5 Simple At-Home Stretches to Alleviate Back Pain

Imagine a world where your back pain doesn’t interfere with your daily responsibilities and doesn’t frequently make you uncomfortable.

To fully alleviate your back pain, you must address some potential pain-causing factors. Those include poor posture, muscle imbalances, and underlying medical conditions.
Lucky for you, there are simple mobility exercises you can perform to help alleviate your pain and prevent it from worsening.

Keep reading to learn easy and effective stretches that you can do from the comfort of your home and transform the quality of your life.

 

Child’s Pose

 

The child’s pose is a gentle stretch that can help to alleviate tension in the lower back. Start by getting on your hands and knees (hands shoulder-width apart) and your knees hip-width apart.

Sit back on your heels and reach your hands forward, keeping your arms straight. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds to 1 minute, focusing on your breath and relaxing your lower back. “I tell my clients to reach with their fingertips while they sink their glutes towards their heels to create healthy friction.”

 

Cat-Cow Stretch

 

The cat-cow stretch is a controlled and flowing stretch that can help to mobilize your spine and alleviate tension in your back muscles. Get started in this stretch: start on your hands and knees with your hands shoulder-width apart and your knees hip-width apart.

Inhale and arch your back, dropping your belly towards the floor and lifting your head and tailbone towards the ceiling (this is the cow position). Exhale and round your spine, tucking your chin to your chest and bringing your tailbone towards your knees (this is the cat position).

Move slowly between these two positions for 5-10 breaths.

 

Downward Facing Dog

 

The downward-facing dog is a classic yoga pose that can help to stretch and strengthen your entire body, including your back muscles.

For this stretch, start on your hands and knees (hands shoulder-width apart) and your knees hip-width apart.

Lift your hips up and back, straightening your arms and legs to come into an upside-down “V” shape (hands and feet firmly on the ground) as your spine lengthens.

You should be feeling this stretch in your hamstrings, calves, and back muscles. Hold for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

 

Cobra Pose

 

The cobra pose is a gentle backbend that can help to strengthen your back muscles and alleviate tension in your spine. I think it is one of the simplest stretches to instantly trigger relief in the lower back.

To begin, lie on your stomach with both of your hands under your shoulders, adjacent to your chest. Keep your elbows close to your body as you inhale and lift your chest off the ground (elbows bent and shoulders relaxed).

Try to look up towards the ceiling and hold for 5-10 breaths before releasing back down to the ground.

 

Windshield Wiper

The windshield wiper pose is an excellent stretch for the lower back. By slowly rotating your legs to the side of your body you get a gentle twist and stretch in the muscles that surround your lower back. This movement also creates more flexibility in your spine, which will help prevent back injuries. It also stretches your hips.

Lie on your back, bend your knees, and extend your arms out to the side so they’re perpendicular to your torso. Your feet can be a little wider than your hips. Exhale as you slowly drop your knees down to the right and turn to look to the left. Inhale and return to the starting position. Continue this movement for 1 minute, alternating between the left and right sides.

 

Takeaway

In conclusion, incorporating these simple stretches into your daily routine can help to alleviate back pain and prevent it from permeating.

Always listen to your body and stop any stretch that causes intense pain or discomfort. If you deal with chronic or severe back pain, it would be prudent to consult your primary physician.

I believe incorporating these stretches into your routine, will only lead to a healthy and pain-free life.

 

 

 

 

 

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Disclaimer:

No content on this site should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other licensed clinicians.