The Best Lower Back Stretches

Without proper lower back stretches, the chance that you’ll suffer back pain sometime in your life is estimated at 80%. In fact, over 50% of Americans complain that they’ve had varying degrees of back pain sometime in their golfing career.

There were over 31 million back complaints last year alone. Of these complaints, most suffered pain in the lumbar region of the lower back.

Americans spend $50 billion dollars per year trying to treat back pain. The ironic reality is that back pain is neither a disease nor an infection nor arthritis nor cancer. Back pain is something as simple as mechanical.

Back pain can be cured with proper lower back stretches. Stretching provides back pain relief or, if you’re lucky enough to have never had any back problems, back pain prevention.

Without proper lower back stretches, the powerful twisting motion in the golf swing can cause serious injury to the lower back. Stretching can alleviate poor posture and muscle stiffness. Stretching the body’s assorted ligaments and joints will maintain mobility.

Stretching is one of the best ways to improve your golf swing - increasing power and performance. As the back’s range of motion increases, the soft tissue around the spine flexes and strengthens your core muscles.

The lumbar region located in the small of the back holds most of the body’s weight. Stretching increases muscular strength by increasing the blood supply to the muscles and nerves.

Without proper lower back stretches, and a lack of nutrient-rich blood to the back, the muscles become weaker and more prone to injury.

This leg crossover stretch is intended to strengthen the back. It expands your range of motion. Additionally, it naturally delivers needed nutrients to ligaments, tendons and muscles:

1. Sit on the floor with your legs together directly out in front of you, trying to keep your back as straight as possible.
2. Next, bend your right leg so that your ankle of your right leg touches your left knee. Lift up your right foot and place it on the left side of your left knee, with your left leg still fully extended.
3. Bend your left arm and place your elbow on the right side of your right knee. You’ll be naturally facing a bit to the right, at almost a 45-degree angle to your body, twisted slightly.
4. Now, push against your right knee with your left elbow. Keep your neck in line with the rest of your twisting torso and look over your right shoulder.
5. Twist as far as you can. It’s likely that the middle and lower sections of the back will “pop” or “crack.” This is a necessary and safe occurrence. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds and then switch legs.

Perform this stretch at home before you leave for the course. If you have access to a locker room, it’s best to do this stretch a few minutes before you start to play.

Try to repeat this stretch two times per day throughout the week. Start slow and work up to a longer time and higher repetitions.

As your flexibility becomes better, you’ll be able to stretch farther. With diligent lower back stretches, the likeliness of a lower back golf injury is reduced significantly.

Find more stretching tips like these lower back stretches.