Lower back pain stretches feel good while you’re doing them.  They won’t result in lasting lower back pain relief.

To get consistent, lasting pain relief you need to decrease the loads through your lower back.  Most stretches for the lower back increase the loads through your lumbar spine.

The best lower back pain stretches minimize forces through the lower back while stretching and mobilizing the areas above and below.  The thoracic spine (mid-back) sits directly above your lumbar spine while the hips sit directly below.

Your body is built to use our lower back as a rigid, solid base to move off of. Your lower back doesn’t need to be stretched. It needs to be stable.

Stop doing the direct lower back stretches you’ve been doing and add these two drills to your daily routine. The thoracic spine extension mobilization/stretch and the cossack squat will improve upper back and hip mobility, allowing your lower back to move exactly how it’s built to move. As a stable base to facilitate hip and shoulder mobility.

You’ll notice less lower back pain within one week of incorporating these two drills.

If you need more help programming an exercise routine that heals your lower back check out the Crush Back Pain Programs.