Lower Back Stretches

It is a medical fact that most cases of low back pain are not do to serious injuries or conditions. In fact, according to Dr. Cluett writing for About.com, in most cases, the causes back pain is due to strained muscles. If this is true getting into a regular program of lower back stretches can help alleviate this problem.
As I alluded to in the introduction, there are many muscles that affect and influence the lower back that are not found in the lower back. Some of them that you may have heard of are the, Piriformis, Gluteus Maximus, and even the Hamstrings. Others you may not be familiar with are the Psoas, Erector Spinae, and Quadratus Lumborum. In fact, even the Gluteus Minimus can be the cause of back pain.
If you think about it, your lower back is the cross road where your body's mobility meets your body's stability. Your legs and feet on a firm surface or the sitting on your hips keeps you grounded and stable so that you can do all the other things that life calls you to do. How could you pick up anything from the floor if you weren't first grounded. If you think about it, all the twisting and bending that you do to get things done happens in the low back.
Most people don't think about this, but the muscles in your legs stretch and contract each time you reach for something, whether its above your head, out to the side, or at your feet. If those muscles were tight or weak, you are going to feel it in your back. Anyone with tight hamstrings knows this all to well. While you may be focusing on your legs when you are trying to touch your toes, many people miss the fact that, when your hamstrings are tight, greater demand for flexibility is placed on your back muscles. In addition to your hamstrings being tight, if your gluteus maximus is tight or weak, you are going to run into the same problem.

Many times having back pain seems like a catch-22 type of situation. What I mean by that is that sometimes does not appear to be any way to find relief. It hurts to sit, it hurts to stand. It hurts to move and it hurts to be still. Many times, it even hurts to lay down on the bed. In fact, many people with chronic back pain have a very difficult time trying to find a comfortable position to sleep due to the back pain.
The reasons for these problems, while they may seem complex and confusing are really simple when you look at it from a mechanical perspective. You see, your muscles are like the ropes that prop up a tent, or, like the threads in a sweater. One loose rope, or one tight thread can ruin the whole thing.
Your body is such a finely balanced machine that the effects of one tight or weak muscle can have a domino effect on other muscles, bones, and bodily structures. Especially if they are accumulating over time, as in sitting at a desk job for several years without a regular exercise program. Another important reason for you to do lower back stretches.
There is a term that is used in the medical and scientific arena called Cumulative Trauma Disorder. This is similar to Repetitive Strain Injuries like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. As the name implies, trauma to the muscles and tissues accumulates over time to result in an injury that can cause a lot of pain and disability. While you may not have Cumulative Trauma Disorder, you may well feel the similar effects of accumulated muscle tightness that makes you feel like you are bond up and locked down.

If you are one of those who feel like that are in a prison of pain due to low back pain and also know that there is no serious underlying problem causing your back to hurt, you may want to ask your doctor for a prescription to physical therapy to learn some lower back pain stretches. It's very important to understand that starting a low back exercise program is not boot camp. When you are in physical therapy, you are not trying to show the world how tough you are. Physical therapy is not supposed to hurt.
The key to effective lower back stretches is body awareness. Awareness of what your body is doing and how it is responding to exercise and stretching. A good program of low back stretches will emphasize gentle, deliberate stretching to the problem muscles and an assessment of how your body responds to the stretches.
When you are first starting out, more stretches are not necessarily better. Keep all your activity consistent over several days. Once you find out how your body will react and respond to the low back stretches, at that time you can modify your exercise program.
Once you figure out what's working or not working, you are able to tailor your exercise program to your needs and slowly progress to more aggressive strengthening or stretching. You will be on your way to a more pain free life.

When you are starting out with your back stretching program, you have to pay attention to your body mechanics and the quality of your stretching. Using poor body mechanics and poor technique actually leads to poor results in the overwhelming majority of cases. If you want to see how to do the piriformis stretch correctly, Watch This Video