Lower Back Stretches to Reduce Pain and Build Strength Best stretches for lower back flexibility and pain relief How To Get A Strong Lower Back The RIGHT Way (4 Must Do Exercises)

How To Get A Strong Lower Back The RIGHT Way (4 Must Do Exercises)

Overview

Lower back pain is a fairly common health issue, partly because so many things can cause it.

In some cases, it might be a symptom of an underlying condition, such as kidney stones or fibromayalgia. Other times, it’s simply a side effect of a sedentary lifestyle or reptitive motions.

Regardless of what’s causing your lower back pain, these seven stretches can help to reduce the pain and strengthen the muscles in your lower back.

First, a few quick tips

It’s important that you stretch your lower back with safety and care. Be especially gentle and cautious if you have any type of injury or health concern. It’s best to talk to your healthcare provider first.

You can do these stretches once or twice a day. But if the pain seems to get worse, or you’re feeling very sore, take a day off from stretching.

Be mindful of your body’s limits and don’t push your body to do too much. Listen to your body and do what feels best for you in each moment.

As you go through these stretches, take your time and play close attention to your breathing. Use your breath as a guide to make sure you don’t strain or overdo it. You should be able to breathe comfortably and smoothly throughout each pose or stretch.

1. Child’s Pose

This traditional yoga pose works your gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and spinal extensors. It helps to relieve pain and tension all along your spine, neck, and shoulders.

Its relaxing effect on your body also helps to loosen up tight lower back muscles, promoting flexibility and blood circulation along the spine.

To do Child’s Pose, follow these steps:

1. With your hands and knees on the ground, sink back through your hips to rest them on your heels.
2. Hinge at your hips as you fold forward, walking your hands out in front of you.
3. Rest your belly on your thighs.
4. Extend your arms in front of or alongside your body with your palms facing up.
5. Focus on breathing deeply and relaxing any areas of tension or tightness.
6. Hold this pose for up to 1 minute.

You can do this pose several times during your stretching routine. Feel free to do it in between each stretch.

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Modifications

If you feel like you need some extra support, you can place a rolled-up towel on top of or underneath your thighs.

If it’s more comfortable, widen your knees and rest your forehead on a cushion.

2. Knee-to-chest stretch

This stretch relaxes your hips, thighs, and glutes while promoting overall relaxation.

To do a knee-to-chest stretch, follow these steps:

1. Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Keep your left knee bent or extend it straight out along the floor.
3. Draw your right knee into your chest, clasping your hands behind your thigh or at the top of your shinbone.
4. Lengthen your spine all the way down to your tailbone and avoid lifting your hips.
5. Breathe deeply, releasing any tension.
6. Hold this pose for 1 to 3 minutes.
7. Repeat with the other leg.

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Modifications

Place a cushion under your head for extra padding. You can also use wrap a towel around your leg if it’s hard for your arms to reach.

To deepen the stretch, tuck your chin into your chest and lift your head up toward your knee.

3. Piriformis stretch

This stretch works your piriformis muscle, which is found deep in your buttocks. Stretching this muscle relieves pain and tightness in your buttocks and lower back.

To do a piriformis stretch, follow these steps:

1. Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Place your right ankle at the base of your left thigh.
3. Then, place your hands behind your left thigh and pull up towards your chest until you feel a stretch.
4. Hold this position for 1 to 3 minutes.
5. Then do the opposite side.

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Modifications

To make the stretch more comfortable, keep your bottom foot planted on the floor. Rest your head on a cushion for support.

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4. Seated spinal twist

This classic twist works your hips, glutes, and back. It increases mobility in your spine and stretches your abdominals, shoulders, and neck. The pressure of this stretch also stimulates your internal organs.

To do a seated spinal twist, follow these steps:

1. Sit on the edge of a cushion with both legs extended out in front.
2. Bend your right knee and place your foot to the outside of your left thigh.
3. Bend your left leg, placing your foot near your right thigh.
4. Lift your arms up with your palms facing each other.
5. Starting at the base of your spine, twist to the right side.
6. Place your right hand behind you for support.
7. Place your left arm around your right leg as though you’re hugging it, or bring your upper arm to the outside of your thigh.
8. Hold this pose for up to 1 minute.
9. Repeat on the other side.

