For muscle sprain or strain, active exercise and stretching is typically necessary to help reduce pain and encourage healing. It is advisable to start stretching as soon as possible. For most back conditions, active exercise and stretching help reduce pain and encourage healing. A patient’s back pain exercise program should be comprehensive, working the whole body with target to the back. The exercise program should include a combination of stretching, strengthening, and low-impact aerobic conditioning. Strengthening the core muscles will decrease the stress placed on the lower back. Walking definitely helps in conditioning the body.

Answered by Lokesh Ningegowda, MD. Dr. Ningegowda is an associate staff physician in the departments of Pain Management and General Anesthesiology, located on Cleveland Cleveland’s main campus.