The back is one of the largest, most important, and strongest parts of the human body. Irrespective of your gender and/or fitness goals, it’s essential to maintain your back in proper shape, since a failure to do so will take its toll both on your form, as well as on your overall levels of health and safety. Without a strong back, you risk injuring your shoulders while working out the arms. An improperly exercised back will not be able to support the other major muscle groups, which work hard to help you ward off the accumulation of fat tissue. As such, check out our guide for back exercises, which includes back workouts for beginners, back muscle exercises for women, and targeted back exercises for all the distinct muscles that make up this complex area.

Complete back workout back exercises

Since the back is a very complex area in terms of the muscles it’s made up of, we’re going to divide it into four principal areas, which you can target, in order to achieve the complete and perfectly tailored back workout. Remember that the exercises below aren’t based on isolating particular muscle groups, but rather on focusing more effort and attention on them. If you’re a fitness aficionado, you probably already know which areas could use some improvement – and that’s exactly what the targeted back exercises below aim to do for you.

Upper and outer lateral back exercises

Most of the exercises below include an ample grip, which typically extend beyond shoulder width. This is because upper and outer lats back exercises actually rely on developing the so-called V-taper area of your back. This is why a good great many of the back workouts you’ll find listed here involve pulling at angles right over your head or by creating a perpendicular line between your body and the bar you’re using to pull. Our top choices for upper back and outer lats exercises include:

·         The wide grip pull-up

Start out by grabbing the bar with your arms positioned right over your head. Then extend your arms as much as they go and make sure your shoulders are in a relaxed position. This will help the laterals be as stretched out as possible, when you reach the bottom-most position of this exercise. Pull your entire body weight up, as your elbows remain extended to the sides. Then pull down your elbows and push yourself up – you should feel your lateral back muscles contract and put in effort to support your body. In order to maximize the effect of this exercise on your laterals, you need to pull yourself as high up as you can. If you’re a beginner when it comes to pull-ups, or are simply finding it difficult to pull your whole body weight all the way up, you might want to enlist a spotter or use a pull-up machine that provides you assistance.

Back exercise pro tip: You can also put extra pressure on your upper and outer lats, as well as on your teres major muscle, when you’re hanging in the bottom position. To this end, you’ll need to bring your shoulder blades as close together as you can, when your arms are fully stretched out.

·         The wide grip bent-over barbell row

Grab a barbell at a width that extends farther than your shoulders; keep your elbows pointed out toward your laterals throughout the exercise and then pull them as far back as you can, in order to completely contract your upper back muscles. You might be tempted to use a flat bench (or, alternatively, a platform), in order to afford a higher range of motions. It’s highly advisable that you don’t resort to this solution, though, because the bottom part of this back exercise might prompt you to use your lower back if you do. Instead, you can simply choose lower weight plates for your barbell, if you want to be able to move more and maintain your balance. Another useful tip is to not straighten your knees during this move – that’s an easy thing to do, when lifting, but it will simply employ other muscles. Just keep your knees bent during the whole time, if you want your upper back and lower laterals to be engaged.

Back exercise pro tip: Although your knees will remain bent throughout, you can always pull the barbell up toward the upper part of the abdomen, in order to engage your teres major and outer lateral muscles as much as you can.

Lower lateral back exercises

The lower lateral back exercises listed below are based on reverse grips and close grips, but also a rather more rare move of the single-joint laterals. All these moves are designed to target your lower laterals.

·         The reverse-grip pull-down

Grip a barbell underhand, with your hands positioned shoulder-width apart. Pull your elbows as far back as you can, in order to stimulate the muscles on your back to the muscles. Your back needs to remain slightly arched, with your torso in an upright position, as you reach up with your arms. Make sure your chest is popping out and fully flexed as you perform the reverse-grip pull-down, because this will target your back muscles. Pull up toward the top part of your pectorals, with your elbows pulled down and pointed as far back as possible. When the muscles on each arm have contracted to the maximum, make sure you bring your shoulder blades as close together as you can.

Back exercise pro tip: It’s very important to maintain that slight arch in your back and a completely vertical position of your upper chest, if you want to fully engage the gibers of your lower lateral muscles. To maximize the effects of your muscles contracting, make sure you bring the bar closer to your lower pecs, as you pull down the barbell.

