5 Simple Stretches To Alleviate Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is a common occurrence throughout Australia as many people spend the majority of their working lives sitting at sedentary desk jobs. You should always visit your doctor if you suffer from severe back pain and receive a referral to a physiotherapist. The right stretches can help people increase the range of motion in their lower back and become less likely to suffer from lower back pain. Here are five simple stretches that can help people alleviate pain in your lower back or spine.
#1. The Cat And Cow
If possible, sit cross-legged on a yoga mat with your hands on your knees. Inhale, squeeze your shoulder blades together and arch your back. Look upwards to a point on the ceiling directly overhead. As you exhale, round your spine, tuck your chin into your chest and round your spine. Exhale completely before repeating this action. You are moving with your breath and finding a rhythm. Repeat this ten times per day to improve the mobility in your spine over a period of several months.
#2. The Side Stretch
From a sitting position, put your left hand on the floor to your side. Reach up with your right hand and gently stretch over to your left hand side. As with the Cat and Cow, synchronize your movement with your breath. Breathe in as you stretch and exhale as you return to the centre. Repeating this on your other side will improve your flexibility.
#3. The Twist
Whilst sitting, put your right hand on your left knee and place your left fingertips on the ground behind you. Sit up nice and tall so you lengthen your spine and then twist to your left hand side. Turn your gaze over your left shoulder so that your neck is a part of this twist. This will help aid flexibility in your lower spine. Gently unwind and return to the centre before repeating this motion on the other side, twisting to the right.
#4. The Kneeling Cat And Cow
According to Spine-health.com, this exercise will produce a deeper stretch in your lower spine. Plant your hands on the floor and rock forward onto your knees. Your shoulders should be directly above your wrists with your elbows straight while your hips should be directly over your knees. With your hands pressing firmly into the floor, inhale, squeeze your shoulder blades and arch your back whilst looking up at the ceiling. As you exhale, round your spine, hug your belly in and press down towards the floor. This is a safe way of increasing mobility in your spine.
#5. The Lying Twist
Come down onto the floor, lying on your back. Hug your right knee in and then cross this knee all the way to the floor on the left side of your body. If your right shoulder comes off the floor, that’s okay. Simply reach out your right hand and look over the right shoulder. Hold this stretch for a little while before returning to the starting position and repeating on the other side. If you need more stretch for your lower back, bring your knee higher up. Find for yourself where your knee needs to be.
Conclusion
These five physiotherapy tips should help anyone relive lower back pain. These tips work because they help increase the range of motion of your lower back and reduce the chances of injury or pain. Feel free to leave us any comments or questions below!