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5 Stretches for Lower Back Pain

Experiencing pain every time you stand up, sit down, or bend over can really put a damper on your day. Sometimes lower back pain can get so bad that you are unable to move much at all. When your lower back hurts, the best thing to try first is some stretches to try and loosen up the muscles a bit to help them relax.

The key to successfully using stretching as a therapy for your lower back pain is to make sure not to do any stretches that will cause you pain. We like to recommend a stoplight technique.  Red: Movement causes intense pain, stop immediately.  Yellow: Movement irritates a bit but doesn’t cause extreme pain, move forward with caution.  Green: No pain, good to keep moving!

These stretches are designed to relieve the tension in your lower back and stretch the muscles in and around it that may be causing pain. You also want to hold the stretches for an adequate amount of time, 30 seconds at least, to make sure the muscles actually stretch. Here are five effective stretches to relieve that lower back pain!

Knee-to-Chest

  • Lie on your back with your knees bent and your heels touching the ground.
  • Now you want to put both of your hands behind one knee and pull it towards your chest. If done correctly, you will feel a bit of pressure on your lower back because the muscles are being stretched.
  • Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.
  • Now do the same for the other leg.
  • Repeat steps 1-4 four times

Kneeling Lung 

  • Start on both knees then move one leg out in front of you so that your foot is flat and your knee is at a 90 degree angle.
  • Place both hands on the thigh of the leg in front of you and lean forward until you feel the front of your other leg stretching.
  • Hold this position for 30 seconds.
  • Switch legs and repeat steps 1-3.

Glute Bridges

  • Lie down with your back to the ground.
  • Bend your knees with only your heels touching the ground.
  • Place your arms at your sides parallel with your body.
  • Dig your heels into the ground and lift your back so that your shoulders, hips, and knees make a straight line.
  • Hold this position for just five to ten seconds then slowly lower yourself back down.
  • Repeat ten times.

Another variation of this stretch is placing some sort of cushion, such as a pillow or foam roller, under your hips. This gives your back a little more support for if the stretch is too strenuous. While doing this stretch, it is important not to overarch your back when you go up.

Flexion Rotation

  • Lie on your left side with both legs straight.
  • Bend your right knee and hook it behind your left knee.
  • Grasp your right knee with your left arm and place the other hand behind your neck.
  • Slowly rotate your upper body backwards to touch your right shoulder against the floor. If done correctly you will feel your lower back stretching.
  • Hold this for two to four seconds, repeating the stretch ten times.
  • Repeat steps 1-5 but on your other side.

Partial Crunches

When your back is in pain, it is better to do partial crunches instead of full crunches as they are less strenuous on the back. Here is what you want to do.

  • Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
  • Place your hands across your chest, creating an X, and lift your shoulders just slightly off the ground.
  • Make sure you are using your core to lift yourself without assistance from your arms.
  • Hold this position for one to two seconds and then lower yourself back down slowly.
  • Repeat these steps ten times.

Get a consultation to get to the bottom of your back pain.  Give us a call to schedule today!