Lower Back (Lumbar) Exercises – Cat-Cows

The Cat-Cow exercise is great for working on lumbar spine flexion (rounding) and extension (arching) motion in a non-weightbearing position. This can be especially helpful for people who experience pain with these movements while upright in standing or sitting.

Starting Position

Cat Position

Cow Position

The Setup:

• Get onto your hands and knees either on your bed or floor
• Tuck your toes under your feet, then position your knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders

The Movement:

• Take a deep breath in and slightly lower your head, tuck your tailbone, and arch your back up to the ceiling until you feel a light to medium stretch in your lower back (cat position)
• Pause for a second, then lower your back down (i.e. drop your belly) and exhale
• Stop when you feel a light to medium pressure in your lower back – it should feel like you are increasing the curve in your lower back and “sticking your bum out” (cow position)
• Pause for a second, then round your back up to the ceiling again and inhale (cat position)
• Go back and forth slowly between these two positions