Stretches for back pain (5 min)

Hi, my name is Dana Taft. And I want to help you with some stretches for a happy back. [MUSIC PLAYING]

A lot of back pain can originate from a lower back issue, or can even begin from a leg-dominant pain.

So to begin, I want us to look at how we can balance out our left side and our right side with this alternate breathing.

In a comfortable seated posture, use your hands to cover one nostril as you Inhale.

Alternate to the other side for your exhale. Imagine balance being created from your left side

of your spine to the right side of your spine.

Nice. Now, we'll move to your back and work on dominant pain originating from the legs.

When you get onto your back, I want you to reach your fingers towards your heels for bridge stretch. Lift your hips up and stretch the back of your body.

Exhale, lower the spine. Again, like that. Lift up.

Lower down. One more time, lift your spine. Feel the back of your body engage.

Lower down. After we stretch a little, it's great to strengthen. So for the next round, we're gonna lift one leg at a time.

Lift the left leg. Lift up the hips. Lower the hips. Drop the leg.

Next side. Lift the leg. Lift the hips, strengthen. Come back down.

One more time, each side. Lift up, lower, lift up, lower.

So good. After you have strengthened, go back to a stretch. Lift both legs up.

Cross your left leg over the right and drop your feet. Hug those knees toward your heart

as your feet draw towards your hips. Keep pressing your low back down on the ground.

Nice. Now, move to the other side. Lift your legs. Cross the right leg over. Drop the feet.

Grab onto them as you hug your knees in. Nice.

Next, we'll stretch that out. So cross your left leg over once again. Relax your feet.

But this time, turn your body so that your knees fall over to one side. Let your heart turn up to the sky.

Extend your arm. And look opposite away from your knees. Feel that twist happen at your low back and the relief

come to your spine. Nice. Bring that left arm up so you can grab a hold of your knees.

Pick them back up to untwist. And we'll do the other side. Right leg over left, feet relax toward your hips.

As you turn your body to the left, extend your right arm and twist.

Breathe here. Let that relief come to the low back, spine. And you'll even feel the stretch in the back of your legs.

Nice job. Lift that arm to grab your leg. Come back to center. Extend your right leg.

And I'm grabbing a towel. You can use whatever prop you'd like to grab hold of that leg, straighten it out, and extend your leg towards you.

Keep pressing your ribs, your spine down onto your mat as you do this stretch. Now, let's alternate to the other side of your body.

Switch out your feet. Extend that left leg and pull it towards your face.

Nice long breath here. Nice job. One more strengthen from this posture.

From bridge, lift your hips. Take your one arm over your head, stretch.

Lift and reach. Nice. One more time each side.

Lift and reach. Lift and reach.

Great job. Gently turn to your side. Pause for just a moment.

Now, press yourself up to a seated posture. Great job today. Thanks so much.

I hope you have a happy back. [MUSIC PLAYING]