About | 13 Best Stretches for Lower Back Pain | Hamstrings stretches | Glutes muscles stretching | Additional stretches | 4 extra Tips | Conclusion
Does that nagging lower back ache when running put a damper on your passion? You're not alone. But fear not, fellow runner! This article dives deep into 13 stretches designed to combat lower back pain, with a particular focus on stretching tight hamstrings and glutes muscles – two notorious culprits behind back troubles. We will also provide effective tips to help you move with ease and regain mobility today!
Feeling the Ache? Understanding Why Lower Back Pain is Frequent
Lower back pain can be debilitating, affecting your daily life and limiting your movements. In the UK, is quite a common enemy. In fact, according to the Work Foundation, a staggering third of all long-term sickness absences from work and nearly a fifth of any sick leave are caused by musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), with lower back and neck pain being the most common culprits. This is because we often get caught up in our work and duties and forget all about our health.
Whether it's due to poor posture, a sedentary lifestyle, or an injury, finding relief is essential for overall well-being. Incorporating the correct stretches and mindful movement strategies into your routine is one of the simplest and most effective ways to care for yourself. It can significantly reduce lower back aches when running or standing. But it is essential to focus your routine on key muscle groups, such as the hamstrings and glutes muscles.
Remember, consistency is key. So, make these stretches and tips a regular part of your routine, and you'll be well on your way to a pain-free future.
13 Best Stretches for Lower Back Pain: Hamstrings and Glutes Stretch
Before diving into the 13 stretches, it's crucial to understand why targeting the hamstrings and glutes is so beneficial for lower back pain. Firstly, tight hamstrings can pull on the pelvis, leading to increased pressure on the lower back. Similarly, elongating tight glutes can contribute to imbalances and discomfort.
By stretching the hamstrings and glutes muscles regularly, you can improve flexibility, reduce tension, and also alleviate lower back pain.
Firstly, begin by incorporating just two to three exercises that target the area where you feel the most tension in your back. Then gradually build up your routine each day. This approach will prevent you from feeling overwhelmed by the thought of having to stretch, which might otherwise lead you to postpone it. As you start experiencing the benefits, such as reduced tension and improved flexibility, you'll naturally be motivated to include more exercises in your routine to feel even better.
Here are 13 stretches for lower back pain to target these areas and improve your overall flexibility:
Hamstring Stretches
Ease lower back pain by loosening tight hamstrings with these exercises from our 13 Stretches for Lower Back Pain list.
1 HAMSTRING STRETCH WITH RESISTANCE BAND
Resistance bands can gently assist you in reaching a deeper stretch than you might achieve with just your body weight. They active stretching, where you're contracting and relaxing specific muscles while using the band for resistance
2 MYOFASCIAL RELEASE FOR TIGHT HAMSTRING USING A TENNIS BALL
Myofascial release helps to break Up Trigger Points in your hamstrings, alleviating pain and improving overall function. In fact trigger points are tight knots that can develop in muscles and cause pain, sometimes even referred pain in other areas.
3 LOOSE HAMSTRINGS WITH A FOAM ROLLER
Foam rollers help to have a more focused approach compared to some stretches that might target the entire hamstring group. By positioning yourself differently on the foam roller, you can target specific areas of your hamstrings that feel tight or tender.
4 DOWNWARD-FACING DOG (YOGA POSE)
This yoga pose stretches the entire back of your leg, from your calves all the way up to your glutes and hamstrings. It encourages a lengthened spine, reducing the risk of lower back pain while stretching your hamstrings. Furthermore, it's a great pose for most fitness levels, and holding it for even a short period can provide noticeable benefits.
Glutes Muscle Stretching
Target your glutes, a common culprit for lower back pain, with the exercises below from the 13 Stretches for Lower Back Pain list.
5. GLUTES STRETCH (SEATED ON THE CHAIR)
Seated stretches require minimal space and no special equipment. You can easily do them at your desk, on the couch, or even while traveling. These are generally considered low-impact and gentle on your body, while being very effective to reduce lower back ache when running.
6. FIGURE-FOUR STRETCH (LYING DOWN ON THE FLOOR)
The Figure-Four Stretch helps isolate and elongate the glutes muscles effectively. You can easily adjust the intensity based on your needs, comfort level and flexibility.
7. PIGEON YOGA POSE
This yoga pose provides a deep extension for both the gluteus maximus (largest glute muscle) and the piriformis muscle (deep hip muscle that can contribute to sciatica). These muscles can pull on your lower back, leading to pain and discomfort. So, loosening them help to reduce lower back pain when running and standing. It utilizes your body weight to create a passive stretch in your glutes and hips.
