Are you tired of waking up with a stiff back every morning? If so, you're not alone. Back pain can take a toll on daily life. Any of us that experience pain like this knows how it wears us down over time.

A vital solution I like to remind people about is the power of stretching!

Stretching is a powerful tool that can unlock the tension and stress that builds up in your muscles, leading to pain and discomfort.

So, let's dive in and unlock the power of this stretch (it is my FAVORITE stretch to share)!

What you'll find in this video:

Stretching for back pain and to get more movement in the spine is imperative to helping your body get more movement, flexibility, and can be vital to healing injuries.
 

In this short video below, I'm with one of my clients, Valerie. She had some spine problems which included a fusion in her back. Because of this, her hips have gotten tight and internal-external rotation has gotten more and more difficult. This puts a major strain on the back, so we can help the pain by going through the stretching of the hips in this way.
 

Here are some tips to keep in mind for this stretch:

• This stretch increases passive capacity through the adjustments and soft tissue work, as well as it's an active exercise that can be done anywhere. 
• The first movement is to get into "pigeon pose"  -- make sure you sit in this position where your legs are both at 90 degrees. 
• You then lift up your torso a little bit and then lean forward ever so lightly so you can feel the back of the hip. Now just breathe here. You can bring your hands out in front to support you if you want. Do this 2-3 times. 
• Next, you're going to lean back (instead of forward) and turn your body to your back hip this time. Sit back into that hip and really feel into that area as you keep leaning back. This is where the most tightness can often be found so you'll feel a lot of tension in that spot. Do this 2-3 times and feel into the tension. The important part is to practice breathing while you feel into that tension.
• Make sure to do these stretches on both sides of your body (remember to always do equal movements on each side for any stretch or exercise).  

This type of hip stretch should be done a couple times a day every day, and especially when you feel that tightness in the back after you wake up in the morning.

Please watch this short video instruction on how to do this stretch here...