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Modifications

To make this pose more comfortable, keep your bottom leg straight.

For an extra stretch, add in neck rotations during this pose by inhaling to look forward and exhaling to turn your gaze backward. Do 5 to 10 on each side.

5. Pelvic tilt

Pelvic tilts build strength in your abdominal muscles, which helps relieve pain and tightness in your lower back. They also have a beneficial effect on your glutes and hamstrings.

To do a pevlic tilt, follow these steps:

1. Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Engage your abdominal muscles as you flatten your back against the floor.
3. Breathe normally, holding this position for up to 10 seconds.
4. Release and take a few deep breaths to relax.
5. Do 1 to 3 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions.

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6. Cat-cow stretch

The cat-cow stretch is a great way to wake up your spine while also stretching your shoulders, neck, and chest.

To do the cat-cow stretch, follow these steps:

1. Come onto all fours in a tabletop position (hands and knees on the ground).
2. Press into your hands and feet as you inhale to look up, allowing your belly to fill with air.
3. Exhale, tucking your chin into your chest and arching your spine toward the ceiling.
4. Continue this pattern of movement, moving with each breath.
5. Do this for 1 to 2 minutes.

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Modifications

If you have wrist concerns, place your hands slightly forward instead of directly under your shoulders. If you have any knee concerns, place a cushion under them for padding and support.

For deeper holds, simply remain in each position for 5 to 20 seconds at a time instead of moving with each breath.

7. Sphinx stretch

The sphinx stretch is a gentle backbend that allows you to be both active and relaxed. This baby backbend stretches and strengthens your spine, buttocks, and chest.

To do the sphinx stretch, follow these steps:

1. Lie on your stomach with your elbows underneath your shoulders and your hands extended in front, palms facing down.
2. Set your feet slightly apart. It’s okay for your big toes to touch.
3. Gently engage your lower back, buttocks, and thighs as you lift your head and chest.
4. Stay strong in your lower back and abdominals, breathing deeply.
5. Press your pelvis into the floor.
6. Gaze straight ahead or gently close your eyes.
7. Hold this pose for 1 to 3 minutes.

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Lower back problems are very common. They can cause a constant dull ache or a sudden sharp pain. Lower back pain has a variety of possible causes, which range from poor posture to underlying medical conditions. However, certain stretches may help by relieving pain and improving flexibility.

Conditions that stretches may help

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Certain stretches can help ease lower back pain.

Lower back problems are one of the most common reasons for visiting the doctor or taking time off work. These issues can cause short- or long-term pain and difficulty moving.

Poor posture or sitting still for long periods can cause lower back pain and tightness. Other possible causes of problems in the lower back include:

• Injuries: Sprains or strains can cause pain anywhere in the back.
• Congenital abnormalities: Some conditions, such as scoliosis, affect the spine at birth.
• Degenerative conditions: Other conditions that affect the spine can worsen with time, such as arthritis.
• Nerve problems: Nerves run up and down the spinal cord. Some conditions that affect these nerves, such as sciatica, can cause lower back problems.
• Pregnancy: The weight of the growing fetus can put pressure on the lower back, causing pain.

Lower back stretches to increase flexibility and relieve pain

Many different treatments are available for reducing lower back pain. For example, a doctor might recommend pain relievers and physical therapy.

Growing evidence supports the benefits of stretching and practicing yoga for treating pain and improving flexibility. A 2020 study suggests that a tailored yoga program may help relieve back and neck pain, improving quality of life as a result.

A 2016 review further supports this by suggesting that yoga appears to be a safe and effective treatment for chronic low back pain. The authors of a different 2016 review also note that exercise programs that incorporate flexibility are beneficial for relieving back pain. They state that this is because increased flexibility leads to improvements in range of motion and functional movement.

