These simple mobility moves don’t just ease aches and discomfort, they’ll protect your lower back, upper back and spine, too.
When it comes to dealing with back pain, there’s some good news and bad news. The good news is that, in many cases, regular back pain isn’t serious.
“About 85% to 90% of back pain is mild to moderate and does not need to be treated by a doctor,” said Neel Anand, a professor of orthopedic surgery and the director of spine trauma at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. “It’s often an inflammatory issue that will go away on its own, with an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication.”
The bad news? Even back pain that isn’t “serious” is still pretty painful to deal with on a day-to-day basis.
Plus, Anand said, wear and tear on your back can happen as early as in your 20s and only continue from there. Add that on top of your possibly less-than-ideal home office setup from the last year. Chances are, all that slouching you did on the couch answering emails every day is starting to take a toll.
Thankfully, there are some simple moves that will help keep you loose for most of the day. Below, experts share six stretches to do every morning if you’re dealing with back pain. Pair these with your usual fitness routine and you’ll notice more mobility and less stiffness within a week or two. (Just remember, if you find your pain isn’t letting up after four to six weeks, is worsening or is accompanied by leg pain or weakness, mention it to your health care provider immediately.)
Cat-Cow
“This is one of my favorite spinal mobility stretches to do, particularly during the pandemic since we’ve all been homebound and likely hunched over a lot,” said Christina Rodriguez, a board-certified orthopedic specialist and physical therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.
To do a cat-cow, start on your hands and knees. Place your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Inhale as you arch your back gently, stomach dropping toward the floor and gaze lifting up to the ceiling. (This is cow pose.) As you exhale, draw your stomach to your spine, and round your back to the ceiling. Your chin and gaze should be pointed down at the mat. (This is cat pose.) Repeat 10 times (or as many as you feel comfortable doing) to help loosen things up and improve your range of motion.
Upper Back Foam Roller Stretch
Rodriguez said this stretch works best with a foam roller, but a rolled up, thick blanket or yoga bolster will also do the trick.
Start on the floor with your knees bent. Place the foam roller underneath your shoulder blades and interlace your hands behind your head. Using your legs to push you, roll the foam roller up and down your upper back slightly. Repeat for 10 reps.
“Another option is to use a chair that has a middle-high chair back,” Rodriguez added. “Arch your back up along the back of the chair for 10 seconds to get a similar stretch.”
Seal Pose
Start flat on your stomach with your palms down underneath your shoulders. Keep your legs and hips on the ground as you press yourself up. Hold for three to five seconds and lower back to the starting position. Repeat for 10 reps.
“This will target your lower back and is also great for people who find themselves sitting for most of the day,” Rodriguez said.
Spinal Twist
Sitting in a chair with your feet flat on the ground, use the arms of the chair to turn just your upper body to the right. Hold and repeat on the left side.
You can also do this move on the floor for a deeper stretch: Start flat on your back and bring your right knee up to your chest. Then bring it over to the left side as you look over your right shoulder. Hold it for a few seconds, then on the left side by bringing the left knee up to your chest then over to the right side and you look over your left shoulder.
“If you don’t stretch often this might make you feel a little uncomfortable, but there should never be any sharp pain when stretching,” Rodriguez said. “Make sure to listen to your body and if something doesn’t feel right, back off a bit.”
Hamstring Stretch
“Tightness in the hamstrings can cause a person to have to use their back more when bending forward,” said Susan Fu, manager of rehabilitation services at Providence Saint John’s Health Center’s Performance Therapy in Santa Monica. “The hamstring stretch is great because it will decrease tension across the back and improve the hip mobility in the posterior chain.”
Start with a wall hamstring stretch: Lie on your back and keep one leg on the floor. Place the other against a wall as straight as possible without overextending the knee. Hold for 10 seconds and switch legs.
Piriformis Stretch (Pretzel Stretch)
Lie flat on a mat or the floor face up and cross your right ankle over the left thigh (your left leg should be bent, foot flat on the floor). Place your hands under your left knee and gently pull toward your chest. Hold for 10 seconds and switch sides, crossing your left ankle over the right thigh.
“This stretch will help with hip rotation, overall mobility, and can decrease the tightness in the piriformis muscle (which is near your glute) that may compress on the sciatic nerve and cause back pain,” Fu said.
And if you need a little more help, check out these expert-approved products for back pain:
An Adjustable Desk Chair
“For someone who has back pain, sitting in a comfortable chair allows one to hold the head comfortably over the pelvis without having the muscles having to do much extra work to bring the head in line over the pelvis,” he said. “As such, chairs that have built in adjustable supports for the back and neck would be a good start, as they will work towards alleviating extra muscle work.”
This Gabrylly Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair from Amazon for $246 fits the description of what Shah recommends. It has more than 2,000 five-star reviews, with one user saying “it has helped my posture and no longer wake up in morning with lower back pain.” The chair comes with an adjustable head rest, arm rests and back support.
Easy Posture Lumbar Back Support Mesh
“This product easily straps to an office chair, and helps correct posture, and provides lower back support,” he said. “It works by giving you a natural ‘S’ curve, which offers comfort to the lumbar spine and promotes better posture. This product prevents you from slouching, thus providing back pain relief.”
Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Ergo Neck Pillow
“By doing this, you realign your spine, which relieves back and neck pain,” he continued. “The pillow works by following the natural curve of your body and stretching muscles that may be tight. Improved posture while sleeping is important because the ligaments and muscles of your back heal themselves while you sleep.”
A Standing Desk
“A sit/standing desk is the best option to offset the biomechanical stressors inflicted when sitting for extended periods of time,” said Chad Henriksen, an ergonomics expert and director of WorkSiteRight at Northwestern Health Sciences University. “Increased low-level activity provides many health benefits compared to a prolonged, fixed-sitting posture. Alternating between a sitting and standing position balances the harmful effects of staying in one position throughout an entire workday.”
This Flexispot Electric Adjustable Height Standing Desk from Amazon for $250 fits what Henriksen describes. If you don’t want to ditch your current workspace, this Flexispot Standing Desk Converter for $140 on Amazon can transform your setup to a standing desk. It has more than 5,200 five-star reviews; one user with sciatica issues due to a herniated disc said: “I go through episodes where it bothers me more than usual. During the last one, I decided to buy this Flexispot 35″ desk converter. I love it.”
Heat And Ice Packs
I can attest to this. This Pure Enrichment PureRelief Heating Pad from Amazon for $36 personally saved me when I threw out my back a few weeks ago. It automatically shuts off after a few hours, which gave me peace of mind since I used it to help ease my pain at night. This Ohuhu Reusable Gel Ice Pack With Wrap For Hot & Cold Therapy from Amazon for $22 is also a great (and highly reviewed!) option, providing the hot and cold relief that Shah recommends.
Chirp Wheel+ For Back Pain Relief
“I highly recommend this product because the Chirp Wheel is designed to fit perfectly between your shoulder blades, targeting the muscles that go up and down your spine,” Okubadejo said. “As your back is strained from the countless activities you do, those muscles lock up, and cause even more pain. The Chirp Wheel massages those muscles, relaxing your back and relieving all of the pain.”
One caveat: If your back pain stems from trauma to the area, like from an accident, consult a doctor first before using it, Okubadejo said. (Really, you should do that no matter what product you use.) His other tip? Use it for 5 to 10 minutes a day and “be patient. Your body may need some time to decompress the spine and relax all those tight muscles.”
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