Stretches recommended by a physical therapist as highly efficient in relieving lower back and hip stiffness
Ready for some relief from hip and lower back tension? If you're finding yourself hunching over a screen all day, Jared Beckstrand's five-move stretching routine might be just what the doctor ordered. This quick and straightforward sequence takes only seven minutes and requires no gear except, perhaps, a yoga mat to make things comfortable.
But what about that Jade yoga travel mat you see being plugged everywhere? Well, it's definitely a cushy option, but it's not strictly necessary. Still, if you're on the hunt for a top-notch yoga mat, the Jade yoga travel mat stands out as a favorite among many yoga enthusiasts.
So, how does this routine work? Here are the five moves Beckstrand demonstrates:
- Lumbar rotation stretch – rotating your upper body to loosen up the lower back.
- Piriformis stretch – crossing one ankle over the opposite knee to alleviate tightness in the hips and glutes.
- Alternating hip rotation stretch – rocking one hip forward and backward to stretch out the hip flexors and joints.
- Hip flexor and extensor stretch – a lunge-like position to focus on flexibility in the hip and thigh muscles.
- Cat/camel stretch – a gentle spinal movement that strengthens the core and loosens up the back.
Beckstrand recommends this routine for its ease, effectiveness, and comfort. Remember, stretching should never be painful. If it hurts, you've pushed too hard.
What about stretching in general? Liam Grimley, fitness trainer and co-founder of 432 Fitness, thinks daily stretching is essential to counteract the effects of poor posture and prolonged sitting. He suggests stretching upon waking and focusing on multi-joint movements to awaken the body for the day ahead.
Stretching helps to undo tightness accumulated from spending too much time sitting or slouching, and it can also help relieve exercise-induced tightness. Adaptive shortening, or tightness, is likely to occur when muscles remain contracted due to repetitive or prolonged shortened positions, such as when sitting with your knees bent.
The body tends to adapt towards the things we do repeatedly, so stretching can help counteract this and restore our flexibility. Give Jared Beckstrand's routine a try, and see if it brings some much-needed relaxation to your hips and lower back!
[1] "Jared Beckstrand's Hip and Glute Stretch Routine for Low Back Pain." Tone and Tighten, 15 Jan. 2021, https://www.instagram.com/p/CPY860vJTsr/.[2] "7-Minute Hip Mobility & Stretching Routine - Tone & Tighten Fitness." Youtube, Tone and Tighten, 15 Jan. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6z4Ftf6_gU.
- Incorporating Jared Beckstrand's 5-move stretching routine, which focuses on the hips and lower back, can offer significant relief from tension accumulated from screen time.
- This routine, demonstrated by Beckstrand in "Jared Beckstrand's Hip and Glute Stretch Routine for Low Back Pain," requires minimal equipment, like a yoga mat for comfort.
- Liam Grimley, a fitness trainer and co-founder of 432 Fitness, recommends daily stretching, especially multi-joint movements, for counteracting poor posture and promoting health and wellness.
- Stretching regularly, as suggested by Grimley, can aid in maintaining fitness-and-exercise-induced flexibility, and overall health-and-wellness, by preventing adaptive shortening caused by prolonged sitting or slouching.
