Stretch your low back pain away!

When you bend over to pick up something you dropped on the floor do you feel tightness and/or pain in your lower back? Do you feel tightness in your back with simple daily activities, such as sitting, walking, or standing up from a chair?

You can prevent back injury and unwanted pain and tightness in your lower back by simply stretching your hamstrings daily. It literally takes 90 sec of your time 1-2 times per day to accomplish this. Here's how:

1. Pick a comfortable place to stretch such as the floor or bed.
2. Find a belt/rope/tough cord.
3. Lie on your back with both legs straight.
4. Hook the belt/rope/cord around the bottom of your foot (i.e. you can make a loop with your belt and place the loop over your forefoot).
5. While keeping your knee completely straight, lift your one leg until you feel a stretch at the back or your thigh. Your non-stretch leg should lie relaxed with your knee straight on the ground/table (or whatever surface you are stretching on).
6. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds (you can stretch as long as a minute or more if you desire). Once the 30 sec are up, relax the leg down and then repeat the same stretch 3 times.
7. Repeat on the other leg.

Congratulations!! You have just stretched your hamstrings and you are on the road to back injury prevention.

Note: If you felt a burning sensation in your back, buttock, or back of your thigh during this stretch you should consult with a physical therapist as you may have an underlying condition.