Traction stretches for a supple, pain-free lower back

Traction therapy brings to mind some scary images…

You’ve probably seen someone laid up in a hospital bed with their legs and maybe their arms being pulled in all directions as if hooked up to some sort of medieval torture device.

Erase that from your mind. The kind of traction exercises I want to show you today is not so scary, and can gently stretch your muscles and decompress joints to help your lower back feel great.

Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints heard in a doctor’s office. Much of the time, the pain originates with tight muscles, compressed discs and irritated nerves in the lower back or lumbar area. This can happen because of improper warm up prior to physical exercise, bending over to pick up something heavy instead of bending the knees, emotional stress and days of sitting too long.

In today’s video, Wendy Krauss Talis and Kellie Bach show you two terrific partner traction exercises to release the lower back.

Warm up the sacrum

Lie down on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Slowly rock the pelvis. This creates some space between the vertebrae and warms up the fascia.

Double leg pull

Walk around the stand in front of your partner’s feet. She raises her arms above her head and you slowly pick up her legs by the ankles. Balance yourself with one leg in front and one behind.  Slowly and steadily lean back and pull her legs. Use just enough force to create some traction, but not enough to pull her or move her on the carpet or floor.

Ask your partner to inhale, then exhale as you pull a little more. The relaxation between pulls allows the body to relax and the fascia to then release a bit more.

Hug knees to chest

After each exercise, you want the partner being stretched to pull her knees into her chest and hug them. Hold for a count of ten and relax in place and do it again for a total of three times.

You can assist your partner by gently pressing down on her knees.

Single knee twist

From the above knee hug, your partner will retain one knee close to chest and lower the other leg down.

In the video, Kellie holds her left knee with her right hand and pulls it over to the right while her left arm is extended out to the left side for balance and to create a nice twist.

Stand to the back side of your partner and press her knee and hip to assist with the twist to create traction in the lower back.

Ask your partner to inhale and then exhale to achieve a deeper relaxation and stretch.

Repeat the knee hug for a few seconds and then switch to the opposite side for a right knee to left side twist.

Hug knees to chest

Again, you want the partner being stretched to pull her knees into her chest and hug them. Hold for a count of ten and relax in place and do it again for a total of three times.

You can assist your partner by gently pressing down on her knees.

Help your partner up and switch roles!