·         The straight arm lateral back muscle pull-down

Grab onto a lat bar positioned overhead and stand back from the station, as you’ll want your arms almost fully extended and your elbows slightly bent throughout this lower lat back exercise. Bring the barbell down in an arc-like movement, with your arms extended straight in front of you. Bring it all the way down to the upper part of your thighs and feel the lower lats move and contract. Your arms should not be supporting this movement, but your lats should – only move your arms from the joints in your shoulders.

Back exercise pro tip: If you want to play it up a notch, don’t stop the exercise once the barbell has reached the upper part of your thigh. Dig the bar into your thighs and contract your lats as much as you can.

Middle back exercises

Rows that use close-grip and medium-grip movements are the best kind of exercise for your middle back, since they work the lateral and middle section of your back the best. They effectively help make your midsection and laterals as thick as they can be.

·         The one-arm dumbbell row

The initial position of this movement will see your right knee and hand set on a flat bench, as you bend from the waist and lean in forward. Your left foot should be firmly and flatly planted on the floor. Grab a dumbbell with your left hand and let it hang right down, with your arm completely extended, and slightly pointed ahead. Pull the weight in and up, with your left elbow digging into your lateral; raise the dumbbell to the hip. Make sure your ab muscles are engaged and your back is straight. Raise your elbow high up in the air, then, at the top of the movement, bring your shoulder blades as close back together as you can. Bring the dumbbell back down for a full rep, then continue, alternating hands.

Back exercise pro tip: To make the most of this movement, when you reach the lowest point of the movement, you can push the dumbbell straight ahead a little. Then, pull it as high up and toward the back, as you perform the entire movement.

·         The close-grip cable row (seated)

Sit down on a bench, with your knees bent a little – you want to avoid putting too much pressure on them and also steady your body throughout the movement. The way your body is balanced as you perform this exercise is important. You don’t want to lean in, but keep the upper part of your body straight. This way, not only will you give the middle area of your back a better workout, but you’ll also avoid pressuring the often fragile lumbar area excessively. Similarly, your lower back ought to be arched a little, with your shoulders and elbow pulled back as far as you can reach. The bar of the machine needs to touch your midsection when pulled down.

Back exercise pro tip: When you reach the top of the movement, contract your muscles to make the most of them and hold this position for at least one or two seconds. Pull back your shoulder blades and try squeezing them in together.

Lower back exercises

For the exercises in this group, you’ll be bending from the waist quite a lot; make sure you’re not bending from the hips, though, because you’ll be giving your gluteal muscles and hamstrings a run for the money instead. Lower back workouts are great for toning and building the strength of your lumbar area and they help you avoid and even get rid of those dreaded pains in the areas of the haunches.

·         The back extension

For this type of extension, sit down on a bench, with your arms crossed over your torso – if you’re feeling particularly brave, you can choose to cross them at the back of your head, but this is not generally recognized for beginners. You could also hold a weight plate at your torso, to make this workout more intense. Then, begin bending at the waist ever so slowly, in an ample extension. Round your back during the move and squeeze the muscles in your lower back area. Your goal at this point is to lift the upper part of your body. However, you don’t want to go too high, because hyperextensions run the risk of injury.

Back exercise pro tip:The best way to perform this lower back exercise is on a bench with a back extension, which provides full support for your hips. Your hips need to be kept in place, without wiggling, so that all the work is performed by the muscles in your low back area.

·         The stiff-leg deadlift

This move is very similar to the Romanian deadlift, only, given the fact that you need to keep your legs as stiff as possible, you’ll see the bar of the barbell come closer to the floor in this version. Keep your legs straight, your glutes pulled back, and your shoulders straight. Pick up the barbell, bent over from the waist. Let the bar hang straight down from your shoulders and contract the muscles of your lower back. Slowly start lowering the weight, but resist its force. After you’ve reached the bottom-most point of the movement, begin the ascent, with the force of your hips propelling the movement and aiding your back muscles. You need to stand up straight, but avoid leering toward the back, when you’ve reached the top of the movement. Make sure you’re not lifting with the force of your arms and raise the bar to the top of your thighs.

Back exercise pro tip:Allow your lower back to round at the bottom point of the movement. This is another key difference in this exercise, compared to the Romanian deadlift.

