Back pain can limit your mobility, but remaining sedentary will worsen your posture and adversely affect your fitness goals. Fortunately, you can try rebounding — a gentle and effective exercise that can strengthen your back muscles to reduce chronic back pain.
These movements improve cardiovascular health, boost the immune system and increase balance. A health provider can help you decide if rebounding is a good solution for your back pain and if you need any additional interventions like spine treatment or surgery.
Rebounding, or jumping on a mini trampoline, is a fun and painless way to strengthen your back muscles. It is gentler on your spine than high-impact exercises like running or plyometrics because a trampoline’s spring mechanics and netting absorb most of the force when you jump. Many rebounding exercises involve movements and activities such as the following:
Some people use miniature trampolines with springs, but another option is a trampoline made with bungee cords for extra shock absorption. You can also add a handlebar for extra stability, which is vital when exercising your back.
Rebounding is an excellent exercise, but you should always check with a health professional before starting a new type of workout. Many people love rebounding because it’s gentle on the joints while burning calories, strengthening muscles and improving their cardio health. Understanding the benefits and risks of rebounding can help you determine if it’s a good exercise to try.
Rebounding is a straightforward workout that offers the following benefits for your back and overall health.
Since a trampoline’s spring mechanics and netting absorb most of the force when you jump, rebounding has a low impact on your spine and joints, resulting in reduced back pain. Muscles and ligaments hold the spine’s 33 vertebrae together, and pliable spinal discs cushion the vertebrae. Rebounding works your back muscles while reducing pressure and force on the discs.
Rebounding stretches, mobilizes and strengthens your spine in different directions for enhanced flexibility and range of motion. You can learn various strength training exercises to target the upper, middle and lower back and gluteus muscles. The stronger your back muscles are, the more you can reduce back pain and enjoy comfortable movement.
Working your muscles through rebounding exercises also increases your flexibility and mobility. You may have extra energy to move throughout your day after starting a regular rebounding workout routine, making your lifestyle more active.
Since rebounding exercises are so gentle on your spine and joints, they are more approachable for people of all fitness levels. Jumping on a miniature trampoline gets your heart pumping, which strengthens the heart muscle and helps lower your blood pressure. Improved cardiovascular health also increases circulation to your spinal discs, keeping them in better condition.
Jumping on a miniature trampoline can improve your balance. Jumping and landing on the trampoline is a form of controlled falling, and your core braces to generate stability each time you come down. Repeated jumping on the trampoline works your core muscles to gradually improve your balance.
Your lymphatic system plays a crucial role in your health because it recycles old red blood cells, removes bacteria, destroys pathogens and transports fat. These functions support the immune system, boost energy and balance hormones. The lymphatic system serves as a backup for the vascular system, handling excess blood by absorbing and transporting plasma throughout the body.
While the vascular system has a pump to move blood, the lymphatic system requires movement to pump fluid and circulate it throughout the body. Rebounding helps the lymphatic system move fluid and fat through the body faster, significantly boosting energy and improving overall health.
A rebounding exercise routine helps prevent osteoporosis because strength training boosts bone health. Working your muscles with exercises like weightlifting, running, jumping or squatting stimulates your bones to grow stronger, and performing these actions on a miniature trampoline is a gentle but equally effective way to do so. Osteoporosis reduces bone mineral density, making bones weak and prone to fractures or breaks. Rebounding builds bone mass and strength to prevent, slow or reverse weakening.
Worldwide, falls are a leading cause of unintentional injury. Your likelihood of falling and hurting yourself increases with age. Since rebounding improves your balance, it’s an excellent way to reduce your fall risk. Jumping improves your proprioception, which is an awareness of your body’s movement and location. You can move more confidently after you begin a rebounding exercise routine your provider recommends.
Ensure you can safely perform rebounding exercises before starting a routine. Since rebounding involves jumping on a miniature trampoline, you could fall off if you lose focus. You might also injure your muscles or connective tissue if you use the incorrect form or technique.
The safest way to rebound is to discuss it with a specialist before attempting any exercises on a trampoline. Your provider may recommend the following safety precautions to protect your back and achieve the best results:
Rebounding is an enjoyable, exhilarating exercise that can reduce back pain when you practice safety and follow your health provider’s advice. Your provider may recommend spine surgery if you have a condition affecting your spine or discs. Conditions such as bone spurs, herniated discs, pinched nerves and disc tears often require specialized treatment to minimize or eliminate chronic pain.
Talk to a professional before trying rebounding, and let your provider know if you experience pain during or after rebounding exercises.
Rebounding exercises are gentle, yet efficient enough to strengthen muscles and improve your overall health. Desert Institute for Spine Care can help if you have a spinal condition causing chronic or severe back pain that keeps you from rebound exercise. DISC prioritizes providing outstanding care as a leader in minimally invasive spinal surgery and non-surgical treatments.
Our board-certified spine surgeons provide expert diagnoses and second opinions on misdiagnosed spinal conditions. We always recommend the least invasive treatment or surgical procedure based on each patient’s pain level, and you can depend on us to closely evaluate your unique condition and needs. Contact us to schedule an appointment and reduce your back pain.
