Do you struggle with back pain in your everyday life? We’ve compiled this blog with easy at-home stretches to help you beat your end of year back pain, so that you can relax and enjoy your holidays!
4 Helpful Stretches for Lower Back Pain
Before you start your pain relieving exercises, keep in mind that each stretch should be kept for at least 10 seconds, and you should hold them for a maximum of 30-60 seconds. A handy hint to help you avoid rushing through the moves would be to listen to soothing relaxation music when you are doing your stretching sets.
1. Back Flexion Stretch:
Start by lying down on your back, pull your two knees towards your chest while you simultaneously flex your head forward until you feel a comfortable stretch across your mid and lower back.
2. Knee to Chest Stretch:
Lie on your back with your knees bent and both heels on the floor. Place both your hands behind one knee and pull it towards your chest while stretching the gluteus muscles in the buttock.
3. Kneeling Lunge Stretch:
Start upright on the floor on both knees, move your right leg forward so your foot is flat on the ground, whilst keeping your weight evenly distributed through both hips (rather than just on one of your sides). Place both of your hands on the top of your right thigh and slowly and gently lean your body forward to feel a stretch in the front of your opposite leg. Repeat for the opposite leg.
4. Piriformis Muscle Stretch:
Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and both of your heels on the floor. Then cross one leg over the other, resting your ankle on your bent knee and gently pull the bottom knee toward the chest until a stretch is felt in the buttock.
If you’re in a rush or at a desk at work all day and don’t have time to lie down, here’s 4 stretches to help you beat back pain without even getting out of your chair!
1. Lower spine stretch
• With your feet flat on the floor and your armrests low down, sit firmly on your chair making sure your sitting bones are in contact with the seat.
• Place your right hand on the armrest and reach your left hand up above your head, bending your spine slightly to the right.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds making sure you breathe into the stretch.
• Repeat on each side three times.
2. Long spinal stretch
• In your chair with your sitting bones firmly placed on the seat, place your feet flat on the floor and spread them out wide apart.
• Sit up straight and tall then slowly slide your hands down your legs until they reach the floor.
• Place your fingertips on the floor between your feet, and with each breath try to stretch further down until your palms are flat. Don’t worry if you can’t do this, just go as far as is comfortable for you.
• Hold for 30 seconds and breathe into the stretch.
• Repeat three times.
3. Deep Hip Muscle Stretch
• Sit near the edge of your seat with both feet flat on the floor.
• Lift up your right ankle and place it on your left thigh just above the knee.
• Sitting up straight and tall, slowly bend forward from your hips, keeping your spine nice and straight. This will create a stretch through the back of your right hip.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds and slowly come back up remembering to keep your spine straight.
• Repeat three times and then repeat with your left ankle on your right thigh.
4. Hamstring reach
• Sit close to the edge of your chair with your feet flat on the floor.
• Sliding your right leg out with your heel to the ground and flex your toes up towards your shin, so that the stretch is felt in the muscle belly behind the knee.
• Start to slowly reach forward towards your toes keeping your back and spine straight.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat three times.
• Repeat with your left leg.