If your lower back is tired and tense after the workday, start not with stretching but with two simple steps.
1. First, release the lower back. Lie on your back, bend your knees and rest your calves on a chair or sofa so the knees are at roughly a right angle. Stay for 3–5 minutes, breathing calmly. This position lets you take some of the load off the lower back.
2. Then add movement. In the same position, slowly tilt the pelvis toward you and away from you, in small movements. Do 8–10 repetitions. Then stand up and walk calmly for a few minutes.
There's no need to try to stretch the lower back hard. After long sitting, gentle movement and gradually engaging the muscles are often more helpful than intense stretching.
