Five minutes that help a stiff back

Why your back feels stiff

Sitting for hours keeps the hip flexors short and the back muscles switched off. The fix is rarely more stretching: it is moving a little, often.

The routine

• Cat-cow, ten slow rounds
• Standing hip flexor stretch, 30 seconds each side
• Wall angels, ten rounds
• Two minutes of slow breathing, out-breath longer than the in-breath

When to see a doctor

If pain travels down a leg, comes with numbness or wakes you at night, see a doctor first.

This article is general information, not medical advice. For a diagnosis or treatment, see a doctor.