Two physical therapy exercises for lower back pain

Physical Therapy Exercises for Lower Back Pain

Sitting at your desk at work. Walking to the kitchen to get a snack. Bending down to put your dinner plate in the dishwasher. Doing these and other normal activities can become problematic when you have lower back pain. 

If you’re living with lower back pain, you may be encouraged to know that you aren’t alone. It’s estimated that at any given time there are 31 million Americans suffering from lower back pain. Physical therapists offer effective treatment for lower back pain, and physical therapy for lower back pain can often include exercises such as: 

  1. The cobra stretch

For many people, lower back pain can be reduced by standing or lying down for a while. If this works for you, your physical therapy specialist might recommend the cobra stretch exercise. 

Perform the cobra stretch by following these steps: 

  • Lie down on your stomach on a bed or the floor with your legs straight out behind you. 
  • Place your hands on the floor at shoulder height.
  • Push your upper body upward until you feel a stretch in your lower back and abs. 
  • Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds. 
  • Slowly lower your lower body back down. 
  • Rest for a few seconds, and then repeat these steps until you’ve done them three to five times. 
  1. The knees-to-chest stretch

Other people with lower back pain might feel a decrease in pain when they sit down. One physical therapy exercise you should try if sitting eases your lower back pain is the knees-to-chest stretch. 

To perform the knees-to-chest stretch:

  • Lie down on your back on the floor or a bed. 
  • Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the surface. 
  • Place a hand on the back of each thigh. 
  • Pull your legs up toward your chest until you feel a stretch in your lower back.
  • Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds. 
  • Slowly lower your legs until your feet are touching the surface again.
  • Repeat these steps between three and five times. 

Find more exercises and physical therapy methods to treat lower back pain at Excel PT

Physical therapy exercises aren’t the only way we can treat lower back pain at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy. Our team can perform a comprehensive lower back evaluation, which allows us to pinpoint the source of your pain. Using this information, our physical therapists will build you a personalized therapy plan designed to reduce your pain using therapy methods like: 

Contact our team today for more information about how we can treat your lower back pain or to schedule an initial appointment.