Can Stretching Help Ease Tightness Around the Lower Back and Pelvic Area?

The answer is that it depends on the underlying cause, but there are a variety of gentle movements that some people find helpful when they experience feelings of stiffness or muscular tightness around the lower back and pelvis.

In clinic, I often find that clients who spend a lot of time sitting at a desk, driving, or leading a predominantly sedentary lifestyle report feelings of stiffness around the hips, pelvis and lower back. Interestingly, people whose jobs involve repetitive movements, such as manual or physically demanding roles, can report similar feelings of tightness.

This highlights an important point: both too little movement and too much of the same type of movement can sometimes contribute to feelings of stiffness and discomfort around the lower back and pelvic region.

While stretching isn’t a cure-all, gentle movement can help some people feel more comfortable, improve confidence in movement, and temporarily reduce feelings of stiffness. The exercises below focus on areas that commonly influence comfort around the pelvis, including the hip flexors, gluteal muscles, lower back and surrounding tissues.

As always, exercises should be performed within a comfortable range and should not significantly increase pain. If symptoms are persistent, worsening, or causing concern, it is important to seek appropriate healthcare advice.

1. Pelvic Tilts

Top image: neutral spine Bottom image: flat back pelvic tilt
  • Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. In this neutral position, the natural curve of your lower back will be slightly off the floor.
  • Create a flat back: Exhale and gently rock your hips toward your head. As you do this, you’ll feel your lower back flattening into the floor. Also draw your navel up and in towards your spine and keep it contracted around 50% (so you are able to breathe). If this is difficult to do, imagine you have a tail and you are trying to hide your tail between your legs.
  • Hold position for a couple breaths, then relax.
  • Repeat 10 times in a slow, controlled manner.

2. Standing Hip Flexor Stretch

Standing lunge hip flexor stretch with pelvic tilt
  • Stand in a staggered stance, with one foot in front of the other.
  • Keeping your chest upright, gently bend the front knee and shift your weight forwards (lunge position).
  • Create a ‘flat back’ by tilting your pelvis/tucking your tailbone in. 
  • You should feel a stretch at the front of the hip and upper thigh of the back leg.
  • Hold this position for a few breaths, then return to standing position.
  • Repeat on the other side.
  • Tip: Stretching the hip flexors is really handy if you’ve been sitting for a long time!

3. Seated Figure-Four Stretch

Seated figure-four stretch
  • Sit up straight with feet hip-width apart and feet flat on floor.
  • Bring one ankle over your opposite knee.
  • Hold your ankle in place with the opposite hand.
  • With your other hand gently push your bent leg down (just above the knee joint) until you feel a stretch in your hip/buttock/lower back.
  • To make the stretch stronger, keep your back straight then gently lean forwards.
  • Hold this position for a few slow, deep breaths.
  • Return to start position, then repeat on the other side.

4. Cat-Cow Movement

Above: Cow pose Below: Cat pose
  • Start in Tabletop: Begin on your hands and knees in a neutral position. Align your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Spread your fingers wide and keep a straight, flat back.
  • Cow Pose (Inhale): As you breathe in, let your belly drop toward the floor. Lift your chest and tailbone toward the ceiling, and gently gaze straight ahead.
  • Cat Pose (Exhale): As you breathe out, draw your navel toward your spine, tuck your tailbone, and round your back toward the ceiling (just like a stretching cat). Drop your head gently and look toward your hips.
  • Move comfortably between these positions for 8–10 repetitions.

5. Child’s Pose (Wide, Narrow, and Side-Shift Options)

Childs pose wide stance
  • Start on your hands and knees, then slowly sit your hips back towards your heels and reach your arms forwards.
  • You can adjust this position depending on what feels most comfortable:
    • Narrow stance: Keep your knees together or hip-width apart. This tends to create a more focused stretch through the lower back.
    • Wide stance (as shown in pic): Take your knees wider apart while keeping your big toes touching or feet apart. This variation can feel more open through the hips and pelvis.
    • Side-to-side variation: From child’s pose, gently walk your hands over to one side. This shifts the stretch into one side of the lower back and can help explore asymmetrical tightness. Hold for a few breaths, then slowly walk your hands to the other side.
  • Hold this position for several breaths.

In Summary

Stretching can be a useful way to temporarily ease feelings of tightness around the lower back and pelvis, but it is often only one piece of the puzzle. For many people, long-term improvements are best supported by a combination of regular movement, appropriate strengthening exercises, and lifestyle habits that encourage the body to move in a variety of ways throughout the day.

If you’re looking for ideas on exercises that can help build strength around the hips and pelvis, take a look at my previous article on glute strengthening exercises.

If you’d like personalised advice or support with ongoing stiffness or discomfort, osteopathic treatment may help as part of your wider management plan. To book an appointment, simply click here.