Activities like jogging and cycling as well as prolonged sitting contribute to low back pain and tight hips. Watch and try these six easy stretches and see how it helps you loosen up your muscles.
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1. Rotate Legs In and Out
Lie on your back on the floor, maintaining proper alignment with your head, shoulders, hips and legs. Place your hands at your sides. Rotate your legs out and back in, focusing on the movement happening in your thighs and hip joint area. Repeat the movement.
Rotate Legs In and Out
Start with one set of 5 repetitions on each side. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end. The intensity is light. The purpose of this exercise is to stretch the internal and external rotators of the hips dynamically.
2. Spinal Twist
Lie on your back on the floor, maintaining proper alignment with your head, shoulders, hips and legs. Place both hands at your sides. Bend one knee up toward your shoulder, then twist through your low back, pelvis and spine, bringing your bent knee across your body to touch the floor. Hold this position for 20 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
Spinal Twist
Start with one set of 2 repetitions on each side, holding for 20 seconds. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good hold at the end. The intensity is light. The purpose of this exercise is to stretch the muscles around the hip and low back statically and to work on mobility and movement in the spine.
3. Standing Hip Flexor Stretch
Begin in an upright standing position, maintaining proper alignment with your head, shoulders, hips and legs. Place your hands on your hips. Take a big step forward with one leg, keeping your toes pointing straight ahead. Bend your front knee and straighten your back leg. Tighten up your abdominal area and shift your hips forward, holding this position for 20 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
Standing Hip Flexor Stretch
Start with one set of 2 repetitions on each side, holding for 20 seconds. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good hold at the end position. The intensity is light. The purpose of this exercise is to stretch out the hip flexors and quadriceps.
4. Hamstring Walkouts
Begin in an upright standing position with your legs shoulder-width apart. Tighten your core. Bend your knees and hinge through your hips to bend your upper body forward, bringing your hands down to the floor. Walk your arms forward to move into a straight-arm plank position, maintaining proper alignment with your head, shoulders, hips and toes. Walk your hands back to return to the starting position and repeat the movement.
Hamstring Walkouts
Start with one set of 2 repetitions. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end. The intensity is light. The purpose of this exercise is to stretch and target the hamstrings area dynamically.
5. Foot to Hand
Begin the easy stretches to relieve lower back pain and open tight hips in an upright standing position, maintaining proper alignment with your head, shoulders, hips and legs. Contract your core and kick one leg up toward the ceiling, touching your toes with your opposite hand. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
Foot to Hand
Start with one set of 2 repetitions on each side. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a quick stop at the end position. The intensity is light. The purpose of this exercise is to stretch the hamstrings and glutes dynamically.
6. Forward Fold
Begin the easy stretches to relieve lower back pain and open tight hips in an upright standing position with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, maintaining proper alignment with your head, shoulders, hips and legs. Bend your knees slightly and hinge through your hips to bend your upper body forward, slowly dropping your head toward the floor. You can either bring your hands down to the floor or cross your arms across your chest to intensify the stretch. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Raise up to return to the starting position and repeat the movement.
Forward Fold
Start with one set of 2 repetitions, holding for 10 seconds. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good hold at the end. The intensity is light. The purpose of this exercise is to stretch out the hamstrings and to work on mobility and traction throughout the spine.
For your guide to eliminating lower back pain, check out Low Back Pain Solved, here!
