3 stretches for when your back feels tight

The upper back and lower back are two key areas in the body where people tend to feel stiff, tight, and achy. The back muscles are active whenever you’re sitting, standing, or exercising, and the only time these muscles get a rest is when you’re lying down.

Stretching your back can help to relieve muscle tension and increase flexibility in your muscles and joints. It can also possibly lower the risk of chronic aches and pains and reduce your risk of injury when performing physical activity.

Below, we’re going to cover three great stretches that are effective at helping to reduce stiffness and tension in your back muscles.

Cat-Cow

The cat-cow is a dynamic yoga exercise that opens up your chest and stretches your back. To perform the cat-cow, kneel on all fours.

Take a deep breath in, and as you do so, lower your stomach down toward the ground, creating an inverse arc. Pause for a second before arching your back towards the sky to stretch the muscles in your upper posterior chain. Exhale as you do this.

Child’s pose

The child’s pose is another popular yoga position that stretches your whole back nicely. To perform this stretch, kneel down on the floor and fold your torso over your thighs so that your face reaches the ground.

You can either hug your feet with your hands or extend your arms above your head with your palms on the ground, depending on your preferences.

Hip circles

Hip circles work on your flexibility and mobility and are a great way to get rid of tension in your lower back. All you need to do is stand up tall and rotate your hips around in a circle. Perform a number of reps before rotating your hips the other way around.