A health back is essential in our daily lives. Most of us will have back pain. Preventive care as in stretching can help tremendously! One of the best stretches to do on a daily basis is a hamstring stretch. The hamstrings attach into the pelvis which influences the back. Too tight of a hamstring pulls on the pelvis in a posterior way and creates pressure to our discs, ligaments, and muscles of the back. The best position to stretch the hamstrings is on your back with your knee to the chest. The other leg can be bent if you are really tight or in a straight position if you are more flexible. The knee is drawn to the chest and then straighten the leg up and pull the toes towards you. Hold the position for one minute X 3. Repeat on the other side X 3. Often I suggest a small towel roll in the small of the back for support as you stretch. Also remember to breathe deeply for extra relaxation
Another stretch that can help the back is the piriformis stretch. The piriformis muscle attaches from the sacrum through the buttock and attaches onto the hip. This muscle can be one of the causes of Sciatica, pain going down the leg. A simple way to stretch the piriformis muscle is bring the knee to the opposite shoulder. Again 1 min holds repeat X 3 each side. Ask your PT for a more advanced stretch when this one gets too easy.
And lastly a stretch to the front of the thigh, or hip flexor stretch can be so helpful to prevent back pain. This muscle gets very tight when we sit for long periods of time. A great position is standing to stretch the hip flexor. Support yourself by a chair, stand with one leg straight and the other knee bent and draw the heel to the buttock. An important step often missed is the gentle pelvic tilt back as you stretch. If you are unable to pull the heel to buttock you can place the knee on a chair and step forward on the other leg and then tilt pelvis back.
So be more flexible and take care of your back in the process!