Seated Lower Trunk Extensor Stretch

Lower-Trunk Stretches:

Method:
Sit upright in a chair with legs separated. Slowly round the upper back and begin to lean forward. Continue to bend at the waist and lower the head and abdomen between the legs and below the thighs.

Affected Body Part:
Most-stretched muscles: Iliocostalis lumborum, multifidus.
Lesser-stretched muscles: Interspinales, rotatores, spinalis thoracis.

Remember that hyperflexion can injure the spinal cord. When doing this exercise, go slowly and do not let the back become straight. Also, the effect of the stretch is minimized if the buttocks rise up off of the chair.