Lower back pain is one of the most common problems people have. It can range from a slight stiffness or mild ache to a painful sting or “alarming” sensation .
Whether you have mild discomfort or a more serious condition like sciatica , you can improve your back health by increasing the strength and flexibility of the muscles that support your back, especially those in the abdominal, hip, pelvic, and back areas. One of the best ways to do this is through stretching .
Benefits of Stretching
Stretching helps maintain your back in many ways. To have a healthy back, your back needs to be strong and flexible. How many of you have found yourself stretching your back when trying to lift something heavy? To avoid this, you need to make sure that your back is able to comfortably reach certain positions and have the strength to get out of them. For example, when you bend over to lift a heavy load, you want to be flexible enough to get into that position, and when you pick up the heavy load, you want to be strong enough to lift it easily.
Stretching can help you with both of these aspects. Everyone knows that stretching makes you more flexible, and this flexibility allows you to access a greater range of motion. What many people don’t know is that this also helps you get stronger. The greater range of motion you have, the more comfortable you will be in certain positions, for example, in a squat. This allows you to access many of the different muscles in your body which then help you lift heavy objects, rather than putting the entire load on your back. It also stabilises your core, which can improve your posture and further prevent the risk of lower back injuries.
Now that you know the benefits of stretching your lower back, here are some stretches that can help prevent back pain and sciatica.
1. Camel Pose
Muscles stretched: Rectus abdominis and external obliques. Kneel down, place your hands behind your feet, and push your hips forward and up. Make sure you’re not putting pressure on your lower back. This stretches your abdominal muscles, which increases the stability of your core and can improve your posture. It’s one of the best ways to prevent lower back problems.
2. Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend – Upavistha Konasana
Muscles stretched: Adductors. Start by sitting on the floor with your knees bent and your spine erect. Slowly straighten your legs and turn your back while reaching for your feet with both hands. If you are unable to reach your feet, then try to lean forward as much as possible. This stretch is good for opening up the hips, which can increase mobility and prevent back strain.
3. Frog Pose
Muscles stretched: Adductors. Get on the floor on your hands and knees. Slowly widen your knees until you feel tension in your groin muscles. Push into the floor with your hips to open them wider.
4. Side angle posture
Muscles stretched: Adductors and hamstrings. Start with both feet facing forward in a wide stance, keeping your legs as straight as possible. Use your hands to “walk” toward your right foot and bend your right knee while turning your left foot so your toes point toward the ceiling. Make sure your right foot remains flat on the floor. Repeat on the opposite side. Not only does this open up your hips and allow for greater mobility, it also stretches the back of your leg, the area where the sciatic nerve runs through.
5. Butterfly stretch
Whether you have mild discomfort or a more serious condition like sciatica , you can improve your back health by increasing the strength and flexibility of the muscles that support your back, especially those in the abdominal, hip, pelvic, and back areas. One of the best ways to do this is through stretching .
Benefits of Stretching
Stretching helps maintain your back in many ways. To have a healthy back, your back needs to be strong and flexible. How many of you have found yourself stretching your back when trying to lift something heavy? To avoid this, you need to make sure that your back is able to comfortably reach certain positions and have the strength to get out of them. For example, when you bend over to lift a heavy load, you want to be flexible enough to get into that position, and when you pick up the heavy load, you want to be strong enough to lift it easily.
Stretching can help you with both of these aspects. Everyone knows that stretching makes you more flexible, and this flexibility allows you to access a greater range of motion. What many people don’t know is that this also helps you get stronger. The greater range of motion you have, the more comfortable you will be in certain positions, for example, in a squat. This allows you to access many of the different muscles in your body which then help you lift heavy objects, rather than putting the entire load on your back. It also stabilises your core, which can improve your posture and further prevent the risk of lower back injuries.
Now that you know the benefits of stretching your lower back, here are some stretches that can help prevent back pain and sciatica.
6 Stretches for Sciatica to Prevent and Relieve Hip and Lower Back Pain
- Camel Pose
Muscles stretched: Rectus abdominis and external obliques. Kneel down, place your hands behind your feet, and push your hips forward and up. Make sure you’re not putting pressure on your lower back. This stretches your abdominal muscles, which increases the stability of your core and can improve your posture. It’s one of the best ways to prevent lower back problems.
- Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend – Upavistha Konasana
Muscles stretched: Adductors. Start by sitting on the floor with your knees bent and your spine erect. Slowly straighten your legs and turn your back while reaching for your feet with both hands. If you are unable to reach your feet, then try to lean forward as much as possible. This stretch is good for opening up the hips, which can increase mobility and prevent back strain.
6 Stretches for Sciatica to Prevent and Relieve Hip and Lower Back Pain
- Frog Pose
Muscles stretched: Adductors. Get on the floor on your hands and knees. Slowly widen your knees until you feel tension in your groin muscles. Push into the floor with your hips to open them wider.
- Side angle posture
Muscles stretched: Adductors and hamstrings. Start with both feet facing forward in a wide stance, keeping your legs as straight as possible. Use your hands to “walk” toward your right foot and bend your right knee while turning your left foot so your toes point toward the ceiling. Make sure your right foot remains flat on the floor. Repeat on the opposite side. Not only does this open up your hips and allow for greater mobility, it also stretches the back of your leg, the area where the sciatic nerve runs through.
6 Stretches for Sciatica to Prevent and Relieve Hip and Lower Back Pain
- Butterfly stretch
Stretched muscles: Adductors. Sitting on the floor, place the soles of your feet so that they touch each other and straighten your back. Then, press your knees with your hands to induce a stretch. If you want to stretch further, move your feet closer to your body.
- Forearm extensor
Muscle Stretch: Forearm Extensor. Roll your shoulders back so that your chest doesn’t slouch and roll backwards. Place your left hand outstretched with your fingers bent and your right hand on top of it. Then slowly press your left hand towards your body with your right hand. This will help improve your grip, which will reduce the risk of injury when lifting heavy objects as it will allow you to focus on your spinal position rather than your ability to carry the object.
To get the best stretch possible, you should perform all of these exercises consecutively, spending one minute stretching each. For stretches that require switching sides, spend only 30 seconds on each side. Let us know how these stretches helped you prevent or reduce back pain.
Stretched muscles: Adductors. Sitting on the floor, place the soles of your feet so that they touch each other and straighten your back. Then, press your knees with your hands to induce a stretch. If you want to stretch further, move your feet closer to your body.
6. Forearm extensor
Muscle Stretch: Forearm Extensor. Roll your shoulders back so that your chest doesn’t slouch and roll backwards. Place your left hand outstretched with your fingers bent and your right hand on top of it. Then slowly press your left hand towards your body with your right hand. This will help improve your grip, which will reduce the risk of injury when lifting heavy objects as it will allow you to focus on your spinal position rather than your ability to carry the object.
To get the best stretch possible, you should perform all of these exercises consecutively, spending one minute stretching each. For stretches that require switching sides, spend only 30 seconds on each side. Let us know how these stretches helped you prevent or reduce back pain.
