[Fiend]

Have lots of niggles around lower back / pelvis / glutes (especially) / hamstring (especially).

Saw a local physio. She assessed that I had reasonable mobility in most of the areas, but my lumbar area was tight and immobile and this was likely causing issues further down the chain. Unfortunately ran out of time before she could give me more than just a couple of basic stretches, and unfortunately hasn't replied to my emails asking for more info.

So hit me with your best / easiest lumbar stretches please.

I already do supine / trunk rotations (lots), piriformis stretch / supine fig 4 stretch / whatever it's called (lots), roll downs, threading the needle, child's pose etc.

[lagerstarfish]

https://www.healthline.com/health/mckenzie-exercises#prone-press-ups

Especially number 4

[Fiend]

Okay, I have too much of a curve / arch in my lower back anyway (pelvic tilt). I'm constantly having to correct that by sucking my gut in, buttocks forward, and pelvis tilting the other way. Will that exercise shown (i.e. temporarily increasing the arch) help with that?? Is it to stretch the front of the pelvic area??

[crzylgs]

Regarding the pelvic tilt, I've heard it mentioned a fair bit that this can be caused by tight hip flexors. So stretching them out can help. On mobile atm but can probably find some links when on PC.

[Simon W]

Highly recommend David Procyshyn's yoga routines. Pretty sure I first heard about him on here.



I've had long term back woes and alternating between this vid and his upper back one has helped a lot.

[webbo]

Okay, I have too much of a curve / arch in my lower back anyway (pelvic tilt). I'm constantly having to correct that by sucking my gut in, buttocks forward, and pelvis tilting the other way. Will that exercise shown (i.e. temporarily increasing the arch) help with that?? Is it to stretch the front of the pelvic area??

I have this according to missus, my old man stoop. Osteopath recommended lunges which seem to help.

[mrjonathanr]

That video has some good things but does not mention child’s pose.
https://images.app.goo.gl/w2y8Zd987DbhuxqcA

The trick is to gently push arms forwards, chest down, and backside back. It isn’t passive. This stretches the lower back nicely. Bridge variations are good too.

[Fiend]

https://www.healthline.com/health/mckenzie-exercises#prone-press-ups

Especially number 4

Okay so this is basically cobra pose.

It turns out that what I had - now somewhat obfuscated by my sprained LCL and associated nose-dive in mobility and activity (and that I cannot do any glute stretches with the LCL...) - is very likely mild sciatica combined with piriformis issues. Ms Fiend has this occasionally and looked into various exercises for me. A common thread was cut out aggressive hamstrings / touching toes stretches, and do plenty of cobra pose.

Again this confused me, if my lower back is an issue why would I be arching it back further instead of stretching it forwards?? The missus pointed out that if there is a nerve impingment more on the front of the spine, then arching back is going to alleviate the pressure on that. This may or MAY NOT be at all scientifically accurate but it was logical enough to get me doing the cobra pose regularly, and that definitely seems to have helped the issues a bit although not cleared them up completely.

I tend to do 10-15 cobra pose push-ups, then ooze back into child's pose (and do this less passively than before), then repeat. 2-3 times daily.

[Fultonius]

 I randomly had sciatica type pain for about 4 days on holiday in Spain when I got covid. Cleared up right after.

How weird eh?

#unhelpful anecdote.

[webbo]

https://www.healthline.com/health/mckenzie-exercises#prone-press-ups

Especially number 4

Okay so this is basically cobra pose.

It turns out that what I had - now somewhat obfuscated by my sprained LCL and associated nose-dive in mobility and activity (and that I cannot do any glute stretches with the LCL...) - is very likely mild sciatica combined with piriformis issues. Ms Fiend has this occasionally and looked into various exercises for me. A common thread was cut out aggressive hamstrings / touching toes stretches, and do plenty of cobra pose.

Again this confused me, if my lower back is an issue why would I be arching it back further instead of stretching it forwards?? The missus pointed out that if there is a nerve impingment more on the front of the spine, then arching back is going to alleviate the pressure on that. This may or MAY NOT be at all scientifically accurate but it was logical enough to get me doing the cobra pose regularly, and that definitely seems to have helped the issues a bit although not cleared them up completely.

I tend to do 10-15 cobra pose push-ups, then ooze back into child's pose (and do this less passively than before), then repeat. 2-3 times daily.

I do these most mornings. However I do some knee hugs before I do them. Laid on my back pull knee to chest then push knee against hands. I do each legs then do then together. I also put my heel on top the other knee both hands on knee pull towards chest.
I do 2 of all these on both legs followed by some Cats and Dogs, then Mckenzies or Cobra.
Seems to keep me reasonably mobile.

[chris j]

Personal anecdotal experience is that I've found regular back twists (https://www.skimble.com/exercises/44277-seated-spinal-twist-how-to-do-exercise) helpful in stopping my lower back tweaks recurring. If I've been sitting at a desk a lot usually I can expect a couple of gun shot cracks in the first twist. Neglecting them is often quickly followed by the start of my sciatica symptoms (stiff lower back, tight glute, tweaky hamstring...)

Along with lots of other stretches as mentioned in previous posts... On other thought regarding hamstring stretches is that after resolving the sciatica symptoms i could resume them while keeping a straight/ fractionally backward arched back.

HTH

[Hoseyb]

Surprise surprise, I also suffer in this area, fortunately found an amazing pilates teacher. Turns out there is this muscle in the lumbar region; the ql (quadratus lumborum) that gets really tight in us climbers, gets masked by our lats too so difficult to stretch properly. Pilates really helped, but I'm sure you can Google ql stretches