Back Pain Stretching Exercise – Natural Arthritis Relief

Back pain stretching exercises are easy to do and can make you feel better no matter what your health. These illustrated stretching exercises for your back are a good place to start.

Stretching exercises for your back aren't time consuming, don't require any special equipment, and provide relief fairly quickly. They are also fantastic for osteoarthritis prevention in joints that don't have arthritis. Flexible muscles relieve pressure on achy joints. These stretches will help keep your joints healthy.

You will need a chair, a towel, and loose, comfortable clothing. Stretching is exercise. With that in mind, NEVER take a stretch to the point of pain. If you’re new to this, the stretch may feel uncomfortable, but it should not hurt. If it does, back it off just a little. This isn’t a race and you aren’t in the final stretch. Be gentle with your body.

Instructions for stretching

Hold stretches for 30-45 seconds
Breathe deeply and regularly
Never bounce while stretching
Stretch once a day to start, and work to twice a day as flexibility improves
Listen to your body, don't overdo it

It’s OK to deepen the stretch halfway in if your muscles “give” a little bit during the stretch. But DON’T BOUNCE while stretching. This can hurt you.

If you aren’t currently exercising, stretch once a day. Slowly, work your way up to twice a day. You don't want to overdo your back pain stretching exercise; that defeats the purpose! Your muscles may feel like they’ve been used the next day. This is OK as long as there isn’t an increase in your arthritis pain. If there is, don’t take the stretch so far the next day.

Grab your chair and your towel. Let’s stretch!

IF YOU HAVE ANY NUMBNESS OR TINGLING IN YOUR HANDS OR FEET, PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE DOING THESE STRETCHES. Once they've cleared you to stretch, you may begin.

If you'd like to order the complete Back Pain Stretching Exercises in .Pdf format to download and use at home, they're just $2. Included are stretches for the neck, shoulders, back, hips, and legs.

Back Pain Stretching Exercise - Neck

Arthritis in the neck can cause symptoms anywhere in the body. The reason is simple anatomy; all the nerve pathways for the whole body have to pass through the spinal cord in the neck to get their end target. So in severe cases, you may have tingling or numbness in the hands and fingers, or even have feelings of weakness or numbness in the legs. IF YOU HAVE ANY NUMBNESS OR TINGLING, PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE DOING ANY BACK PAIN STRETCHING EXERCISE. Once they've cleared you to stretch, you may begin.

Sit with your back straight and turn your head to the left. With your right hand, gently push your head just past where it stopped on its own. Hold and breathe for 30 seconds. Repeat on the right side.This stretch is for the tight muscles that run along either side of your neck.

Sit with your back straight and bend your head forward. Gently press your head forward with one hand. Hold and breathe for 30 seconds.This stretch is for the tight muscles at the base of your skull.

Sit with your back straight and bend your head to the left. With your right hand, reach over your head and pull it down slightly past where it stopped naturally. Hold and breathe for 30 seconds. Repeat on the right side.This stretch is for the muscles that run from your neck to your shoulder.

Stand against a door jamb or a wall and put your left arm on the wall at a 90 degree angle. Lean slightly forward until you feel a stretch in your chest and behind your shoulder. Hold and breathe for 30 seconds. Repeat on the right side.This stretch is for the tight muscles in your chest and the back muscles of your shoulder and arm. Stretching the low back can give you relief in the low back obviously, but it can also help with hip and knee pain. Where possible, I show stretches standing and laying down. If you have any balance problems or weakness in your legs or low back, do the stretches laying down.

Get on hands and knees on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart. Round your back like a cat stretching and drop your head forward. As you round your back let your hips naturally tilt forward. Hold and breathe for 30 seconds.This stretch opens up the spaces between your vertebrae and removes pressure from the discs.

Sit on floor on your knees with your legs open about hip's width apart. Slowly bend forward from the hips and try to get your forehead as close to the floor as possible. You can stretch your arms straight out in front of you, or cross them and rest your head on them.This stretch is good for the low back and the hips. Stretching the legs will ease pain in the back. Tight hamstrings is the most common reason for low back pain.

Sit on the floor with your left leg straight in front of you and your right leg bent. Wrap your towel around your left foot and grab both ends of the towel. Gently pull yourself forward from the hips until you feel a stretch in the back of your left leg. Hold and breathe for 30 seconds. Repeat on the right side.This stretch is for your hips, knees, and low back.

VARIATION – If the previous move seemed pretty comfortable, you can try this one.

Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you. Wrap your towel around both feet and grab onto the ends. Gently bend forward from the hips to feel a good stretch in the back of both legs. Hold and breathe for 30 seconds.This stretch is for your hips, knees, and low back.

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