1. Lie on your right side, resting your right elbow on the floor directly under your shoulder. Keep your legs straight, stacking one on top of the other.
2. While engaging your core, lift your hips off the ground. Slowly lower them back down.
3. Do 5 to 10 reps. Then, switch sides.
6. Medicine ball hip hinge
If you play golf, tennis or any other sport that requires continuously twisting the lower back, Dr. Chan-Fata recommends this hip hing rotation, which requires a medicine ball.
1. Stand up straight with your legs hip-distance apart. Wrap your arms around the medicine ball.
2. Sit your hips back, bend your knees slightly and lean your torso slightly forward, like you’re doing a deadlift.
3. Rotate to the left. Hold for a few seconds. Then, rotate to the right and hold for a few seconds.
7. Elevated pigeon stretch
If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, there’s a good chance that you’re familiar with pigeon pose. Dr. Chan-Fata says the elevated pigeon stretch is a more comfortable version of it—especially if you’re tall—and is a great way to stretch the back of the hips and lower back at the same time. Since this move targets the hip flexors, glutes, and piriformis muscles, it helps improve mobility in the hips while strengthening the lower back. If you’re currently experiencing lower back pain or soreness, pigeon pose can give some relief.
1. Stand in front of a raised surface, such as a workout bench, box or bed. Grab it for support with both hands and place your ankle on top of the surface with your knee bent at 90 degrees.
2. Extend your back leg straight behind you, standing on your toes.
3. Keep your hips square to the front and your back straight. Lean forward. If it feels good to do so, gently sway back and forth. After between 30 and 60 seconds, gently come out of the stretch and repeat with the other leg.
8. Windshield wipers stretch
Dr. Matoska says this is another good stretch for hip mobility as well as loosening the lower back.
1. Lie down on your back. Bend your knees. Spread your feet far apart, while still feeling comfortable.
2. Bend your knees to one side of the body. Then, slowly bend them in the other direction to the other side of the body. Continue gently moving them back-and-forth for between 30 seconds and one minute.
9. Legs-up-the-wall stretch
If you had a long day of traveling, Dr. Chan-Fata recommends doing this lower back stretch when you get to your hotel or home. It targets the hamstrings as well as the lower back.
1. Lie on your back. Bend your knees at 90 degrees and place your feet flat against a wall.
2. Lift your hips an inch off the floor. This pulls the pelvis backwards, which helps relieve a sore back and tight hamstrings. Hold for 30 seconds before coming out of the stretch.
10. Side stretch
A side stretch is a gentle lower back stretch, making it a great one to wind your stretching routine down with. “It helps stretch the left lower back and right lower back,” Dr. Matoska says.
