Stretches For The Lower Back
The quadratus lumborum, aka QL, is a muscle that allows you to side bend the spine and to lift the hip. When the QLs on both sides of the spine are contracting simultaneously, they help stabilize the lower back and create the lumbar curve because they attach on the pelvic bone, the vertebrae in the lower back and the bottom rib. The QL can also cause back pain at the waist level that may radiate into your buttocks. If you are experiencing such discomfort, you may find gently stretching this muscle helpful.
Seated QL stretch
QL DOORFRAME STRETCH
Put the foot on the side you want stretch behind the other foot. Hold on to the door frame.
Then – with your spine elongated and in neutral – slowly sink sideways into the stretch.
Avoid letting the head go in front of your spine. And make sure you stretch only as far as comfortable.
Hold for at least 30 seconds. Always repeat on the other side.
QL stretch in standing
DEEP HIP FLEXOR STRETCHES
Another group of muscles that you may want to elongate regularly to avoid a sore lower back are your deep hip flexors (iliacus and psoas). Since they attach at the front of your spine in the lower back, they can cause back pain, especially when you sit for long periods of time, or engage in other activities that keep you in a flexed hip position.
One way of stretching the deep hip flexors is to perform a deep lunge.
Raise and elongate the torso upward.
Push the hip joint forward.
Raise your arm and elongate the torso further. (You can also raise both arms.)
Be sure to go in and out of the stretch slowly and keep both hips pointing straight forward.
Alternatively, you can stretch your deep hip flexors lying face up on a massage table or a bed/sofa.
Hold one knee to the chest (you can grab the thigh behind the knee instead of pushing on the knee like in the image to the left).
Lower the other leg and reach to the floor with your heel while taking care that the lower back does not arch.
If the shin of your hanging leg is not vertical, your quads are also short. You can incorporate them in the stretch by flexing the foot up while pulling the heel down and back.
