If you have low back pain, exercise and proper posture are two courses of action that you can take to decrease your discomfort and improve your mobility.A few visits to your physical therapist can help you determine which exercises are best for you to do and also teach you some things you shouldstop doing if you have low back pain.

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Jogger bending down to touch her toes on busy wooden walkway

Sometimes, exercises that bend your back backward are best, while other times flexion, or forward bending, movements are the best way to manage your low back pain. Many find the standing Williams lumbar flexion exercises a great maneuver to perform if you have low back pain.

Who May Benefit From Standing Lumbar Flexion?

People with certain diagnoses may benefit from spinal flexion. These diagnoses include, but are not limited to:

While people with these diagnoses typically benefit from bending forward, noteveryonebenefits from it. Be sure to speak with your healthcare provider, understand your diagnosis andlow back symptoms, and work with your physical therapist to be sure that forward flexion of your spine is the correct exercise for your back.

When Should You Avoid Lumbar Flexion?

Some people should avoid excessive forward bending, as this may cause further damage or injury to your spine. Reasons to avoid flexion include, but are not limited to:

Again, check with your healthcare provider or physical therapist before starting this or any other exercise program for your spine.

How to Perform Standing Spinal Flexion

To perform the exercise, follow these simple steps:

As you are exercising, be sure to monitor changes in your symptoms. Pain that is worsening in your back or traveling down your leg is an indication that you should stop the exercise.If your pain is decreasing in your leg or centralizing to your back, then the exercise can be continued.

Standing lumbar flexion can be repeated for 10 repetitions a couple times per day. It can be used to help decrease your symptoms of low back or leg pain, or it can be used to stretch tight hamstrings and back muscles.

If you suffer from low back pain, then standing lumbar flexion may be an exercise to incorporate into your daily routine to help decrease your pain and improve your overall spinal mobility. The exercise can also be used in the prevention of future low back problems and pain. Combined with postural correction and regular physical activity and exercise, standing back flexion may be another tool to help keep your spine healthy.

7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Suh JH, Kim H, Jung GP, Ko JY, Ryu JS.The effect of lumbar stabilization and walking exercises on chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(26):e16173. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000016173Amila A, Syapitri H, Sembiring E.The effect of William Flexion Exercise on reducing pain intensity for elderly with low back pain.Int J Nurs Health Serv. 2021;4(1):28-36. doi:10.35654/ijnhs.v4i1.374Lurie J, Tomkins-Lane C.Management of lumbar spinal stenosis.BMJ. 2016;352:h6234. doi:10.1136/bmj.h6234Sfeir JG, Drake MT, Sonawane VJ, Sinaki M.Vertebral compression fractures associated with yoga: a case series.Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2018;54(6):947-951. doi:10.23736/S1973-9087.18.05034-7Howell ER.Conservative management of a 31 year old male with left sided low back and leg pain: a case report.J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2012;56(3):225-232. PMID:22997473Spine-health.com.Exercise with Lower Back Pain: Should You Work Through the Pain.Montefiore Pediatric Orthopedic and Scoliosis Center.Low Back Strain.

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Suh JH, Kim H, Jung GP, Ko JY, Ryu JS.The effect of lumbar stabilization and walking exercises on chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(26):e16173. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000016173Amila A, Syapitri H, Sembiring E.The effect of William Flexion Exercise on reducing pain intensity for elderly with low back pain.Int J Nurs Health Serv. 2021;4(1):28-36. doi:10.35654/ijnhs.v4i1.374Lurie J, Tomkins-Lane C.Management of lumbar spinal stenosis.BMJ. 2016;352:h6234. doi:10.1136/bmj.h6234Sfeir JG, Drake MT, Sonawane VJ, Sinaki M.Vertebral compression fractures associated with yoga: a case series.Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2018;54(6):947-951. doi:10.23736/S1973-9087.18.05034-7Howell ER.Conservative management of a 31 year old male with left sided low back and leg pain: a case report.J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2012;56(3):225-232. PMID:22997473Spine-health.com.Exercise with Lower Back Pain: Should You Work Through the Pain.Montefiore Pediatric Orthopedic and Scoliosis Center.Low Back Strain.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Suh JH, Kim H, Jung GP, Ko JY, Ryu JS.The effect of lumbar stabilization and walking exercises on chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(26):e16173. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000016173Amila A, Syapitri H, Sembiring E.The effect of William Flexion Exercise on reducing pain intensity for elderly with low back pain.Int J Nurs Health Serv. 2021;4(1):28-36. doi:10.35654/ijnhs.v4i1.374Lurie J, Tomkins-Lane C.Management of lumbar spinal stenosis.BMJ. 2016;352:h6234. doi:10.1136/bmj.h6234Sfeir JG, Drake MT, Sonawane VJ, Sinaki M.Vertebral compression fractures associated with yoga: a case series.Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2018;54(6):947-951. doi:10.23736/S1973-9087.18.05034-7Howell ER.Conservative management of a 31 year old male with left sided low back and leg pain: a case report.J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2012;56(3):225-232. PMID:22997473Spine-health.com.Exercise with Lower Back Pain: Should You Work Through the Pain.Montefiore Pediatric Orthopedic and Scoliosis Center.Low Back Strain.

Suh JH, Kim H, Jung GP, Ko JY, Ryu JS.The effect of lumbar stabilization and walking exercises on chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(26):e16173. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000016173

Amila A, Syapitri H, Sembiring E.The effect of William Flexion Exercise on reducing pain intensity for elderly with low back pain.Int J Nurs Health Serv. 2021;4(1):28-36. doi:10.35654/ijnhs.v4i1.374

Lurie J, Tomkins-Lane C.Management of lumbar spinal stenosis.BMJ. 2016;352:h6234. doi:10.1136/bmj.h6234

Sfeir JG, Drake MT, Sonawane VJ, Sinaki M.Vertebral compression fractures associated with yoga: a case series.Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2018;54(6):947-951. doi:10.23736/S1973-9087.18.05034-7

Howell ER.Conservative management of a 31 year old male with left sided low back and leg pain: a case report.J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2012;56(3):225-232. PMID:22997473

Spine-health.com.Exercise with Lower Back Pain: Should You Work Through the Pain.

Montefiore Pediatric Orthopedic and Scoliosis Center.Low Back Strain.

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