Back exercises for women

For a long time, womens workouts for the back muscles were comparatively overlooked. This was probably due to the fact that the back is not one of those body parts that women got a daily look in the mirror of – unlike, the chest, legs, or arms. At the same time, many women argue that they don’t want a V-shaped back, the kind that bodybuilders develop by lifting weights. However, bringing sexy back in the literal sense is a good idea for several reasons. From the esthetic point of view, a backless top or dress looks wonderful on a toned back – check out actresses Robin Wright Penn and Jada PinkettSmith, as well as athletes Venus and Serena Williams to get an idea of what we mean. Then, strong back muscles coupled with a powerful core give your upper body just the support it needs, in order to avoid the kind of pains most peopleget as they advance with age. Last, but definitely not least, a worked-out back can greatly improve one’s posture –which is probably the easiest way to start looking better. Sure, increasing lean body mass is important, but poor posture will ruin even the leanest of physiques, as far as looks go.

These are only some of the reasons why today we take a look at some of the most popular back workouts for women that we’ve gathered from reputed trainers and fitness pros. Don’t be deterred by the fact that they involve weight lifting. They will not make you bulk up or look like a bodybuilding pro overnight. They will, however, help strengthen your back and also give your metabolism the boost it needs, to burn calories more efficiently.

5 great back exercises for women

The squat with a single dumbbell overhead

This exercise does more than just strengthen your back. It’s designed to tone several muscles, including your legs (which carry most of the pressure of the squat), plus your upper and lower back. You’ll need two dumbbells for it and one of them should weigh twice as much as the other. If you’re right-handed, start with your non-dominant hand (i.e. the left one) and vice versa. Begin in upright position, with your toes pointed forward and your legs positioned shoulder-width apart. Lift the lighter weight overhead with your ‘weaker’ hand and hold the other one between your legs. Your arms need to be completely straight, for maximum back strengthening effects.

Start lowering your hips, while also make sure they’re pushed as far back as possible. Bring the upper part of your thighs in a parallel position with the floor. Contract the muscles on the backside of your shoulders and the upper part of your back and make sure your core is also contracted, while you lower the light dumbbell toward your shoulders. Bring the dumbbell right over your shoulders, then slowly resume the initial position. Doat least one set of 15 repetitions with both arms.

The lat pullover

Lie down on your back, either on a bench, or on a mat on the floor, if you don’t have a bench at your disposal. This exercise for women is great for the entire upper back region, but especially for your laterals. The lateral muscles are in charge with raising and lowering your arms, so it’s important to keep them toned, for the pressures of daily life. Your feet need to lay flat on the surface, while your knees should be bent. You can either pick up a single weight with both hands, straight over your chest, or a weight with each hand.

Align your arms with your chest by lowering them straight back, behind your head. If you’re using the floor, don’t touch it with your arms, as you lower them. Revert to the initial position of this women’s back exercise, by pulling your straight arms right back above your chest. Try to contract your lateralmuscles as much as possible, while you revert to the original position. For a full set, perform fifteen reps.

The one-point row with dumbbells

If you’re looking for a back exercise for women that will rapidly enhance your posture, balance, core, and back muscles, then you’ve stumbled upon just the right one. You’ll need a pair of dumbbells for this exercise and we recommend that you select weighted devices than challenge you at an average level. Don’t aim for over-exertion, especially since this moderately difficult exercise might pose difficulties to those who’ve just started training. An easier version of it involves keeping your toes firmly planted on the flower, during the row part of the exercise.

Begin by bending forward from the hip, with the weight balanced on your left leg and the dumbbells in your two hands. Raise your right leg in the air until you form a t-shape with your chest and left leg. Keep your chest and right leg parallel to the floor and your shoulders in a right angle with the floor. Your arms need to hang free at the shoulders, straight down. Then, pull the weights straight with your shoulders still square to the ground. Bring your shoulder blades as close together as possible. While still balancing on your left leg, lower the weights back down very slowly – and that’s one repetition. Switch legs and repeat eight times for a full set.

The reverse row

For this women’s back exercise, you’ll need a squat rack and a bar. Set the bar to a level you can reach, bearing in mind that the lower you position it, the more difficult the exercise will be. Be aware of the fact that this exercise is intense and might not be suitable for absolute beginner – to prepare for it, you might want to try some high rows first. Position yourself under the bar and grab it with your arms wider apart than shoulder-width. Your palms need to be faced away from you. Keep your body in plank position, tuck your chin into your chest and try to avoid raising your shoulders as you perform the movement. Your elbows need to be positioned in a 45-degree angle with your body.

