Back muscles stretching exercise

What is Back muscle stretch?

• Back muscle stretching exercise is an important exercise to increase the flexibility as well as the posture of the Back, If the patient is performing this exercise, they have many health benefits & decrease the risk of Back pain & improve overall fitness level.
• The spine is a complex structure made up of muscles, ligaments, tendons, as well as bones. This is planned to move side-to-side and
• front-to-back, & carry the volume of the body’s weight. This is essential to keep all its parts in good working order.
• Daily stretching exercises assist to keep muscles & ligaments flexible. It may also lower stress on joints & increase the flow of blood and nutrients throughout the body. Without this, stiffness, limitation of motion, & pain may happen or rise.
• Stretching is also the essential way to prepare the muscles for vigorous activities namely, aerobics or even playing a sport. That is why stretching exercises should also be done before & after the workout to avoid muscle strain as well as soreness & to help prevent injuries.
• Lower back pain is a fairly common health problem, as so many things may cause it.
• While stretching is not a cure for all lower back pain, in many instances, this can give relief. If the patient is been living with some kind of discomfort or even stiffness, these stretches can help reduce the pain & strengthen the muscles in the lower back.
• The patient needs to use the lower back for a lot of things, from walking & running to simply getting out of bed in the morning. Regular stretching is the best way to create & keep flexibility, relieve tension, as well as help build strength.

What are the Benefits of performing back muscle stretches?

There are some benefits the patient can gain after stretching back muscles. Such as :

• Stretching can improve posture: Tight muscles may cause bad posture. Specifically, the muscles of the chest, back (both lower & upper), as well as hips may cause bad posture if they are tight. Many people spend at least a part of their day sitting at the computer or looking at a phone or tablet. The patient can improve this bad posture to the good one by stretching the back muscles.
• Stretching may increase the range of motion & prevents loss of range of motion.
• Stretching can decrease low back pain.
• Lower the risk of disability caused by back pain.
• Stretching may help avoid injury: Stretching before physical training specifically assists prevent injury by moving blood flow to the muscles, warming them up, & decreasing any tightness they might have to prevent a strain or tear.
• Stretching can decrease muscle soreness.
• Stretching can improve flexibility as well as mobility.
• Decreases Bamuscle tightness.

What are the types of lower back stretching?

There are different types of stretches for lower back muscles. Some are below:

• Child’s Pose
• Knee-to-chest stretch
• Piriformis stretch
• Seated spinal twist
• Pelvic tilt
• Cat-Cow pose
• Sphinx/cobra stretch
• Trunk rotation
• Seat forward bend
• Flexion rotation
• Supported bridge
• Belly flops
• Hip circles
• Reclining single-leg stretch
• Legs-Up-the-Wall
• Thread the Needle
• Latissimus dorsi stretch
• Bridge
• Foam rolling
• Back extension
• Weighted hamstring stretch
• Standing chest stretch
• Seated spinal stretch
• Bird-Dog pose
• Poodle tail lower back stretch
• Open Book Stretch.

Child’s Pose

• How to perform this stretching exercise: With the hands & knees on the ground, drawback through the hips to rest them on the heels.
• Hinge at the hips as you flex forward, moving the hands out in front of you.
• Place the belly on the thighs.
• Stretch the arms in front of or alongside the body with the palms facing the ceiling.
• Concentrate on breathing deeply & relaxing any parts of tension or tightness.
• Hold the pose for up to 60 seconds.
• The patient can perform this pose several times while the stretching routine. Feel free to perform it between each of the other stretches you do.
• If the patient needs extra support, he can use the towel underneath the thighs.

Knee-to-chest stretch

• How to do this stretching exercise: Lie in the supine position with both knees bent and the feet flat on the floor.
• Please keep the right knee bent or even extend it straight out along the floor.
• Draw the left knee into the chest, clasping the hand’s bach side the thigh or at the upper part of the shinbone.
• Elongate the spine down to the tailbone, & avoid raising the hips.
• Breathe deeply, relieving any tension.
• Hold the pose for 30 seconds to 60 seconds.
• Repeat with the right leg.
• The patient can wrap the towel under the thigh if the hands cannot reach the thigh.
• To feel the deep stretch, tuck the chin into the chest & raise the head toward the knee.

