5 Nightly Stretches For Treatment Of Lower Back Pain

A common musculoskeletal condition faced by Singaporeans today is lower back pain. With many of us glued to a computer for hours on end due to work or school, we end up putting excessive strain on our lower back (or lumbar) region – this could result in a severe injury if we move too suddenly, or in chronic pain or disability if left untreated. In extreme cases, surgical intervention or medicine regimes might be needed to help with pain management.

One way we can avoid lower back pain is to take a break and move our bodies throughout the day. This prevents the lower back region from experiencing constant stress and strain. Another easy way to avoid or even manage lower back pain is to begin daily home workouts that relieve muscle tension and keep your muscles strong. Here are some easy stretches our chiropractors recommend to help you relieve lower back pain:

1. Lumbar Extension

A basic stretch to begin your post-home workout cooldown with is the lumbar extension. You can also do this throughout the day to avoid back pain. This stretch is similar to the sphinx or cobra pose in yoga, and the main outcome is to gently stretch your lower back (lumbar) muscles. A lumbar extension can be done when lying on your belly or standing, depending on your comfort level. When doing a lumbar extension, it is important to keep your core engaged -this shifts the tension in your body away from the lower back, allowing it to relax and release tension.

2. Lumbar Segmental Rotation

Another good stretch for the lower back region is the lumbar segmental rotation. It involves lying on your back and keeping your upper body stationary, while rotating your lower body – resulting in a twist from your abdomen or hips down. You can follow our video above as a guide, or for a greater stretch, extend the top leg while keeping the bottom leg bent.

3. Cat and Camel Stretches

The cat and camel stretches (sometimes known as the cat/cow poses) are two of the most popular yoga poses that help to help activate and release tension in the lower back and avoid back pain. It is recommended to sync your breathing while moving between the two stretches to maximise the release of tension in your muscles.

4. Mountain Climber Hip Stretch

Treating lower back pain does not just involve stretching out the lower back muscles – it also involves strengthening the surrounding muscles in the hips and core. By strengthening other muscles, you can take some of the weight off your lower back muscles during your exercise or everyday activities. This helps to prevent the lower back muscles from repeated strain.

You might be familiar with mountain climbers as part of your exercise routine, but this is a modified version meant to stretch your hip muscles instead. The mountain climber hip stretch starts with a similar bridge pose to the mountain climber exercise, but when you move your knee up to your chest, you hold it there and feel the stretch in your hip and lower back.

5. Knee to Chest Back Stretch

End your home workout cooldown routine  with a knee to chest back stretch. This stretch targets the lower back and mid back muscles, and can help improve your flexibility and mobility after a long day at your desk. You might feel some discomfort or tension, but you should not be feeling back pain when performing any of the stretches in this list.

Chiropractic treatment for lower back pain

Our chiropractic clinic in Singapore can help you alleviate, treat, and manage lower back pain. Our trained chiropractors perform diagnostic assessments including visual posture checks, spinal palpation, and range of motion exams to pinpoint the cause and location of chronic pain within your body. Book a consultation with our chiropractors to find out more about our pain management options.