POPSUGAR UK

I Did This 5-Minute Stretch Routine For 2 Weeks, and My Low Back Pain Is Almost Gone

04/09/2020 - 11:55 PM

Working from home while dealing with a foot injury has been pretty hard for my body. I sit at a computer all day [1], but I can't get loose with workouts, walking, or running the way I'm used to. Even low-impact workouts [2] like yoga have been tough to do consistently. From the start, it's been rough from a mental health perspective (cooped up in my house and I can't work out?!), but after almost four months, my body started to feel the pain too.

It was worst in my lower back. Sitting at my desk, I could just feel my back locking up; even arching my spine caused a sharp pain. It hurt, and it was scary — I'd never had back pain before, and my regular workout routine, the one thing I thought might help, was off-limits. My options seemed limited, but just putting up with this until my foot healed was not going to work.

Sometimes my foot felt OK enough to do gentle yoga [3], and that's how I found out that a few key stretches did wonders for my stiff back muscles. The best part? None of them put pressure on my foot, so I could do them even when the injury was acting up. I picked out the poses that gave me the most release and created a five-minute stretching sequence to do at night, after a long day at the computer, and first thing in the morning, to loosen me up for the day.

I've done this routine twice a day for two weeks, and my back already feels looser, less achey, and a little more flexible. And I know it's the stretching that's doing it; when I miss a session, believe me, I can feel the difference. My body is clearly telling me to keep up this routine, and I'm happy to set aside a few minutes a day if it makes this kind of difference! Check out my quick routine ahead and give it a try yourself if you need to relieve tension and soreness in your lower back.

Wide Child's Pose

Cat-Cow Pose

Plow Pose

Shoulderstand

This inversion can be uncomfortable, so here are tips for preventing neck pain in Shoulderstand and a Shoulderstand variation [4] you can try.

Fish

For more support, grab a block and try a Supported Fish Pose.

Lying Spinal Twist


Source URL
https://www.popsugar.co.uk/fitness/5-minute-stretching-sequence-for-lower-back-47767536