Row your chest toward the bar: your goal is to touch the bar with your chest. Once you’ve achieved this (or come as close to it as you can), start lowering your body back to the initial position. Descend as slowly as possible, with your torso lifted and your body still in plank position. Try to pull your shoulders as far back and down as you can. Lower your body until your arms are straightened out completely, and extended forward. Maintain the bottom-most position for one or two seconds, then repeat the movement.

Lower back extensions

The lumbar area is just as sensitive in women as it is in men, which is why it’s important to keep your lower back muscles properly conditioned. Injuries to a vertebral disc in the lower back area, i.e. low back herniated discs, are painful and difficult to recover from, but you can avoid them altogether with this movement, which is essentially the prone cobra movement, borrowed from yoga.

You don’t need anything other than a mat or padded floor – carpeting will do just fine. Lie down on the floor, facing it, with your arms fully extended by your side. Your forehead should be resting on the floor and your palms should be facing up. Keep the top part of your feet laid flat on the floor. Then, start raising your head and your shoulders, followed by your arms; meanwhile, pull your shoulder blades back as much as you can. Hold the top-most position for as long as you can (for at least 5 seconds), then return to the original position. This is a full repetition; aim for one or two sets of fifteen.

Can you exercise your back without weights?

We’ve already established that a strong back will help with weight loss, overall physical condition, and posture. Yet, as you may have noticed from the above, most back exercises involve weights, either in the form of dumbbells, a kettlebell or a barbell. This, however, doesn’t mean that you can’t work out your back without weight lifting. There are oodles of great back exercises out there, which require nothing more than a floor to lie down or stand on. Here’s our rundown on how to work out your back in the privacy of your own home, with no use of weights involved. Some moves are inspired by exercises in other programs, like the TRX I and most of them can be integrated within compound workouts without a snag.

Yoga cobra for the lower back

We’ve already explained the prone cobra in our list of back exercises for women, but here’s an efficient variation on its theme. This version also begins with you lying face down on the floor, with your arms and legs extended straight out. Keep your arms to the laterals of your body, contract your core muscles and use their force to lift your torso off the floor. At the same time, you should be lifting your arms and back off the mat, to the point where your hips have been fully raised into the air. This is the topmost position of the cobra, which you should hold for at least 3 seconds. Then, slowly lower yourself into the original, face down position. Aim for at least eight to ten reps in one set.

Stability ball leg raises

Place your hips on a stability ball, with your legs spread out wider than hip-width apart. Support your upper body weight on your hands, with your arms extended down and ahead, shoulder-width apart and your palms on the floor. Contract your back muscles and core and lift both your legs simultaneously in the air, as high up as you can, without feeling any badpain. Try to hold this position for at least three seconds, but stop if the pain or pressure gets too intense. A set includes eight to 10 repetitions.

Resistance band seated rows

Sit down in a chair and tie the resistance band to a durable object, at approximately elbow level. The chair should be located some 2 to 3 feet away from the object to which you’ve tied the resistance bands. Extend your arms straight forward and grab onto the two ends of the resistance bands. Your palms should be faced across one another. With your arms to your sides, bend your elbows to 45 degrees and pull your shoulders as close together and far back as you can. Then pull the band toward your body and hold this position for three seconds. Release the bands slowly, until you’ve returned to the original position. Repeat, for a full set of 8-10 repetitions.

Stability ball pull

This exercise works the muscles on your upper back, without the use of any complex machines, but just with the presence of a stability ball. Place it in front of you, then kneel before it. Extend your arms forward, about shoulder-width apart,and position your forearms on the stabilizationball. While still kneeling, remove the ball by making sureitrolls away from your body, as slowly as possible. Your core should be controlling the movement, while your torso drops toward the floor. Extend your upper body forward as far as you can. Hold this maximum position for three seconds, then use your forearmstoroll the ball back toward you. Resuming the initial position completes one repetition; repeat the exercise for 8-10 reps.

Lower tap dip

Another great way for exercising your upper back without weights is the lower-trap dip, which you can perform right at home, with no more ‘equipment’ than a couple of chairs. Place one hand on each chair, lift your legs off the floor and press your whole body upward, with your body weight supported by your arms. You should also be focusing on flexing and contracting your back muscles as much as you can. Your legs, with the toes pointing upward, should be parallel with the floor throughout this exercise. Lift your shoulders toward the ceiling and hold this position for 1-2 seconds. Lower your body down very slowly, until you reach the initial position. Aim for 8-10 reps of this exercise.

