Knee To Chest Back Exercise: Yay or Nay?

Lying on your back and bringing your knees toward your chest is NOT the best stretch for your back nor is it even beneficial. While it is common to do these types of back stretches, they are generally not good for your back because you are forcing your spine into a flexed position that it already does more than necessary. For example:

Ways You Forward Bend (Flex) Your Spine
1. Sit for long periods
2. Slump sit
3. Bend forward to reach for things
4. Sit in a reclined position

Clearly you achieve more than sufficient forward movement of your spine and do not need any additional stretching such as knees to chest. If your back feels tight and you want to stretch it, remember that your back muscles have been on a constant stretch during all of the above listed activities. So continuing to stretch your back in the forward direction will not decrease your back tightness.

Best Replacement for Knee To Chest Exercise
Roll over onto your tummy and press up onto your forearms or hands (your hips and lower abdomen will stay down). This can be done by repeating 5-10 times or by holding for 15-20 or more seconds. This puts your spine into a backwards position (extension), which is healthier for your back than knees to chest. The photo shows a pretty difficult stretch, so start with pressing up onto your forearms. If you tolerate that well, then you can progress up onto hands.

Photo: www.themanualtherapist.com

Remember to consult your physician before doing any back exercises. If you have back problems, I recommend you see a Physical Therapist before beginning this exercise. 

What is a good stretch for my low back?

A lot of my low back patients tell me that they have tried to stretch their backs out by bending forward to touch their toes. Unfortunately, this is not a good stretch for most of them. So how should you stretch out your back if it feels tight or stiff?

Here is a simple exercise that you can do this weekend at home, either on your bed, on the couch or on the floor. Lie on your tummy (face-down), and prop up onto your forearms. Hold this position for a few minutes as you watch AFV, play Angry Birds or read the paper. This is a position that children stay in sometimes when they watch TV or play video games, but it actually is a very healthy position for adults as well! Think about the position that your low back is in throughout most of your day. How often, if ever, do you stretch your spine in the backwards direction? The forward position (flexion) of your spine occurs whenever you sit or bend forward, so it is likely the majority of your day. Therefore it does not need to be stretched in that direction.

So try your new backwards (extension) stretch for at least 3-5 minutes, at least 1-2x/day, and you likely will get better results than other back stretches.



Ref: McKenzie, Robin. Treat Your Own Back, 9th edition. Orthopedic Physical Therapy Product: 2011.