The stress and strain of a grueling workday can often leave your body in shambles and in great need of a stretch for lower back pain.
If not due to an underlying problem, lower back pain is often the result of improper posture, repetitive movements, or sitting in a chair all day.
Stretching can be a temporary fix, but if paired with proper posture and body mechanics during your day, can be much more effective.
One study showed that both yoga and/or stretching eased lower back pain in adults.
They found yoga and stretching to be good, safe options for people wanting to relieve moderate, low back pain
With that knowledge in mind, use the following 10 Stretches for Lower Back Pain:
(Remember to always warm up your muscles before stretching, listen to your body, and try not to push the limits.)
1. My favorite stretch for lower back pain is Child’s Pose.
A staple in yoga studios, child’s pose is a lower back stretch that is often incorporated throughout the class.
During this and many of the stretches talked about, you will be stretching out your lower back, glutes, hamstrings, hips, and erector spinae.
In order to do child’s pose:
- Start on hands and knees
- Sink back, resting your butt on your heels
- Keep your arms extended in front of you
- Breathe slowly and deeply
A great stretch for any time of the day, the child’s pose will help to relieve stress and lower back pain.
Before we go any further…
If you need a quality yoga mat for your stretch routine, I recommend the Gaiam Essentials Thick Yoga Mat.
This EXTRA thick, durable yoga mat:
- Is non-toxic
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- Is 72 inches L x 24 inches W x 2/5 Inch (3.11 pounds)
- Has a textured grip
- Is ideal for yoga and stretching
2. My second favorite stretch for lower back pain is Forward Fold.
Stretch #2 on my list is the forward fold.
This stretch can be done anywhere, anytime, and is a great stretch to relieve stress, headaches, and anxiety.
In order to do the forward fold:
- Stand with feet together and knees slightly bent
- Hinge at the hips and fold your body over your legs, keeping your back as straight as possible
- Try to bring your torso close to your legs in a gentle and relaxing manner
- Breathe deep and try to relax
This calming stretch can be just the thing to take you away, if only for just a moment.
3. My third best stretch for lower back pain is the Hip Flexor Stretch.
The hip flexor muscles include the rectus femoris, iliacus, psoas, iliocapsularis, and sartorius muscles.
The psoas, a muscle that runs through the hip girdle from the lower back down to the upper thigh, can often be responsible for much of the back pain you may be experiencing.
Sitting throughout the day puts your psoas in a constant state of contraction, placing a lot of stress and inflammation on your lower lumbar area.
In order to relieve the lower back pain resulting from a contracted psoas, you can do four things: Stretch the area, use a standing desk at work, massage the muscle, and exercise the muscles full range of motion.
In order to do the hip flexor stretch:
- Stand with one leg forward and one leg back
- Bend the front leg at the knee
- Keeping the front knee over the toe, sink down pushing the back leg back, keeping it straight
- Go down as far as you are comfortable, keeping your torso in an upright position
- You should feel the stretch in the upper thigh and lower back areas
The hip flexor stretch is a great exercise whether in pain or not, as well as if you’re an athlete, exerciser or couch potato.
4. My next favorite stretch for lower back pain is the Sitting Toe Touch.
The sitting toe touch places a little more emphasis on the hamstrings, along with the glutes and lower back.
It’s an easy exercise most people can do, just remember to ease into the stretch.
Try not to put too much unnecessary strain on the hamstrings.
In order to do the sitting toe touch:
- Sit flat with both legs extended
- Pull one foot into your inner thigh
- Keep your body upright and hinge at the waist
- Sink as far as you comfortably can reaching for the toe
If you’ve been in any gym class or athletic facility in your life, this is probably the stretch you will see most often.
5. My fifth best stretch for lower back pain is Triangle Pose.
Another great stretch for lower back pain is the triangle pose.
What’s great about this stretch is you get a lat and oblique stretch to go with the lower back stretch.
The triangle pose is a slightly more advanced, so try to ease into it, doing some of the other stretches first.
