13 Best Low Back Decompression Exercises To Do At Home

Do you have back pain? Often times back pain can occur due to excessive force on the spine. Spinal decompression exercises help to improve poor posture, trunk stabilization, and strength and decrease back pain. This post will cover the 13 best back decompression exercises to improve your back pain and overall back health.

Benefits of Spinal Decompression

• Increased space between vertebrae and spinal discs
• Alleviates pressure on joints and nerves

Conditions That Will Benefit From Spinal Decompression

• Sciatica
• Disc Herniation or Herniated Disc
• Degenerative Disc Disease
• Spinal Stenosis

Best Positions For Spinal Compression

The position that places the least compressive forces on the spine is lying down flat on your back. The compressive forces on the spine are 40% greater when sitting upright than standing. The forces are almost doubled when you compare sitting upright to sitting with a poor, slumped posture. 

This is why it is so important to avoid sitting all day. More importantly if you are sitting, you should avoid sitting with poor posture at all costs and try to stand as much as you can.

If you have a desk job, get a standing desk if you can to limit the hours of sitting each day. Standing during the day also helps to increase blood flow.

Physical Therapy Back Decompression Exercises

These at-home exercises require little to no equipment. The majority of these simple exercises will be performed with just body weight.

Physical therapy is by far the best way to decrease compressive forces on the lumbar spine. The following exercises will focus on improving lumbar mobility, lumbar stabilization, and most of all decreasing the compressive forces on the back which cause back pain in your daily activities. 

As always it is important to see your healthcare provider prior to starting any new exercise program. If you are having back pain your doctor will be able to determine if you have any specific spinal conditions that would prevent you from performing these spinal decompression techniques or from seeing a physical therapist.

Your doctor will be able to give you the best medical advice on your specific condition. This is especially important if you have severe pain or a history of back problems. 

Spinal Decompression Exercises At Home

The best spinal decompression exercises include gentle lumbar stretches, lower body stretches, strengthening exercises and core stabilization exercises.

All of these spinal decompression exercises can be performed in the comfort of your own home without any equipment. These 13 exercises are 1. Cat Cow Stretch 2. Child’s Pose 3. Knee To Chest Stretch 4. Overhead Stretch 5. Kitchen Sink Stretch 6. Bar Hang 7. Posterior Pelvic Tilts 8. Bird Dog 9. Dead Bugs 10. Hamstring Stretch 11. Piriformis Stretch 12. Straight Leg Raise 13. Prone Press Up.

Lumbar Stretch Back Decompression Exercises

The lumbar stretch back decompression exercises assist in decompressing the spine by stretching the lower back muscles. The most effective lumbar stretch exercises at decompressing the spine are 1. Cat Cow Stretch 2. Child’s Pose Stretch 3. Knee To Chest Stretch 4. Overhead Stretch 5. Kitchen Sink Stretch 6. Bar Hang.

1. Cat Cow Stretch

• This exercise can help with both low back pain and neck pain.
• Start on your hands and knees with your hands directly below your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips.
• Now slowly bend your back and bring your neck towards your chest. Hold this position for 3 seconds. This is the cat stretch.
• Now slowly arch your back and lift your neck up towards the ceiling.
• Hold this position for 3 seconds and then return to the previous position.

2. Child’s Pose

• This exercise is also known as the prayer stretch.
• This helps to decrease lower back pain.
• You will start on your hands and knees and then push your butt back as if you are trying to get your butt to touch your knees.
• While pushing your butt back you will keep your arms straight and in front of you. You will feel a nice stretch down your lower back.
• Hold stretch for 20-30 seconds and perform 2-3 times.

3. Knee To Chest Stretch

• This exercise can be performed with a single knee to chest or both knees to chest.
• In the single knee-to-chest version, you will bend both knees on the mat.
• Now lift one knee up and pull it in towards your chest. Hold stretch for 20-30 seconds and perform 2-3 times.
• If you have an exercise ball and wish to perform a modification of this exercise you can start with both of your legs straight and your ankles on an exercise ball.
• Now bend both of your knees by rolling the ball towards you.
• Hold this position for 5 seconds.

4. Overhead Stretch

• Stand with your arms above your head and your hands interlaced and facing the ceiling. Reach towards the ceiling for 20-30 seconds.

5. Kitchen Sink Stretch

• Stand next to a kitchen sink or sturdy surface. Hold onto the sturdy surface and push your butt back and lean back.
• Your back should be straight and your head should be facing straight down towards the floor.

How To Decompress Spine By Hanging

Spinal decompression is a technique used to alleviate pressure on the spine, which can help relieve pain, improve posture, and enhance overall quality of life. Hanging, is one method of spinal decompression that can be done using a pull-up bar.

