5 Stretches For Back Pain

3. Child’s pose

Also known as Balasana, this yoga posture is a good resting posture and is often sequenced between more challenging asanas. It is a gentle stretch for various parts of our body.

How to do Child’s pose-

Kneel on the floor and bring your toes and hands together. Spread your knees and sit on your heels. Bring your torso down and let your belly rest between the thighs and your head on the floor. Relax

your shoulders. Lay there with your hands on the floor by the side of your body. Feel the stretch across your back. You can stay in that pose from thirty seconds to one minute. Then inhale, lengthen the body and lift the body from the tailbone. The neck should always stay in a neutral position and should not be bent in any way.

Benefits –

It is a resting posture and a gentle stretch for the hips, back, thighs, and ankles that can relieve back pain and neck pain. It helps to calm your mind and relieve stress. It can stretch the shoulders and chest. It also increases the lumbar range of motion and prevents future back pains and injuries.

4. Cat cow stretch

It is a great thing to do when the body requires rest. It is a yoga pose that is ideal for back pain.

How to do Cat cow stretch–

It has to be started with table pose, and the hips should be directly over the knees. Having a straight back and a neutral spine is essential. The shoulders, elbows, and wrists should be in a straight line, perpendicular to the floor. Keep your neck long. Stabilize your shoulder blades and look towards the floor. Once the Table pose has been achieved, inhale, and shift to the Cow pose. Lift your sit bones upwards, press the chest in front, and allow your belly to sink towards the floor. Lift your head and relax your shoulders. Then, exhale and come in the Cat pose. Round your spine outwards, tuck in your tailbone, draw your pubic bone forward, and release your head towards the floor. Go to and fro between cow and cat pose in each inhale and exhale. Do this about five to ten breaths or as much as you can in a minute. Finally, end the stretch in table pose.

Benefits –

Cat cow stretch has proved to be very beneficial for backaches. It helps to improve the balance and posture of the body, along with creating emotional balance. It stretches the hips, abdomen, and back along with increasing coordination. Besides strengthening and stretching, it also tones the spine and neck. It massages and stimulates the abdominal region and also relieves the mind from stress.

5. Piriformis stretch

Stretching the piriformis muscle will reduce the pain along the sciatic nerve and return the patient’s mobility. There are two methods to stretch the piriformis –

(I) Lying flat on the back, with both feet flat on the floor and knees bent, bring the right knee up to the chest, hold the knee with the left hand. Pulling it towards the left shoulder, hold the stretch. Repeat the process for each side for twenty seconds.

(II) Lying flat on the floor with your knees bent, rest the right leg’s ankle on the left leg’s knee. Pulling the left thigh towards the chest, hold the stretch. Repeat the process for each side for twenty seconds.

Benefits –

Doing the piriformis stretch eases the piriformis muscle. It also relieves us from knee and ankle pain. This stretch can also help us with any symptoms of inflammation of fascia under the feet. It eases the extra strain under our feet and eases the condition called duck feet; But if it hurts, one should discontinue this exercise.

7. Cross body-toe touches

Also known as alternate toe touches, it helps build a more reliable link between the upper and lower bodies.

How to do Cross body-toe touches –

Get to a standing position with your feet shoulder length apart. The toes must face outside, and the knees must be in line with the feet. Raise your arms straight to the side and at the shoulder level. Now, start

by bending down and simultaneously rotating the upper body to the left side. Keep your back and knees straight all the time. Touch your left toe with the right hand while bending down. Return to the starting position. Inhale and again repeat the process. If touching the toe becomes stressful and painful first, touching the knee will also do. But the back and knees must be kept as straight as possible, and the chest should be up.

Benefits –

It is mainly an abs workout, but it also works wonders to strengthen the lower back and prevent muscle pain. It releases muscular tension from the lower back and is a perfect core strengthening exercise. It also strengthens the hamstrings and the four muscle groups found in the back of the thigh. It works effectively on the muscles of the lower back region. It is also done as a dynamic stretch and can be used to warm up the body before vigorous physical activity.

 Concluding Thoughts: 

Backache is a prevalent problem that affects everyone at some point in life. Even though it is common, most cases clear up routine exercises and a healthy lifestyle containing a proper posture. But if it is a bad one and lasts for a long time, it is always better to see a doctor. Very rarely, back pain is a severe problem. But to be on the safe side and showing a doctor for those extreme aches is better.

The most crucial thing while suffering from back pain is to keep moving on and continuing with our regular activities. Doing specific stretches will not worsen the pain. Our backs are the most substantial part of our body and are made for mobility. Moreover, too much rest is not suitable for our health. Exercises always help in our speedy recovery.