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Best Stretches To Relieve Morning Back Pain | Chiropractor for Low Back Pain in Winter Garden, FL

Learn two simple morning stretches — the QL wall stretch and piriformis stretch — to relieve low back pain and hip stiffness at home.

Key Takeaways

  • The QL wall stretch targets the quadratus lumborum and sacrum — keep hips square and avoid twisting to maximize effectiveness.
  • The piriformis stretch relieves tightness along the outer hip, which is a common but overlooked contributor to morning low back pain.
  • Hold each stretch for 15 seconds per side and perform both stretches 3 times per day for consistent relief.
  • Both stretches can be done on the floor or even in bed, making them easy to fit into any morning routine.
  • Maintaining proper alignment during each movement is essential — form matters more than intensity.

Overview

Best Morning Stretches for Low Back Pain Relief

Waking up stiff and achy doesn't have to be your new normal. In this video, our chiropractor walks you through two targeted morning stretches designed to reduce low back pain and loosen up tight hips before your day even begins.

The Two Stretches Covered

  • QL Wall Stretch — This stretch targets the quadratus lumborum (QL) muscles and the sacrum. Standing beside a wall, you reach your outside arm up and over your head toward the ceiling while keeping your hips and spine aligned — no twisting. Proper form is key to getting a full, effective stretch from the QLs all the way down.
  • Piriformis Stretch — Performed on the floor or your bed, this stretch relieves tightness along the outer hip and glute area. By crossing one ankle over the opposite knee and gently drawing the legs toward your chest, you target the piriformis muscle, which commonly contributes to low back and hip stiffness.

Both stretches are simple enough to do right after waking up and require no equipment. Consistency is what makes the difference — aim for 3 sets of 15-second holds per side, three times daily for best results.

Full Transcript

So a great morning stretch we can do to alleviate some of that low back pain that you have is called the QL wall stretch. We're going to perform that by having you bring this first hand closest to the wall up to it, and you're going to bring the outside foot in front of the one closest to the wall. Now with this outside hand, we're going to try to reach over top of your head and reach for the highest part of the ceiling. And the most important thing that we need to pay attention to is any twisting going on in the hips or back. We want to make sure that we stay as straight as possible so that we get a good stretch all the way down to the QLs and the sacrum. You want to perform this stretch three times per day if you can for about 15 second holds on each side. Another great stretch that we can do in the morning to help alleviate some stiffness, especially in the side of the hips, is called the piriformis stretch. So the way we're going to do that, we're going to cross this ankle over the other knee here. We're going to be stretching the right piriformis in this case. Now this left leg, we're going to bend our knee and we're going to have our foot flat to the floor or the bed. And we're going to use our hands to reach through to grab that left hamstring. Now after we do that, we're going to slowly lay back onto the floor and lift that bottom leg and slowly bring that left leg to your chest so that we can get a great stretch along the side of this right piriformis. You can hold this stretch for about 15 seconds at a time and I will perform this three times per day. Thank you.