Have you ever watched someone who has lower back pain?  You didn’t even know them but you could tell they were hurting.

Maybe that’s because they move the same way that you do so you recognize their pain?

When muscles get “stuck” or “too tight” they cause low back pain (and other pain, too.)

I will always believe that massage is the best thing to help muscles relax (or get un-stuck) but stretching is the next best thing.

So, here’s something that’ll help you get “unstuck” and relieve your stiff lower back.

Are you familiar with the stretches called “cat” and “dog?”  I’ve also heard them called “camel” and other variations.

Sometimes they are done on all fours, on the floor, but I’m going to share a seated version with you.  If your back is so stiff that it’s hard to get on the floor, you will appreciate this version.

These are good movements to reduce back pain because they get your spine moving from front to back and they get your ribs moving.

These movements warm the muscles of your back and whole torso or trunk.  They get your circulation going and can help to strengthen your back.

Here is the seated version of “cat and dog”:

* Move to the the front edge of a firm, solid chair or seat.
* Sit with your feet flat on the floor, one in front of each hip, toes pointing straight ahead.
* Point your thumbs forward and rest your hands at the side of your chair, hanging your hands near your hips.
* Lift your chest.
* Slowly squeeze your shoulder blades together while you “stick your butt out” and lift your chin toward the ceiling.  This movement should make your back be a “C.”
* Move slowly and thoughtfully.
* Pause there for a second and then start to reverse the move.
* Allow your chin to tuck toward your chest and your back to round outward (in the opposite direction of where you were.)
* Hold in your stomach while you move forward, too.
* You can continue doing these “C’s” and “reverse C’s” in a sequence, one after the other.
* Always pay attention to your body and move slowly and thoughtfully.

Please note: If either move causes real pain in your back, just  flex only to that point and stop before it becomes painful.  With practice, it will become easier and you will gain more movement.

There are three ways for you to round different parts of your back outward.   (Did you realize your back has ‘parts’?)

Try these one at a time when you’re on all fours:

1.  You can cause your uppermost part of your back to round upward, near your shoulder blades and neck.  Tuck your chin toward your chest, thoughtfully and slowly.
2.  Keeping your head down, you can also lift and curve the middle of your back.
3.  With your head still down, your lower back, below the ribs and waist, can also curve outward.

What does this ability to round different parts of your spine mean?

Your spinal bones give you flexibility.  That’s how they were designed.  They were designed so that we could bend, flex and extend our torso.

When you move deliberately, move as many different ways as you can.  Try to get as many different joints and muscles involved as you can.

These movements flex your spinal bones and also will help strengthen your whole upper body, too.

We are all supposed to be able to move like this.

You could move like this when you were little.  With some help from you (and maybe your friendly, local massage therapist) your body can become more flexible again.

I’m not promising that you will be able to do these moves or that they will help.  But the more different ways you can move your muscles (all over your body) the better you will feel (all over.)

Always do new movements slowly and thoughtfully.  Pay attention to how they feel–to how your body feels.

Doing these movements thoughtfully will help you become more comfortable and function better and will help relieve the stiffness in your back.

And if you can also have massage therapy a few times a week for a while with a knowledgeable, skilled therapist that just might help you get rid of your lower back pain in short order.