I get asked a lot what stretches you can be doing every day to help relieve tension in your problem areas. And while this does vary with everyone, here are my top stretches that you should be doing every day for better mobility and relief in the more common problem areas. Any of these stretches can be googled for video or image reference. 

Spine Mobility 

Keeping your spine mobile and healthy is most important for every day pain relief. 

1. Cat and Cow- While on all fours, brace your core, and on the inhale drop your belly while lifting your chin and look up, creating a deep arch in the back, like a cow. Exhale as you round the spine, dropping your chin to your chest, like a cat. Repeat this motion 10-20 times to stretch the upper and lower back, creating movement along the entire spine. Play around with what feels good, maybe moving the spine in circles or side to side.
2. Spinal Twists- There are many variations of spinal twists, all of them great. Twisting the spine will help create mobility in the QL and obliques, helping with pain relief in the low back. While laying on your back, keep one leg flat, while bringing the other up, bent at the knee, and slowly pull the leg across the body, twisting at the spine, and turning your face to the opposite direction of where you’re pulling that leg. Repeat on both sides, hold for 30-60 seconds each side. 

Hip Mobility

Tight hip flexors are one of the bigger causes of low back pain (along with tight hamstrings). Tension can also be mistaken for weakened muscles as well, so it is just as important to strengthen the hip flexors along with stretching them.

1. Lunge to ham stretch- Start in a low lunge, with one knee on the ground and the other leg bent 90 degrees at the knee. Inhale as you lean forward, feeling the stretch in the psoas. Exhale as you pull backwards, extending that front leg and creating a deep stretch in the hamstring. Repeat 10 or so times, holding the stretch for as long as feels good for you. Repeat on both legs. 
2. 90/90 hip rotations- This stretch will work with internal rotation of the hips. While sitting on the ground, bend both legs 90 degrees, rotating them side to side. 

Shoulders and Pecs

Upper back pain is often due to tension in the pecs. So stretching here along with the shoulders is important. 

1. Wall Stretch- Standing parallel to a wall, place your arm behind you flat against the wall. Slow walk your fingers along the wall, keeping your arm straight. Creating a full circle, this will stretch the pecs and the deeper muscles within the armpit. 
2. Scapula Stretch- Keeping it simple and sweet, pull one arm across the chest, keeping it straight, and pulling until you feel the stretch in the back of the shoulder. Repeat on both sides, holding for 30-60 seconds. 

Neck Stretches

Stretching the neck will help relieve headaches and pain in the levators/upper traps. 

1. Side stretch- place one hand on the top of the head, gently pull down on the head, creating a stretch along the side of the neck and top of the shoulder. Repeat on both sides, holding for 20-30 seconds. 
2. Upper traps/ back of the neck- Place both hands on the back of the head, pulling the chin down to touch your chest. This will create a stretch along the back of the neck and upper back. 

Creating a 10 minute stretch routine to do every morning and every evening will truly benefit you in the long run, improving flexibility and preventing injury.