Greetings! My name is Vyacheslav Komakha. I have been teaching people safe, deep Stretching since 2009, helping them regain freedom of movement, flexibility, and get rid of old tension. If you are regularly bothered by discomfort in the lower back, neck or between the shoulder blades, then the right back stretch - this is where you need to start today. In this article I have prepared for you time-tested and practice-tested exercises for pain, which will help relieve muscle spasms, improve blood circulation and restore joints to their former mobility. Forget temporary fixes like ointments—your body can heal itself if you give it the right, safe exercise.
Why does your back hurt and how does Stretching for your back help with pain?
Most people experience discomfort in the spine due to prolonged static tension. We spend hours sitting at computers, driving cars, or hunched over smartphone screens. As a result, some muscle groups become overstrained and spasm, while others, on the contrary, weaken and atrophy. A spasmed muscle compresses blood vessels and nerve endings, which causes that same aching, debilitating pain.
When you stretch regularly and technically correctly, qualitative changes occur in your body:
- Spinal decompression: the distance between the vertebrae increases, the pressure on the intervertebral discs decreases, which is an excellent prevention of protrusions and hernias.
- Improved blood flow: the spasm goes away, the blood begins to freely deliver oxygen and nutrients to the tissues of the back and joints.
- Relieving nervous tension: Deep breathing while Stretching activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing the overall level of stress, which often provokes muscle tension.
My technique is based on gentle, non-violent traction. We do not need to overcome ourselves through acute pain. On the contrary, our goal is to teach the body to relax at the extreme points of amplitude.
A set of 10 exercises for back pain
This complex is universal. It can be performed both in the morning to wake up the body, and in the evening after a hard day at work. The main condition is to do everything smoothly, without sudden movements or jerks.
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1. Exercise “Cat-Cow” (Marjariasana)
This is a basic dynamic movement that gently mobilizes the entire spinal column - from the tailbone to the neck. It warms up the joints perfectly and prepares the body for deeper work.
Technique: Get on all fours. Palms strictly under the shoulders, knees under the pelvis. As you inhale, gently bend your back, pointing your tailbone and crown upward, opening your chest. As you exhale, round your back as much as possible, twisting your pelvis inward and pressing your chin to your chest. Repeat 10-15 times at the pace of your breathing.
Note from the trainer: Do not twist your neck back when bending. The movement should be distributed evenly along the entire length of the spine.
2. Child’s pose with active arm extension (Balasana)
An excellent exercise for relieving tension in the lumbar region and Stretching the latissimus dorsi muscles.
Technique: Get down on your knees, touch your big toes, spread your knees slightly to the sides. Lower your pelvis onto your heels and place your stomach between your thighs. Stretch your arms far forward in front of you, rest your forehead on the mat. With each exhalation, try to “step” your fingers even further forward, while simultaneously pressing your pelvis towards your heels. Hold the pose for 1-2 minutes.
Note from the trainer: If your pelvis does not fall onto your heels, place a folded blanket or pillow under your buttocks. It is important that the body is completely relaxed.
3. Lying Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
This exercise relieves tension in the lumbosacral joint and improves thoracic mobility.
Technique: Lie on your back, straighten your legs. Bend your right knee and pull it toward your chest. With your left hand, grab the outside of your right knee and gently move it to the left, trying to lower it to the floor. Extend your right arm to the right at shoulder level, direct your gaze to your right palm. Both shoulders should remain firmly pressed to the floor. Hold for 1 minute, then repeat on the other side.
Note from the trainer: Do not try to put your knee on the floor at any cost if this causes your shoulder to come off. The priority is to have your shoulder blades pressed tightly to the floor.
4. Seated Forward Bend with Bent Knees
A soft version of the classic fold, which stretches not the back of the thigh, but the lower back muscles.
Technique: Sit on the floor, straighten your legs in front of you. Bend your knees slightly and rest your stomach on your thighs. Wrap your hands around your feet or shins. As you exhale, smoothly slide your heels forward without lifting your stomach from your hips. Relax your neck and lower your head down. Breathe deeply into the lower back area. Hold the position for 1.5 minutes.
Note from the trainer: It is absolutely forbidden to round your back with straight legs and a stiff back of the thigh - this overloads the lumbar discs. Bend your knees as much as necessary to bring your stomach and thighs into contact.
5. Stretching the gluteal muscles while lying down (Fours Pose)
Often the cause of lower back pain is tight gluteal muscles and piriformis. By relaxing them, we free the sciatic nerve and relieve stress from the back.
Technique: Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet on the floor. Place your right ankle on your left knee. Lift your left foot off the floor and clasp your left thigh from behind with your hands. Gently pull your left thigh toward you while pointing your right knee away from you. You should feel a deep stretch in your right buttock. Hold for 1 minute, switch sides.
Note from the trainer: Make sure to keep your sacrum and neck on the floor while performing this exercise.
6. Sphinx Pose
A safe and soft arch that helps compensate for the usual stoop and restores the natural curve of the lower back (lordosis).
