What Is The Best Stretching Exercise For Lower Back Pain? – Even More Stretching Exercises
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Although stretching can reduce spinal inflammation and pain, many people ask: what is the best stretching exercise for lower back pain? The reason people ask this question because some exercises can further complicate the spinal condition and increase lower back pain. That’s why back pain doctor Plano TX recommends focusing on adequate stretching exercises, diet, and medication. Read on!
What Is The Best Stretching Exercise For Lower Back Pain?
Regular stretching can reduce lower back pain by relaxing stiffed and tightened muscles. Stretching also increases blood flow to the lumbar spine and nourishes the muscles with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. MINT’s professional doctors recommend the following stretching exercises for back pain Plano TX.
Child’s Pose
The child’s pose increases your lumbar spine range of motion and relaxes muscles, tissues, tendons, and ligaments. It is an easy-to-perform exercise for people of all ages.
- Start the exercise on all four (hand and feet)
- Place your buttocks on the floor and reach out your arms forward
- Apply a mild force until you feel a stretch in your lumbar spine
- Stay in this position for at least 10-15 seconds
- Repeat the stretch 5-8 times
Trunk Rotation Stretch
Trunk stretch improves your lower back mobility by focusing on your trunk’s side muscles. It increases blood flow to your back muscles, reduces inflammation, and alleviates pain. Here is how you can do this stretch at home:
- Lie down on a comfortable mat and bend your knees
- Maintain your upper back flat on the mat
- Rotate your legs toward the mat to feel a good stretch
- Repeat the exercise on the opposite side
- Make sure you hold the rotated position for 5-8 seconds
- Repeat the stretch at least ten times for each side
Cat-camel Back Stretch
Cat-camel is an excellent exercise that strengthens your lumbar spine muscles. It maintains your spinal mobility and flexibility. Regular practice of cat-camel stretch can quickly reduce lumbar spine and sciatic pain.
- Position your body on your hands and feet (all fours)
- Lift your lower back toward the ceiling and hold for 5-8 seconds
- Repeat the exercise at least ten times every day
Hip Flexor Stretch
Sciatica is pain radiating from your lumbar spine through your hips to the legs. It can significantly reduce your quality of life and cause difficulty sitting, standing, and walking. The hip flexor stretch works on your hip muscles by reducing stress on your lumbar spine. Increased strength and flexibility in your hip flexors can alleviate lower back pain.
- Start in the kneeling position on the floor
- Lean forward and try to reach the bent knee
- Apply a gentle force until you feel a stretch in the opposite thigh
- Stay in this position for at least 10-15 seconds and repeat the exercise 5-8 times
Hamstring Stretch
What is the best stretching exercise for lower back pain? Back pain doctor Plano TX says that the hamstring stretch is one of the best exercises for men and women. It is beneficial for those who spend most of their time sitting at the office desk or in front of a computer screen. Prolonged sitting tightens your back muscles and legs, causing back pain in Plano TX. Hamstring stretch decreases stress on your lumbar spine and reduces pain.
- Sit on the mat comfortably and keep your one leg straight and the other bent
- Maintain a flat spine, lean forward, and hinge from your hip to feel the stretch
- Apply a gentle force until you feel a good stretch in your thigh
- Repeat the exercise with your other leg while holding it for 8-10 seconds
Medications
We have already answered the question: what is the best stretching exercise for lower back pain! What to do when you have severe back pain? Can stretching exercises provide immediate relief? No, exercises take some time to alleviate pain, meaning you have to perform them regularly for at least four weeks to reap benefits.
When you feel extreme discomfort or pain in your lumbar spine, you can take over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as NSAIDs. For instance, ibuprofen and naproxen are the best NSAIDs to relieve acute back pain.
Bear in mind that stretching exercises are useful for long-term pain relief, whereas NSAIDs, opioids, or muscle relaxants provide short-term relief. Taking these medications for a long time can cause side effects and further complicate your lower back pain.
Anti-inflammatory Diet
Back pain doctor Plano TX recommends consuming an anti-inflammatory diet to heal your back injuries naturally. For instance, you can eat fruits and dark leafy veggies like blueberries, cherries, strawberries, spinach, collards, and kale to reduce inflammation in your lumbar spine. Besides, we suggest adding fish, nuts, olive oil, and tomatoes to your diet regimen.
Consult a Qualified Neurosurgeon
If your lower back pain persists for over three months, it is time to talk to a professional back pain doctor in Plano TX. MINT has qualified neurosurgeons with many years of experience in treating patients with minimally invasive surgery, a long-term and permanent solution for lower back pain.
In this post, we have answered an important question: what is the best stretching exercise for lower back pain – but if your pain does not alleviate with these exercises, contact us today for more useful options.
