Sitting for so many hours a day is one of the main causes of back problems: unfortunately, you spend 9 hours in this position every day! This is why pilates can be your important ally.

In fact, from Homo erectus, man has transformed into homo sedens, a negative evolution that has caused consequences on your back ranging from forward bending of the spine to scoliosis problems .

So below is a list of back stretching exercises you can do every day to prevent and combat back pain while improving your posture.

Exercise #1

• Standing with your legs together, hold a towel with both hands while keeping your arms slightly away from your sides. Keeping your arms still and the towel at pelvic height, move your shoulders upward.
• NB: You should move only the joints, not the whole torso. Still having the towel as a reference point, lower your shoulders back down. Perform this shoulder movement several times, lowering and raising them again.
• Perform 7-8 repetitions.

Exercise #2

• Standing with your legs slightly apart, firmly grasp a towel and hold it out with both arms in front of you at shoulder height, keeping your elbows bent
• After taking a deep breath, raise your arms above your head keeping them the same distance from your body at all times and exhale.
• Repeat this exercise several times (7/8 repetitions) trying to keep your torso straight and as still as possible.

Exercise #3

• Standing with your legs together, lift a towel above your head with your arms outstretched. Keeping your legs together and extended, slowly begin to bend toward your knees.
• Start at the neck and imagine having the movement of your head follow each vertebrae. Don’t force too hard, but try to reach your maximum flexion point while keeping your abdominals taut and your spine arched.
• When you are down wrap the towel around your ankles. Try to stay in position for a few seconds.
• Gently come back up by stretching the column until you return to the starting position.
• Perform 7 to 8 repetitions.

Exercise #4

• Standing with your legs apart, hold a towel at chest level with both hands with your arms folded. Extend them above your head, trying to stretch as far as possible.
• Flex your torso to the right while keeping the towel stretched above your head with your arms parallel to each other and your pelvis still. Stay in this position for a few seconds, but do not force too hard. Slowly return to position number 2.
• Repeat the bend from the left side and return to the starting position.
• Perform 7 to 8 repetitions.

Exercise #5

• Stand with your legs spread apart. Grasp with outstretched arms a towel just above your knees. Inhaling, raise your outstretched arms above your head. Try to keep your pelvis steady and slightly pushed forward.
• Slowly flex the torso to the right. Slowly rotate your torso to the right, keeping the towel firmly in place, until your arms are parallel to the floor.
• Try to remain still for a few seconds, then slowly return to the starting position. Perform the same movement from the left side.
• Perform 7 to 8 repetitions.

Exercise #6

• Standing with your legs slightly apart and your back straight, grasp the 2 ends of a towel with both hands and extend your arms in front of you at chest level.
• In a slow motion bring your arms up over your head and try to pass them behind your back. This is not difficult; you need to bend your right arm above your head and keep your left arm extended along your side.
• Slowly extend your right arm as well until you are with the towel behind your back. Now come up with your left arm while keeping your right arm extended and continue the series by alternating arms.
• When finished, return to the starting position with the towel in your arms stretched out in front of you.

Keep reading: 10 stretching exercises to make you as flexible like a cat in just 4 weeks

Share these stretches exercises with all your friends. They will thank you later!

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