Exercise for Lower Back Pain
This is one of my favourite types of exercise for lower back pain.
Level – moderate
- On hands and knees
- Arch your lower back upwards ( a bit like the cat stretch in yoga)
- Don't rock forwards and backwards - your nose should stay pointing at the same place on the floor.
- Don't do press ups either - keep your elbows straight.
- Think about ‘tucking your tail in’ if you are having trouble with this.
- Make sure that you stretch your lower back and not just the area between your shoulder blades.
- Practice tightening your lower stomach muscles to increase the stretch in your lower back area.
- Stretch slowly and with good control.
- Get someone to check it for you to make sure you are doing it right.
See a video demonstration of this back stretching exercise below:
- I like this exercise because it has several effects.
- It moves your low back, stretching muscles and ligaments.
- Its good for tightening the abdominal or 'core stability' muscles.
- It helps teach you how to move your pelvis independently of your lower back - something many people with lower back pain have problems with.
- This exercise can be paired with this back extension exercise to increase the amount of extension or backwards bend in your low back.
Watch a video:
Exercise for Lower Back Pain - Stretching Exercises Main Page
Lower Back Pain Toolkit Home Page
26-Apr-2010