A STRETCH THAT HELPS YOU TO STAND UP STRAIGHT AND RELIEVES LOWER BACK PAIN

[pad10]

This is a trick I found a while back. When I stop doing it my posture deteriorates and my lower back starts hurting. There are other things/exercises that help posture and lower back pain. I highly recommend Stuart McGill’s “Back Mechanic”. It helps me.

The stretch is called a quad stretch. Here is a YT of a standing version. You can also do it lying down on your stomach or your side, also kneeling. But if you are standing and have balance issues be sure to hold onto something steady … a wall or a chair or a pole. You don’t want to push it to where you are in pain. Over time you will be able to do a deeper stretch. Work up to 1 min. (this may take a month or more.) You can do it several times a day too.

arthritis-health.com/video/...

I stand between two barstools to do my stretch. I hold onto the back of one while I put my foot up behind me on the seat of the other. I don’t have to hold my foot that way and I am stable.

If you can take a look at your side posture before and after the stretch to see if you notice a difference.

[Enidah]

Thank you for that! I love the practical suggestions that help us get through our days. There was some other excellent stretches on that same page.

[pad10 in reply to Enidah]

You are welcome Enidah ... hope it helps!

[Kia17]

Thanks for the sharing video.

[Cropseyville]

Exactly how do you do the quad stretch? My posture is awful, I am curled over, and I have low back pain. I could really use this.

[pad10]

If you watch the video in the post it shows how to do the standing version. It is really important to stay safe if you are only standing on one leg. You can also do it lying on your side or on your stomach but you have to be able to reach your foot from behind which honestly is sometimes difficult for me. I have the best of both worlds…I stand between two barstools as I described in the post. Do you have a physical therapist who could work with you? That would be a great place to start.

[nanbaby4]

Thanks. I’ll try it