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If you find that everyone you know has complained about back tightness or stiffness, you’re not alone. “About 80 percent of individuals suffer from pain in the lower-back and half of those individuals spend the bulk of their day sitting,” explains physical therapist Daniel Giordano. “Back discomfort can also be caused by overwork, misuse, being overweight, poor form in exercise, or other medical issues.”
In this episode of “The Fix,” Cameron Yuen and Giordano explains how to get rid of lower back pain in a series of easy stretches in the comfort of your own home. All you will need is some floor space and a foam roller to stretch out.
5 Stretches that Relieve Lower Back Pain
Glute Foam Roll
Grab a foam roller and start with your right buttock, bending your body to the right slightly as you roll back and forth and side to side. This will aid in the improvement of blood flow as well as relaxing tissue a little. If any discomfort arises, move from side to side to see if that alleviates it. Repeat on the other side.
Quad Foam Rolling
Find a foam roller. Place it under your quadricep and flip over onto your stomach. This once again helps to boost blood flow to the region. As in the previous exercise, move side to side and up and down. Repeat these steps on the other side.
Lumbar Windshield
“After the soft tissue treatment, we’ll work on the joint’s mobility. We want to ensure the joint is moving through its full range of motion, which will help you avoid putting too much stress on your lower back.” To prevent extra strain on your back, Giordano says that you should move through your entire range of motion eight times on each side. “Drop your knees from side to side if you feel any discomfort while swiveling from one side to the other.” Do this exercise eight times on both sides.
Cat Cow Stretch
“We want to make sure the spine is moving appropriately and safely,” says Giordano. With your head in a neutral position, stack your hips over the knees and shoulders. Raise your stomach up all the way and tuck your head underneath, then descend and look straight up for eight times or so to increase spinal mobility.
Plank
The final stage in this “The Fix” series is a stabilization move that ensures that everything is strong and compressed with no added pressure on the lower back. Come into a modified plank posture with your knees activated. Keep your chest slightly off the ground. Start with holding for 15 seconds, gradually increasing to 30 and 45 seconds over time. If you’d like, you can enter into a full plank position here.