Piriformis stretch

• How to do this stretching exercise: Lie in the supine position with both knees bent & the feet flat on a mat.
• Place the left ankle at the base of the right thigh.
• Then, place the hands behind the right thigh & pull up toward the head until he feels the stretch.
• Hold the position for 30 seconds to 60 seconds.
• Then perform the opposite side.

Seated spinal twist

• How to do this stretching exercise: Sit on a mat with both legs stretched out in front.
• Bend the right knee & place the foot on the outside of the left thigh.
• Place the left arm on the outside of the right thigh.
• Place the right hand behind you for support.
• Embarking at the bottom of the spine, twist to the right side.
• Hold the pose for up to 60 seconds.
• To feel the extra stretch, add neck rotations while this poses by inhaling to look forward when he inhales as well as exhaling to turn the gaze backward when you exhale.
• Perform 5 to 10 on each side.

Pelvic tilt

• How to do this stretching exercise: Lie in the supine position with both knees bent & feet flat on a mat.
• Engage the abdominal muscles as you compress the back against the mat.
• Breathe normally, pause this position for up to 8-10 seconds.
• Release & take a deep breath to relax.
• Perform 2 to 3 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions.

Cat-Cow pose

• How to perform this stretching exercise: Move onto all fours in the tabletop position (hands & knees on the ground.)
• Compress into the hands & feet as you inhale to look upward, as well as let the belly fill with air.
• Exhale, tucking the chin into the chest & arching the spine toward the ceiling.
• Continue this pattern of motion, moving with each breath.
• Perform this for 1 to 2 minutes.
• For deeper holds, simply pause in each position for 5 to 20 seconds at the time instead of changing with each breath.

Sphinx/cobra stretch

• How to do this stretching exercise: Lie in the prone position with the elbows underneath the shoulders & the hands elongated in front, palms facing downward.
• Place the feet slightly apart. This is OK for the big toes to touch.
• Gently engage the lower back, thighs, & buttocks as you raise the head and chest.
• Press the pelvis into the floor.
• Look straight ahead or slowly close your eyes.
• Hold the pose for 30 seconds to 60 seconds.

Trunk rotation

• How to do this stretching exercise: Lie in the supine position & draw the knees up toward the chest so the body is placed as if you are sitting in a chair.
• Completely extend the arms out to the sides, with the palms face-down on the floor.
• Keeping the knees together & hands on the ground, gently turn both bent knees over to the left side and hold for 10–20 seconds.
• Return to the starting position & repeat to move on the right side, again holding for 10–20 seconds.
• Repeat 8–10 times on each side.

Seat forward bend

• How to do this stretching exercise: Sit on the floor with your legs extended out in front of you.
• Hook the standard bath towel around the ends of the feet at the heels.
• Slowly bend forward at the hips, moving the belly down to the thighs.
• Maintaining the back straight, grasp the towel to help you draw the belly closer to the legs.
• Stretch until you feel the tension in the back of the legs & lower back.
• Hold for 15-30 seconds, rest for 15-30 seconds, & repeat 2-3 times.
• For the Back muscle stretching exercise you can increase or decrease the tension of this stretch by grasping the towel closer or farther from the feet.

Flexion rotation

• How to do this stretching exercise: Lie on the left side with both legs straight.
• Bend the right leg, hooking the foot behind the left knee.
• Grasp the right knee with the left arm.
• Place the right hand behind the neck.
• Gently rotate the upper body backward by touching the right shoulder blade to the ground. The patient should feel a stretch in the lower back.
• Repeat the rotation stretch 8-10 times,
• Hold each stretch for 2–3 seconds before gently moving out of the rotation.
• Repeat steps 2–6 on the right side.