8 DYNAMIC GLUTES MUSCLE STRETCHING
The dynamic gentle movement helps to loosen tight glutes muscles safely. It can break up fascial adhesions that can contribute to tension and pain in the lower back. It also improves blood flow, delivering nutrients for healing and reducing stiffness that can contribute to lower back pain.
9. USE A FOAM ROLLER TO LOOSE TIGHT GLUTES MUSCLES
A foam roller allows you to apply sustained and direct pressure to your glutes, helping to release tension and adhesions in the fascia and muscle tissue. This direct pressure can be more effective than stretching alone in loosening up those tight areas, especially for the gluteus medius, a deep hip muscle. It is also quite relaxing, helping to improve your overall well-being and recovery after exercise.
Additional Stretches for Lower Back Pain and Core
10. CHILD'S YOGA POSE
Kneel on the ground, sit back on your heels, rest your forehead on the mat. Child's Pose provides a gentle lengthening throughout the spine. The forward fold position allows your spine to lengthen and decompress, reducing tension and potentially alleviating lower back pain.
11. PLANKS
Core Fitness is an essential element of the 13 stretches for lower back pain list. Planks are a fantastic core-strengthening exercise. They engage various core muscles, including the rectus abdominis (six-pack), obliques, and lower back muscles. A strong core provides better support and stability for your spine, reducing stress on your lower back and potentially alleviating pain.
12. CAT-COW (YOGA POSE)
On all fours, arch your back as you exhale (cow), round your back as you inhale (cat). The Cat-Cow pose involves gentle rounding and arching of the spine, promoting mobilization and movement in the vertebrae. This movement helps to lubricate the joints in your spine, improve flexibility, and reduce stiffness that can contribute to lower back pain.
13. SPINAL TWIST STRETCH FOR LOWER BACK PAIN
Sit on the floor, twist your torso towards one side, gently looking back over your shoulder. The twisting motion can help to pump blood flow to the lower back, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the area. This can promote healing and recovery of injured tissues, potentially reducing pain.
Beyond the 13 Stretches: Effective Tips for Managing Lower Back Pain
The 13 stretches are a powerful tool, but it's not the only weapon in your back pain arsenal. Here are some additional tips to consider.
1) REPLACE THE MENTAL SOUNDTRACK AND START ENJOYING IT!
Shift your mindset about stretching from a chore to a pleasurable activity. Focus on the relief and relaxation of these 13 stretches for the lower back pain.
Celebrate small victories and remind yourself that movement is your ally. Appreciate the little steps you take every day, rather than feeling discouraged because you can’t yet perform some of those circus yoga postures!
Stretching is not about becoming a contortionist. But it is rather a free and easy tool to incorporate more movement into your daily habits and prevent tension from building up, to make a real difference to your mental and physical wellbeing.
2) PERFORM THE 13 STRETCHES FOR LOWER BACK BOTH DYNAMICALLY AND STATICALLY
Dynamic stretches are active movements which help to warm up your joints safely and make you feel all stretched out. Whether you are about to work out, you have been sitting all day, or you have just got up from your bed, we recommend warming up your body with dynamic movements. These are better movements to activate and loosen up your back muscles, improving flexibility and preventing injury.
On the contrary, static stretches hold a position for a set time. We recommend them only post-exercise to avoid pulling cold muscles and allow deeper relaxation after working out.
3) TRY COUPLE YOGA POSES
Partner yoga is a fun and simple stretch therapy in which one person helps another person to loosen up. There are different types of techniques, ranging from very safe and easy partner exercises that can be performed by anyone, to more specific techniques. In fact, some assisted stretching yoga poses require advanced training in anatomy and physiology. Thus these are generally performed only by physical therapists and athletic trainers.
Partner yoga poses also provide additional mental support and encouragement as you exercise together.
4) TRY THE 13 STRETCHES FOR LOWER BACK PAIN ON A POWER PLATE FOR FAST RELIEF!
The Power Plate is a vibration plate which gives you a high-speed workout using multi-directional vibrations to contract and relax your muscles. Your muscles usually contract one or two times a second, but on the power plate, you can achieve 30 to 50 contractions a second. Therefore any movement performed on this vibration plate for a minute may bring the same results as the same standard 3 minute exercise performed on the floor as it works out many muscle groups at the same time.
In sum, Power Plates can enhance the effectiveness of your stretches in a shorter amount of time by stimulating muscle activity and circulation.
CONCLUSION
Incorporating these 13 hamstring and glutes stretches and tips into your daily routine can help alleviate lower back pain, improve flexibility, and enhance overall well-being. Remember to listen to your body, modify as needed, and consult a healthcare professional if you have persistent or severe pain.
Move with ease and enjoy the benefits of a flexible, pain-free lower back!
