This varies person to person, depending on your prior fitness level and any medical conditions that you may have. In general, the following guidelines have been published by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP).
See below for exercise guidelines for ages 18-64, 65+, pregnancy, and those with MS, and lower back pain.
As per the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP), women with the following conditions are advised not to exercise:
Unexplained persistent vaginal bleeding
Placenta previa after 28 weeks gestation
Preeclampsia
Incompetent cervix
Intrauterine growth restriction
High-order multiple pregnancy (e.g., triplets)
Uncontrolled Type I diabetes, hypertension, or thyroid disease
Other serious cardiovascular, respiratory or systemic disorder
Ruptured membranes
Premature labour
If you do not have any of the above, then yes, exercise is recommended!
For most patients this is completely safe, and encouraged, so long as the cause of back pain is well understood by you and your doctor, and it does not relate to a fracture or malignancy, or other unusual cause.
The goals of physical activity among patients with back pain is to keep strong and flexible, and to reduce disability and pain.
Low-impact aerobic exercise is helpful in increasing a person’s heart rate and to promote recovery. Your physician can help guide you on how to exactly do this.
The following physical activities are usually recommended: Walking regularly, using a recumbent bike or elliptical machine, and/or pool exercise.
Recumbent Bike
Pool Exercise
Elliptical Machine
Regular Walking
