Best Stretches for Lower Back Pain To Help Your Spine
Lower back pain tends to strike when you least expect it and you may feel unsure how to calm the pain. If you didn’t know, there are many stretches to help back pain that you can perform in the comfort of your home. These stretches for back pain relief can ease other aches and pains and regular stretching can help your spine and overall muscle health. Here are a few benefits of stretching:
- Reduce tension in muscles
- Improve range of motion and mobility
- Reduce risk of disability due to back pain
Here we will discuss what you should do if you experience prolonged back pain as well as what are the best stretches for lower back pain and muscle pain in general.
Stretches to Help Back Pain
If you are experiencing back pain that has lasted longer than 3 months, it may be a good idea to speak to your doctor about your pain and see what they recommend in regards to physical therapy programs. It is possible that they show you a few stretches that you can complete at home to help alleviate the pain. When you regularly complete stretches for back pain relief at home it is possible that it will take weeks for the pain to reduce, but the pain will get better. Here are a few of our best stretches for lower back pain that you can do at home, they have been provided by spine-health.
Back Flexion Stretch: This stretch can be completed by lying on the back, pull both of your knees into your chest while at the same time flexing the head forward towards the knees until a stretch is felt across the mid and low back. You want to make sure to keep your stretches for back pain relief at a comfortable stretch level.
Knee to Chest Stretch: This stretch can be completed by lying on the floor on your back with your knees bent and both heels on the floor. You will then place both hands behind one knee and pull it towards the chest, allowing for a stretch in the gluteus and preformism muscles in the butt.
Kneeling Lunch Stretch: This is another one of the best stretches for lower back pain. You may perform this stretch by starting on both knees on the ground. Move one leg forward so the foot is flat on the ground, allowing your weight to be evenly distributed between both hips. Place both of your hands on the top of the extended thigh and gently lean your body forward. You will feel the stretch in the leg that is forward allowing a stretch in the hip flexor muscles which attach to the pelvis.
Piriformis Muscle Stretch: This stretch can be performed by lying on the back with both knees bent and both heels on the floor. Start by crossing one leg over the other, resting the ankle on the bent knee and then gently pull the bottom knee toward the chest until a stretch is felt in the bottom.
Other stretches to help back pain can be related to yoga poses, or yoga in general. It is common for nearly 80 percent of people in the United States to feel back pain at some point in their life.
The spine degenerates with age, closing in the space between vertebrae which increases back pain. Stretching regularly is one of the best ways to relieve back pain. Here is one more of the best stretches for lower back pain that is related to child’s pose in yoga:
Prayer Stretch: This stretch can be performed by lying face down on the floor and tucking the knees up into the chest, in a bent over position. Allow your body to sit back on the heels and bend over at the waist, extending your arms over your head. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds and repeat a few times.
When it doubt, speak to your doctor about the pain that you are experiencing and work together to develop a plan to help alleviate your pain.
