8 Body Sense
B O D Y F O R L I F E
Back Care
Stretch the Pain Away
Back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and it will affect as much as 80
percent of the population at some point in their lifetimes. While research continues to show
that massage is of great benefit to the back-pain sufferer, there are other things you can do to
ward off the pain, including stretching. Here are some simple active isolated stretches (an approach
developed by Aaron Mattes) to keep your back healthy between massage appointments.
PSOAS STRETCH
In this active isolated stretch, begin in a lunge
with your hip stacked over your knee. With your
core engaged and your posture erect, begin to
lunge forward. When you reach the end point of
this stretch, hold for 2 seconds. Release. Repeat.
