Pain in the Lower back is one of the most common health issues and can be a cause of many different problems related to posture, balance, and mobility. In some cases, back pain can be a symptom of some critical underlying condition, such as kidney stones, acute pancreatitis, or spine issues. But mostly it’s simply a common effect of the sedentary lifestyle.

 Regardless of the reason that causes pain in your lower back, stretches can help reduce the pain & strengthen the muscles of your lower back.

 Stretching your muscles regularly also loosens up your tendons & ligaments which support the spine. Performing stretches that strengthen your lower back helps in alleviating & preventing lower back pain. It also strengthens your core, leg & arm muscles. Teachers state that back stretches increase the blood flow to your lower back region, which helps in reducing stiffness while speeding up the healing process.

 In this article, we will list down stretches that will help with easing lower back pain. For knowing more about fitness and health workouts click here. 

Benefits of stretching:

• Stretching reduces the tension in your muscles that support the spine; tension in those muscles worsens the pain and can lead to back problems. 
• Stretches help in improving the range of motion & overall mobility
  
  
• Reduces the risk of disability that is mainly caused by back pains

• Improves your performance in different  physical activities and decrease the risk of injuries

• Enables the muscles to work at their maximum efficiency. 

 Child’s Pose

It’s a traditional yoga pose that gently stretches the gluteus maximus, lats, thigh muscles, & spinal extensors. Also helps with relieving pain & tension along the spine, shoulders, and neck. It relieves a relaxing effect on the body while helping in loosening up the tension in your lower back, promotes flexibility & blood circulation up your spine. 

Start performing this stretch by placing both of your hands & knees on the floor, then sink back by the hips to rest them on the heels. After that, hinge at the level of your hips while you fold forward, then walk on both of your hands at your front.

Then rest the belly on the thighs. Extend the arms at your front alongside the body with both of your palms facing front. Then focus on deep breaths & relax the areas of stiffness and tension. Hold this pose up to a minute.  You can also perform this stretch as a warm-up exercise. 

Knee-to-chest stretch

This stretch helps in relaxing the hips, thighs & glutes while it promotes overall relaxation. Start this exercise by lying down on your back and bending both of your knees at your front flat on the floor. Keep the left knee bent or extended in a straight line out on the floor. Then draw the right knee closer to your chest, clasp the hands at the back of your thigh.

 After that lengthen the spine down to the tailbone, while avoiding lifting the hips. Then breathe deeply, and release all the tension in your body. Try holding this pose for up to 30 seconds or a minute and repeat with the different leg.

Cat-cow stretch

This stretch is an amazing way of waking up the spine while stretching the shoulders, neck & chest. From performing this stretch go down on you all fours in the tabletop position. Then press on the hands & feet while inhaling deeply, then allow the belly so you can fill it with air.

After that exhale and tuck the chin on your chest while arching the spine up toward the ceiling. Keep on doing this movement, and resonate it with you every breath. Perform it for a minute or two.

Piriformis Stretch

Piriformis is the small muscle that stretches diagonally by the glutes. It’s an external rotator present in your hip & will become more tight and stiff in people who spend more time while sitting, driving, or performing everyday motions. Inflamed piriformis irritates the sciatic nerve that passes by it. 

 For doing this stretch, lay down flat with your right knee bent. Then cross the ankle of the left to stretch it over the bent knee. After that pull the knee across the chest & hold it up to 30 to 60 seconds. Then switch your legs & repeat the same action. 

Pelvic Tilt

Inadequate core control & stability is the major factor causing pain in your lower back. When your abdominal muscles do not perform properly, muscles present in your lumbar spine work harder to stabilize the balance of your body. It’s an amazing way of improving core stability, performing this stretch by lying flat on your bent knees.

Then tighten your abdominal muscles & press back onto the ground. Hold this stretch up to 10 seconds and repeat it 10-20 times.  You can rest your arms at the sides of the back of your head, you can do whatever is more comfortable for you. 

Supine Twist

Supine stretches do not only help stretch the lower back but your glutes as well. For performing the supine twist start by laying flat on the back by keeping both of your knees bent & feet planted firmly flat on the ground.

Then extend the arms out at your side for making a “T” position. Then keep the shoulders flat on the ground while you start rolling yourself gently on your knees at your side. Hold that position for up to 20-30 seconds, After that return both of your knees back to center & repeat at the other side. You can use a pillow or a blanket for support if this stretch is too hard for you to perform. 

Supine Figure 4 Stretch

It’s a classic yoga stretch that helps in opening up your hips. This stretch stretches your outer glutes, and your piriformis, both of which contribute to the tighter lower back. For performing this stretch lay down flat on the back of the yoga mat by keeping both of your knees bent & feet planted firmly on the ground. Then lift the right leg, and flex the right foot while crossing the right ankle over the left thigh. Try holding this up to a minute then switch to the other side. 

Cow-Face Pose

This pose stretches the outer glutes, which is the prime cause of pain in your low back pain. From the seated position, try bringing the left heel closer to your right glute, with the left knee pointed straight at your front. Then bring the right leg at the top of the left, stacking both of your knees so they face strictly. Your feet should be at the side, while your toes point at the back. Make sure you keep the spine long, try bending slightly forward bend for increasing intensity.

Bridge Pose

This pose softens the muscles and tissues around the sacrum while allowing tension around your lower back for releasing & lengthening throughout. Also engages your sit bones and encourages activation of the lower section of your gluteus maximus, it helps in supporting the low back, releases the pain & tension in the back. 

Do the bridge pose by laying flat on the back, then bend both of your knees & plant both of your feet firmly on the yoga mat. Make sure that both of your feet are planted firmly on the ground at hip-distance apart with both of your heels kept closer to the glutes. For performing this stretch press into the feet for lifting the hips. Then from there try to soften the sacrum & lengthen the sit bones closer to the knees. Hold this pose for up to 30 seconds.