Bird-dogs

The bird dog exercise uses no weights and is somewhat similar with the back extension, in the sense that it helps tone your lower back. The initial position is face-down, with your hands and knees supporting your body weight. Your palms should be situated at shoulder-width distance, while your knees should be right underneath your hips. First, extend your right hand straight in front, while you simultaneously reach back with the opposite leg. The peak position should find you with both limbs perfectly parallel to the ground – hold this pose for a few seconds, then resume the original position. For a full repetition, switch to the opposite side; aim for 8 to 10 repetitions in a full set. As an interesting side note, this exercise is also employed, in a slightly modified version, in several Pilates workouts.

Back exercises for pain relief

All of the above exercises and back workouts, be they for men or for women, for mass or for toning, performed with or without weights, should only be performed in top physical form. However, since the back is a particularly sensitive area, back pain is not at all uncommon. With the increasing prevalence of sedentary lifestyles and seated office jobs, the kind of back pain that burns is also becoming more and more widespread. Here are some of the most commonly encountered types and causes of back pain:

·         Scoliosis.When one’s spine is misaligned, owing to a congenital issue, or to poor posture, scoliosis occurs – and it is usually accompanied by severe back pain. You can reduce this pain through exercise, although completely treating scoliosis will usually require a surgical intervention of some sort.

·         Sciatica, radiculopathy and degenerative disk disease. When vertebral discs are degenerated, they start to deteriorate and thus become more likely to rupture or tear – or, as the medical book would put it, to become herniated. Both sciatica and radiculopathy can be caused by such conditions. The patient experiences pain in spasms, because of an irritation of one back nerve or several. Such a pinched nerve can come as a result of aging, or of spinal injuries.Sciatica, or back pain that radiates into the buttocks and leg, is often associated with runners.

·         Pregnancy back pain. Being pregnant is a wonderful time – at the end of these magical nine months, you’ll be bringing a new life into the world. Until then, however, you will need to endure various forms of pain, among which the fact that your breasts will be sore and no bra will fit you anymore. As you probably already know, pregnancy comes with more than just a bulging belly. The hormones that work on the female body during this time also cause the breasts to enlarge. Heavier breasts can cause extra strain on your back, thus causing massive amounts of pain.

·         Excess weight.It’s always a good idea to lose weight, if the number on the scales has come to affect the quality of your life. However, this goal becomes particularly important when the extra pounds are causing more serious issues than the apparition of love handles or cellulite. A constant burning pain in your lower back area can also be caused by being overweight.

·         Rheumatoid arthritis. Spinal osteoarthritis also falls into the degenerative diseases category. Though many people come to be confronted with this problem later in life, once they start to experience back pain, they should probably consider PT for back pain. Along with rheumatoid arthritis, spinal osteoarthritis can come to cause stenosis – i.e. a narrowing of spaces in the spine, which puts excessive pressure on the spinal cord.

By and large, back pain can be caused by one of several issues: a mechanical injury to the lumbar area, a specific condition, such as those cited above, age-related conditions, which mostly affect seniors (this category also includes bone density lowering syndrome osteoporosis) and excess bodyweight

All of the above are serious issues – but the good news is that you can improve or at least get a handle on most of them through dedicated physical therapy,with back exercises for pain relief. The Mayo Clinic, for instance, suggests that people who suffer from back pain should try their 15-minute a day program, which is even age-appropriate for the elderly. Of course, as with any type of physical activity, especially when undertaken after illness or injury, you should always consult with your doctor before beginning a new regimen. You should also consult with your physician if you’ve had a recent back injury, or if you suffer from a condition that affects bone density, such as osteoporosis. That being said, you can check out our collection of back workouts for pain relief. It can be downloaded in .pdf format, then used as a handout, together with the accompanying pictures and the instructional YouTube videoattachedto each of them. You can perform most of these exercises right at home, without any special equipment (other than the occasional mat and/or stability ball).

