Cat and cow exercise ยท low back pain
Cat and cow moves every level of a stiff back, one small piece at a time.
Cat and cow is a home back stretch: on all fours, you arch your spine up like an angry cat, then let your belly sag a little toward the floor, moving without holding, 10 times.
Skip this one unless it is marked on the home program your physician gave you. Unless your instructions say otherwise, do your marked exercises twice a day, every day, and tick off each session in your log.
Step by step: the cat and cow
- Set up: Kneel on all fours with your hands below your shoulders and your knees below your hips.
- Move: Round your back up, tucking your chin and tailbone. Then reverse slowly, letting your belly drop a little and lifting your gaze.
- Count and hold: Keep it flowing, with no holds. 10 times. Twice a day.
Why the cat and cow matters after a procedure
The spine is a chain of small joints, and a stiff back usually moves as one block instead of as a chain. This stretch takes each segment through a small, safe range, which brings blood flow to the joints and discs and shows guarding muscles that motion is allowed again. The small joints at the back of the spine stiffen fastest when they go unused; read about facet joint pain.
Which mistakes undo it?
- Moving fast or jerking between the two positions.
- Pushing the sag lower than feels easy.
- Elbows locked stiff.
When to stop for the day
Expect a mild stretch, some effort, and maybe a little soreness the next morning. Quit for the day and phone (314) 886-5620 if you get:
- Numbness, tingling or weakness that was not there before
- A sharp, stabbing pain
- Pain that rises 2 points or more above your starting number and does not settle within an hour
- Lightheadedness, or your vision changing
Fainting, chest pain or a struggle to breathe: dial 911, not our office.
What to remember
- Keep it flowing; never pause.
- A small range is fine. Do not force the bottom.
- Soft elbows the whole time.
Last step. Show us you have it: Right here in the clinic, do two slow rounds on all fours while your technician watches your elbows and the bottom position. Unsure about any step? We run through it with you again next time.
Why bring your exercise log?
The log is how we tell the difference between an exercise that is not working and an exercise that is not being done. At each visit your technician counts the sessions you checked off, notes your daily pain number, and watches you do one exercise to correct your form before small errors become habits.
Related reading
- The painstl.com physiotherapy program, every station and test
- Pelvic tilt, another low back exercise
- Knee to chest, another low back exercise
- Bridge, another low back exercise
Need the plan built around your injection?
A physician examines you first and decides which low back exercises fit your diagnosis and the procedure you had.
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