Toe touch

Spines are designed to move through a full range of movement, and that includes being able to bend forward towards touching your toes. Spinal flexion stretches the back of the discs and facet joints, encouraging fluid flow.

This isn't the first exercise I would give a patient who was struggling with acute back pain or spasm, so if that's you, don't start here! However, it is something I help people to work towards.

This version aims to get you rolling down, vertebra by vertebra (much like a standing version of my Breathing 4 video). As your head goes forwards, your pelvis should go backwards, so your weight should end up slightly over your heels as your hands reach as far as they'll go.

Take a few breaths into your diaphragm when you get to your end of range, and aim to relax a bit further into range as you exhale.

To come back up, bend your knees and push through your toes and midfoot - this offloads the back muscles as you stand, getting your glutes to do more of the work. This is safer, especially until you've built up strength in your back. As usual, roll back up bone by bone, so that your head should be the last thing to come back to vertical.

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