Chances are you or someone you know has strained their back before. Suffice to say, it’s not a nice feeling.

Here are the six things to do immediately if you strain your back that I’ve found to be most effective.

There are many ways to put a recovery program together, but here are a few terrific drills that I referenced in the video above. Spend at least 90sec per side on each drill, and focus more on the areas that feel tender. Remember not to press too hard. You should be able to breath normally and relax into the massage. After all, we’re trying to get your tissues to chill out and release. The techniques shouldn’t cause you to tense up. If they do, ease up.

-Hip Flexor Massage

-Hip Flexor Stretch

-Glute Massage Option 1 and Option 2

-Low Back Massage

TAKING THE NEXT STEP

Once your back is feeling better, it’s a good idea to do some preventative work to minimize the chances of you straining your back in the future. Here are three resources to check out in that regard. If you have back problems I promise you’ll find this useful.

1. Overview of the best methods I’ve used for getting rid of back pain.
   

2. One simple concept to teach you the difference between good and bad positioning for your back.
   

3. A fantastic book you should read on back injuries if you lift heavy weights.