Stretches for Lower Back Pain to Relieve Discomfort

Having pain in your lower back can make everything – from getting out of bed to taking a stroll – seem difficult. Fortunately, gentle, specific stretches for lower back pain can ease some of the discomfort you feel.

Slow, easy movements can help lengthen and strengthen your back muscles while supporting your spine. Are you ready to find relief from soreness and stiffness? Put on some relaxing music and try these stretches to help back pain.

If you practice these stretches for some time and still have lower back pain, make an appointment with an orthopedic specialist. They can determine the cause of the pain and find the most effective treatment for your condition.

Why stretches for lower back pain help

When your lower back hurts, your first instinct might be to rest – but staying still can actually make stiffness worse. Gentle movement and stretching help:

• Reduce muscle tension
• Improve spinal mobility
• Support better posture
• Promote circulation for healing

Stretching combined with core strengthening is one of the most effective conservative treatments for back pain.

Child’s pose

Find lower back pain relief by performing child’s pose. This is a common position in yoga that helps loosen tight, stiff muscles.

How to do child’s pose:

• Lay a mat on the floor and get onto your hands and knees
• Make sure your wrists are in line with your shoulders and your knees are in line with your hips
• Keep your hands in place and slowly slide backward until your chest touches your knees
• Drop your head down and hold the stretch for 30 seconds

Cat-cow stretch

Activate more muscles with the easy movements of cat-cow stretch. Here’s how to do cat-cow stretch:

• Get into the same starting position that you use for child’s pose
• Make sure your back is parallel with the floor
• Arch your back upwards like a cat
• Stretch the muscles between your shoulder blades for five seconds
• Gently relax and drop your stomach down with your head facing up
• Stretch your lower back muscles for five seconds, and then return to your starting position

Repeat these movements 10 to 15 times.

Lower back twist

Try this easy stretch when you want to stay off your knees. How to perform a lower back twist:

• Lie on your back on a yoga mat
• Keep your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor
• Slide your arms up into a T position, stretching them straight out to the sides from your shoulders
• Roll both of your knees to one side of your body
• Hold this stretch for 20 seconds
• Roll your knees to the opposite side of your body
• Hold the stretch for another 20 seconds

Bird dog

Use this dynamic stretch to engage your back and core muscles. Here’s how to do bird dog:

• Start on your hands and knees like you do in child’s pose
• Extend your right leg straight out behind you, keeping your back and hips straight
• While your right leg is stretched out, extend your left hand straight out in front of your shoulder
• Hold this stretch for five seconds and return to your starting position
• Perform the same movements with your left leg and right arm
• Do this stretch five times on each side

Knee-to-chest stretch

This relaxing stretch is a great alternative to child’s pose if you have trouble kneeling on the floor. Do the knee-to-chest stretch:

• Lie on your back on a yoga mat with your knees bent and your feet flat
• Place your hands on your kneecaps or right behind your knees
• Bring your knees up toward your chest
• If you need to, use your hands to pull and hold your knees in place
• Stay in this stretch for about 30 seconds, and slowly return to your starting position

Piriformis stretch

Also referred to as a figure-4, this stretch targets a muscle in your hip called the piriformis. When this muscle is tight, it can irritate your sciatic nerve, which runs down your lower back and all the way down your leg to your feet.

Stretch your piriformis muscle:

• Lie on your back and cross one ankle over the opposite knee
• Gently pull the uncrossed leg toward your chest
• Hold for 30 seconds

Tips to avoid further pain

While stretches for lower back pain can help relieve your discomfort, sometimes they’re not enough on their own. Some tips to take into consideration:

• Consult your doctor if you have severe pain, recent injury or underlying conditions like herniated discs.
• Move slowly and avoid bouncing
• Stop if you feel sharp or worsening pain
• Pair stretches with core-strengthening exercises for long-term relief

How we can help

These helpful stretches can ease the discomfort in your lower back – but they’re just one piece of your pain-relief puzzle. If your pain is more serious, physical therapy may help.

Make an appointment with an orthopedic specialist. After an evaluation, they might refer you to a physical therapist who can provide more specialized exercises to treat your condition.

Learn about the orthopedic and sports medicine services we offer at Mercy Health.