Stretching the lower back

[Mr VW]

I've always had a pain in my lower back and I wanted to know if basic stretches could help alleviate the pain. And if they can alleviate the pain, can anyone give me any ideas of good stretches for the lower back?

[.V.]

Depending on the root cause of the pain they might.

I have lower back pain, hip pain, and sometimes sciatica type pain (not real sciatica as I have no disk injuries, but it follows the same path) because of injured SI joints.

The stretches I do which are helpful to me are:

1. Lying face down KEEPING your hips on the floor, push up with your hands arching your lower back as far as you can without causing pain. Breathe out while doing this.

2. Keep shoulders flat on the floor the entire time you do this one. Lying on your back with your legs flat on the floor, bend one knee until your heel is touching your butt. Stretch the leg with the knee that is now up over the other one, taking your bent knee as close to the floor on the other side of your body as you can get it. Breathe out while doing this.

3. Do # 2 again but on the other side.

4. Sitting on a sofa or strong chair, turn to the left side until your knees are touching the front of it on your left. Turn your torso more to the left until you can reach the back of the sofa or chair behind you with both hands. Grip if firmly and continue to stretch yourself to the left while breathing out.

5. Repeat # 4 on the right side.

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Although these movements are similar to the ones a chirpractor or D.O. would perform to manipulate you for an "adjustment", you are only stretching and should not do these movements quickly or forcefully the way a trained professional (or an idiot like myself who does self adjustment sometimes) would. You are only stretching. Do more and you risk injury.

[LiftGirl]

I don't have any advice to offer other than perhaps you should see a doctor or physio?

[trainerty]

I see the point of the advice from welch. Those are good active isolate style stretches for the hip complex.

However, can you tell us more about your status?
For instance, these ais that welch explained may not be good for someone with spondolythesis (degenerative disc) or excessive lordosis.

If you have lower lumbar pain it may not be best to add flexibilty to an already unstable joint....so any leg rotation type stretch may be contraindicated (counter productive) for the time being.

See a pro is good advice as well.

Like I said, if you can give more details we probably can help better.

[.V.]

Originally Posted by trainerty

I see the point of the advice from welch. Those are good active isolate style stretches for the hip complex.

However, can you tell us more about your status?
For instance, these ais that welch explained may not be good for someone with spondolythesis (degenerative disc) or excessive lordosis.

Not advice, just telling what I do to relieve my own back pain when I have it and prevent it when I don't have it.

I was taught these by a physical therapist, taught them again by a chiro, showed the same stuff by a D.O. on another occasion.

I've had the P.T come to teach some of the same stuff to our EMS crews to save their backs from injury. Same stretches taught yet again.

They are supposed to be pretty safe for anyone to do...but as already stated by a couple of people in this thread, proper evaluation by a professional is a good idea.