About Lower Back Stretches
Stretching is important for flexibility, mobility, and pain management[1]. Some people may benefit from these exercises to stretch their lower back due to strain or general pain, while others may find them helpful to do after or during their back workout to reduce tightness and soreness. If you are stretching for an injury, be sure to check with your doctor or other care provider first. Here are 5 stretching exercises to show you how to effectively stretch your lower back:
Lower Back Stretches
Hold each lower back stretching exercise for 20-30 seconds[2]:
How to Stretch Your Lower Back: Exercise Explanations
Wide-Legged Forward Bend
Perform the wide-legged forward bend stretch from a standing position. Spread your legs about 2-3 feet wide and bend forward, relaxing your upper body.
Knee to Chest Stretch
To perform the knee to chest stretch, lay flat with your back on the ground. Pull your knees to your chest until you feel a stretch in your lower back. This can also be performed with one knee while the other is straight.
Extended Child
Also called Child’s Pose, the extended child is performed by getting on your knees and sitting back on your heels so that your big toes are touching or almost touching. Bend forward and extend your hands out, reaching forward until you feel the stretch in your lower back. You can also crawl your hands to either side to stretch each side of your lower back.
Cobra Pose
Lay flat on your stomach and place your hands on the ground underneath your shoulders. Slowly push yourself up while keeping your thighs on the ground and bending your back.
Lower-Back Foam Rolling
To “roll out” your lower back, sit on the floor with your feet bent in front of you and your foam roller behind you. Lean back into the foam roller and push your legs to slowly roll up and down the foam roller from your hips to your shoulder blades or on problem areas. Focus on rolling the muscles and not the spine.
*If you have long hair, be careful to tie it up first so you don’t roll over it.
Review
Back stretching can improve lower back pain, flexibility, mobility, and can help with general soreness after a workout. Some studies suggest it is best to hold static stretches for 20-30 seconds for optimal results. The 5 exercises featured are the wide-legged forward bend, knees to chest stretch, extended child, cobra pose, and foam rolling. As always, I hope you found this helpful!
References
[1] Alter, M. J. (2004). Science of flexibility (3rd ed.). Human Kinetics.
[2] Zade, R., Arora, S., & Phansopkar, P. (2022). A comparative study based on two different stretching protocol of 30 second vs 10 second for piriformis tightness. Journal of Medical Pharmaceutical and Allied Sciences, 11(4), 1328. https://doi.org/10.55522/jmpas.V11I4.1328
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