better, then your directional preference is extension. If neither feel particularly good, then ask which one caused more discomfort. That's the movement to temporarily avoid while your back heals, and then pick the opposite direction as you preferred. To make it easy, you can use this table to confirm your directional preference and then pick the movement that's linked to that.

[13:20] Now here is the game-changing trick that accelerates healing. Perform your preferred movement 10 times every hour during your waking day. For example, if your preferred movement is flexion, then the exercise you want to repeat 10 times every hour is sitting lumbar flexion like this. If extension is your preferred movement, then your go-to movement would be standing back extension.

[13:40] like this. Give it a try for yourself. If it works like it has for hundreds of my patients, you'll notice rapid improvements in your movement and pain within weeks. So now that you know how to fix your back pain and stiffness, here is something more exciting. Did you know you can build total body strength right at home with just 10 simple moves?

[14:00] Download my free exercise guide which gives you step-by-step instructions for these essential exercise for anyone over 50. Just click the link in the description below. Or you can watch this video for a complete step-by-step demonstration of all 10 essential exercises. I'll see you there.