Unlocking the Mystery of Morning Back Tightness

If you are working from home and experience morning back tightness, we’ve got you covered.

Let’s admit it, having back pain is no fun, especially when you wake up in the morning with it knowing that you have a full day ahead of you.

Add in sitting at your desk all day, and it can lead to more lower back stiffness and pain. This feeling can even extend into the neck, shoulder, and other areas resulting in more pain and issues at the end of your workday.

It’s important to pay attention to the times when your pain increases because it can give us insight into some of the factors influencing your pain experience and how to best manage them.

Morning back stiffness can also be a result of inflammation. A long period of inactivity like sleeping can intensify the feeling of stiffness and often will ease as you get moving. This is more common as we age, and see degenerative or age related changes within the spine.

Pain that gradually comes on over the day is often attributed to the activities you are doing across the day. This can be an indication that your body does not have the tolerance or capacity to do the task or tasks you are putting your back through.

Morning back tightness, stiffness and pain can also be a result of inactivity and sedentary behaviour. It is your back, screaming out to get moving as the body is designed to move!

Performing morning stretches can help you get moving, loosen your muscles and improve your flexibility, making your body more mobile and prepared for the day ahead.

If its morning back tightness and pain that’s troubling you try these movements below.

Morning Back Tightness – Exercise 1

Childs pose

The most common pose in yoga, the child’s pose can help you relax.

Here is how to do it!

Position yourself on the floor on hands and knees with your knees just wider than the hip. Push your hips backwards bending your knees.
Once you reach a comfortable seated position, extend your arms forward fully and allow your head to fall forward into a relaxation position.
Hold this pose for 20 seconds and slowly return to starting position.
Repeat 3-5 times.

Pro Tip: For modification if you have shoulder pain or limited shoulder mobility, place your arms on either side of your body, extending towards your feet.

Morning Back Tightness – Exercise 2

Knees to chest

Use this to stretch the lower back into flexion while in a comfortable laying position. It is a great exercise to help restore flexion (bending forward) and assist with restoring a normal movement following injury.

Here is how to do it!

Lie flat on your back with toes pointing up.
Bring both your knees to your chest wrap your arms around your thigh, knee or shin, and gently pull the knee towards your chest allowing the lumbar spine to relax and bend. (Don’t just flex and stretch the hip joint and buttocks muscles, allow the back to bend too.)
Hold for 20-30 seconds.
Repeat 3-5 times.

Pro Tip: If getting two legs up at once is difficult or painful, try just one knee to start with and once able, progress to two legs.

Morning Back Tightness – Exercise 3

Lumbar rotation

This is a great movement to stretch the back and gluteal muscles as often back pain will extend into the upper buttock region..

Here is how to do it!

Lie on your back with your legs extended straight out. Bend the right knee up, then cross it over the left side of your body.
Use your opposite hand to grab the knee and push toward the ground for added stretch.
Hold this position for 20 seconds while you feel a gentle stretch through the back and buttocks muscles.
Repeat three times on each side.

Pro Tip: Remember to relax your breathing during each rep, it helps relax those tight muscles!

Morning Back Tightness – Exercise 4

Cat-camel

The is a great exercise to help move the lumbar spine into it’s two main movements. Flexion and extension.

Here is how to do it!

Start this movement by kneeling on all fours with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips.
Gently arch your spine bringing your head upward to the ceiling, making a hollow in the back.
Then move in the opposite direction, bring you head down looking toward the feet and tucking the chin, lightly tighten your abdominal muscles to round your back to the ceiling.
Repeat 10 times to complete the rep.
Rest and repeat 2-3 times

Pro Tip: Move slowly between movements.

Morning Back Tightness – Exercise 5

Cobra

This movement is helpful to stretch tight abdominal muscles and/or ease the lower back.

Here is how to do it!

Start by lying on your stomach with your legs extended and with palms planted on either side of your head with your forearms and elbows flat on the ground.
Slowly, push your body upwards, so your weight is resting on your forearms. Be sure to keep your hips on the ground.
Once you reach a comfortable position that gently stretches your abdominal muscles and lower back, hold for 10 seconds.
Slowly return to starting position and repeat five times.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have the flexibility in your lower back, try completing on your forearms, rather than extended elbows.

Morning Back Tightness – Exercise 6

Bow and arrow

This is great for the upper back. Remember it is connected to the low back and if you are sitting a lot they can both go out in sympathy for sitting too long.

Here is how to do it!

Start in side-lying with knees tucked up toward your chest and arms outstretched. Keeping knees together, pull the uppermost arm back past your body (try to imitate pulling a bow and arrow back into firing position).
Gently pinch your shoulder blades back and down to the ground and hold for 5 seconds and reverse the movement back to the starting position.
Repeat for 5 times each side.