Technique: Lie on your stomach with your legs straight, hip-width apart. Place your forearms on the floor in front of you so that your elbows are directly under your shoulder joints. Point your chest forward and upward, pulling the mat toward you with your forearms. Drop your shoulders down, lengthening your neck. Stay in this position for 1-2 minutes, breathe evenly.
Note from the trainer: If you feel discomfort or tightness in your lower back, move your elbows a little further forward, reducing the angle of deflection.
7. Lateral traction while sitting
This exercise perfectly stretches the quadratus lumborum and intercostal muscles, freeing up breathing.
Technique: Sit in a comfortable position with your legs crossed (Turkish style). Place your left palm on the floor at your side. As you inhale, raise your right arm up and as you exhale, make a smooth tilt to the left. Reach behind your right arm, lengthening your entire right side. In this case, the right buttock should remain firmly pressed to the floor. Repeat on the other side. Do 5-8 deep breathing cycles in each direction.
Note from the trainer: Do not close your chest to the floor. Imagine that you are sliding with your back along a flat wall.
8. Lunge with iliopsoas stretch
The iliopsoas muscle directly connects the femur to the lumbar vertebrae. When we sit a lot, it shortens and literally “pulls” the lower back forward, causing pain.
Technique: Take a wide step forward with your right foot and lower your left knee to the floor (you can place a soft towel under it). Make sure your right knee is directly above your heel. Twist your pelvis under you (tailbone down, pubic bone up) and smoothly move your pelvis forward and down. You should feel a stretch along the front of your left thigh and in your groin. Hold for 1 minute, then change legs.
Note from the trainer: Don't arch at the waist. The entire emphasis should be on twisting the pelvis - it is this movement that isolates the desired muscle.
9. Seated crunch
An exercise to improve rotational mobility of the spine and gentle massage of internal organs.
Technique: Sit on the floor with your legs straight. Bend your right leg and step your right foot over your left knee. Place your right hand on the floor behind you close to your body - it will be your support. As you inhale, extend your left arm up, and as you exhale, bring your left elbow behind your right knee. Make a gentle body turn to the right. With each inhalation, stretch the top of your head up, with each exhalation, deepen the twist. Hold for 1 minute, then repeat on the other side.
Note from the trainer: Twisting is always performed against the background of axial extension. First, straighten your back, and only then turn around. Never twist your back!
10. Exercise “Open Book”
A wonderful dynamic movement to open the shoulders and mobilize the thoracic spine.
Technique: Lie on your right side, bend your knees at a 90-degree angle and place them on top of each other. Extend both arms in front of you at shoulder level, placing your palms together. As you inhale, begin to smoothly move your left arm up and move it in an arc to the left, opening your chest. Follow the palm with your gaze. Try to place your left shoulder blade and hand on the floor behind you. The knees should remain tightly pressed to each other and to the floor. As you exhale, return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times on each side.
Note from the trainer: If your knees diverge or lift off the floor, support them from below with your right hand.
Basic rules for safe Stretching for the back
To back stretch brought only benefits and relief from pain, it is necessary to follow three golden rules, proven by my years of practice:
- Breathing rule: Never hold your breath. Any Stretching occurs with a deep, relaxed exhalation. Breathe with your stomach - this helps reduce skeletal muscle tone.
- Comfortable tension rule: On a pain scale of 1 to 10, your muscle sensations should be between 4 and 6. You should feel a pleasant, controlled tension, but not a sharp, burning or shooting pain. If discomfort occurs, immediately reduce the amplitude.
- Regularity is more important than intensity: It is better to stretch for 10-15 minutes every day than to do a grueling hour and a half workout every two weeks. Muscles have memory and need regular adaptation.
Mistakes that can make back pain worse
Many beginners, trying to get results faster, make serious mistakes that lead to injuries and exacerbation of chronic problems. Remember what not to do:
- Ballistic movements: No sharp swaying, springy movements or jerking. Only static and smooth dynamics. Muscles are protected from sudden Stretching by a reflex contraction, which can lead to microtears of the fibers.
- Strength Stretching: If you have sharp, shooting pain (especially radiating to your leg or arm), you should not do Stretching on your own. This may be a sign of a pinched nerve root. In this case, consultation with a specialist is required.
- Ignoring warm-up: Never pull “cold” muscles. Before the complex, do light joint exercises, walk briskly or take a few deep breaths and exhalations and stretches.
Conclusion: your path to a healthy spine without pain
Back health is not a gift from nature, but the result of your daily attitude towards your body. Regular flexibility training can work wonders: it restores lightness to your gait, improves your posture, relieves headaches and gives you a tremendous surge of energy. Suggested by me exercises for pain have proven effective on thousands of my students, and I'm sure they will help you too.
Remember that every organism is unique. What is easy for one person may be difficult for another due to the individual structure of the joints or severe injuries. Independent training is good, but working under the guidance of an experienced trainer will always protect you from mistakes and speed up achieving the desired result significantly.