In order to do the triangle pose:
- Spread your feet about 4 feet apart
- Raise your arms to the sides keeping them perpendicular to your body
- Turn the left foot slightly to the right and turn the right foot out 90 degrees
- Extend your body over your right leg, bending at the hip.
- Rest your right hand on your right ankle
The triangle pose or Trikonasana is a deep stretch great for toning the legs, reducing stress and lower back pain, and increasing mobility and stability.
6. My sixth favorite stretch for lower back pain is Cobra Stretch.
The cobra stretch is another great stretch for the hip flexors, specifically the psoas.
Not only do you get that hip flexor stretch, you get a quad and ab stretch to go with it.
This is one of my favorite stretches to relieve lower back pain and stiffness.
In order to do the cobra stretch:
- Lay flat on your stomach
- Pull your hands and elbows in near your sides
- Slowly arch upward extending your arms
- You should feel a stretch along the front side of your body
Pair this with the child’s pose for a great stretch to do right when you wake up in the morning.
7. My next favorite stretch for lower back pain is Trunk Twist.
The trunk twist can be very relieving and is a great way to stretch out your obliques, glutes and lower back.
Be careful with any trunk rotation stretch or exercise that has to do with the rotation of your spine.
Ease into the stretch and make sure to keep it safe.
In order to do the trunk twist:
- Sit with one knee bent and the other leg tucked under or straight ahead
- Pull the knee across the body with your opposite elbow
- Hold in a comfortable position
Do this exercise correctly and you can increase spinal mobility while relieving the pain of your lower back.
8. My eighth best stretch for lower back pain is Cat Cow.
The cat cow is another great stretch for when you just roll out of bed.
It’s great for stretching out the entirety of the back, helping to decompress the spine.
The ease of the exercise is great for people of all levels.
In order to do the cat cow:
- Get on your hands and knees
- Raise your back as high as you can like a cat stretching
- Try to keep your head in line with your spine
- Then drop your stomach as low as you can, arching upward
- Do this back and forth, holding each position for a few seconds
Try this exercise for back pain relief.
9. My next favorite stretch for lower back pain is Revolved Triangle.
The revolved triangle is a bit more advanced.
It can be used as an excellent staple in your stretching and mobility drill routines.
A counterpose to the triangle pose, the revolved triangle is primarily used in yoga studios to prepare for seated forward bends and twists.
In order to do the revolved triangle:
- Spread your feet about 4 feet apart
- Raise your arms to the sides keeping them perpendicular to your body
- Turn the left foot slightly to the right and turn the right foot out 90 degrees
- Extend your body over your right leg, bending at the hip.
- Rotate the trunk and rest your left hand on your right ankle
Once you get the triangle pose down pat, jump into this revolved triangle pose for an added piece to your stretch routine.
10. My final favorite stretch for lower back pain is Downward Dog.
Last, but not least is downward dog, a great stretch for lower back pain.
Stretch the glutes, hamstrings, lower back, lats, and calves.
In order to do the downward dog:
- Start in pushup position
- Keeping your arms and legs straight, kick your butt up behind you as high as you can
- Your arms and head should end up aligned with your back
If you’re strong and skilled, you can get an extra challenge and pair this stretch with a dive bomber pushup.
Conclusion:
You use your lower back for almost every movement out there.
Don’t allow yourself to sit all day. Your laziness could create a painful and uncomfortable environment for your body and your back.
Exercise it, stretch it, and put it in a safe and stable position to perform your daily tasks.
Your lower back will be stronger and much more effective with a little care.
In summary, my Top 10 Stretches for Lower Back Pain include:
- Child’s Pose
- Forward Fold
- Hip Flexor Stretch
- Sitting Toe Touch
- Triangle Pose
- Cobra Stretch
- Trunk Twist
- Cat Cow
- Revolved Triangle
- Downward Dog
Use these 10 stretches for lower back pain as a supplement to your exercise, mobility, and stability routine.
Now that you’ve learned some good stretches, check out my article: How to Motivate Yourself to Work Out?
This may be just the thing you need to get your body moving in the right direction.
Have you tried any of these stretches for lower back pain? Did they help you? Let me know in the comments!!
