Exercise/stretch for lower back?

[agp423]

I've been sitting a lot lately in uncomfortable chairs, and every morning when I wake up my lower back hurts like crazy. You know the chairs must be EXTREMELY uncomfortable because I'm only 19, and by sitting a lot I mean about 4 hours a day at most (for the past 2 or 3 days). Are there any lower back exercises and stretches that I can do to make my back better?

[Murr1525]

Re: Exercise/stretch for lower back?

Honestly, you probably want to try all of them... get as much flexibility and strength in the lower back as possible. Abs can affect the lower back as well.

Not sure if you work out much at the moment, but bodybuilding.com has a load of info, and large exercise lists, video examples, etc. I got some lower back stuff from MensHeath in the past as well.

[Megafast13]

Re: Exercise/stretch for lower back?

I have found that when my back is sore from office chairs, detailing, and what not, if I just lay completely flat against my carpeted floor it cracks my entire back and feels better.

But you can google tons of stretches and yoga type stuff.

Lower Back Stretches Link

[Jossy92]

Re: Exercise/stretch for lower back?

In the evening, I used to lay back on one of my g/f's big exercise balls for about a minute to stretch my abs out... The bigger the ball the gentler the stretch.

I'd do it at the end of the day before I'd cool down, so I don't "pull" anything.
But, wish I had worked on strength AND flexibility as suggested.

[john m.]

Re: Exercise/stretch for lower back?

Like murr suggested those types of bodybuilding forums will give great suggestions. Normal back stretches would likely help and idk about a gym in your area but my schools gym has a few machines dedicated to working out your back.

Some examples of things that will also work your back would be deadlifts, pull/chin ups, reverse flyes, dumbell shrungs, and one arm dumbell rows.

[tcope1]

Re: Exercise/stretch for lower back?

If you wake with a sore back, you might be sleeping in a bad position. Also, try taking some IB before going to bed to help relax your muscles. If your back is sore during the day, lay flat on the floor and elevate your feet just about 6" with a pillow or the like. Your legs don't need to be any higher. Trust me... this is a great position to help with back pain! It does not seem like much but it will really help.

[ajb39oh]

Re: Exercise/stretch for lower back?

If this has been going on for a while, maybe you should see a chiropractor. You may have an underlying mechanical problem with your low back which is making you feel that way. It would be a good idea to have it checked now, because at 19, you're pretty young for that. By the way, I am a chiropracor in Ohio.

[FIREBOY]

Re: Exercise/stretch for lower back?

I was in the hospital for five days do to lower back pain.I found the best was to lay flat on the floor keeping your shoulders flat on the floor bring one leg(start with the right) at a time up to your chest and then bring it over your left leg as far as you can( keeping your shoulders on the floor) and let it stretch out. repeat other side.After your done let a hot shower run on your back for at least twenty minutes.good luck

[dekeman]

Re: Exercise/stretch for lower back?

After years with a chipped vertabrae in my lower back, and years of ibuprofen to little or no efffect, I had a physical therapist tell me things that make a lot of sense. Bend backwards to the best of your ability, and as it gets easier, go a little further. If it's really bad, lay on the floor on your stomach, and as things loosen up, gradually push up til you're resting on your forearms. There is a natural curve to the back called the lordosis, and if the back is out of alignment, the curve isn't 'curvy' enough. You know how if your back hurts, it's easy to bend forward but not so easy to bend backward? Make sense? It's worked wonders for me since I got the advice.