If you’re experiencing and suffering from lower back pain, you know how debilitating it can be. Simple things like standing up out of a chair or a bed, lifting things, or walking around can be a struggle.
While it’s essential to get adequate rest and relaxation, your lower back also needs to be exercised to get stronger.
Even a daily walk around your neighborhood can be beneficial for your back pain.
Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about which stretches and exercises are suitable for you, but here are four exercises that may help you strengthen your lower back.
Rotational Stretches
Twisting your torso from side to side can help stretch and strengthen the muscles in your lower back. There are a few different ways to do it: standing, sitting or lying down.
Standing
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips.
- Without moving your feet, twist your upper body to the right, then to the left.
- Breathe deeply as you rotate back and forth at a comfortable pace.
- Stretch your rotation to each side as far as you’re comfortable.
- Continue for a minute or two.
- Rest, then repeat.
Sitting
- Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground and your hands on your thighs.
- Keeping your back straight, twist your upper body to the right.
- Place your left hand near your right knee, and use your other hand for support.
- Don’t twist yourself too far, but just enough to feel the stretch.
- Breathe deeply as you hold yourself in this position for a few seconds.
- Relax back to the forward position and repeat on the other side.
- Repeat on both sides multiple times.
Lying Down
- Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.
- Keeping your upper body on the ground, bring your knees down to one side.
- Breathe deeply and hold this position for 10-20 seconds.
- Relax back to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
- Repeat a few times on each side.
Partial Curls
Curl stretches can help improve flexibility in your lower back and relieve pain by strengthening your core muscles. This can improve blood flow and make it easier to maintain good posture.
- Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Breathe in deeply.
- Breathing out, raise your head and shoulders about 3 inches off the ground, keeping your lower body still.
- Hold for 5-10 seconds.
- Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
- Rest for a few seconds, then repeat.
Like a full sit-up, don’t try to go fast or raise yourself too high. It’s not about intense, high repetitions. It’s a gentle stretch. Slowly raise up enough to feel the stretch in your lower back, pause, then slowly lower yourself back down.
These stretches shouldn’t be painful, but you may feel some discomfort as your muscles adjust. Talk to your doctor if you’re in pain or if these stretches worsen your pain.
