The lower part of the spine or the lumbar region is the region where most people experience back pain. This part of the back carries the weight of the body and the muscles are prone to strain. The diagram of the spine illustrates the vertebrae of the spine. Notice the 'S' shape of the spine, which I refer to later.

It might not seem obviously necessary to stretch your legs to help your back pain, but it is. The lower back is acted upon by the muscles connected to the lower torso. One example, of this is the abdominal muscles. They are key muscles that keep the lower spine straight, which is the subject of another article. In this article, I discuss stretching the back of the legs or hamstring muscles and how that helps prevent or relieve lower back pain.

The hamstring muscle is attached to thighbone at the bottom and the pelvis at the top.Tight or inflexible hamstrings,will tend to pull on the pelvis. This pulling action of the hamstrings causes a rounding of the lower back. Over a period of time, this poor spinal shape or posture will lead to back pain.

Look at the diagram. The S shape in the lower back is gone, meaning that the pelvis has been pulled backwards by the hamstring. He is likely to suffer from lower back pain.

This is the most well known hamstring stretch. Sit down and straighten your right leg. Bending your left leg,your left foot close to your right knee. Stretch forward from your hips and reach as far as you can,for your right foot if you can, otherwise reach for the ankle. Pull gently, holding the stretch for at least 30 seconds. If there is pain in your lower back, then stop and rather do a standing stretch. Stand on your left leg, put your right foot up on a table or chair. Now stretch forward and hold your right foot or ankle.

Stretching guidelines A.Comfortable clothing. It's obviously very difficult to stretch if your clothes are tight and restrict movement. B.Breathing. Never hold your breath. Not only can it increase blood pressure, but by holding your breath you are making your muscles tense. By breathing deeper, the more relaxed your muscles become and your stretches will be better. C.Stop if there is sudden or sharp pain. You must never force a stretch too far, beyond the point of mild discomfort. You will find it uncomfortable or mildly painful to stretch, but you should never feel any sharp or sudden pain. If you do, stop and stretch the muscle more gently eg in this exercise, don't bend forward as much. D.Daily routine. Stretching only once a week for a longer time will not do as much as a daily stretch.Stretching for a few minutes each day will gradually build flexibility and range of motion. E.Set a goal of 30 seconds for a stretch.Start with 10-15 seconds and extend this by 5 seconds each week until you can hold a stretch for at least 30 seconds.