How To Stretch Your Lower Back

How To Do The Partial Crunch

How Should You Use Lower Back Stretches Like These Yoga Poses To Help Reduce Back Pain

Although each of the stretches below are helpful on their own, theyre especially beneficial as a flow, New York Citybased yoga instructor Shanna Tyler tells SELF.

For lower back pain relief, try choosing five or six from the list below as a flow, and plan on holding each pose for 10 seconds to one minute, making sure to take deep breaths throughout the hold.

If your lower back feels relief with that sequence, you can work up to holding each pose for longer, up to three minutes. In terms of frequency, you can do yoga daily if youd like, but if youre doing beginner yoga for back pain, start with just a couple times per week. Also, many people find it useful to break up these lower back stretches into a few mini-sessions when their back feels particularly tight, like first thing in the morning or after sitting at work all day.

• Child’s Pose
• Knees to Chest With Slow Rock
• Reclined Pigeon Pose

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Best Stretches For Sciatica Relief

Stretches for sciatica pain can be a good place to start, when dealing with this painful condition. Focusing on flexibility in the back and legs is a great way to get on the road to recovery from this low back pain, if you know which stretches are best for you. Keep reading to learn more about sciatica stretches.

How To Loosen Tight Lower Back Muscles: Top 10 Stretches

In case youre wondering how regular stretching is helpful to loosen chronic tight back muscles, then the answer is quite simple.

Stretching allows vigorous circulation and transportation of nutrients and oxygen via your blood throughout your body.

So, now if youve got a feeling of very tight lower back muscles, hop on the mat and perform these 10 stretches right away.

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes and doesnt substitute any professional or medical advice.

Pigeon pose is one excellent stretching move to loosen up the glutes and hips.

This pose stretches the deep hip rotator muscles that control hip stability.

Steps to Perform Pigeon Pose:

1: To begin with, start in a tabletop position with your knees directly below your hips and your hands a little over your shoulders.

2: Carefully slide your right knee forward and outside to your right wrist.

3: Place your right foot in front of your left knee while resting the outside of your right knee on the floor.

4: Slowly and carefully slide your left leg backward and straighten the knee. Meanwhile, lower the front of your left thigh and try to keep it as close as possible to the floor.

5: Lower the outside of your right buttock on the floor.

6: Place your right foot in front of your left hip and push with your fingertips on the floor.

7: Squaring your pelvis, try to roll your left hip joint in front of your right hell.

NOTE:

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Exercises To Improve Your Posture

• Isometric rows

Why postures so important

Having good posture is about more than looking good. It helps you to develop strength, flexibility, and balance in your body. These can all lead to less muscle pain and more energy throughout the day. Proper posture also reduces stress on your muscles and ligaments, which can reduce your risk of injury.

Improving your posture also helps you become more aware of your muscles, making it easier to correct your own posture. As you work on your posture and become more aware of your body, you might even notice some imbalances or areas of tightness you werent previously aware of.

Read on to learn how to do 12 exercises thatll help you stand a little taller.

This resting pose stretches and lengthens your spine, glutes, and hamstrings. The childs pose helps to release tension in your lower back and neck.

To do this:

To do this:

Using Other Stretches For Your Back

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How Can I Reduce Lower Back Pain With Yoga

Simply put, the movementsand the isometric, or movement-free, holdsused in yoga can help you build both strength and mobility, both of which play a role in reducing low back pain.

“Yoga is great for working on flexibility and core stability, correcting posture, and breathingall of which are necessary for a healthy back,”Sasha Cyrelson, P.T., D.P.T., O.C.S., clinical director at Professional Physical Therapy in Sicklerville, New Jersey, tells SELF.

She adds that yoga is generally safe to do daily. It’s important, though, to make sure you’re in tune with your body and to stop doing anything that makes any discomfort worse.

“Never stretch into a position of pain, Dr. Cyrelson says. Pain is how our bodies tell us something is wrong. If it actually hurts, ease up on the stretch.” That means you should feel a combination of muscle tension and release, but if theres any pinching, sharp pain, or brief numbness, ease way back on the stretch.

Lower Trunk Rotation Stretch

• While on the floor, bend your knees with feet flat.
• Engage your abdominals to support your spine.
• With arms outstretched and knees together, slowly rotate knees to one side and hold. Rotate to the other side.
• Repeat 5-10 times.

This stretch helps to strengthen core abdominal muscles while also increasing lumbar spine mobility, rotation, and flexibility. Since trunk rotation is used frequently in daily life, especially during sports or workouts, its important to perform stretches to aid in the strength, mobility, and function of these muscles.

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Hip Hinges With Dowel

For this stretch, you will need an extra tool. Although some gyms and physical therapy centers keep lengths of PVC on hand for this, a broomstick or similar light, straight pole will work. Perform this stretch by following these steps:

• Hold a light pole or dowel along your spine. It should make contact with your tailbone, between your shoulder blades, and the back of your head.
• Keep a natural arch in your lower back.
• Keeping the dowel in place, stand with your feet hip-width apart and bend your knees slightly.
• Hinge forward at the hips, bringing your chest toward the floor.
• Make sure the dowel retains contact with your tailbone, spine, and head throughout the stretch.
• Hold the stretch for 35 seconds. Then, return to standing position.
• Repeat 5 times.

