3 Essential Back Stretches

This is the third post about how to treat back pain with acupuncture.

Back stretches and exercises are helpful to loosen your back and keep it pain free.  I use them in conjunction with acupuncture.

Here are three stretches to loosen your back, relieve tightness, and prevent pain.  Go slowly and don’t overdo it in order to avoid injury.

Bouncing

Bouncing is a great way to loosen up the back.  Place your hands on your lower back and gently bounce at the knees.   If you have tight spots, make your hand into a fist and massage them out.

Rotate the Waist

Rotate hips right

Rotate hips left

Put your hands on your back and rotate at the waist.  The goal is to keep your shoulders and ankles steady, and move the waist in a circle.  This will loosen the muscles of the lumbar, hips, and pelvis.

Tilting the Pelvis (This is going to look a little like Dirty Dancing)

Tilt hips back

Tilt hips forward

Put your hands on your hips.  Tip your butt backwards to tilt the pelvis. Now, tilt the pelvis up int the front, and repeat 9 times.

The combination of these exercises will help you loosen and, over time, strengthen your lower back.

Call 917-887-4946 to find out more about acupuncture for chronic back pain.