Several different stretches can help increase flexibility and reduce pain in the lower back. People can start by trying the following stretches:

Cat-Cow stretch

The Cat-Cow stretch is a popular yoga pose for stretching the lower back:

1. Start on the hands and knees in a tabletop position, with the back straight.
2. Slowly tilt the pelvis back, allowing the spine to curve inward.
3. Breathe in during the movement and lift the head to look upward.
4. Start to move the pelvis in the opposite direction, letting the spine round.
5. Draw the navel toward the spine while breathing in.
6. Slowly drop the head to look toward the ground.
7. Repeat this cycle several times.

Knee-to-chest stretch

A knee-to-chest stretch lengthens the lower back muscles:

1. Lie flat on the back.
2. Bring both knees up toward the chest and wrap the arms around the upper shins.
3. Gently squeeze with the arms to pull the knees closer to the chest.
4. Hold this position for 15 seconds before releasing it.

Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose is another popular yoga position for lengthening the lower back:

1. Start on all fours with the hands directly under the shoulders and the knees just wider than the hips.
2. Slowly sit back on the legs while reaching out forward with the arms. Rest the forehead gently on the floor.
3. Try to lengthen the spine as much as possible, without overstretching.
4. Hold the position for 20 seconds.

Pelvic tilt

Pelvic tilts engage the abdominal muscles and stretch the lower back:

1. Lie on the back and bend the legs so that the knees point to the ceiling and the feet are flat on the ground.
2. Relax the back to give a slight curve to the spine.
3. Tense the abdominal muscles to straighten the spine.
4. Hold this position for 10 seconds and then repeat the exercise 10 times.

Bridge pose

The bridge pose involves the gluteus maximus muscles, which are at the back of the thighs underneath the hips:

1. Lie on the back with the knees bent up and the feet hip-width apart.
2. Pushing into the feet, activate the gluteus maximus muscles to lift the lower back, bringing the hips in line with the shoulders and knees.
3. Keep the hands flat on the ground and use them for stability.
4. Hold the pose for 15 seconds before lowering the body back to the ground.
5. Repeat 5 times.

Lower back pain and tightness are very common. Maintaining good posture and avoiding long periods of sitting may help prevent these symptoms. People can ease the symptoms with pain relievers and a range of stretches.

However, back pain and tightness are sometimes due to an injury or a medical condition. In these cases, a person should speak to a doctor or physical therapist before starting a new exercise routine.

It is important that people avoid any exercises or stretches that put excess strain on the back and cause pain.

Cobra stretch

A Cobra stretch is another yoga pose that people commonly use to improve flexibility:

1. Lie on the stomach facing the ground.
2. Place the hands shoulder-width apart, just in front of the hips, and slowly push into them.
3. Let the upper body rise from the ground while pushing into the hands and pressing the hips into the ground.
4. Hold the position at the top of the pose for 15 seconds.
5. Release back to the ground and repeat 5 times.

Supine twist

The supine twist stretches the lower back and gluteus maximus muscles:

1. Lie on the back with the arms outstretched to create a T position.
2. Lift both feet and bring the knees toward the chest until the shins are parallel to the ground.
3. Keeping the palms and shoulders flat on the ground, lower the knees to one side of the body.
4. Hold this position for 20 seconds before switching to the other side.
5. Repeat several times on each side.

Bird-Dog

Bird-Dog is a useful stretch for building core strength and relieving tension in the lower back:

1. Start with the hands and knees on the floor, making sure that the shoulders are over the hands, and the hips are over the knees.
2. Tighten the abdominal muscles and extend one arm straight forward at shoulder level.
3. Lift and extend the opposite leg straight out from the hip.
4. Tighten the muscles and hold this position for 15 seconds.
5. Return to the start position and repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
6. Perform 5 repetitions on each side.

The bottom line

You use your lower back for a lot of things, from walking and running to simply getting out of bed in the morning. Keep it in good working order with regular stretching to relieve tension and build strength.