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Pain
Relieve low back pain with stretching
- By Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
Stretching promotes harmony among muscles so they can support the back properly and ward off pain.
Life takes a toll on the lower back. All the standing, bending, lifting, and twisting are sometimes too much for the spine — something you find out when lower back pain strikes. Soothing the pain can require a combination of treatments. Muscle stretching is an important approach to add to the list.
Muscles, the back’s unsung heroes
Your spine is a stack of interlocking bones (vertebrae) with cushions (discs) in between, and joints (facet joints) connecting each vertebra to the next. The facet joints allow your spine to bend and twist.
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About the Author
Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
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Back Pain: Finding solutions for your aching back
Treatment of back pain has undergone a recent sea change. Experts now appreciate the central role of exercise to build muscles that support the back. This Special Health Report, Back Pain: Finding solutions for your aching back, helps you understand why back pain occurs and which treatments are most likely to help. This report describes the different types of back problems and the tailored treatments that are more likely to help specific conditions.
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