Lower back pain can be a fickle thing that can impact our everyday movements. This is why it’s important to do a few easy exercises to help lower back pain which will strengthen and further help alleviate and prevent back pain. These stretches and exercises can also increase blood flow into the lower back area, which may reduce stiffness, tightness and further speed up healing.
With the help of our chiropractors and massage therapists, we have created an easy 5-minute stretch and exercise routine to help reduce lower back pain. The best part is that all these exercises can be done in the comfort of your own home and no gym equipment is necessary!
This routine includes 5 easy to do exercises for lower back pain:
1. Glute Bridges
- Lie with your back to the ground, bend the knees and place the feet flat on the floor hip-width apart.
- Press feet into the floor, keeping your palms flat on the floor.
- Raise the buttocks off the ground until the body forms a straight line from the shoulders to the knees.
- Squeeze buttocks with your shoulders remaining on the floor.
- Lower buttocks to the ground and rest for a few seconds.
- Repeat 15 times and then rest for 1 minute.
2. Knee to Chest Stretch
- Lie with your back on the floor with bent knees and feet flat on the ground.
- Use both hands to pull one knee in towards the chest.
- Hold your knee against your chest for 5 seconds, keeping the abdominals tight and pressing your spine into the floor.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat with the opposite leg.
3. Lower Back Rotational Stretches
- Lie with your back on the floor with bent knees and feet flat on the ground.
- Keep your shoulders firmly on the floor and gently roll both bent knees over to one side.
- Hold this position for 5–10 seconds.
- Return to the starting position.
- Gently roll the bent knees over to the opposite side and repeat.
4. Lying Lateral Leg Raises
- Lie on one side with your legs together and keep the lower leg slightly bent.
- Draw your belly button into the spine to engage your core muscles.
- Raise your top leg and keep it straight and extended.
- Hold this position for 2 seconds.
- Repeat 10 times.
- Turn onto the other side of the body and repeat, lifting the other leg.
5. Supermans
- Lie face down on the ground and stretch both arms out in front of the body, keeping the legs stretched out and flat on the ground.
- Raise both the hands and feet, aiming to create a gap of about 6 inches between them and the floor.
- Try to pull in the bellybutton, lifting it off the floor to engage the core muscles.
- Keep the head straight and look at the floor to avoid neck injury.
- Stretch the hands and feet outward as far as possible.
- Hold the position for 2 seconds.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat 10 times
These exercises are only mentioned by name. Please conduct your own research on how to do these exercises properly and continue with caution as improper techniques can cause injury. Also please do not attempt to do these exercises past your stretching point.
If you’d like further information on managing lower back pain and extra exercise techniques, feel free to book yourself in online for a consult with one of our chiros and massage therapists or call us on (02) 9588 7000.
