I had severe back pain from an injury in a car accident many years ago and have found many things to do to treat my back injury. Exercise has been an important part of the things I do. My back pain doesn’t bother me anymore as long as I keep doing exercises.
Besides walking a mile around the duck pond and back up a steep hill to my house every day and doing stretching exercises for my legs and back, I joined a gym.
I have been using several pieces of gym equipment for my back pain, which I will write about here, but the one which has been the most beneficial for my back injury is the Cybex torso rotation machine.
If I use the torso rotation station two to three times per week, my back feels much better. If I get busy and don’t get to the gym for a week, my back pain comes back.
There are two settings, depending on how far you want to rotate your torso. I use the furthest extension. I started by using a light weight setting of 30 pounds and slowly increased the weight over the course of the last 18 months. I currently use it at 90 pounds.
Cybex makes a few torso rotation machines that look similar.
Cybex torso rotation station
Another great piece of exercise equipment that I have at home (gyms usually have one of these also) and use to strengthen my back is a vertical stand-up version of the Roman Chair, also called a Vertical Knee Raise station.
See how to use the Roman Chair to do a Reverse Crunch.
If you want one at home, you can find affordable and competitive prices to purchase a Vertical Knee Raise station at Nextag.
Another exercise machine I use at the gym to strengthen my back is the Cybex VR3 Back Extension exercise station / machine.
Can You Take a Tax Deduction for Your Exercise Equipment or be Reimbursed by Insurance?
You may be able to deduct the expense of your gym membership or purchase and installation of gym/exercise equipment for your home on your IRS and state tax returns.
You may be able to obtain insurance reimbursement for your gym membership or the cost of purchase and installation of exercise equipment that you need for therapy from any one of three insurance companies: 1) Health insurance; 2) Third-party liability insurance (the insurance company for the person or company you are suing, if you had an accident due to someone else’s fault); or 3) Automobile (Med Pay) or No-Fault insurance (when an injury is sustained due to the operation of a car).
For more information, see Will the IRS or Insurance Company Pay for Your Hot Tub?