Cat cow stretch · Low back pain · St. Louis
Cat and cow for low back pain: slow motion for a stiff spine
Cat and cow is a hands-and-knees exercise that moves a stiff low back gently. You slowly arch your back up toward the ceiling, then let it sink toward the floor, 10 times, without stopping to hold.
Only do this one if your physician put a check next to it on your home exercise sheet. Do every checked exercise two times a day, each day, whether your back feels good or sore, unless your sheet gives other directions.
How do you do the cat and cow?
- Start: Get on your hands and knees. Line your hands up under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
- Move: Round your back up like a cat stretching. Then slowly let your belly drop and your back sag a little.
- Repeat: Keep it moving the whole time, with no hold at either end. Do 10 slow rounds.
How does the cat and cow help low back pain?
The discs in your spine have almost no blood supply. They get fed when the spine moves and the fluid around them shifts in and out. A back that is held still out of fear stiffens and gets starved.
Cat and cow takes each level of the lumbar spine through a small, safe arc with no weight on it. Most people feel the stiffness ease after a few rounds.
Is it right for my kind of back pain?
Your physician may tell you to favor one direction. Some backs like the rounded cat more. Others, often disc backs, like the gentle sag more. Do only the range you were shown. Our page on physical therapy for back pain explains why the direction of an exercise matters so much.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Going fast or jerking between the two positions.
- Pushing hard into the bottom of the sag.
- Locking your elbows straight.
When should you stop and call us?
Mild stretch, mild effort and a little stiffness the next morning are expected. Stop and call (314) 886-5904 if you notice any of these:
- Sharp or stabbing pain in the back
- Pain that spreads farther down the leg than it was before
- Pain 2 or more points higher than your starting number that lasts over an hour
- New numbness, tingling or weakness in a leg or foot
Go to the emergency room for new trouble controlling your bladder or bowels, or numbness in the groin or inner thighs. Our page on back pain red flags explains why.
Keep a log and bring it in
Each time you finish your exercises, check a box, and once a day jot down a single pain number. Your technician tallies your days at every visit and has you perform one exercise to check your form.
Other low back exercises in the program
This page is part of our physiotherapy program for back pain, where a physician orders, supervises and re-checks every step.
Not sure which exercises fit your back?
A physician exam sorts out whether your pain comes from a disc, a facet joint, the sacroiliac joint or a nerve, and your exercises follow from that.
12174 Natural Bridge Rd, Suite 301
St. Louis, MO 63044
At DePaul Hospital on Natural Bridge Road, inside the I-270 and I-70 interchange, on the west side of the airport.