Lower back pain (LBP) is one of THE most common musculoskeletal ailments among us, in fact between 80-90% of us will experience at least one episode of LBP at some point in our lives! That’s a hefty number! As a physio, this is something I’ve had a lot of experience treating through gentle movement and exercise. Many people are able to significantly reduce a painful LBP episode and prevent future episodes with progressive pilates-based home exercise program.
Given that most of us are now self-isolating and working from home due to the awful COVID-19 pandemic, it is a bit more challenging to access the necessary care for your tight and sore back! So to help out a little, I’ve listed here six exercises that you can try that may ease your discomfort. In saying that, every person is different, and while these stretches and exercises are safe to try, if you have previously received advice from a physiotherapist not to complete certain stretches or movements, it’s important that you adhere to this!
Quick notes before you start:
Make sure that you don't hold your breath with the exercises! It's okay to be a little sore through the first few repetitions, but this pain should ease with movement. If it doesn't, see my warning below.
1. Knees to chest stretch
Ly on your back
Slowly bend one knee and bring that leg up to your chest
Add the other leg and give them a hug
Hold here for 30-60s, as comfort allows
Alternate option: after holding your knees to your chest, you can add sideways movement by rolling your legs gently to the left and right or drawing a gentle circle with your knees, clockwise then anti-clockwise.
Complete 20 reps each direction.
2. Pelvic tilt
Ly on your back
Bend knees to put your feet on the floor, legs hip-width apart
Tilt your pelvis so that your lower back curve flattens against the mat (sometimes called 'imprinting')
Relax the tilt and return to your start position
Repeat 3 sets of 10, using your breathing to dictate movement
3. Pelvic curls (segmental glute bridge)
Start in the same position as above and tilt your pelvis to flatten your back to the mat in the same way
From here, slowly lift your hips from the mat, one vertebra at a time
Continue to lift until just your lower ribs remain on the mat, as long as this is comfortable. Be aware of your upper back muscles kicking in. If this happens you may have lifted too far!
Repeat 3 sets of 10, again using breath coordination
4. Glute stretch
From your lying position, bend your left leg and put your foot flat on the floor. Then lift your right leg, crossing your ankle to rest on your left knee
Grasp your left thigh and pull it gently towards your chest
You should feel a strong stretch along your right gluteals (bottom muscles)
Hold for 30+s (the closer to 60s, the better!)
Repeat for the left side
5. Child’s pose
Start in kneeling and sit your bottom back onto your heels
Keeping your sitting position, bend your trunk forward so that your chest is resting on your thighs
Reach your hands out in front of you as far as you can and relax into the mat
This should give your back an elongating stretch, holding for 60s
Note: you may find it more comfortable to keep your heels together and bring your knees apart slightly, allowing you to sink your chest lower towards the mat.
6. Cat-cow
Starting in 4-point kneeling (on all-fours), slowly arch your back upwards, towards the ceiling, while tucking your tailbone and head under
Reverse this movement by gently pushing your tummy toward the floor, head coming up, tailbone coming up
You should feel gentle lower back movement with the up and down phases.
Note: the first few reps may be uncomfortable, but if soreness persists, try first reducing the range (amount of movement) that you're going through. If that doesn't work, see my below warning.
Happy stretching! 🤸🏼♀️
WARNING: if any of these movements are uncomfortable or increase your discomfort, STOP. I recommend checking with a physiotherapist via Telehealth (given current circumstances) with regard to extreme pain presentations and in the event of other symptoms that occur with your back pain. These include, but are not limited to, neurological symptoms such as pins and needles, numbness or changed skin sensation, referred limb pain (often sharp and shooting down legs) and muscle weakness.
If you have any other symptoms or medical conditions that may impact your exercise performance, I also recommend seeking individual advice prior to commencing the above exercises. Physiotherapists are trained to question in depth regarding your signs and symptoms as treatment may vary from person to person. We also question regarding 'red flags' to screen for the presence of more serious pathology. Please feel free to ask me any questions about this! ☺️