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15-Minute Gentle Lower Back Routine

15-Minute Gentle Lower Back Routine — video by Michelle Kenway Play · 14:45

Video by Michelle Kenway on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A physiotherapist's back-care routine on the floor: pelvic tilts and knee rolls, knee hugs and hamstring stretches, bridges, a piriformis stretch, single-leg rotations, side-lying hip flexor stretch, gentle forearm back extensions, child's pose and belly breathing.

  • 15 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • mat, towel
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Step by step 9

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Pelvic tilts on your back, flattening your lower back into the mat, then small knee rolls side to side. 1:05
  2. Knee hug, then a hamstring stretch with toes pointed (or a towel over the heel); each leg. 2:06
  3. Bridges: shoulders down, press through your heels and lift only as high as is comfortable, without pinching. 3:57
  4. Piriformis stretch, each side: cross one thigh over the other, draw both legs in; not after a recent disc injury. 4:52
  5. Single-leg rotation: guide one bent knee across your body with the opposite shoulder down; each side. 6:56
  6. Side-lying hip flexor stretch: hold the top shin (or a towel) and draw the leg back behind you; each side. 8:52
  7. Forearm back extensions: on your front, press through your forearms to lift, pubic bone down and chin tucked. 10:22
  8. Child's pose: sit back towards your heels with arms forward or resting, breathing into your back. 12:08
  9. Full-body reach lying on your back, then slow belly breathing to relax. 13:02

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Keep the toes pointed in the hamstring stretch, or loop a towel over the heel
  • Lift into the bridge only as high as feels comfortable with no pinching
  • Keep your pubic bone down and chin tucked in the back extensions

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses light on the joints

  • Upper back movesback extension, rotations, cat curl
  • Lower back movespelvic tilts, knee rolls, bridges, back extension
  • Hips movesknee hugs, bridges, piriformis and hip flexor stretches
  • Knees movesknee to chest, child's pose
  • Kneeling. Pressure on the kneecaps — a folded towel or cushion under the knees helps.
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.

Easier option from the coach: Towel round the heel for the hamstring stretch; small bridge lift if pinching

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Michelle Kenway; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety