Facet joints in your spine are the ones that help make your back more flexible. They are the small joints that help you bend and twist. When they are inflamed or not working correctly, you can have a lot of back pain. These stretches and exercises will hopefully help. See Doctor Jo’s blog post about this at:
First, lie on your back with your knees bent. Starting with a single knee to chest stretch, bend one knee and bring your leg up to your chest as far as you comfortably can. Hold this for 30 seconds and do it three times on each side.
The next stretch is called the pelvic tilt. You will roll back onto your back with your knees bent. You want to imagine pushing your belly button into the ground, or push your back flat onto the ground like you are squishing something. You can put your hand under the curve of your back, and try to push your back into your hand. Hold these for about 3-5 seconds.
Now you will do bridging. Push your bottom up off the ground, but try to do this slowly, and do one segment of your back at a time curling upward. Then slowly go down the same way, one segment at a time.
Turn over onto all fours, and then go into the child’s pose. You want to sit down onto your feet. Bow down to the ground and stretch your arms as far forward as you can. This is a great stretch for your mid back and shoulders. You can hold it for 30 seconds up to a minute.
Come back up on your hands and knees in a quadruped position or all fours. Try to keep your back straight like a tabletop, and try to keep your neck in a neutral position so you don’t strain anything. Now lift one arm up and bring in straight forward. Alternate your arms, doing 10 on each side. If that is easy, then do the same thing with your legs, and alternate each side 10 times. If it is still easy, then lift your opposite arm and leg and the same time.
The last stretch will be a cat stretch. The cat stretch is performed by tucking your chin in and arching your back. You can hold this for 30 seconds and do it three times.
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How to Get Out of Bed Without Back Stress:
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Doctor Jo is a Doctor of Physical Therapy.
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The neurosurgeon said that I broke the facet joint and it cause L5 to slide forward. I tried working like this and then was put on strong meds. Its unfortunate, because It seems Iike nothing can cool it off. My back is on fire, no matter what I do.
My wife has been doing this for 3 days and is pain free for the first time in a year! She wanted to say thank you so much to @AskDoctorJo, you have changed her life and she is now much more mobile.
Rotatiom strecth with right arm strains my mid spine which cracked and kneeled me to ground from pain a month ago and went but i cant bend my spine to sides now. Please any tips
Thank you dr jo.
Hi.
I had both my knees replaced in the last 2 years. It’s hard for me to do some of your exercises putting weight on the knees. Are there any alternate ways to do the stretches for facet joints.
First time visiting you. Absolutely wonderful Jo thank you! My back feels so much better. And you’re a great presenter.
Thank you. It hurts too much to sit. I hope these will help
I have degenerative disc disease, facet joint, as well as spinal stenosis. I naturally tend to do some of these exercises prior to physical therapy. Is it true that there is no surgery that can address these issues? Drs have recommended nerve block, but I feel like nerve blocks will keep from feeling when things are getting worse
I've had chronic back pain for 20 years no idea what's causing it
Do you have videos for cervical facet joints?
Dr Jo, Thank you so much, this has made such a difference to reducing the Facet joint pain. Thank you so much from Melbourne Australia
Can u do these if you also have sciatica?
Not a very nice T-Shirt! We're not all bad!
Can i continoue bodybuilding while i Got this facet syndrome og should i tone the wheight Down by 50 %
Will these work for upper back facet joint syndrome aswell?
How long should you do these exercises/ stretchers per exercise please
DEAR MADAM, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUST YOU TO UPLOAD DETAIL VEDIO OF ROOT CAUSE / IMBALANCE OF SWAY BACK POSTURE, SYMPTOMS & EXERCISE TO BE DONE TO GET RID OF SWAY BACK POSTURE. I HAVE STUDIED SWAY BACK DEFORMITIES IN ORTHOPEDIC PHYSICAL ASSESMENT BY DAVID. J MAGEE BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND BY COMMON PEOPLE LIKE US.