General tips for back pain relief exercises

Before you begin, make sure you’re wearing comfortable clothing, because you don’t want to risk aggravating the pain. Similarly, don’t push yourself too far outside your comfort zone – the aim of these exercises is to relieve the pain, not augment it. If you experience any pain at any time during the stretch workouts, stop immediately. Also, make sure not to bounce during the exercises; take them slowly and gradually, since any sudden movements can end up causing micro-tears of your muscle tissue. Make sure you’ve got plenty of space to move around freely during your workouts and, generally speaking, hold the stretch poses for about 15/20 to 30 seconds. This span of time is ideal for loosening up the muscles and joints and ensuring a fluidity and efficiency of your movements. Additionally, you could look into neck and shoulder stretches, since back pain is usually accompanied by pain in those areas of the body. Bear in mind that, while anyone can benefit from these stretches, it may take a few weeks, or even months, before your back pain improves, if you’ve been experiencing it for a significant period of time. Nonetheless, your back muscle (i.e. psoas major) and the soft tissue in your lumbar area will thank you for looking after them for about 15 minutes per day.

The knee pull-up stretch

The initial position will have you lying down on the floor, on a carpet or mat. Your knees should be bent and your feet should be lying flat on the floor. Grab a hold of one knee and pull it toward your chest, as closely as possible, without causing any pain. Hold this pose for at least 15 (to 30) seconds,then resume the original position, with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Switch sides and then repeat with both knees simultaneously. Ideally, you should repeat each stretch two or three times and you should also aim to perform the stretch both in the morning, as well as in the evening.

The knee roll stretch

Begin by lying down on your back, on the floor, with your knees bent, your shoulders affixed to the floor, and your feet flat on the floor. Make sure to keep your knees bent and your shoulders to the floor at all time during the execution of this stretching exercise for back pain relief. Roll on one side, with your knees still bent, and hold this position for at least 5 seconds (ideally for 10). Resume the original position, then repeat the same movement on the opposite side. This stretch should also be performed twice or thrice, both in the morning, as well as in the evening.

The lower back arch stretch

As you lie on your back, with your feet flatly and firmly on the floor and your knees bent, arch the lower region of your back, to the point where you can feel your pubic bone pointing downward. Hold this position for about five seconds, then relax your entire body and reposition your lower back on the floor. Then, contract your core muscles, by breathing in deeply and drawing your bellybutton toward the floor. Hold this second pose for another five seconds, relax, and then repeat both movements consecutively. Ideally, you should be able to begin with at least 5 repetitions per day and work your way up to 30, as your back muscles regain their tonus and strength.

The leg half-raise stretch

As you lie down on your back, with your feet on the floor, toes pointing forward and knees bent, relax your shoulders and neck. Your upper bodyand thoracic cavity should be fully de-contracted in the original position of this stretch for back pain relief. Contract your core and gluteal muscles by drawing in a deep breath, then lift your hips off the floor. At the peak of this stretching exercise for back pain relief, your knees, legs and hips should be aligned in a diagonal line. Draw three deep breaths at peak position, then slowly lower your hips back to the floor. This is one full repetition; when you begin, you should be able to complete at least five repetitions each day and then strive to do 30 a day.

The core draw stretch

Begin on your knees, with the weight of your upper body supported by your arms. Your palms should be positioned about shoulder-width apart. Slowly release your abdominal and back muscles and, as they relax, allow your abdominal region to droop down. Then, just as slowly, arch your back, as if you were pulling your gut back in and contracting your core muscles. Return to the original position to complete a full stretch repetition. You should perform about 3 to 5 reps per day.

The McKenzie protocol for lower back pain

Perhaps the biggest issue for patients suffering from back pain is that there’s no uniform treatment to dealing withsuch problems. This can become particularly unnerving, if you find yourself suffering from long-lasting episodes of acute pain, or chronic back pain (twelve weeks or longer). This is where the McKenzie therapy steps in – a sort of rehab program for your back. There’s more to this type of therapy than a set of exercises, which you need to perform in order to do away with the pain. This protocol tries to determine the cause and the effects of pain, by associating the patient’s usual sitting, moving, and standing positions. Only after the causes have been identified is treatment prescribed.

Aquatic therapy to ease back pain

The pool at your local gymcan have a greatly positive impact on dealing with back pain. Exercising in the water is used in the treatment of several types of muscle pain and injuries and back problems are no different. The main advantage to working out with foam rollers and other weighted exercise devices in the water is that they take care of the pain fast. They won’t deal with them overnight, but as you continue to attend aquatic PT for back pain relief, you’ll notice that your condition is significantly improving. Not only will water therapy help you gradually eliminatethe back pains that affect you, but they will also help you build a stronger back, to prevent such problems in the future.