Alleviate lower back pain with easy-to-follow exercises

Lower back pain is a common problem and can have an adverse effect on quality of life. The following stretching exercises can be performed at home and help people alleviate the pain.

• Knee-to-chest stretch: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Grab one leg beneath the knee with both hands, interlocking your fingers, while keeping the other leg flat on the floor. Pull the knee up toward the chest and hold for up to 30 seconds. Repeated with the opposite leg. Repeat 2-4 times for each leg.

• Trunk rotation: Lie on your back and bring the knees up toward the chest. The body should be positioned as if you’re sitting in a chair. Extend arms out to the sides fully, with palms face down on the floor. With knees together and hands on the floor, roll both bent knees to one side and hold for 15-20 seconds. Return to the starting position and do the same for the opposite side. Repeat several times for each side.

• Cat-cow: Kneel on all fours with hands flat on the floor and arms positioned straight under the shoulders and knees directly below the hips. Breathe in as you drop your stomach toward the floor, arching the back and looking up to the ceiling. Hold for a couple of seconds, then reverse. Breathe out as you pull your stomach back toward the back, rounding your back upwards and dropping the head toward the floor.

• Seatedhamstringstretch: Sit on the floor with one leg out in front of you and hook a bath towel around the heel of your foot. Gently bend forward at the hips, bringing the belly down to the thighs. Keep your back straight as you grab the towel so you can bring the belly closer to your legs. Keep the stretch until the feeling of mild tension in the lower back and the back of the leg. Hold for 10 seconds, rest for 30, seconds and repeat three times for each leg.

—MetroCreativeConnection