FlowlyLower back — a gentle reset
Small, unhurried movements for a lower back that feels tight, heavy or stuck.
ProtocolFoundational12 min practice
When this may be useful
After long sitting, on a day when your back feels stiff rather than sharply painful, or as a gentle way back into movement.
Before you begin
Work only in ranges that feel comfortable. Nothing here should provoke sharp pain, and you should be able to breathe easily throughout.
Understand
A back that feels tight is not necessarily a back that is damaged. Sensations of stiffness are influenced by position, load, sleep, stress and how long you have been still. Gentle, varied movement often changes the sensation because it changes input to the area, restores some pelvic and spinal options, and lets breathing settle. We are not trying to correct anything — we are giving the area more ways to move.
Practise
The sequence
01Constructive rest
2 minutes
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor. Let the weight go into the mat.
- Purpose
- Reduce the effort you are holding before you ask for anything.
- What to notice
- Which parts of your back touch the floor, and which do not.
02Breathing wide
6 breaths
Hands on the sides of the ribs. Inhale into your hands, exhale slowly.
- Purpose
- Restore rib movement and lengthen the exhale.
- What to notice
- Whether the lower back softens as you exhale.
03Pelvic clock
8 slow repetitions
Tip the pelvis gently towards twelve and six, then explore three and nine.
- Purpose
- Return small, deliberate movement to the pelvis and lumbar spine.
- What to notice
- Which direction is least available today.
- Modification
- Keep the range tiny — smaller is usually more informative.
04Knee sways
6 each side
Knees together, let them tip a small way to one side and return, then the other.
- Purpose
- Gentle rotation through the lower spine.
- What to notice
- Whether one direction travels further.
- Modification
- A cushion between the knees if that feels better.
05Spine curls
5 repetitions
Peel the spine off the mat segment by segment, then place it back down slowly.
- Purpose
- Articulation and gentle work through the back of the legs.
- What to notice
- Where the spine lands as a block on the way down.
- Modification
- Lift only as far as the ribs, or less.
06Hugging the knees
30 seconds
Draw one or both knees towards the chest, holding behind the thighs.
- Purpose
- A comfortable end position and a moment of stillness.
- What to notice
- The difference between this and where you started.
Notice
Come back to lying flat and scan from your feet upwards. Compare what you feel now with the very first position.
A note on scope
If your back pain is severe, spreading down a leg, or accompanied by numbness, weakness, fever or bladder changes, this may be worth exploring with a qualified healthcare professional before continuing.
Reflect
A moment to notice
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