5-Series Exercise

• There is a five-step exercise process that helps to relieve back strain. The first exercise is called the pelvic tilt. This exercise helps strengthen the abdominal muscles and stretches out the lower back muscles. Lie on your back. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the ground. When you exhale, using your abdominal muscles, push your belly button towards the floor. Your back should now lay flat on the ground. Hold the position for five seconds and repeat 10 times.
  
  The knee-to-chest stretch entails lying on your back and bringing your knees to your chest. This stretches the lower back, relieving pressure on the nerves. Hold the knee-to-chest position for 10 seconds, repeating three to five times.
  
  The third exercise entails lying on your back and bringing your knees to the right and the left side of the body. This loosens and stretches the lower back muscles. Tight hamstrings often lead to back strain. Repeat three times, holding for 10 seconds each time.
  
  Bending over to touch your toes loosens up the hamstrings, thus helping to relieve strain in the lower back.
  
  The fifth and final stretch of this series is the bridge. Lying on your back, lift your hips off of the ground. Hold for five seconds and repeat 10 times.
  
  

The Cat and the Cobra

• The cat entails lowering yourself to the floor. Get on all fours, with your hands directly under the shoulders and knees aligned under the hips. As you exhale, expand your stomach downward creating an upside down arch. As you inhale, arch your back. Repeat this slowly, five times. The cobra entails lying down on your stomach and pushing your upper body off the ground while your legs lie flat on the ground. The cat stretches the entire back, helping to loosen the muscles causing strain. The cobra stretches the back out while strengthening the lower back muscles.
  
  

Importance of Strengthening the Back and Core

• The body has many checks and balances. If one part of the body is too weak to perform its job completely, another part of the body takes over. If your lower back muscles are weak, then other back muscles will extend themselves to pick up slack. This often results in back strain. Often, if the core (abdominal muscles) is not strong enough to help support the spine and lower back, the back muscles can become strained and overly tight. Performing these stretches on a regular basis can help a strained back; it can also help prevent further back discomfort.