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.

Home Exercises for All Ages in a Complete Workout

Short on time?…Don’t like the gym?…

Need to exercise?

You can do home exercises for a complete workout, exercising the major muscle groups of the body in 6 minutes or less. Don’t believe me? First, check out this proven philosophy:

The human body does not require 30 minutes of strength training and 30 minutes of cardio, as some trainers recommend. To lose weight. To keep muscles strong. One simple approach: have concern for muscle, perform cardiovascular exercise, and eat properly. I know you think you’ve heard it before, but the hard part, for most Americans, is doing all three consistently (doing one or two won’t cut it). I will show you how to balance all 3 components and drop weight off your body.

So let’s begin…

A great starting point is performing the home exercises below…

Nutritionally speaking, think of putting in your body what will support your muscle requirement for daily activity. Contrary to popular belief, you do not workout to burn off calories from a large-caloried meal. That’s the wrong approach. No wonder you’re spending an hour on the treadmill! Try our home exercises and you’ll see the light!

Do total body movements when you exercise for general health and strength.

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What I mean by that is combining the lower body with the upper body during movement; not doing a bicep curl alone, but executing it along with a squat. This way, you get a great workout in a short amount of time.

And, who doesn’t want to save time?

Having a hard time fitting a workout into your already hectic work, family, social schedule, etc? This is your answer! DON’T work out body part by body part. Let your body reap the physical benefits of working the body’s system as a complete unit.

The Rules:

To ensure your workout is complete, fit in at least a 10 minute walk (3-5x a wk). In addition, perform stretches before and after your resistance exercises. Perform the office or home exercises in the sequence below and remember. . . breathe! Exhale during the point of most resistance, then, breathe in.

If you don’t want to purchase an affordable medicine ball to keep at your chosen location, find something weighted, e.g. a jug of juice, a book, a box, etc. Or…if you’re just starting out, use your own bodyweight. Perform one set of 8-15 repetions three days a week, depending on your condition level.

Performed by children up to the oldest of adults…

as humans our bodies NEED to be moved in the directions visually described below. EveryBODY can perform the office or home exercises to some degree. That degree will be dependent upon age, fitness level, and previous injuries. Who needs a workout video?

Follow the sequence below and build or re-gain bone mass, tone and strengthen muscles, gain confidence in movement through moving, and feel better.

The Exercises…

#1 Rotation for spinal strength and elasticity.

#2 Squat, Bicep Curl, Shoulder Press for overall strength in the muscles and joints.

#3 Pushup to tone backs of arms, back, chest, and shoulders. Can be performed standing upright against wall.

#4 Hip Raise for lower back, hamstring, and gluteal strength.

#5 Crunch for core strength and increased postural integrity.

Why is it important to finish the day with yoga?

Stretches in the evening help your body and mind to relax. Much like washing your face or brushing your teeth before bed, we want to give our muscles, bones, endocrine system, and nervous system a chance to be “clean” before bed. It’s a great way to let go of the details of the day and welcome sleep.

1. Belly Breathing (for awareness in the body, scanning it)

2. Neck Stretch (to let go of any tension through the trapezius—a place where tension loves to hide and accumulate)

3. Lying Spinal Twist (to wring out the spine from top to bottom—one of the four directions we have to take our spine for back health)

4. Baby Pose (like Child’s Pose, it induces relaxation and calmness)

Why do our bodies feeling different throughout the day?

Our bodies are full of different rhythms throughout the day—times when they’re active and inactive. Studies have shown that:

1. Our spine is a better shock absorber in the morning than the evening, while the strength of your back muscles increases as the day progresses.
2. Our joints are stiffest early in the morning and most flexible late in the afternoon
3. Our airways are open to the fullest extent at 4pm.