5 Minutes Stretching Routine for Back Pain Relief

Every day I wake up and with only 5 minutes I do 5 different exercises to stretch different muscles. I found early morning to be the best moment to perform this stretches as I’m most of the time so sleepy that I just put the autopilot mode and by the time I’m finished I’m already more awake and ready for a nice shower.

If a particular day is harder on my back, due to long hours working on the same posture on the computer, no walking only driving, carrying groceries or stressing tasks, I do a second 5-minute routine before dinner.

The results are very effective, if you start doing it today you will probably feel the results after the 5th consecutive day. This is not a promise is just my experience, don’t take my word, try it yourself.

Get 5 minutes of your time to take care of your back and to release the tension and the pain that is all accumulated on your back muscles.

Hope you enjoy.

More about on how to relieve and prevent back pain can be found on my article Back Pain Relief.

Material I use

Yoga Mat: If the floor is too hard for you, use a yoga mat, the model I use is available at amazon.com.

Music: Once you’ve understood how to perform the stretches and you don’t have to follow the videos instructions, a calm music helps to relax the mind and calm our thoughts. I especially love this music under (and the video) and I use a Bluetooth speaker (I use this one that’s available at amazon.com) so I can listen to the music where I’m doing the stretches, usually in my room but I like to switch to the living room sometimes.

Quick Notes

Time in breathings or minutes: I prefer to count the time spent on an exercise by breathings. One breathing is a deeply slowly inhale followed by also a slow and deeply exhale. Counting breathings allow me better relax and enjoy the position of the exercise and better listen to my body and mute my thoughts while I’m doing the exercise and avoid to think in my agenda for the day.  I prefer this approach instead of having to have a phone or a watch on my site, but that’s up to you.

Relax and Enjoy: It’s important to do the exercises in a correct and comfortable way and never force yourself, listen to your body and understand your limits. This is not a race nor a competition, it’s a healing process. Enjoying the exercise is also very important aspect to get results. Only relaxing you can release the tension, unblock muscles and allow your body to heal.

Child pose stretch

Time: 10 breathings – Around 1 min

Difficulty: Easy

I roll out the bed directly to the floor of my room, or sometimes I use my yoga mat still with my eyes closed I starting doing this stretch.

Benefits:

• elongates the lower back
• It lengthens and stretches the spine
• Good for your digestion – especially if you have gas

Hold the position minimum for 5 deeply breaths (inhale and exhale), return to start position do a couple of normal breathings and repeat once again.

Cat and Cow Stretch 

Time: 10 breathings  – Around 1 min

Difficulty: Easy

It stretches the back torso and neck and releases stress from lower back pain and sciatica.

Slowly deeply Inhale on cat stretch and complete exhale on the cow stretch. No rush, do it slowly following your breathing and listening to your body while you change positions.

Do at least 5 breathings (inhale and exhale), around 30 seconds. After, go back to start position do a couple of deeply breathings and start again and do more 5 breathings. A total of 1 minute.

Low Back Knee Rotation Stretch

Time: 10 breathings  – Around 1 min

Difficulty: Easy

This is the exercise that best relax my lower back muscle and release the tension of a full day working on the computer at the desk.

I don’t use a pillow on my head, so I put my head directly on the floor or on my yoga mat.

I usually start in the right side and do around 5 deeply inhale and exale breathings which is around 30 seconds.

Deep Glute Stretch 

Time: Around 1 min

Difficulty: Easy

Hold for 5 deeply breathings (inhale and exhale) for each leg than switch.

Knee to Chest Stretch 

Time: Around 1 min

Difficulty: Easy

Very good for low back pain.

Lay down on your yoga mat if you found the floor to hard for you.

Do 5 deep breathings (inhale and exhale) for each leg, around 30 seconds, than switch.

Breathe slowly, no rush, take your time, close your eyes and enjoy the exercise and try to get into a peaceful state of mind.

In the end, try to pull both knees gentle for a simultaneous stretch and sense your muscles completely stretching.

More about Back Pain

Why my lower back hurts ? What behaviours can you change on your daily life to relief and prevent back pain ? Simple changes, no pills. Natural ways to reduce and prevent back pain here.