Lower back relief without leaving your chair

A low back that has not changed position since nine in the morning gets stiff for a boring reason: nothing has moved. These moves move it, gently, without you having to get on the floor.

1. 

   1. Seated cat-cow

   Sitting, round your mid-back and tuck the chin slightly (cat), then lift the chest and look forward (cow). Move slow.

   Feel it: your spine moving one segment at a time

   Avoid: Rushing or forcing end range.

2. 

   2. Seated pelvic tilts

   Sit tall. Gently rock the pelvis to flatten the low back against the chair, then tip the other way to recreate a small low-back curve.

   Feel it: your low back rocking gently

   Avoid: Forcing a big range of motion.

3. 

   3. Sit bones find

   Sit and rock gently side to side and front to back until you feel both sit bones on the chair, then sit tall balanced on them.

   Feel it: your weight land evenly on both sit bones

   Avoid: Perching on the tailbone or slumping off the sit bones.

4. 

   4. Seated figure-4

   Sit tall. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Hinge a little forward from the hips until you feel a stretch in the outer hip — stop before sharp pain.

   Feel it: the outside of your hip and glute

   Avoid: Pressing down on the bent knee.

5. 

   5. Long exhale reset

   Inhale through the nose, then sigh out through the mouth for longer than the inhale. Soft shoulders. Stop if you feel lightheaded.

   Feel it: your shoulders drop on the way out

   Avoid: Breathing too fast (hyperventilating).

• Small ranges beat big ones here. You are looking for movement, not a stretch you have to brace for.