Back Pain Relief with Extension & Rotation Stretches
This video will show you some back extension and rotation stretches. If you are having low back pain, or if you have been diagnosed with a herniated disc or bulging disc, these stretches will help relieve the pain. This will also help if you have a numbness or tingling going down one of your legs. Start off on your stomach, or in prone. This will help you stretch your spine into extension. You can prop up on your elbows and hold it for a few minutes. If that is not enough stretch, you can push up onto your hands, but try to keep your hips on the ground as shown in the video to maximize the stretch in your lower back.
Next try some gentle rotation stretches on your back with your knees bent in hooklying. Gently rotate your bent legs from side to side. You can hold them on each side for 30 seconds or you can continuously rotate them back and forth. Again, try to keep your lower back on the ground. If you need more of a stretch, then you can bring your top leg up and over to rotate your whole lower body to one side and then the other. This will be done for 30 seconds, 3 times on each side.
The last one can be performed standing up. Put your hands on your hips and lean back. Try not to bend your knees, just at your lower back. Again, this will be done for 30 seconds, 3 times.
These stretches should not hurt. If they hurt, you are either pushing too hard, or not exactly doing it right. If there is sharp pain with any exercises or stretches, stop immediately and talk with your doctor or therapist.
The lower back can be a hard area to stretch depending on what is causing the pain. My favorite exercise for this area is a pelvic tilt. It’s a great exercise as well as a stretch for the low back, hips, and pelvis.
For a herniated disc, to relieve the back pain, you want to do extension exercises and stretches to help push the disc back into the space in your spine.
These back pain relief stretches don't necessarily need to be done in bed, but they are a great way to help relieve back pain in the morning before getting up, and/or when going to bed at night.
The biggest myth about back arthritis pain relief is that exercise makes the condition worse. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. One of the most beneficial exercises for back arthritis is bridging. Bridge exercises are great to do every day, but make sure to progress slowly so it doesn’t get inflamed.
These back pain stretches and exercises are for general back pain like soreness from overworking your back or if you've pulled a muscle. Check out the back pain section of my website for more specific back pain related exercises and stretches.
Percussive Massage Therapy using a massage gun (aka percussion massager) for back pain relief uses fast, soft pulses over a short amount of time to get deep down into the muscle fibers.
Lower back pain can make it difficult to perform everyday activities. Here are some of my favorite back stretches & exercises that can help provide low back pain relief and strengthen back muscles.
Mid back pain can make it difficult to perform everyday activities. Here are some of my favorite mid back stretches and exercises to help relieve the pain.
This video will show you some back extension and rotation stretches. If you are having low back pain, or if you have been diagnosed with a herniated disc or bulging disc, these stretches will help relieve the pain. This will also help if you have a numbness or tingling going down one of your legs. Start off on your stomach, or in prone. This will help you stretch your spine into extension. You can prop up on your elbows and hold it for a few minutes. If that is not enough stretch, you can push up onto your hands, but try to keep your hips on the ground as shown in the video to maximize the stretch in your lower back.
