The ways you can injure your back are seemingly endless. Lifting something incorrectly, sleeping in the wrong position, or spending the day walking too much are all ways you can hurt your back. Thankfully, most back pain is a muscle sprain or strain that will go away on its own in a few weeks and does not require a trip to the doctor.
Prior to injuring yourself, why not invest in some exercises to keep your back strong, mobile, and flexible to help prevent future injuries? Prevention is the best medicine, and here are five simple stretches you can do daily in the comfort of your own home:
Pelvic tilt- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Exhale while you contract your abdominal muscles, pulling your belly button toward the floor and flattening your lower back. Hold this for five seconds and relax. Repeat this ten times, being careful to keep your lower back on the floor and your abdominal muscles pulled toward the floor. The pelvic tilt stretches your lower back and strengthens your lower abdominal muscles.
Knee to chest- Lie on your back and gently pull one knee toward your chest while using your hands to hold this stretch for ten seconds. The stretch should be in your hip and lower back. Repeat three to five times with each leg. Complete this exercise by bringing both knees to your chest and holding the stretch for ten seconds. Repeat this three to five times. The knee to chest stretch stretches your hip and lower back, and can relieve pressure on spinal nerves.
Lower trunk rotation– Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keeping your knees together and your feet on the floor, bring your knees to one side of your body, and hold the stretch for three to five seconds. Switch sides, contracting your abdominal muscles as you rotate your knees across your body. Repeat five to ten times on each side. The lower trunk rotation helps increase flexibility in your lower back and hips.
Hamstring stretch– Lie on your back and gently raise one leg until you feel a comfortable stretch. Keep your leg straight, and hold the stretch for ten to twenty seconds. Repeat three times with each leg. If you need help, you can use a rolled towel to help hold your leg in the pose. The hamstring stretch helps decrease tension in the back of your leg and your lower back.
Bridge– Lie on your back with bent knees and feet flat on the floor. Keeping your arms at your sides, slowly raise your hips off the floor while contracting your glutes (buttocks) and hamstrings. Hold three to five seconds, then slowly lower your hips back to the floor. Repeat ten times.
