Stretches
Lower Back Stretches
Lower back stretches for stiffness after sitting, lifting or a long day on your feet. The page has filmed moves, including cat-cow, child's pose, sphinx and legs up the wall, in a gentle order, plus guided routines. If you have pain rather than stiffness, read the note below first.
When to see a clinician. See a doctor or physical therapist if lower back pain follows an injury, spreads below the knee, comes with numbness, weakness, fever, unexplained weight loss or bladder or bowel changes, or isn't improving after a few weeks. Stop any stretch that sends pain down the leg.
Lower back stretches with video
These are the 8 movements from the MoveWell library for this area. Each page has a demo, numbered steps, the muscles worked and common mistakes.
A simple lower back sequence
Do these in order: warm-up drills first, then any rolling, then the longer holds. Move slowly and stop if anything is sharp or numb.
| # | Movement | Hold or reps | Sides |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cat-Cow | 8 reps | n/a |
| 2 | Posterior Primer | 10 reps | n/a |
| 3 | Cobra | 20 s | n/a |
| 4 | Forward Fold | 45 s | n/a |
| 5 | Sphinx | 45 s | n/a |
| 6 | Upward Dog | 20 s | n/a |
| 7 | Child's Pose | 60 s | n/a |
| 8 | Legs Up the Wall | 3 min | n/a |