Pro Tip: You want to move slowly enough through the Bow and Arrow positions that your stretch is strong, but controlled!

As always if these lower back exercises increase your pain at all or if they don’t improve your symptoms they may not be right for you.

Remember no one’s back is the same. Therefore, everyone will respond differently.

If you are unsure how to perform any of these exercises, they cause more pain or discomfort contact us a Fighting Fit.

We will tell you if these exercises are the right ones or not, treat you with our expert physiotherapy techniques and then show you how it’s done properly.

Brenda Samosa

05:52 07 Nov 24

I had a really bad shoulder and had been seeing a different physio for 3 months (from a different place) I got told Tyson was good. After just a few sessions the movement was coming back. I’m 66 and was worried I would have to stop surfing. But with a lot of help from Tyson I’m back in the waves ( thank you so so much)

Cyana Ferguson

08:16 30 Oct 24

Steve Harris

22:33 15 Oct 24

Great team, all friendly, super helpful and first class clinical advice and a big shout out to my Physio Noah with my shoulder issue

Andrea Bell

05:33 19 Sep 24

These guys are the best in the biz 🎉

Ryan Brockett

04:20 18 Sep 24

Shout out to Max from fighting fit physio. He helped me out massively straight after shoulder surgery and back into work and sports in no time. Couldn’t recommend anyone better!

Scotty

08:31 31 Jul 24

Five star service from Max & the team!
Professional & very thorough, you know that patient outcomes are of the highest priority.
I highly recommend this business.

Riley Wilson

08:27 14 Jul 24

Be AWARE they’ll immediately try to commit you to multiple follow up sessions after your initial consultation. This happened to me and then I later found out that as it just so happens, they have a cancellation policy that says you have to pay 100% of the consultation fee for cancelling. They failed to tell me this when they were pushy in committing me to 6 sessions after my consult, so that was a really nice little surprise.

I was already uncomfortable with how pushy they were in having me commit to so many sessions, so when I heard about the policy I just cancelled all together. So, I can’t speak further to the quality of their service throughout therapy phase. FYI this was also a few months ago now, it’s possible (though unlikely) they may have changed the policy. Just ask the question.

Megan Shelley

06:51 03 May 24

Fighting Fit Physiotherapy is hands down the best physio I've encountered. Having tried multiple physios for various injuries, I always find myself coming back to them. Their expertise consistently exceeds expectations, helping me get back to my sport faster than I thought possible. Their personalized approach and attention to detail make all the difference. I could not recommend a better or more exceptional physio team!

Gina Matthews

08:41 24 Mar 23

Can't recommend this place high enough. I was in so much pain with my knee an had been for months through advise an exercises I'm now looking forward to returning to gym an back riding my horses in endurance thank you so much

Courtney Halse

01:36 29 Nov 22

Kyle was knowledgeable, personable and professional. He saw me through my second pregnancy and continued to work with me until 6 months post partum on issues with my back. Would recommend anyone to go and see him.

Also shout out to Georgia on the front desk. She makes you feel welcome and brings a sense of warmth to the place!

Alli Davenport

08:07 04 Nov 22

After hip replacement surgery in February I wanted toget back into weight training legs, I started with Mitch 18 weeks ago and after a lot of hard work and sweat I am able to safely train again, I cannot thank Mitch enough for his support,encouragement and knowledge. The staff are friendly and helpful and I always looked forward to my session's

Robert Parkinson

10:50 15 Aug 22

This is the second time I have been treated by the team at FFP.
As a health professional myself I have been impressed with the level of care I have received from all members of the team.
The personalised treatment and rehabilitation programs have produced excellent results and I have completed both programs pain free and feeling stronger than before my injuries.
During the program there was constant communication and follow up and they were very accommodating with my work schedule.
All in all it was a very holistic experience and I would highly recommend the service.

Kiri Canavan

07:30 08 Jun 22

Tyson was amazing! We came up with an 8 week plan at my first consultation with weekly check ins and updates to exercises. 8 weeks later, I am pain free and able to train harder than ever. Highly recommend and the staff are all fantastic and super accomodating!

Morning Back Tightness

If you are working from home and experience morning back tightness, we’ve got you covered.

If its morning back tightness and pain that’s troubling you try these movements below.

Morning Back Tightness – Exercise 1

Childs pose

Morning Back Tightness – Exercise 2

Knees to chest

Morning Back Tightness – Exercise 3

Lumbar rotation

Morning Back Tightness – Exercise 4

Cat-camel

Morning Back Tightness – Exercise 5

Cobra

Morning Back Tightness – Exercise 6

Bow and arrow

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