Back Stretches

Day-to-day activities can cause tension and tightness in your back muscles. Over time, this strain will lead to back pain that may prevent you from performing basic chores. Thankfully, you can add some back stretches to your exercise regimen to alleviate any back problems. At Taber Chiropractic in Bowie, MD, our professionals can show you stretches to alleviate your back pain.

Benefits of Back Stretches

Back stretches aim to strengthen the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support your back. Back exercises alleviate current back pain and prevent future back injuries. Other benefits include:

• Improved range of motion
• Reduced muscle tension
• Reduced chances of disability due to back pain

Stretching Tips

While back stretches aim to reduce back pain, they can exacerbate the injury if done wrong. Furthermore, when back stretches are done incorrectly, they may not achieve the intended results. That said, make sure you follow these tips before engaging in any back stretches.

• Wear comfortable clothing that won’t restrict your movements.
• Avoid overstretching your body into difficult positions. Stretching should be painless.
• Stretch on an empty, clean, and flat surface with ample space.
• Stretch one side of the body at a time.
• Hold stretches for about 10 to 30 seconds for optimal muscle elongation.

Stretching Exercises for Your Back

Our chiropractors may recommend several back stretches as part of your physical therapy program. See the following for example.

All of the following are performed on your back. Hold each stretch for 7-10 seconds. Repeat 3 times. If you have any pain, stop!

• Single knee to chest stretch: Pull your right knee straight back to your chest. You will feel a stretch in your right buttocks. Do the stretch pulling left knee back. Repeat the right and left stretch 2 more times.
• Double knee to chest: Pull both knees back to your chest. You will feel the stretch in your lower back/ upper buttocks. To get a deeper stretch, open your knees so you can pull your legs back further around your abdomen.
• Knee to opposite shoulder: Pull your right knee back to your left shoulder. You will feel the stretch in your right lateral hip/ buttock.

Visit Our Chiropractors

If you want to alleviate pain and prevent chronic pain, back stretches can help. At Taber Chiropractic in Bowie, MD, our team of experts will teach you how to do back stretches that will improve your quality of life. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call us today!