BACK STRETCHES
JULIA JIMÉNEZ PHYSIOTHERAPIST
www.vidaterapia.es
These exercises will help you stretch your back muscles whenever you need them, wherever you are.
Exercise 1
This exercise is performed on all fours. Begin by raising your head and sacrum upward, while inhaling, and lowering your abdomen.
On the exhalation, we reverse the posture, meaning the head and sacrum fall downwards, while the spine rises in an arch. The rhythm is always marked by the breath. Perform this slowly, as if massaging our vertebrae. Don't force the posture.
We'll perform this exercise for one minute. This will stretch your lats.
Exercise 2: Work your spine in extension.
Rise to your knees and shift your weight back as you inhale, until you grasp your heels with your hands. Relax your head, looking up at the sky. Release the posture and exhale.
Perform 10 repetitions slowly and without straining. This is a simple way to stretch your back muscles.
Exercise 3: Works the entire spine in extension.
Lie face down. Place your palms on the floor at shoulder height. Raise yourself up onto your hands and hold the position for a few seconds. Then return to the starting position.
When you stand up, inhale. When you come down, exhale. All movements should be slow and smooth to stretch your back muscles. Do 10 repetitions.
Exercise 4: Chest and shoulder stretching exercise.
Standing with your hands clasped behind you, inhale. Flex your spine, exhale, and raise your hands upward. Slowly release the pose, inhaling again.
Slow movement. Do 10 repetitions. You'll feel the stretch in your lats.
Exercise 5: Exercises to strengthen your spine while sitting.
Sitting with your legs crossed, place your hands on your ankles. Inhale and bring your chest forward. As you exhale, bring your chest back. This exercise works the lower back more.
With your hands on your knees, you work your lower back and lower back.
With your hands on your shoulders (as in exercise 6), you work your entire back.
If sitting cross-legged is difficult, you can also sit on your heels (Figure 5a).
Perform the exercise to the rhythm of your breathing for 1 minute. Flexing your spine while sitting will help stretch your lats.
Exercise 6: Flex your spine by twisting to both sides.
Sitting as in the previous exercise (legs crossed or on your heels) with your hands on your shoulders. Twist to one side while inhaling and to the other while exhaling. The rhythm is the same as your breathing. Do this for 1 minute. The twist will help stretch your lats.
Exercise 7: Maintained twist exercise.
Perform this exercise in a seated position with your legs crossed. Place your right hand on your left knee and rotate your torso to the left side. Hold the position and breathe slowly and freely. Return to the starting position and rotate to the other side. Perform 5 repetitions on each side. Be consistent to stretch your lats.
Exercise 8
Passive chest stretch, lying supine (face up). Lie face up with your feet flat on the floor and place a pool roller under your spine. Extend your arms outstretched, resting on the floor. Stay for a while (minimum 15 minutes). Breathe freely. You will gradually feel the stretch in your lats.
