All eight stretches

Every stretch on lowerbackstretches.com

Why these eight, in this order: they cover the four mechanisms that produce most non-specific lower back pain (flexion-bias decompression, extension-bias centralisation, rotational release of the QL, and glute-driven stabilisation). Together they let one site answer most of what a physiotherapist would prescribe in the first month of care.

Child's Pose

Child's pose is one of the most prescribed positions for acute low-back tightness in physical therapy. The forward-folded position decompresses the lumbar facet joints and gently lengthens the paraspi...

Lumbar paraspinalsLatissimus dorsiGlutes
beginner
45s hold

Knee-to-Chest Stretch

Single knee-to-chest is among the safest lumbar flexion exercises and is widely prescribed in the first 48 hours of an acute back episode. It decompresses the posterior lumbar structures without loadi...

Lumbar paraspinalsGlute maxHip flexors
beginner
30s hold

Supine Spinal Twist

The supine spinal twist combines lumbar rotation with mild thoracic mobility. Limited lumbar rotation (under 5 degrees segmentally) means the rotation is mostly happening at the thoracolumbar junction...

QL (quadratus lumborum)ObliquesLumbar rotators
beginner
40s hold

Cat-Cow

Cat-cow is one of the most studied spinal mobility movements. It produces full lumbar flexion-extension range and is effective at reducing morning stiffness in chronic low-back pain populations, parti...

Lumbar erectorsThoracic erectorsAbdominals
beginner
45s hold

Sphinx Pose

Sphinx pose is the introductory position in the McKenzie Method extension protocol. McKenzie evidence shows extension-bias exercises help 50-70 percent of acute discogenic low-back pain cases whose sy...

Lumbar erectorsHip flexors (mild)Abdominals (lengthened)
beginner
45s hold

McKenzie Press-Up

The McKenzie press-up is the centrepiece of the Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) extension protocol. In a randomised trial of 312 patients with acute discogenic low-back pain, the McKenzie proto...

Lumbar erectorsAbdominals (lengthened)Posterior disc structures (decompressed)
intermediate
5s hold

Pelvic Tilt

Pelvic tilts train the deep stabilising muscles of the lower back, specifically the transverse abdominis. Building this motor control reduces recurrence rates of low back pain. The supine version is t...

Transverse abdominisLower abdominalsLumbar paraspinals (lengthened)
beginner
5s hold

Glute Bridge

Weak glutes are one of the most common drivers of chronic low-back pain. When the glutes fail to extend the hip, the lumbar paraspinals overwork as compensators. Glute bridges are the foundational re-...

Glute maxHamstringsCore stabilisers
beginner
5s hold
Last reviewed 2026-05-12 · lowerbackstretches.com