Almost everyone will have to deal with their back being in pain or being tight sometime in their life. This is usually caused because of neglecting this part of your body and not using a good back stretcher.  Such neglect can lead to many serious injuries. Many people would just rather work on building or toning their biceps or pectoral muscles in the gym instead of spending time to ensure that their body is in balance, and then one day they end up reaching or bending over for something—and then they have to deal with back pain for a few weeks, if not for the rest of their lives. Had they just spent some time stretching their back, then this would not have happened.

A little knowledge and time spent on strengthening and using a lumbar extendar back stretcher can go a very long way in preventing something like that happening to you, or can go a long way in helping your overcome and reduce your back pain (just in case you are like the majority of people and already have to deal with back pain).

First, some of the common causes of back pain actually don’t have to do with your back—they are tied directly to your gluteal, hamstring, and abdominal muscles. When working out, make sure that you do not forget to both strengthen and stretch these muscles. If you’re gluteals and hamstrings are too tight, they will make it harder for you to properly bend at the hips, which can create huge problems when you go to pick something heavy up off the floor. By not being able to bend properly, you will most likely do the rest of the bending with your spine, and your spine is not meant to bend and lift things like that.

Next, many people forget the importance of having strong abdominal muscles. Strong abdominals help your back in so many ways. They help your spine stay in proper position, and also can help relieve the constant compression forces that work relentlessly on your back throughout the night and day. Almost everyone I have ever seen with back pain has needed to strengthen their abdominal muscles.

So yes, you do need to stretch and strengthen your gluteal, hamstring, and abdominal muscles, but you also need to stretch your back regularly. This is especially true if you:

· Site for long amounts of time (at a the office in a desk chair, for example)

· Are overweight

· Lead a sedentary lifestyle

Each of these circumstances will only increase the amount of pressure on your back throughout the day, and you need to counteract these forces through proper exercise and stretching.

This is where many people have issues. They do not know how to properly stretch their back, and for good reason—it’s a difficult muscle/area to stretch. However, there is some great back stretcher fitness equipment that you can buy today that will help you with this. (And with the advent of the internet can be purchased online and delivered right to your door for much less than what you would pay at the local fitness shop).

Here is a brief list/description of some of the back stretching equipment available:

The Lumbar Extender:

The best way to describe the lumber extender back stretcher is really through a picture. It is essentially a piece of equipment that allows you to perform a supported back bend by laying down backwards on a skewed half/quarter-circle bench. By doing this you will be able to achieve a traction effect, allowing your vertebrae and discs to expand and decompress, thus elongating the spine. There are many different brands of lumbar extenders, and most of them are all great to use as a back stretcher. The price can vary greatly however, from as little as $75 to $300 or more, depending on what you want.

I personally love these, especially when used in conjunction with an inversion table. Check out your options on Amazon, in addition to all the user reviews to find the right one for you.

The Lynx Portable Back Stretcher:

This is one option that I don’t think there are any non name-brand alternatives (also, for full disclosure I have never used one of these before). Essentially, the lynx back stretcher has the same goals as others and is described as a self-induced traction tool which can help decompress and realign your spine while improving flexibility and posture.   Another advantage of the lynx system is that is it a portable back stretcher, which can be very handy.

Fitness balls:

You have almost invariably seen one of these. A good fitness ball (also know as a stability ball) can be a great help in balancing out your body. You can use it for stretching your back by laying down backwards on it as you would a lumbar extender (but not as effective as a lumbar extender for this), and can also use it during your regular fitness/weight lifting routine. One great way to use a fitness ball is as your bench when doing bench press with dumbbells—you are forced to stabilize and use your auxiliary muscles and work your pectorals as well. The advantages of a fitness ball are that they are cheap, portable, and useful in a variety of exercises. Basically, if you don’t have one, go pick one up or buy one online (they are even cheaper online, and you just have to inflate them when they come).

And my personal favorite – the inversion table

You can check out all the benefits of an inversion table from my other hubs, and needless to say I don’t believe that there is anything else that can be used as such an effective back stretcher. This machine is termed a 'upside down back stretcher' since you literally invert yourself to stretch.  If you are concerned about back problems, then this would be on the top of my list. However, make sure you speak and consult with your doctor before you start an inversion therapy.

Also, very related to the inversion table would be inversion gravity boots or an inversion chair.