Low-back rotation stretch
Updated: Jul. 16, 2019
Do this stretch to relieve tension and stiffness’especially if you sit all day
Source: Best Health Magazine, March/April 2010; Illustration by Kagan McLeod
‘After a prolonged period of sitting, stretching the low back can relieve tension and stiffness,’ says Larry Feldman, a chiropractor and the owner of The Performance Health Centre in Toronto.
This stretch targets the supportive soft tissues of the lumbar and thoracic spine. Try to get into the habit of doing it at least once an hour, in addition to getting up for a walk periodically.
Technique
Sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the floor, twist your upper body so your shoulders rotate to one side. You can use the chair for support, holding on to get a deep muscle stretch.
Go only as far as you can comfortably. You will feel the pull from your lower back up to the middle of your back. ‘You may experience a painless crack from your spine, but that’s normal; it’s just the joints opening up,’ says Feldman. Hold for 20 seconds or six breaths, and return to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.
This article was originally appeared in the March/April 2010 issue of Best Health. Subscribe today to get the full Best Health experience’and never miss an issue!