Supported bridge

• How to do this stretching exercise: Lie in the supine position with the knees bent & feet flat on the floor.
• Raise the hips & put a foam roller or even a firm cushion underneath them.
• Fully relax the body into the support of the floor & the foam roller or firm cushion.
• Hold for 40–60 seconds as well as repeat 4–5 times, resting 40–60 seconds between sets.
• The patient can increase the intensity of the stretch in the lower back by extending one or both legs from their bent position.

Belly flops

• How to do this stretching exercise: Roll up the towel or even blanket lengthwise & put it horizontally in front of you.
• Recline front-side down over the towel or even blanket so that the hip bones are compressing into it.
• Fully relax the body. The patient can turn the head to either side.
• Pause in the position for 1–2 minutes & repeat 2–3 times, resting 40–60 seconds between sets.

Hip circles

• How to do this stretching exercise: Stand with the feet wider than the hips & both hands on the hips.
• Begin by gently moving the hips from side to side.
• Then gently rotate the hips in one direction, making big circles.
• Perform at least 10 circles.
• Repeat in the other direction.

Reclining single-leg stretch

• How to do: Lie in the supine position with both legs extended.
• Lift the left leg so it is as straight as possible, keeping the slight flex in the knee.
• The patient can bend the right knee & press into the foot for support.
• Lock the fingers to hold the leg behind the thigh, or use the towel around the top of the foot.
• Hold the single leg stretch for 30 seconds.
• Repeat on the right side.
• Perform 2 to 3 times on each side.

Legs-Up-the-Wall

• How to do this stretching: Come into the sitting position with the left side of the body against the wall.
• Lie in the supine position & swing the legs upward along a wall. The patient can put the cushion under the hips or Draw the hips a few inches from a wall.
• Rest the arms in a comfortable position.
• Concentrate on relaxing the lower back & releasing tension.
• Pause in the pose for up to 2 minutes.

Thread the Needle

• How to perform this stretching exercise: Begin on hands as well as knees, with the knees directly underneath the hips & the feet in line with the knees.
• Keeping the hips, knees, & feet stable, move the hands out in front until they are under the shoulders.
• Keep the arms extended, so that the mild stretch is felt down the sides.
• Take the left arm & pass this under the right arm during rotating the chest.
• The left hand should rest on the floor, palm up.
• Try to lower the left shoulder as far as possible, while gently placing the left side of the head onto the ground. Look past the armpit, toward the ceiling.
• Hold the pose for 20–30 seconds.
• Push upward, using the left arm to come back to the starting position gently. Then, repeat the stretch using the right arm.

Latissimus dorsi stretch

• How to do this stretching exercise: The patient can do it in the standing or even sitting position, raising the left hand straight up, over the head.
• Flex the elbow, so that the left-hand drops toward the upper back.
• Place the right hand on the left elbow as well as gently pull the left arm to the right.
• During pulling the left elbow, bend the body in a straight line to the right, & assure not to lean forward or backward.
• Hold this stretch for 15–30 seconds, then do it on the other side.

Bridge

• How to do this stretching exercise: Lie in the supine position with the knees bent.
• The feet should rest flat on the floor, pulled in as close as possible to the hips, & the arms should be your either side.
• Squeezing the buttocks, lift the pelvis toward the roof, rolling the upper body upward until the back is off the ground.
• The shoulders are now balancing the body’s weight.
• Hold the bridging position for 5-7 seconds & continue to concentrate on squeezing the buttocks.
• Gently lower the upper body, slowly letting each vertebra touch the floor until the backrests are flat again.
• Repeat 10-12 times per set, & gradually increase up to 3 sets.

Foam rolling

• How to do this stretching exercise: Place a roller on the floor.
• Sit on the floor in front of the roller & lie back on it, keeping the feet flat on the floor.
• Slowly roll forward as well as back, slow down or stop if you feel pain. Mild pain is ok in the tender area.
• If possible, take sit in front of the roller & arch the back over the roller as far as is comfortable.
• Hold for 10-15 seconds.

