If you have been struggling with any back or neck tightness, spinal decompression stretches may interest you. Since the spine plays a pivotal role in movement and function, taking up a gentle approach using impactful exercises can help release any built-up stiffness.
Equipping yourself with the right exercises/stretches for spinal health can hopefully relieve some discomfort - helping with overall mobility, pain relief and even your quality of life!
Let’s briefly explore how spinal compression occurs and the stretches you can do to decompress!
What is Spinal Decompression?
The name may be a bit self-explanatory - spinal decompression means to take pressure off your spine.
Because the main role of your spine is to provide support (with movement and balance) and protects your spinal cord, compression of your spinal disks would be difficult to ignore. This can manifest as numbness, tingling, back pain or pain that can even radiate to other areas. While these are just examples of the symptoms, some root causes can include:
- Bulging disks
- Herniated disks
- Pinched nerves
- Sciatica
- Spinal stenosis
At-Home Spinal Decompression Techniques
The idea behind doing these methods at home is that they are non-inasive, simple to do and can hopefully provide the relief you’re looking for. If your healthcare provider gives you the green light, here are some daily stretches you can try.
Child’s Pose (Yoga Stretch)
- Start on your knees and hands (think tabletop position) - with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
- Sit back on your heels and lower your glutes to your feet
- Extend your arms forward with palms flat (either up or down works fine!)
- Rest your forehead on the floor (or on a pillow)
- Hold for 10-30 seconds
Overhead Stretch
- Sit or stand with a straight back
- Raising arms overhead, extend them up high as far as possible
- Clasp your hands together (or use a towel or resistance band)
- Gently pull upward and reach for the ceiling
- Hold for 15-30 seconds while doing deep breaths
- Relax and repeat.
Dead Hang (Yes, you would need a bar for this!)
- Standing underneath, grip the bar with hands shoulder-width apart
- Hang gently by lifting your feet off the ground and letting your body hang freely. Your arms should be fully extended and your body relaxed.
- Maintain proper alignment while relaxing and breathing
- Hang as long as you comfortably can anywhere from 10 seconds up to 1 minute
We also have a more in-depth article on how to dead hang! Check it out!
More spinal decompression stretches you can do at home:
- Cat-cow stretch
- Seated forward fold
- Cobra stretch
- Bridge pose
- Downward dog
- Pelvic tilts
If you’re looking to kick it up a notch after incorporating a stretching routine, you can also try other affordable tools:
- Yoga wheels
- Stability balls
- The QL Claw (of course!)
- Foam rollers
- Inversion tables
Other Considerations
It’s important to remember that incorporating stretching is not a fix-it-all approach. While it is ideal to stretch consistently and within your comfort level, continue to consider your body mechanics and stress levels on a daily basis. Other examples of areas to consider include:
- Posture awareness
- Sleeping positions (and quality of your mattress)
- Daily exercise (are you sedentary or active?)
- Stress management
- Footwear
Key Takeaway
As always, it’s encouraged to do your exercises safely and listen to your body. With the right routine, you can find relief at home without having to do any expensive treatments or repetitive clinic visits. Sometimes all it takes is the right tool and some consistency.
If you are unable to make progress despite your overall lifestyle change (with adequate recovery, proper ergonomics, and movement) remember to always consult your medical provider. Now… go do that dead hang!
Spinal Decompression FAQ
How do I decompress my spine at home?
You can start with the stretches in this article, making sure to know the root cause of your back pain or tightness. While techniques can range from easy stretches (with or without equipment) you can also look into traction therapy if necessary. Of course, make sure to consult your healthcare provider moving forward.
Feel free to stop by our other article on how to decompress your spine!
Is it good to decompress your spine?
While decompressing your spine can be helpful in relieving pressure - it’s also important to consider other factors such as your daily body mechanics, activity level, sleeping positions, among others. As long as you’re experiencing relief, it can definitely be a good thing!
How long does it take to recover from spinal decompression?
This depends on the type of treatment and combination of interventions you are using. While there is a surgical and non-surgical avenue to take, the overall recovery time varies depending on the severity of your back problems and compliance with treatment. For example, some individuals can feel relief in 2-6 weeks of using at-home methods while surgical methods (laminectory, spinal fusion, etc.) can have you doing light activity in about 2-4 weeks (with 6-12 months needed for your bones to fully stabilize).
How long should I dead hang to decompress my spine?
You can start with 10-20 seconds per hang and work your way up to 1 minute. This can be a great way to relieve pressure if you are able to do this several times a day without discomfort in your upper body (wrists, shoulders)
Resources
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/10874-spinal-decompression-therapy