Another option to stretch the hips and help the back

Last week’s email featured a yoga pose that often helps with low back pain when the back pain is due to tight muscles in your legs and hips. But that doesn’t work for everyone, since it depends on which muscles are tight and that’s different for everyone.

Here’s another useful pose that stretches the hips and buttocks, and again can help with back pain. Try both several times in the same week to see if either one makes a difference for you.

Or try them both back-to-back and see which pose provides a more intense feeling of stretch and/or relief.

1. Start on your back with feet on the floor.
2. Cross your left ankle on to your right thigh.
3. Gently press the left knee away without letting your hips move until you find a stretch.
4. If you don’t find a stretch, try putting your right foot on a block or stack of books.
5. If still no stretch, with both hands grab your right thigh and pull it towards you, moving your left ankle towards you and deepening the stretch.
6. You can also grab the right shin, but it’s not necessary.
7. If this is reasonably easy for you, experiment with trying to pull your tailbone down towards the floor.
8. Switch to the other side.