Thank you so much. Even though this is a video from 7 years ago, these exercises saved me. Facet arthropathy is different than disc herniation. Twisting at the waist and bending backwards is not good for facet joints. Especially helpful are the bridge and twist in upper back, shoulder.
This is sooo good!!
I can walk without pain after these exercises.
I'm a lupus patient and facet joint arthritis is my newest exciting new issue. Thank you SO much for this video. I'll be incorporating this into my daily routines, because the pain is getting to the point where I can barely stand for more than twenty minutes at a go.
My mri showed,mild facet joint hypertrophy,mild diffuse disc bulging at L4-5, mild central disc at L5-S1, i have pain down the back of my leg, will these exercises help?
Hey! The exercises are proving so so helpful with potential Facet Joint syndrome. Would you recommend doing the exercise set more than once a day? Still encountering a bit of pain of pain from the Facet joint. Also… how long do expect to do the stretches etc for before it would eventually disappear? Thanks so much!!
Time stamp 3:00
This particular stretch was the magic key for me! I’ve not seen this stretch included in other videos and certainly haven’t had other doctors suggest a rotation stretch with a facet joint issue.
Wonderful wonderful! Thank you so much ! ❤️I was in agonizing searing pain a day ago.
What If you also have herniated disc
I have been suffering for years from this I now believe and physical therapists didn’t help as much as your videos! Thank you sooo much! 🙏🏻🙏🏻Already noticing a difference when I do these daily 😊
Thank you! This is helpful! Can you tell me whether cherry stone pillows are helpful, too, please?
Hi all, I had a medial brach chain nerve block procedure around 4 months ago.
It's worked well to be fair, just wondering if there are any specific exercises, physio I could be doing to assist it?
I can't seem to find anything specific to the procedure anywhere.
Thanks
Mam it's worth for my mid back facet 📍
I am a female, 63 years old, weight 163. Was 5'7" but now 5'5". Good shape exercise and yoga. Walk about 4 to 6 miles or more a day. Started having bad back pain last Nov. Couldn't walk for about one day and then two more days to get normal. About a month ago I was blending down and couldn't get back up after working it all the way down and back to bent position finally got it loose but pain bad. Went to a chiropractor that day for a week. Finally by the end of next week ok. But still pain and last night got caught again! Able to get it loose quickly. Had X-rays done last week. Report says:
There is gentle apex left convex scoliosis centered at L3-L4. No acute fracture. There is disc and facet degenerative change at all levels, but worse at L5-S1. No acute fracture.
So my question….do I need to see a surgeon or an orthopedic Dr.? Should I be going back to chiropractor? What stretches do you recommend? Been doing all of yours and much more. 10 times holding for 5 counts and yoga positions holding for 30 seconds. Been doing about 30 minutes of them every day when I could without pain for about a year.
What should I NOT do?
I own and operated an acre and half of greenhouses….so for 35 years did hard lifting and man's manual labor. Have not done that since 2008. Since then clean houses every other week, two houses a day. My husband and I are "retired". Cement kills me and stranding does too. Now sitting does!!!
Jeannie Hughes
If I use a yoga mat on the floor it's extremely difficult for me to get back up off the floor. I'm 70 and live alone. Is there some kinda of exercise mat I can put on my bed??
Are these stretches recommended if you suffer Facet Arthropathy?
thank you so much for the video! I am 25 and I have facet joint syndrome. My doctor advised me to do injection, I did one time that helped me around 40 percent. He recommends me to do other 2 injections. Do you think it is better to treat this disease with physical exercises for young people than injections? Thank for your advice in advance!
How often should we do these exercises
I can't get on the floor or on my knees. Is there another way?
I just had an MRI and it says There is mild facet arthropathy at L5-S1 will these exercises be okay for this? I also do pelvic floor exercises every day for the tight pelvic floor.
Hi! How Many Times A Day I Do This BTW I’m a 10y.o
can you do a video on cervical facet joint?
I’m unable to get on the ground. Any standing exercise. Thx
Thank you
Hi doctor one week ago I dignosses mild faced joint arthropathy is seen in the lower lumbar spine can this excersise is good for me ?