Three physical therapy exercises you can use for treating lower back pain

Physical Therapy Exercises for Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain isn’t just uncomfortable, but it can also affect your ability to do normal daily activities. For instance, you might not feel like walking your dog. Playing with your kids or grandkids might lose its appeal. Even just sitting up in bed in the morning could be a struggle. 

Unfortunately, there is no shortage of people living with lower back pain. Research shows that there are approximately 31 million people suffering from lower back pain in the U.S. at any given time. One place you can turn for help treating lower back pain is a physical therapy clinic. 

A physical therapy specialist can use a variety of therapy methods to address your lower back pain, including therapeutic exercises like the following: 

  1. Hip flexor stretch

Purpose: To reduce lower back pain by stretching muscles at the front of your hip called hip flexors. 

How to do the hip flexor stretch:

  • Kneel down on one knee. 
  • Place your other foot flat on the floor in front of you, and keep your torso upright.
  • Slowly push forward with your hips until you feel a stretch in the rear leg. 
  • Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds. 
  • Switch legs and stretch the other leg. 
  • Repeat the stretch until you’ve done three or four repetitions with each leg. 
  1. Piriformis stretch 

Purpose: Stretching the deep buttock muscle known as the piriformis muscle. 

How to do this physical therapy exercise for lower back pain: 

  • Lie on your back with your left foot flat on the floor. 
  • Lift your right leg and place your right foot on your left thigh. 
  • Place your hands on your left knee. 
  • Gently pull your left knee toward your right shoulder until you feel a stretch in your left hip and buttock. 
  • Hold this stretch for 20 to 30 seconds. 
  • Switch legs and repeat these steps to stretch your right leg. 
  • Repeat the stretch three to four times on each leg. 
  1. Standing pelvic rock exercise

Purpose: Mobilizing the hip, lower back, buttock and ab muscles.

How to do the standing pelvic rock exercise: 

  • Stand with your hips in a neutral position. 
  • Place your hands on your hips. 
  • Rock the tops of your hips backward, and flatten your lower back. 
  • Return to the neutral position. 
  • Next, rock the tops of your hips forward and round arch your lower back. 
  • Continue to rock your hips back and forth until you’ve completed 10 to 15 reps in each direction. 

Whatcom PT offers physical therapy exercises and other therapy options for lower back pain

Ready to learn more physical therapy exercises for your lower back pain? Our team at Whatcom Physical Therapy can show you additional exercises that can help you, but we also offer other therapy methods that can decrease your pain. 

We’ll start by doing a comprehensive evaluation of your lower back, which can pinpoint the root cause of your pain. Then, our physical therapists will construct a personalized therapy plan for you that’s intended to decrease your pain. Such a plan can make use of therapy methods like: 

Contact our team today for more information about the treatment options we offer for lower back pain or to schedule your initial appointment.