Prevent back pain like a pro athlete

By Dana Santas, Special to CNN

Updated 1602 GMT (0002 HKT) March 24, 2016

Lie comfortably on your back with your heels up on chair and knees aligned above your hips. Place a yoga block or pillow between your legs. Without using your low back, activate low, deep core muscles and your glutes (muscles of your bottom) to lift your pelvis off the floor a few inches into a slight bridge. While bridging, inhale through your nose, filling the lowest lobes of your lungs. You should feel your lower ribs externally rotate to expand outward, as opposed to only inflating your upper chest. Exhale, using core muscles to help internally rotate your lower ribs and release your rib cage downward, expelling all air. A complete exhalation is necessary to fully relax your diaphragm. Inhale for a count of five, exhale for a count of seven, and pause -- without taking a breath -- for a count of three. Take five breaths like this while maintaining the bridge position. Take a break and repeat.

Photos: Exercises to prevent back pain

Bridge on chair – Lie comfortably on your back with your heels up on chair and knees aligned above your hips. Place a yoga block or pillow between your legs. Without using your low back, activate low, deep core muscles and your glutes (muscles of your bottom) to lift your pelvis off the floor a few inches into a slight bridge. While bridging, inhale through your nose, filling the lowest lobes of your lungs. You should feel your lower ribs externally rotate to expand outward, as opposed to only inflating your upper chest. Exhale, using core muscles to help internally rotate your lower ribs and release your rib cage downward, expelling all air. A complete exhalation is necessary to fully relax your diaphragm. Inhale for a count of five, exhale for a count of seven, and pause -- without taking a breath -- for a count of three. Take five breaths like this while maintaining the bridge position. Take a break and repeat.

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While seated on the floor, curl yourself into a ball with your feet on the floor. Keep your knees and feet together to engage adductors (groins) for hip and pelvic floor stability. Inhale as you reach your arms out to the sides, palms up, without letting your shoulders elevate. Exhale as you bring your arms together in front of you. Do three repetitions. Drop your knees out in a cobbler's or butterfly pose to release your groins and hips; if hip mobility is limited, additional hip-opening postures are recommended. Repeat for another set of three.

Photos: Exercises to prevent back pain

Modified boat – While seated on the floor, curl yourself into a ball with your feet on the floor. Keep your knees and feet together to engage adductors (groins) for hip and pelvic floor stability. Inhale as you reach your arms out to the sides, palms up, without letting your shoulders elevate. Exhale as you bring your arms together in front of you. Do three repetitions. Drop your knees out in a cobbler's or butterfly pose to release your groins and hips; if hip mobility is limited, additional hip-opening postures are recommended. Repeat for another set of three.

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Lying on your stomach, place your hands next to your mid-rib cage with your elbows bent and snug to your sides. Press through your palms as though you're trying to slide your upper body forward through your arms, creating length in your lumbar spine (low back). Inhale as you slowly begin straightening your arms and lifting your shoulders. Exhale and focus on drawing your shoulder blades down toward your waist, feeling your midback muscles engage to create and sustain extension in your spine. Take five long deep breaths. Rest and repeat.

Photos: Exercises to prevent back pain

Cobra – Lying on your stomach, place your hands next to your mid-rib cage with your elbows bent and snug to your sides. Press through your palms as though you're trying to slide your upper body forward through your arms, creating length in your lumbar spine (low back). Inhale as you slowly begin straightening your arms and lifting your shoulders. Exhale and focus on drawing your shoulder blades down toward your waist, feeling your midback muscles engage to create and sustain extension in your spine. Take five long deep breaths. Rest and repeat.

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Standing with feet hip distance apart and arms extended forward at shoulder level, exhale and drop back through your hips and pelvis into a deep squat. Maintain weight in your heels with your toes pointed forward. Avoid allowing your knees to bow out. If you have difficulty squatting all the way down without lifting your heels, hold something secure for support. Take five long, deep breaths. Focus inhalations on breathing into your midback and exhalations on relaxing your lower back. If you experience discomfort in your ankles, knees or shins, make sure you're dropping back into your hips as opposed to pushing forward into your knees. Rest and repeat for two sets of five breaths.

Photos: Exercises to prevent back pain

Functional squat – Standing with feet hip distance apart and arms extended forward at shoulder level, exhale and drop back through your hips and pelvis into a deep squat. Maintain weight in your heels with your toes pointed forward. Avoid allowing your knees to bow out. If you have difficulty squatting all the way down without lifting your heels, hold something secure for support. Take five long, deep breaths. Focus inhalations on breathing into your midback and exhalations on relaxing your lower back. If you experience discomfort in your ankles, knees or shins, make sure you're dropping back into your hips as opposed to pushing forward into your knees. Rest and repeat for two sets of five breaths.

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From standing, step your right foot back, as though coming into a lunge, but place your heel down with your toes angled slightly out. Bend your left knee to align above your ankle. Keep your back leg straight. Place your left hand on your left hip. If balance is a challenge, place your left hand on a wall or other support. Inhale as you reach your right arm overhead to the left, stretching your right side and front of your hip. Avoid arching your low back. Hold the stretch for a few breaths. Repeat on the opposite side.

Photos: Exercises to prevent back pain

Warrior one with side reach – From standing, step your right foot back, as though coming into a lunge, but place your heel down with your toes angled slightly out. Bend your left knee to align above your ankle. Keep your back leg straight. Place your left hand on your left hip. If balance is a challenge, place your left hand on a wall or other support. Inhale as you reach your right arm overhead to the left, stretching your right side and front of your hip. Avoid arching your low back. Hold the stretch for a few breaths. Repeat on the opposite side.

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From standing, use an exhalation to squat down and place your left hand on top of a yoga block or other similar support. Inhale as you reach your right arm forward and up, rotating from your shoulder, midback and rib cage to twist open to the right. At the same time, straighten your right leg while pulling back through your heel as if you're sliding it backward. You should experience a stretch in the back of your leg and across your right low back. Hold for five breaths, using respiration to facilitate the twist. Focus inhalations on the open side of your rib cage (the side you're turning toward) and exhalations on the opposite side, employing side waist muscles to internally rotate your ribs for greater rotation. Unwind back to standing and repeat the movement with rotation to the left.

Photos: Exercises to prevent back pain

Standing windmill hamstring twist – From standing, use an exhalation to squat down and place your left hand on top of a yoga block or other similar support. Inhale as you reach your right arm forward and up, rotating from your shoulder, midback and rib cage to twist open to the right. At the same time, straighten your right leg while pulling back through your heel as if you're sliding it backward. You should experience a stretch in the back of your leg and across your right low back. Hold for five breaths, using respiration to facilitate the twist. Focus inhalations on the open side of your rib cage (the side you're turning toward) and exhalations on the opposite side, employing side waist muscles to internally rotate your ribs for greater rotation. Unwind back to standing and repeat the movement with rotation to the left.

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