Lower Back Pain? DON’T STRETCH! (What You Should Do Instead)

Summary by Krater

A kinesiologist explains why stretching the lower back can feel good initially due to the gate control theory of pain, but ultimately causes more tissue damage and prolongs acute low back pain. The video details the healing stages and how to avoid aggravating an injured back.

From the video

Answers: Why is stretching bad for low back pain?

• acute low back pain
• gate control theory of pain
• spine flexion mechanics
• tissue healing stages
• core stabilization

What it concludes

• Stretching the low back during an acute injury phase feels good temporarily through the gate control theory of pain but causes further tissue damage.
• Repetitive flexion movements like bending over to tie shoes replicate the original injury mechanism and prolong recovery.
• The first stage of low back pain recovery is the healing stage lasting one to four months, focusing on core stabilization and neutral spine maintenance.
• The second stage focuses on dynamic stability and training passive stabilizers to be resilient against movement.