6. Bar Hang

• This exercise can also be called dead hangs.
• You will need a pull-up bar for this exercise. You will grab onto the bar and hang with both of your arms straight.
• Hold this position for 20-30 seconds and then relax.

Core Stabilization

Core stabilization exercises are crucial in decompressing the spine. A stronger core also reduces the overall stress placed on the spine. These core stabilization exercises include 7. Posterior Pelvic Tilts 8. Dead Bugs and 9. Bird Dogs.

7. Posterior Pelvic Tilts

• The starting position for this exercise is lying on your back with your knees bent.
• Now slowly draw in your belly button towards the mat or bed underneath you.
• Hold this position for 5 seconds and then relax.

8. Bird Dogs

• Start on your hands and knees.
• Tighten your abdominal muscles and reach forward with one hand while extending your opposite leg back.
• Now return to starting position and perform this with your opposite arm and leg.
• Be sure to not bring your lack above hip level as this will increase the compressive forces on your spine.

9. Dead Bugs

• Start by lying on your back with your legs bent.
• Now lift both of your legs up so your legs are at a 90-degree angle in the air.
• Now lift your arms up so they are facing the ceiling.
• Keep your core tight and slowly lift one arm overhead while kicking your opposite leg out straight. Now perform this on your opposite arm/leg.

Lower Body Stretches

Stretching the lower body such as the hamstrings, glute muscles and piriformis can help to alleviate tension and decompress the spine. These stretches are 10. Hamstring Stretches and 11. Piriformis Stretch.

10. Hamstring Stretches

• This is a stretch for the back of the legs.
• You can perform this exercise by lifting your leg straight up while keeping it straight. You can place your hands behind your thigh to support the leg.
• If this is too much pressure on your arms you can loop a strap, towel, or sheet around your foot.
• Now keep your leg straight and lift your leg up.
• You should feel a pull in the back of your leg and the back of your knees during this stretch. Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds and perform it 2-3 times.

11. Piriformis Stretch

• Start by lying on your back with your knees bent.
• Now lift up one leg and rest your foot on your opposite knee.
• Now let your top leg relax.
• Now grab your bottom thigh with your hands and pull it off the ground.
• You will feel an increase in the stretch. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds and then switch to the other side and perform 2-3 times on each side.

Strengthening Exercises

Strengthening exercises can also assist in supporting the spine. These exercises include 12. Straight Leg Raise and 13. Prone Press Up.

12. Straight Leg Raise

• Start by lying on your back with one leg bent and the other leg straight.
• Keeping your opposite knee bent will take additional stress off of the back when performing this exercise.
• Now tighten or squeeze your quad muscle or upper leg muscle and your abdominal muscles and lift your leg up in the air. Now slowly lower it back to starting position. 

13. Prone Press Up

• This is a good exercise specifically for the upper back.
• You will start on your forearms on your stomach.
• Now push up fully onto your elbows and then slowly back to starting position.
• This allows you to work on back extension within a safe range of motion.
• If you want an increased stretch you can push up onto your hands as seen in the second picture.

What NOT To Do

• Inversion Table
  • Inversion tables are controversial because they are a very expensive piece of equipment that is used in some clinics. Many clinics will market “spinal decompression therapy” as the use of inversion tables.
  • The research on inversion tables is inconclusive and does not decisively determine whether it actually helps to decrease the compressive forces on the spine. There are far cheaper ways to decompress the spine that already have research backing it up.
• Crunches
  • Any abdominal exercise that involves bending the spine is going to increase the compressive forces on the spine. The spine and the abdominal muscles are best strengthened with the spine in neutral meaning the spine stays in a straight line. 

How To Decompress Spine While Sleeping

The best way to decompress your spine while sleeping is to find the correct sleeping position. The common misconception is that you have to sleep on your back.

This “back sleeping” position involves sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees. The rationale is that this position helps maintain the natural curve of your spine and evenly distributes weight while minimizing stress on the spine. Although this is a great position to decompress your spine, it is not the only position!

If you are look me and you can’t sleep on your back then this position is for you! If you prefer side sleeping, place a pillow between your knees.

This helps keep your hips, pelvis, and spine aligned. The key with this position is you just don’t want to be curled up into a ball or any position that flexes your spine to much.

The only position to avoid is stomach sleeping because it excessively extends to back in an unnatural position.

Summary of Back Decompression Exercises

Perform these back decompression exercises and improve your lumbar spine range of motion and overall quality of life! Although you cannot get a new spine, you can take care of the one that you have!

Lastly, if you are having lower back and hamstring pain you can find 7 Miraculous Exercises For Lower Back And Hamstring Pain here.