Prevent Back Pain, Start Your Day With These Four Stretches

The following four stretches are the BEST stretches to start your day:

1. 5-Way Cervical (stretches the neck muscles)
2. Childs Pose (stretches lower back, mid/upper back, shoulder, neck)
3. Thoracic Extensions (stretches and opens up mid back)
4. Figure 4 (stretches hamstrings, hips, and lower back)

How Far should you push your pain if you’re feeling sore?

        Slowly ease into your stretches. You may feel slightly uncomfortable during a stretch, but it should never hurt. Don't push your body past its limits, and always stay in your natural range of motion. If you notice tightness in one muscle area, repeat your stretches multiple times without pushing too hard.

Should I stop stretching if I feel pain?

      Always stretch only to a point of mild discomfort, or tightness. Pain should not be a part of your stretching routine. If you are feeling pain while stretching, you may be stretching too intensely and this could cause injury. When stretching, slowly ease into the stretch and stop at the point you feel "tight".