Back Stretches | Low Back Pain Treatment

Stretches for Low Back Pain

Young man suffering from backache at home

Low back pain is an inevitable part of our modern lives and affects almost a quarter of the U.S. population. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to relieve common lower back pain at home, from lower back stretches to muscle-building exercises. Explore these at-home back pain exercises and back stretches to find relief for your symptoms.

Lower Back Stretches for Low Back Pain 

When you begin low back stretching, make sure to find an open space, a mat, and relax your breathing. It’s important to start each of these exercises slowly and focus on small movements, especially if you are new to performing back pain exercises. Take your time and experiment with these lower back stretches:

  • Child’s Pose: This familiar, simple pose is a great place to start for low back stretching. Sit on your knees, lean forward past your arms, put your head on the floor, and feel the relaxation.
  • Cat and Cow Pose: While on all fours, bend your neck slowly inward and outward while arching your back.
  • Cobra: Lie down, put your hands beside your chest, and keep your feet on the ground as you push your upper body into the air. After holding for a few seconds then slowly lowering, you may start to feel relief. 
  • Bridge: This stretch bolsters your lower back muscles. To start, lie on your back with your hands to your side. Your goal is to keep your head and chest on the ground while you raise your hips, keeping the entire body in a straight line. 
  • Toe Touch: One of the most intuitive stretches for low back pain, toe touching is an excellent way to open up your lower back. Start by slowly leaning back until you feel your lower back “push”, then lean forwards. Doing this lower back stretch multiple times can help relieve low back pain and tightness. 

Back Pain Exercises  

Lower back stretches can provide relief, but there are also a number of back pain exercises that help strengthen the back muscles. Small but significant movements can do a lot for some low back pain sufferers. 

  • Good Morning Stretches: These back stretches are a lot like toe-touching, but they put a little weight on the shoulder. Often used in physical therapy, a low back pain sufferer puts a weighted stick (like a broomstick) behind their shoulders, bends forward so their face is parallel to the floor, then comes back up. 
  • Core Exercises: Crunches and other familiar abdominal exercises are useful for strengthening your lower back muscles. To ensure you’re focusing on the muscles that need it, speak with one of our physical therapists. 

Learn Back Stretches & Back Pain Exercises at IMPACT Physical Therapy

If you’re suffering through multiple days of lower back pain, stop by one of the many locations of IMPACT Physical Therapy, where we are ready to help with comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic tools. After our intake and exam, we’ll get you started with back stretches and other back pain exercises to get you on the path towards being pain-free. To set up an appointment or ask questions, please contact us today!