Stretching Prescription
for Low Back Pain

If you suffer from low back pain then you’ve read the nuts and bolts of spine strength. Here you’ll find out why it’s important to make spinal exercises and stretching a priority.

We need to move our spine in all the directions it doesn’t normally go during the day to alleviate low back pain; Round it, Arch it, and Twist it for overall health.

Since the body is interconnected, pain can be caused various things. It’s necessary to stretch all the areas affected by, or affecting the lumbar.

By following the routine below at least 3 days out of your 7 day week, you can be confident you’ll be on the track to freeing yourself of achy back.

Also, you’ll be opening up the shoulders, increasing their range; relieving tension in the oh-so-tight glutes; releasing tension in the neck. And, of course, check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

The Prescription for Low Back Pain

1. Cat and Cow stretch

Technique: Can either be performed on hands and knees or using chair as prop (as shown). If standing, keep knees soft. Leading with the tailbone, push tailbone forward tilting the pelvis up. Notice the rounding and flexion in the spine as you bring your chin to your chest and shoulder blades apart from one another. For Cow stretch, take the tailbone up to the sky as you also look up to the sky, hyperextending the spine. Perform 5-8 times breathing out on the rounding and in on the Cow stretch.

2. Upper Back and Shoulder stretch

Technique: Stand legs apart, soft knees. Bring hands together forward and push as if you’re pushing against a wall. Tuck the pelvis in slightly and spread the shoulder blades apart. For the shoulder stretch, bring hands behind you near tailbone. Lift the hands away from tailbone and hold for 15 seconds. Release and repeat. Remember to stay standing tall keeping chin surface with the floor.

3. Gluteal stretch

Technique: Cross one leg over the other (outside of ankle pressing into thigh). Hold onto something immobile in front of you. Bend standing leg to a comfortable degree for your conditioning level (ideally try to get thigh parallel to the floor). Make sure standing leg’s knee is directly over ankle, not surpassing the toe. Sit into the stretch and breath 5-8 breaths. Repeat on other side.

4. Seated Spinal Twist relieves low back pain.

Technique: Sit tall in chair. Place right hand behind you on chair near tailbone. Twist to the right and place left hand outside right knee. Continue twisting as you look around to the right wringing out the spine from top to bottom. Stay seated tall. Hold 5-8 breaths and repeat on other side.

5. Neck Stretch

Technique: Sitting tall bring right ear to shoulder. Keep both shoulders parallel to the floor, pulling down towards your back pockets. Extend the opposite arm out to the side and press the shoulder into the floor. Hold 5-8 breaths and repeat on other side.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 10th, 2009 at 7:41 pm and is filed under Pre/Postnatal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.