Low Back Pain Stretch Tutorial
Low Back Stretch if You Get Back Pain During a
Walk
Overview
Learn a simple low back stretch to alleviate back pain experienced during walks. Discover effective techniques to help you find relief and continue enjoying your walks comfortably.
Level
Beginner
Targets
Lower back
Step by Step Instructions
- Find a stable, waist-high park bench or low fence.
- Stand facing the bench about one step away.
- Place your palms on the back of the bench at shoulder-width.
- Straighten your arms and gently lock your elbows so your forearms are firm.
- Rise up onto the balls of your feet (go onto your toes).
- Slightly lean in toward the bench so your hips move forward while keeping your pelvis down. Keep your shoulders relaxed and not up by your ears.
- Hold this position for 5 to 30 seconds, or until you feel relief.
- Slowly lower your heels, relax your arms, and continue walking.
- If pain returns, repeat at the next bench. Start with 1–3 repetitions per episode and build up as tolerated.
Tips/modifications
- If locking the elbows is uncomfortable, keep a very small bend in them.
- If standing on your toes is hard, perform the stretch with flat feet and gently lean in less.
- Use a lower surface if the bench feels too high.
When to stop
-
Stop immediately and consult a health professional if the stretch increases your back pain, causes new numbness or tingling, or radiating pain into your legs or toes.
[Video Transcript]
If you ever go for a walk and feel some back pain after a few minutes, or even after 20 minutes, you can find a park bench or a low fence to help decompress and stretch out your back.
All you need to do is put your palms on the back of the park bench or on the fence. Stiffen up your arms, lock your elbows, go up on your toes, and slightly lean in to bring your hips forward. Hold yourself up with your palms, keeping those elbows stiff. Hold for 5 to 30 seconds, or until you feel relief. Once you feel that relief, you can keep on walking.
If your back starts hurting again after another 10 minutes or so, find another park bench or low fence. Place your palms on the bench or fence, stiffen your arms, lock your elbows, go on your tippy toes, and press your hips in. Make sure your shoulders are down and not up by your ears. Take another stretch, and if that relieves your back pain, continue walking until you find another bench to stretch on.
Hopefully, that helps during your next walk.
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