Back extension

• How to do this stretching exercise: Lie in the prone position with the hands by the head, and elbows bent.
• Keeping feet as well as hips in contact with the floor, use the glutes & back muscles to raise the head and chest off the floor.
• Do your best to squeeze the scapulae together & keep your gaze on the floor in front of you.
• Hold this back extension for a few seconds. Gradually down to the floor.
• Repeat 10–12 times, resting briefly between repetitions.

Weighted hamstring stretch

• How to do the stretching exercise: Find a bench, or stool stable enough to stand on. The patient may use stairs also.
• Grabbing the light dumbbell or even kettlebell with both hands, stand at the corner of the box & gently curl forward & down, letting the weight drop. Be sure to keep control as you lower.
• Let the weight drop as far as possible, ideally farther than the feet. Hold for 8-10 seconds at the bottom.
• Gently curl back up, one vertebra at a time.
• Repeat 4-5 times, trying to reach deeper every time.

Standing chest stretch

• How to perform this stretching exercise: Take the standing position facing toward a wall.
• Now put one hand on the wall, the elbow should be extended.
• Now take a turn on the hanging hand.
• Twist the back without moving the legs.
• This gives you the backstretch, hold this turn for 10-15 seconds & release.
• Do this on the opposite side.

Seated spinal stretch

• How to do this stretching exercise: Sit on the chair & the back is extended.
• The feet touching the ground and the hands hanging by the sides.
• Now take a turn on either side by moving the hands.
• Turn without moving the legs, they should be touching the floor.
• Hold this turn for 10-15 seconds and do it on your opposite side.
• Perform 4-5 repetitions on each side.

Bird-Dog pose

• How to do: Start with the hands as well as knees on the floor, making sure that the shoulders are above the hands, & the hips are above the knees.
• Tighten the abdominal muscles & lift one arm straight forward at shoulder level.
• Raise as well as extend the opposite leg straight out from the hip.
• Tighten the muscles & hold the position for10-15 seconds.
• Come back to the starting position & repeat with the opposite arm as well as leg.
• Perform 4-5 repetitions on each side.

Poodle tail lower back stretch

• How to do this stretching exercise: Start on hands & knees with a flat back.
• The shoulders are above the wrists, & the hips are above the knees.
• Sway both hips to the left side as well as move the head to look at the left hip.
• Back to center. Sway both hips to the right side & turn the head to look at the right hip.
• Continue to alternate sides for 8-10 repetitions.

Open Book Stretch

• How to do this stretching exercise: Start by lying on the left side with the knees bent & stacked, as well as the arms straight from the chest.
• Maintain the hips & knees stable as you rotate the upper back, reaching the right arm to the roof.
• Continue to rotate so that the chest opens & the right arm reaches towards the floor.
• Hold for 8-10 seconds before closing the arms to return to the starting position.
• Repeat for 2-4 total repetitions before switching sides.

What safety, as well as precautions, are required during a back stretch?

• Stretch gently & slowly only to the point of mild tension, not to the spot of pain.
  Hold each stretch for 15- 20 seconds. Do not bounce!
• Never hold your breath. Breathe in deeply before each stretch & breath out while the stretch.
  Stretch the lower back muscle with safety as well as care. Be gentle & cautious if you have any kind of injury or health problem. It is good to talk with the doctor first before beginning any new types of exercise.
• The patient can perform these stretches once or twice a day. But if the pain gets worse, or he feels very sore, take a day off from stretching.
• Be aware of the body’s limits & do not push the body to perform too much. Listen to the body & perform what feels best for you in every moment.
• As you perform these stretches, take time & observe the breathing. Use the breath as a lead to make sure you do not strain or overdo it.
• You should be able to breathe smoothly & comfortably throughout each pose or stretch.
• These exercises are aimed to reduce not cause lower back pain, so be aware when moving & stop immediately if you feel shooting pains. If the patient does feel lower back pain when exercising, once he starts again, gradually works the way up to the previous motions.

FAQ