If you work at a computer all day then you know how difficult lower back pain can be. You back becomes sore and stiff if you don’t get up once in awhile to stretch and move around. It is impossible to maintain perfect posture all day long while you are working so you need to take action to prevent back pain from getting worse. The best way to do that is by doing a lower back exercise, particularly the standing forward bend.

Actually it helps maintain the entire back and hamstrings, but focuses in on the lower back. Can you remember the last time you got up from your desk and didn’t have some sort of pain back there? Probably not, and if you don’t do something about it you’ll wind up hunched over or worse when you get older. So let’s talk a bit about the way the standing forward bend works and how you can add it into your daily routine. It helps you have correct neck posture, helps with poor sitting posture, and can relieve a sore tailbone.  In general, it will help you improve posture.

The standing forward bend is easy to do and can even be done at the office since all you need is a place to stand. To do this exercise, stand with your feet beside each other and bend forward from your hips. Exhale as you bend forward. Do what feels comfortable and do not force your head down if your back is tight. Be relaxed. This can be an advanced yoga exercise but you should do it according to your abilities.

By practicing this lower back exercise, you may be able to put your hands flat on the floor. That is the goal, but if you cannot do that, you will still benefit. To be flexible enough to touch the floor you must warm up your muscles which you don’t have time for at the office. You don’t need to warm up to do the standing forward bend which makes it perfect to do periodically throughout your day. To get the most benefit, you should also undertake a full posture program, but this exercise helps a lot. Stay relaxed and make slow moments. Anyone can do this exercise.

  1. Stand straight with your feet hips’ width apart
  2. Put your hands on your hips
  3. Keep your knees straight and drop your upper body forward towards the ground
  4. Dangle your arms toward the ground
  5. Relax your body and breathe
  6. Remain in this position for one minute
  7. Return to the standing position by rolling your back upright, your head being last

While you do the exercise be aware of any tension in your back and body. This simple awareness will help bring relief. Paying attention to your body can help calm many discomforts.

This version of the forward bend is very good for relieving tension all throughout the back, but especially in the lower back area that receives so much abuse while sitting. If you take advantage of this low back exercise then you’ll be able to relax those muscles and get the relief needed to keep your productivity levels high and eliminate the low back pain.

However, it’s important to understand that your best option is making this a part of your daily routine. Only you know what you need to do to add this to your daily schedule, but we recommend before bed, when you wake up in the morning, or a couple times a day during your break times (especially your lunch break). This will not only relieve the pain you’re experiencing now, but also prevent it from returning.

Lower back pain is an aggravation to deal with. You may be able to get temporary relief by taking medications but there is a better way to deal with it. Posture exercises are natural and can provide a long term solution. You can relieve your muscle tension, become more flexible and gain peace of mind that comes with freedom from chronic pain.