Getting older comes with many things, one of them being back pain. But the good news is that there are specific stretches that can help alleviate lower back pain and improve mobility, especially for seniors. Here are the best lower back stretches that will help you maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. Continue reading to learn the best ones.
If you suffer from lower back pain, you’re not alone. Back pain, ranging from dull and constant aches to stabs of sharp pain, is a common health problem that affects eight out of 10 people during their lifetime, according to the National Institutes of Health[1].
Sometimes, lower back pain is short-lived, with minor sprains or muscle strains healing naturally. However, many people live with chronic back pain. Others experience lower back pain flare-ups that come and go.
To help ease and alleviate lower back pain, seniors can perform specific, science-backed stretches to keep debilitating back pain at bay.
How Lower Back Stretches Benefit Your Health
Lower back stretches can help seniors ease joint and muscle stiffness, heal from muscle and ligament injuries, increase flexibility and enjoy better health as they age. Stretching every day—or at least several times a week—can also help prevent injuries caused by exercise or exertion on weak or tight muscles that don’t extend as they should.
What’s more, lower back stretches help muscles that support and maintain healthy motion. By stretching, you increase muscle length and flexibility to allow range of motion in the joints. Regular stretching decreases seniors’ risk for muscle damage, back strains and joint pain.
What Causes Lower Back Pain?
Lower back pain in seniors can be caused by injury to the muscles, vertebral discs, spinal ligaments or facet joints, the parts of the spine that help your body bend and twist when you move in different directions. Another common cause of lower back pain in older adults is lumbar spinal stenosis.
“Stenosis occurs when the vertebral or facet joints become worn and the bones move closer together,” says Sara Mikulsky, Doctor of Physical Therapy, certified personal trainer and owner of Sara Mikulsky Wellness Physical Therapy in New York. “This causes compression on the spinal segments, ligaments and nerves. Lower back pain can also be caused by an injury or limited mobility of the hips.”
Lower back pain can also result from a degenerated disc, a condition commonly aggravated by a combination of weak core and hip muscles and poor body mechanics, such as bending over to pick up an object instead of bending at the knees.
Additional causes of lower back pain in seniors include strain, injury, spinal degeneration, limited mobility of the hips, lack of physical activity and comorbidity with other health conditions, says Mikulsky.
How Can Stretching Alleviate Lower Back Pain?
Stretching can help prevent lower back pain, especially when coupled with a regimen of core-strengthening exercises, says Mikulsky. Your body’s “core” contains muscles that provide support to the pelvis and spinal segments.
“Stretching the lower back can be helpful in realigning the spinal structures or decompressing the joint,” says Mikulsky. “For example, completing a knee-to-chest stretch can help decrease excessive inward curvature of the spine and help open the joints to reduce compression on the bony structures.”
Not all stretches for lower back pain are ideal for everyone, though. It’s important to consult your doctor before implementing a stretching routine for lower back pain.
Lower Back Stretches for Seniors
1. Knee-to-Chest Stretch
The knee-to-chest stretch is a good option for most people with lower back pain. However, avoid this stretch if you have a hip injury, as it can cause pain in the groin or hip flexor area, says Mikulsky.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and both feet flat on the floor.
- Bring one knee to your chest and hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
2. Piriformis Stretch
The Piriformis stretch can ease lower back pain caused by sciatica or a restriction in the hip caused by arthritis. This stretch can also provide relief from impingement syndrome, where the ball of the hip pinches against the cup of the hip.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and both feet flat on the floor.
- Place the outside of your right ankle on the top of your left knee.
- Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds or until you can feel the stretch in your right buttock area. If you’re not feeling the stretch, slowly pull your left knee up to your chest while keeping your right ankle on the top of the knee, and hold for 30 seconds.
- Repeat with your left ankle on your right knee.
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Original article published on Forbes.com
