One of the best at home back pain alleviation strategies is in stretching. Stretching for back pain can be done on your own time, in your own home, and at your own pace. However, without proper guidance stretching for back pain can get you nowhere. Read on to learn how to stretch for back pain to increase your back pain gains fast!
Why Stretch For Back Pain
Stretching for back pain can appear daunting or useless. In fact, stretching may appear to be a trigger for back pain when looking at it from a distance. There are truths to these concerns - stretching incorrectly has the potential to cause a) cause harm or b) do nothing at all.
The reason I recommend to stretch for back pain relief is to relieve pressure on the lower back. When muscles are short and inflexible - particularly the glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, and middle back - the lower back needs to overcompensate for basic physical movements.
Here are a few examples:
- When you bend over to pick something up off the ground, are your hamstrings flexible enough so that your hands can easily touch the floor? If not, your poor lower back has to take on the pressure from the hamstrings' lack of mobility.
- When you reach across the table to grab a condiment, can your mid back flex/extend or does your poor lower back have to make up for its stiffness?
The idea of this section is that the more flexible your hips and supporting lower back muscles are, the less pressure/stress/strain is placed on the lower back. Trust me, your lower back will thank you.
How To Stretch For Lower Back Pressure Relief
There is a right and a wrong way to stretch for lower back relief. Instead of beating around the tactics here are a few key principles to follow to get the most out of your lower back relief stretching:
- Know the muscles - understand which muscles develop tension in which areas of the hips and back, and attack them with intention and precision. The main muscles to stretch are the glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, mid back, and adductors.
- Incorporate the floss - static stretching is one of the least effective ways to gain real length in a muscle. Work in light resistance and motion by flossing you muscles to gain length quickly and permanently.
- Begin with deep tissue release - many stiff, rigid muscles require a deep tissue myofascial release before they can be adequately stretched. The reason for this is knots and trigger points can be very stubborn, and until they are ironed out a muscle may not stretch. A great at home release tool for this job is QL Claw.
On top of these principles, a structured, proven program is your best bet for building real length in muscles and maintaining it - all while improving your knowledge and performance in the process. For this I create the Flexible Back lower back flexibility program. Flexible Back is a quick 15 minute per day, 4 day per week regimen designed specifically to stretch areas of the body that promote lower back pain relief. It is low cost, value packed, and available for instant download upon investing. Check it out below:
