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Lower Back Stretches
~ Strong & Flexible Muscles! ~
Incorporating lower back stretches into your daily routine will help to relieve lower back pain, while loosening tight muscles in your
back through these relaxing back stretches.
Our simple regular daily activities can result in getting tight back muscles, overtime this can cause back pain while also increasing your risk
for back injury.
When your muscle becomes tight, it also becomes shortened (that's why it's tight) and weak. Including lower back stretches to your routine will
lengthen these muscles, making them stronger and more flexible. Flexible muscles increase your range of motion which makes daily activities
that much simpler.
Did You Know: Back strain doesn't happen just by moving around? It can actually happen by sitting. Yep, you read that
right. Sitting for long periods of time puts strain on our backs.
Having poor posture is also a sign of weak muscles. What do weak muscles lead to? Injury!
Do yourself a favor...give your back a break and strengthen it and
give it more range of motion through the proper lower back stretches.
Relaxing Lower Back Stretches
- Back Extension:
• Lay on your stomach with legs straight behind you (your legs will stay in this position).
• Prop yourself up onto your elbows, you'll feel a slight stretch in your lower back.
• Slowly straighten your elbows, you'll feel even more of a stretch.
• Straighten your elbows as far as you feel comfortable, don't force it.
• Hold for 10-15 seconds.
• Come back down and repeat.
- Knees to Chest:
• Lay down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Pull both knees up toward your chest.
• Wrap your arms behind your knees, or place your hands behind your knees.
• Apply slight pressure to increase the stretch in your lower back.
• Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat.
- Chair Stretch:
• Sit in a chair with your back straight (sit up tall).
• Slowly bring your chest to your knees, let your arms hang down to the sides.
• With your chest resting on your thighs, walk your hands away from you on the floor.
• Hold, then go back to the starting position and repeat.
• If you're unable to fully rest your chest to your thighs, it's ok, with a little practice you'll get there. Open
your legs a little to allow you to go down a little further.
- Reach for the Floor:
• Stand tall with your arms at your sides.
• Slowly bend at your waist letting your arms follow, by dangling them in front of you.
• Let your upper body "hang" there and hold for 10-15 seconds.
• Slowly stand back up and repeat.
These are some great lower back stretches for you to get started. After a long hard day, your back NEEDS some relief.
A stressful day
causes stiff muscles all over our bodies, but our backs tend to take most of the stress than any other body part. Even during a workout,
your back muscles are contracting which can also cause tension.
Release the tension in your back with back stretches. Besides...it's relaxing and that's what your body needs after any kind of hard work.
Return from Lower Back Stretches to Back Exercises
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