Leg Stretching Techniques
To Loosen Leg Muscles &
Ease Low Back Pain

The leg stretching techniques below limber the muscles and tendons at the backs of your legs. Regularly stretching your legs relieves and prevents leg pain and lower back pain and opens important energy channels from your spine to your feet.

Check with your health professional first before trying these exercises, especially if you have lower back pain or leg pain or you haven't exercised for some time. Also included below are links to additional exercises on this site to stretch and strengthen your legs.

Leg Stretch - Sitting

How

1. Sit on the floor or flat ground. Extend your left leg out straight, with your foot pointing up. Bend your right leg and rest your foot next to the inside of your left knee. Keep both legs as flat as possible. Place your right hand on your left thigh.

2. Breathe in through your nose. As you breathe out (through your nose) slowly and gently bend forward at the waist and (try to) touch and hold the toes of your straightened leg with your left hand. Stretch only as far as you comfortably can.

3. Take 3 slow, deep breaths in this position. Each time you exhale, though, stretch a little bit more. As you exhale for the final time, slowly and gently return to the upright sitting position. Take a slow, deep breath or two, then reverse the position and start stretching your right leg. Alternately stretch each leg several times.

Tips

Leg Stretch - Standing

How

1. Stand facing any object that's at least waist height and that you can place your foot on. Gently raise your left leg and put your heel on the object. Keep your hips and upper body facing front on. You can turn your right foot outwards a little for comfort. Rest your right hand on your left thigh.

2. Breathe in through your nose. As you exhale (through your nose) slowly and gently bend forward at the waist and try to touch and hold your toes on your left foot. Stretch only as far as you comfortably can. Take 3 slow, deep breaths in this position. Each time you exhale, though, stretch a little bit more. Feel your quadriceps muscles (backs of thighs) stretching and your calf muscles (backs of lower legs) stretching.

3. As you breath out for the final time, slowly raise your upper body to the upright starting position. Gently bring your left foot down off the object to the floor. Holding your left leg behind the knee helps as you do this. That completes one leg stretch. Repeat steps 1-3 with your right leg. Alternately stretch each leg several times, once or twice a day.

Tips

Leg stretching techniques like the ones above are safe, simple and effective. Doing them regularly:

• Limbers the muscles & tendons at the backs of your legs
• Opens vital energy channels from your spine to your feet
• Relieves & prevents leg pain & lower back pain

For more leg stretching techniques try the ones below. While the above exercises stretch the backs of your legs, these ones stretch and strengthen the front and sides of your legs, especially your thighs.

Forward-Backward Bend
Forward Lunge
Thigh Burner

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