A consistent schedule of back muscle stretching and core strengthening exercises not only may help to minimize existing pain, but even more significantly, it might help avoidance of future aches or even worse, having your back ‘go out. ‘ Any person who’s been down that road likely does not want to venture down it again.

In this article we intend to concentrate on a simple workout to stretch the back and start getting the muscles, ligaments and joints loosened up a bit. If you have existing back issues, review it with your chiropractor or physical therapy provider to be certain there aren’t any precautions before trying these exercises.

When performing the stretches below, remember to stretch slow and controlled, breathe deeply, and focus on your muscles relaxing and lengthening. The key to keep in mind is that a stretch should be agonizing but rather should feel good.

Double Knee to Chest
 Pull the knees into the chest with the hands behind or on the knees. Try and keep the sacrum (tailbone) on the floor to stretch the back. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds. To get a touch more stretch you might even rock slightly as if making an attempt to build momentum to do a summersault.

Pelvic Tilt

Lie on your back with your knees bent, your feet flat to the floor, and arms at your sides. Press the base of your spine into the floor for 5 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times. To make sure you are doing this the right way, have another person put their hand flat on the floor below your low back. When you press your backbone into the floor they should feel it pressing into their hand. Keep practicingyou’ll get it.

Cat and Camel

Begin on your hands and knees, with your neck parallel to the floor. Arch your back upward, clenching your abdominal muscles and your gluts and letting your head drop a little. Keep your arms straight and your weight uniformly distributed between your upper and lower extremities. Hold for 5 seconds, and then sag your back slowly towards the floor. Repeat 10 times.

Child’s Pose

From the prior exercise, push back onto the knees then sit back on the heels as you stretch the arms straight out in front of you, forehead resting on the floor. If your head will not easily touch the floor, put a towel under your forehead. Breathe and relax the muscles of the mid and low back. Hold this for 20 seconds.

Side Stretch

Now that you are a little warmed up, let’s finish from a standing position. While standing with feel should width apart, stretch one arm over your head while bending your body to the other side. Keep your other hand on your waist. Perform this stretch in a flowing motion, without jerking or twisting your body. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times for each side.

Even if you are now receiving chiropractic services, physical therapy treatment or other kind of treatment for your back trouble, at a minimum, you must still make it a point to do a session of back exercising of 15 to 30 minutes a day, 2 – 3 times every week.

Daron Stegall is a chiropractor and owner of Health Coach Wellness & Vitality Centre in Central Phoenix AZ. Health Coach has been serving those living and working in and around Downtown Phoenix for the last 9 years with Chiropractic, Physical Therapist services, Massage and weight loss services.

Health Coach was the receiver of the ‘Best of Downtown ‘ award in 2010 for outstanding service.

Health Coach features the Body Type Weight Loss System. More information can be discovered at http://www.skinnystrategy.com .

To learn more about Health Coach or to contact Dr. Stegall, visit http://www.healthcoachaz.com.

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