3 Simple Stretches for a Stiff Lower Back

An adjustment gets a stuck joint moving. What you do between visits is what keeps it that way. These three stretches are about as simple as it gets, no equipment and no getting down on a cold floor, and they help a cranky lower back stay loose.

Go easy. A stretch should feel like a gentle pull, never a sharp pain. If any of these make your pain worse or send it down a leg, stop and give me a call.

1. Knee-to-chest, in a chair

Sit in a sturdy chair. Reach down, take hold of one knee, and draw it up toward your chest until you feel an easy stretch in your lower back and hip. Hold it for about twenty seconds, set the foot back down, and switch legs. Two or three times each side. This one is easy to do at the kitchen table or on a break.

2. Standing back bend

Stand up, put your hands on your hips or the small of your back, and gently lean back, looking up a little as you go. Only go as far as feels comfortable, hold for a couple of seconds, and come back to standing. Do it five or six times. If you sit or drive a lot, this one counteracts all that forward slouching.

3. Seated twist

Sit tall in a chair with your feet flat. Cross your arms over your chest and slowly turn your shoulders to one side, letting your eyes and head follow. Hold for a few seconds, come back to center, and turn the other way. Keep it slow and easy, five times each direction. This keeps the mid and lower back mobile.

The honest part

Stretches help a back stay loose, but they will not put a stuck joint back in motion or fix a disc that is pressing on a nerve. If your lower back keeps locking up, keeps you awake, or sends pain down a leg, that is worth a proper look. Walk in and let me find out what is actually going on.