This stretch will provide relief for tight hamstrings. At the same time, the dowel held along your spine will help keep your back in a healthy position, preventing back injury and increasing the effectiveness of the stretch.

Back Pain 7 Stretches You Can Do From Your Desk Chair

WITH HEATHER HARRISON, PT, DPT, OCS

Back pain, especially lower back pain, is extremely common, brought on by movement, activity or even the opposite. Staying in a seated position throughout the day in a less-than-optimal desk chair or car seat can bring on the pain.

Physical Therapist Heather Harrison of OrthoCarolina Huntersville has seen her fair share of patients with back pain and she often recommends using a chair with lumbar support. But even if your chair has built-in support, Heather says one size doesnt fit all.

For a little extra support, try rolling up a jacket, sweatshirt or towel to place behind your back. When youre in a bind, Heather says this simple step can help support the natural curvature of the lumbar spine.

Still feeling that lower back pain? You can do these exercises right from your desk chair:

ABDOMINAL BRACING 10 x 10 seconds

Begin in a seated position with hands on your lower abs. With a slow, controlled movement, draw your navel to your spine, bracing your abdominal muscles. Hold, then relax.

Be sure to keep your tall posture throughout the exercise, avoiding bending forward or holding your breath.

SEATED MARCHES WITH ABDOMINAL BRACING 30 repetitions

Throughout the exercise, remain seated in your chair with a straight back and abs braced by pulling the navel to the spine.

Your knees stay bent as you pick one leg up off the ground, lower it back down and alternate with the other leg.

SEATED FORWARD FLEXION STRETCH3 x 30 seconds

3 x 30 seconds

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How To Stretch Your Lower Back

Back pain is the leading cause of disability in the world. An estimated 80% of people will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. While any type of back pain can be debilitating for many, lower back pain can be challenging for anyone to manage. However, stretching and strengthening supporting muscles can help bring some relief. Heres how to stretch your lower back.

Precautions And Home Care

If there is no underlying medical condition that is causing your lower back pain, these exercises and a little self-care can usually give you relief. Self-care tips include relaxation techniques, such as breathing.

You might feel tempted to take muscle relaxants, but there is little clinical evidence that they are helpful for lower back pain. Instead, try nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Rest will also help, but avoid staying in bed for more than a day or two, which can actually prevent you from getting better. Applying a cold or heat pack for about 15 minutes every few hours can also help relieve lower back pain.

Stretches are not a substitute for medical care, so if you suspect you have an injury, contact your doctor. You will get a physical exam, and your doctor will decide if you need additional testing, such as X-rays.

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Take A Tai Chi Or Yoga Class

Some of the best stretches for your lower back are found in Tai Chi and yoga. Consider signing up for a weekly class to help strengthen and stretch your lower back muscles.

In particular, Tai Chi has great results when it comes to improving flexibility, strength, balance. Yoga is also a good option, as many lower back stretches like pigeon pose come directly from yoga. Yoga is also great exercise for your entire body.

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The 7 Best Stretches For Lower Back Pain

Just because lower back pain can be complex , does not mean there are not things you can do about it. Stretching is a great tool to beat lower back pain. Movement matters, and can make a huge difference when your back pain doesn’t seem to let off.

Here are my favorite 7 best stretches for lower back pain. Give these a try! Some may do wonders for you, others not so much. Use the ones that help you the most. I would recommend doing them daily–especially if your back pain is a problem that seems to pop up often.

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Double Knee To Chest Stretch

• Get on your back, feet on the floor.
• Gently pull both knees towards your chest.
• Hold position 20-30 seconds.
• Repeat 3-5 times.

The stretch helps to promote lumbar spine flexibility and movement and can be done before or after workouts to prevent muscle strain and injury. This exercise also gently activates cores muscles which can improve overall body performance and help to reduce lower back pain.

The 7 Most Essential Lower Back Stretches After Deadlifting

In order to reduce your risk of injury and alleviate lower back tightness after deadlifting, incorporate a stretching routine into your workout program. The following stretches are designed to increase flexibility in muscles essential for the deadlift. Building flexibility will help to decrease pain and discomfort after deadlifting.

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Outer Hip Piriformis Stretch

Youll want to recover from this stretch! Lie on your back, bend both knees together and gently pull them with your hands toward your chest.

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Supine Abdominal Draw In Stretch

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

Kneel on the floor in an all-fours position on your hands and knees.

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General Tips For Stretching To Relieve Back Pain

Keeping the following in mind can help effectively stretch the muscles without injury:

• Wear comfortable clothing that wont bind or constrict movements
• Do not force the body into difficult or painful positionsstretching should be pain free
• Move into a stretch slowly and avoid bouncing, which can cause muscle strain
• Stretch on a clean, flat surface that is large enough to move freely
• Hold stretches long enough to adequately lengthen muscles and improve range of motion1
• Repeat a stretch between 2 and 5 timesa muscle usually reaches maximum elongation after about 4 repetitions1
• Stretch one side of the body at a time

Below are examples of stretches targeted for the neck, upper back, and the lower back.

How To Do The Jefferson Curl:

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