emmaglet@hotmail.com As our bodies undergo day to day stress it takes a toll on our backs and stretching exercises to relieve back pain can help. Depending on the occupation that we hold, we either sit or stand for the better portion of our day. Poor posture of your spine may lead to long-term problems and pain in your back. To fix this problem, you have to have a flexible back with stretches to alleviate the pain.
We know that we risk injury if we overdo it and it’s easy to tire ourselves out. A good rule of thumb is to include more activities on the weekdays and do more relaxing things during the weekends. This can make your back and body able to be easily injured. Exercising during the week and also doing stretching exercises can prevent this from happening. The stress that our bodies go through during the weekday can be overcome by doing five stretching exercises to relieve back pain for 15-20 minutes a day. These stretching exercises to relieve back pain will require an elastic band that could be purchased at a local store.
Lower Back Stretch Start by sitting on the floor with your legs together and straight out in front of you. Put the exercise band around your feet and hold on to it with both hands. Then “climb towards your foot using the band to pull yourself. Continue this until you feel a stretch from your calves, spine and lower back. Hold the position for 8-10 seconds as you breathe normally. Repeat 3 times.
The Groin Stretch: Lay down on the floor with your legs in a kind of split position. Bend your left knee, and create enough room for you to put your foot outside the floor. Put the elastic band around your right foot, and take it with both hands. The band should now be stretched between you hand and right foot. Gently pull to stretch out the. You should hold this position for 8-10 seconds and then repeat the exercise 3 times.Then switch to the other leg and do three times.
The Glute and External Rotator Stretch Laying on the ground face up, wrap the band around a toe and straighten your leg while holding on to the band. When your leg is extended twist your torso at the hip until your leg is on the ground while keeping your back as flat as you can. Then hold this position for 8-10 seconds and repeat 3 times. Switch to the other leg and repeat.
The Hamstring Stretch Start in the same position as the External Rotator Stretch. However, instead of twisting at the hip, lay straight with your leg straight up then pull your leg gently towards your head. This will stretch your hamstring and help to relieve tension on your back.
The Quad Stretch Lay face down on the floor and wrap the band around a toe then pull your leg towards your head. When you feel the stretch in your front thigh, hold the pose for 8 seconds and repeat twice more. Then switch to the other leg and do the same. These exercise will help with flexibility and strength but they are also wonderful stretching exercises to relieve back pain.
