Many Americans deal with back pain everyday. About 1 in 10 people suffer from back pain. Some developed the injuries from their jobs, sports teams or from random accidents. It is one of the most bother some types of pain to endure.
Americans spend at least 1 billion dollars each year on trying to relieve and cure back pain.
The pain usually radiates throughout the spine causing some to hurt so badly that they do not want to move. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have found that back pain is now the No. 1 cause of job disability around the world.
There are many medications that do help alleviate the pain but you can also exercise to help increase the agility and mobility of the muscles of the back.
Stretching the back pain away
Exercise is one of the ways that can aid in the relief of back pain. Yoga is a form of stretching that is highly recommended. You don’t have to do all yoga poses; regular stretches are welcome as well. 
Here are some stretches that will help the back pain.
- PRONE PRESS UP
- Begin by lying on your stomach with you elbows bent underneath you and palms flat on the surface. Keep hips and pelvis in contact with the surface. Lift your upper torso off the mat with your arms, keeping your back muscles relaxed. Only go as high as you are comfortable with. Perform this 10 times and hold each one for 10 seconds.
- SINGLE KNEE to CHEST
- Start by lying on your back with both knees bent. Bring one knee up towards your chest. Perform 2 or 3 repetitions, holding each one for 15-20 seconds. You may feel a stretch along the lower back or buttocks area. If you want, you can do a double knee stretch which has both knees at the chest at the same time.
- CHILD’S POSE
- This stretch targets the lower back and is a very common yoga pose. Get on your hands and knees, sit back so that your buttock is resting on the heels of your feet. Reach your hands forward to lengthen the spine. You should feel a stretch in the middle of your back. Hold this for 10-30 seconds and perform 2-3 repetitions.
- ANGRY CAT STRETCH
- When this stretch is done, it incorporates both extension and flexion. You can do both or just the one you are most comfortable doing. Get on your hands and knees. Start with the back being straight. Let your stomach drop towards the surface you are on to increase extension or arching of the back. To do flexion, make the back into a hump formation. You should hold each position 5-20 seconds and repeat this several times.
Like it was said before, the pain often radiates to different parts of the body. One of the common areas the back pain travels to is from the the buttock to the legs. Here is a stretch for that as well.
5. SCIATIC NERVE STRETCH
- The sciatic nerve is along this path of pain from the buttocks into the legs so stretching it can relieve this back pain. First lie down on your back with your hand behind one knee, preferable the leg that has that pain. Straighten your knee then alternate flexing your ankle back and forth. Only hold your ankle in each position for a few seconds. Do this 10 times.
Some stretches take time to be able to do so be patient if you are not as flexible at first. If you feel any pain while doing these stretches stop and take a rest. If you back pain begins to get worse see your doctor for a check-up.
Between the yoga stretches and regular stretches your back pain should begin to be less intense!
