Important Before You Start

These stretches are appropriate for general lower back tightness and mild ache. If you have severe pain, pain radiating down your leg (sciatica), or pain following an injury — see a doctor or physiotherapist before stretching. Do not stretch through sharp pain.

The 5 Best Lower Back Stretches

  1. 1

    Knees to Chest

    Lie on your back on a firm surface. Pull both knees gently toward your chest, wrapping your arms around your shins. Hold for 30–60 seconds. Rock gently side to side for a gentle massage. This decompresses the lumbar spine and releases hip flexors. Great as a first thing in the morning stretch.

  2. 2

    Child's Pose

    From hands and knees, sit your hips back toward your heels (or as far as they comfortably go), arms stretched forward on the floor. Rest your forehead down. Breathe deeply — feel the stretch through your lower back and sides. Hold 30–60 seconds. One of the most effective stretches for broad lower back relief.

  3. 3

    Cat-Cow

    On hands and knees, alternate between rounding your back upward (cat — tuck tailbone, drop head) and dropping your belly downward (cow — lift head and tailbone). Move slowly with your breath — exhale on cat, inhale on cow. Repeat 10 times. Mobilises the entire spine and warms up the lower back muscles.

  4. 4

    Supine Spinal Twist

    Lie on your back. Draw one knee to your chest, then let it fall gently across your body to the opposite side. Keep both shoulders flat on the floor. Look away from the bent knee. Hold 30 seconds each side. Releases the deep muscles of the lower back and the sacroiliac joint.

  5. 5

    Piriformis Stretch (Figure Four)

    Lie on your back with knees bent. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee — like the number 4. Gently pull the uncrossed leg toward your chest. You should feel a deep stretch in the buttock of the crossed leg. The piriformis muscle compresses the sciatic nerve when tight — this stretch directly addresses a common source of lower back and hip pain. Hold 30–60 seconds each side.

When to stretchIn the morning after waking — the spine is stiff after sleep. Before and after exercise. During long periods of sitting — a 5-minute stretch every hour of desk work significantly reduces lower back tightness. After long drives.

Strengthening vs Stretching

Stretching relieves tightness but strengthening prevents it returning. Strong core muscles (not just abs — the whole cylinder of muscles around the spine) support the lower back. Planks, bird-dogs and dead bugs are the most spine-safe strengthening exercises for lower back health.

Frequently Asked Questions

For general tightness and dull aching: gentle movement and stretching is better than complete rest. Prolonged bed rest actually slows recovery for most non-acute lower back pain. For acute sharp pain, a day or two of reduced activity followed by gentle movement is appropriate. If pain is severe, worsening, or radiating into the legs, see a doctor before stretching.
Daily for best results — a 10-minute routine morning and/or evening. For desk workers and people with chronic tightness, daily stretching maintains mobility and prevents the progressive tightening that leads to persistent pain. Even 5 minutes of targeted stretching daily is far better than an hour once a week.