Stabilizing Low Back Stretches

Low Back pain is common and unfortunately prevalent. Getting out of pain is the first step followed by proper and intentional rehabilitation. No one size stretch fits all. In fact some patients with lower back pain cannot tolerate forward folding without pain whereas others cannot tolerate extension, essentially opposite movement challenges. This simple fact is stated to encourage you to seek out your trusted health care professional to help guide you in combating acute, sub-acute or chronic lower back pain dysfunctions.

This series of 3 exercises are geared towards building proper motor control patterns to coordinate movement in the low back. Aimed at increasing stability and range of motion throughout the entire spine and helping to get fluid moving between the joints and maintain functional spine health through daily movements such as gait.

1. CAT/COW

From a quadruped position with your hands, and knees squarely under your shoulders and hips respectively. As you inhale allow your belly to drop down to the floor as your sit bones round and reach backwards and up and your neck slowly looks up. This creates a “hammock” shape of your spine. On the exhale round and arch your mid back towards the ceiling as well as pushing your shoulders upwards. This motion should create an “arc” shaped spine and allow you to draw your belly button in and feel as you tuck your tailbone under your hips.

Start - Beginning quadruped position. Toes can stay curled as shown or be uncurled for this exercise as seen in next two movements.

Cow Position - Belly drops and spine extends as you inhale finding movement through the spine.

Cat Position - Inhale and round your shoulders and spine towards the ceiling finding spine between your core and the floor.

2. BIRD/DOG

In a quadruped stance extend opposite arm and leg maintaining a stable and neutral spine. At the end range of extension draw a small square with both your arm and leg to add extra challenge. Repeat on both sides. The goal is to stabilize the spine while building a cross body motor control pattern that mimics walking and running. Perform slowly and keep your spine in a neutral position without the hip of your extended leg rising above your opposite hip. In fact imagine just your extremities moving and your spine staying relatively stable and still.

Start - Quadruped position. Hands below shoulders, knees below hips and spine in a neutral table top.

Move - Opposite arm and leg extend as you inhale. Activate your core and maintain level hips through the movement.

Move - Bring your elbow and your knee together as you exhale and maintain core engagement.

3. BEGINNER BEAR CRAWL

Again find yourself in a quadruped position (noticing a theme here!) draw your belly button in and engage your core as you find your shoulder blades engaged strong, down and back. Curl your toes under you as you actively engage both your quadriceps and hamstrings as you prepare to lift one knee up off the floor just high enough to slide a piece of paper below that knee. Your core engaged should all you to maintain a neutral spine and keep your hips level and parallel to the ground. Then place your foot down and progress to the opposite side. This exercise is a beginner of a bear crawl in which opposite hand and foot would move forward in a crawling type movement while your spine and back move very little.

Start - Beginning quadruped position with knees lifted off the ground for a bear crawl. Spine including neck is in a neutral position.

Practice - Left leg and knee lift in preparation for a beginner bear crawl.

Move - Opposite arm and leg move forward in unison as you begin crawling forward as your spine stays neutral and hips level.

If you’d like to watch all three in sequence and follow along - click the video link below.