Lower back stretches are necessary for anyone with any tightness in the back.  Just a few simple and easy stretches will see the spine stretched and relaxed in turn, giving more flexibility to the back.

If you are in severe pain, it is advisable to see a specialist.  But just for daily care of the spine, some stretches are an inexpensive and easy way to do your own body maintenance. Continue reading »

Lower back stretches alone can do wonders for the whole body. Even if its aim is to stabilize and restore just this one area, we should bear in mind that the back is what holds the body upright and a back not functioning properly affects everything else.

In fact, how the back functions is by itself the very reason why regular exercise  like lower back stretches should be done. The spine tends to deteriorate a lot faster than other parts of the body even without too much pressure or abuse. Continue reading »

Yes, you read it right – hip exercises for back pain. And why not? The hips are connected to the lower back after all and are fundamental to the flexibility of your entire lower half.

Below are five fun hip exercises and cool ways to exercise the hip and strengthen the lower back both at the same time. (When doing hip exercises that require you to start in a standing position, use a chair for balance if necessary.) Continue reading »

Sciatica is often mistakenly referred to as back pain. In truth it is merely a set of sciatica symptoms that include pain, which serve to indicate that there is an underlying problem in the lower back. It is not a medical diagnosis, so instead of treating the pain itself, it is important to find out what brought about the pain in the first place, and fix things from there with sciatica exercises. Continue reading »

Upper back exercises – This is how it goes: when you feel the weight of the world is on your shoulders, your lower back is actually the part of your body carrying that weight.

You see, the shoulders are attached to the upper back, but in the end, the heaviness is always felt by the lower back since it carries both. Continue reading »

1. On a mat, go down on your hands and knees, soles facing upward.
2. Slowly lower your buttocks until they touch your heels, letting your arms drag. Keep head lowered.
3. Once buttocks are settled on your heels, let your forehead rest on the mat, with palms lying flat. Relax and breathe. Continue reading »

1. Start from a standing position, and set your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Raise your right arm over your head and bend your body to the left. Hold this position for a few seconds.
3. Repeat the same exercise, this time on the left side.

Continue reading »

Upper back exercises  – The child’s pose is a good rest pose to do between a series of more difficult poses.

1. On a mat, get down on hands and knees, soles of the feet facing upward.
2. Lower your buttocks slowly and let both arms drag, until your buttocks touch the heels of your feet. Keep your head down.
3. Once rested on your heels, pull your hands alongside your feet, palms facing up. Continue reading »

1. On a mat, go down on hands and knees.
2. Lower back must be level with torso, with the stomach tucked in. Keep your head down.
3. Arch your back.
4. Go back to original position, and repeat until you feel a relaxing of your lower back. Continue reading »

Upper back exercises are of course closely aligned to lower back stretches.  It’s more difficult to isolate back pain into upper or lower back, but sometimes the painful area is distinctive.

If you have a pinched nerve in the back, you are sure to need stretches as well as some specialist advice. Continue reading »

1. Start in a standing position, legs slightly apart.
2. Raise your arms up, and exhale as you bend forward.
3. Touch the floor or your toes with the palms of your hands.
4. Raise yourself up until the back is flat, and then bend forward once more to touch the floor or your toes, again with Continue reading »