Back Stretches

Who Else Wants to Learn How to Relax Tight Muscles

Back Stretches – you have seen countless claims of miracle stretches. Stretching is one of the simplest techniques you can do in the privacy of your own home. Yet most stretching fails to address the true causes of your back pain.

Just look at the internet and you will find literally hundreds of web sites promoting the ‘ideal’ stretching technique. You need to ask one question – is there more than one way to stretch a muscle?

The answer is simple. No.

Muscles work in straight lines. This is why you walk in a straight line and not like a crab. Stretching muscles needs to therefore stretch in these lines, otherwise the muscle will fail to relax.

If this is true – which it is – why are there so many techniques? New techniques arise all the time. The reason is simple, most stretches fail to eliminate all your back pain, and worst of all they fail to prevent it returning. Most back stretches take half an hour or longer to do – so most people don’t continue long term with them. Especially if they fail to see long term benefits.

Back Stretches... the final answer

The Back Pain Advisor is here to help remove the confusion. Back stretches are only part of the answer. Yes there are different ways to stretch each muscle, but how you stretch is less important. The most important questions are:

• What muscles should you stretch

• When is the best time to stretch

The best stretches need only take less than a minute to do. Why?

Effective stretching utilizes your body's abilities to relax. If you harness your internal relaxation mechanisms, muscles can relax in 6 seconds. Saving you precious time for the many other activities you can do without back pain.

Finally... Do You Want to Know How to Get Rid of Back Pain Once and For All - Learn Effective "Targeted" Stretches!

Back stretches need to be specific to each area of the spine. There is a stretch however that stretches the entire length of the spine and is ideal if your back is less specific. If you have a tight spine or multiple areas of discomfort, it is a good stretch to perform.

With your feet planted firmly about 18" apart (for stability) rotate your head and shoulders to the left as far as you can until you feel tension or some discomfort in a few muscles of your neck and/or back. Hold for a few seconds and slowly twist in the opposite direction and hold a few seconds. Those few seconds are giving your brain repeated signals of the normal and maximum allowed muscle tension! Do this exercise for at least 4 to 5 minutes a day. If sedentary, do it at least twice a day. It is easier to do properly if you hold your arms out (unless this causes too much discomfort in your back or neck). This way you can see how far you can reach your arm behind your back and then twist the head more to see as far behind your back as you can, in each direction. This way you attain maximum rotation of both the neck and back. The big thing to remember is this … if it causes pain, it shouldn’t. Don’t push too far, too hard or too quickly, be gentle to start with.

This is an ideal back stretch for back pain that is general in nature. If you have specific lower back pain or neck pain, you need back exercises that target these areas. The following are links to specific web pages for exercises for:

• Lower-back stretches

• Lower back pain exercises

• Exercises for Neck pain

• Upper back pain exercises

• Preventative Lower Back Exercises

The Back Pain Advisor is here for expert advice, tips and information on all your back pain issues. Back stretches are one of the many ways you can help in relieving your back pain. The key is to stretch, strengthen and improve joint function – the complete and total back pain system.

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