Lower Back Pain Stretches

Aching back pain is one of the most common complaints that people have. Luckily, there are simple techniques that can help to prevent discomfort and ease the pain.

Some of the best things you can do to ease and prevent back discomfort are keep your body aligned, sit straight, and avoid slouching.

Stretching is Integral to Pain Management and Improvement

My favorite technique to relieve tension in the back muscles is stretching. I like to do a combination of upper and lower body stretches to loosen up my back muscles. I start with some simple neck rolls and then move on to shoulder shrugs. I also incorporate some lunges and stretch my arms overhead.

There are Two Types of Stretches – Dynamic and Static

• Dynamic stretch: an active movement performed at a moderate speed preparing your muscles and other soft tissues for activity.
• Static stretch: a slow and sustained position. Static stretches are best after a workout and are typically better for easing lower back pain.

Dynamic stretches include:

• Neck rolls
• Shoulder shrugs
• Lunges
• Heel and toe walks
• Knee hugs or knee-to-chest walks
• Hamstring and quad stretches
• Lateral lunges

Static stretches include:

• Upper back stretches
• Shoulder stretches
• Quad and hamstring stretches
• Calf stretches
• IT band (side of the thigh) stretches

I often stretch before getting out of bed, helping me to wake up my brain and get the blood flowing. While sleeping, your muscles tighten, blood flow decreases, and your heart rate slows. Morning stretches will also help ease joint discomfort. Here’s a 5 minute video demonstrating morning stretches that will help stretch out any tightened body muscles.

If you spend a significant amount of your day sitting, stretching throughout the day will help to keep your lower back happy. It only takes a few minutes.

Stretching is simple and easy to do, but can make a big difference. So experiment and find which ones work best for you the next time you’re feeling discomfort, and see for yourself!

Bottom Line: By incorporating simple stretches into your daily routine and being more aware of your body alignment, you can help ease your lower back pain. So give them a try today and see how much they can help!

Here are a few other movement and stretching videos to help get you started

To see more stretching, breathing techniques, yoga and meditation videos, visit my Youtube channel.

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