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Are you experiencing lower back pain? Our personal trainer, Jess Lees, explains ten lower back stretches to relieve pain. Jess also discusses what causes lower back pain and lifestyle adjustments you can make to reduce it.
If you experience lower back pain, try to stretch out your back daily. The morning is a good time to check in with your back and listen to what you’re feeling. Notice any misalignment and remember to reset and realign throughout the day.
Done often and correctly, the following stretches will help to relieve lower back pain. They will also improve your alignment and posture. To make stretching a priority, try setting a reminder on your phone to stretch in the morning and at lunchtime.
Pay attention to how each stretch feels. There’s not one lower back stretch that suits everyone. Listen to your body and try a variety of stretches to make sure you are doing the right ones for you.
To perform this lower back stretch:
To perform this lower back stretch:
To perform this lower back stretch:
To perform this lower back stretch:
To perform this lower back stretch:
To perform this lower back stretch:
Using a resistance band, belt or scarf to assist you:
To perform this lower back stretch:
To perform this lower back stretch:
To perform this lower back stretch:
As with most discomfort and tightness, lower back pain tends to be caused by a type of postural imbalance. Weakness in some areas and tightness in others, causes the body to hold itself in a way that is uncomfortable.
These imbalances can have numerous causes, including:
The lower back, unfortunately, bears the brunt of these lifestyle factors.
The lower back (lumbar spine) is anatomically a complicated area. It is where the hips and spine meet. We flex and rotate in multiple different directions and planes of movement.
The main lumbar back muscles are the quadratus lumborum (QL). The QL attaches to the iliac crest (top of the hip bone), the lumbar vertebrae and the last rib. Essentially the QL connects the hip to the lumbar spine and the lowest part of the rib cage.
If all were working correctly and postural balanced, the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominals and glutes will all work together to support the QL. But this is not often the case.
The body is practised at avoiding pain. So, if the lower back is tweaked we often adopt an adjusted posture in the pelvis unconsciously.
You will feel as though your back pain has alleviated. But now you are more prone to further issues and an increased chance of another back tweak. It could even be sneezing or getting out of the car in an awkward position.
Ingraining improper movement patterns or adopting a poor position while seated can turn lower back pain into a real problem.
Once the back starts to seize up, people can find they tend to stop moving around as much. This tends to make the problem worse. Keep moving – gently and consciously. If you can stand, try gentle walking.
In the long term, look for exercises that strengthen the core, the glutes and the upper back. This will help to realign your pelvis and improve your posture. Strengthening these muscles means they take some of the workloads from the QL, resulting in less tightness.
To complement the lower back stretches we have discussed, try to make a few lifestyle adjustments. These will help to break the cycle of tweaking and misalignment.
Lifestyle adjustments should include:
We hope these lower back stretches have helped to ease your pain and improve your posture. Please note, this post does not constitute medical advice. It is always a good idea to discuss any ongoing pain with a medical professional.
Looking for other ways to keep moving? Check out our library of home workouts and fitness challenges: