Back pain can be debilitating and make even the simplest tasks difficult to do. If you are experiencing pain, you may have tried to seek out methods of relief such as pain medications or surgery. However, these can come along with a slew of side effects and possible complications. The good news is these are not your only options for treatment. By doing a few simple stretches every day, you can strengthen your spine, loosen tense muscles, and increase your flexibility, which may lead to pain relief. Below are 5 examples of some stretches you can try for back pain relief.
Remember with any stretches you try, do not exert yourself to the point of extreme pain. These stretches should be gentle and done to a point that is the most comfortable for you.
- Trunk-rotation stretch
To complete the trunk-rotation stretch:- Begin by lying on your back and bring your knees towards your chest.
- Extend your arms out to your sides, keeping your palms facing the floor.
- While keeping your knees together and hands still on the floor, roll both knees over to the right side and hold for about 20 seconds.
- Go back to the starting position and repeat on the left side.
- Repeat about five more times.
- Pelvic tilt
To complete the pelvic tilt stretch:- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat, and have your arms by your sides.
- Arch the lower back while pushing your stomach out.
- Slightly push your pelvis up, but not lifting off of the floor. Do this while tightening your abdominal muscles and glutes. Hold this for about 5 seconds and slowly release.
- Repeat about 5 times.
- Child’s pose
To complete child’s pose:- Position yourself with your hands and knees on the floor and slowly bring your hands out in front of you.
- Lower your torso between your knees slowly and extend your arms to the front while keeping your palms facing down.
- You can rest in this position for as long as you’d like and repeat as many times as necessary.
- Knee to chest
To complete the knee to chest stretch:- Lie on your back with both of your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- Stretch your left leg out on the floor and bring your right, bent knee into your chest with hands clasped behind your thigh.
- Hold this pose for about 1 minute and release.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
- Bridge pose
To complete the bridge pose:- Lie on your back with knees bent and your feet about hip distance apart.
- While pushing into your feet, lift the lower back, bring the hips up and in line with your shoulders and knees.
- Keep your hands flat on the floor for some stability.
- Hold this pose for about 15 seconds and slowly lower your body back to the ground.
- Repeat about 5 times.
For more information on ways to relieve your back pain, call us today at (813) 873-7777 for a free consultation.