Everyone experiences some sort of lower back pain or discomfort. It’s best not to ignore these common but sometimes debilitating aches and pains. Your lower back consists of five vertebrae, labeled L1 through L5, and your sacrum has five bones, labeled S1 through S5. Also known as your lumbosacral joint, your L5-S1 is the fifth vertebra of your lower back, which sits on top of the first bone in your sacrum.
Long story short: Your L5-S1 is a joint in your lower back. As with the other joints in your lumbar spine, your L5-S1 can experience compression and strain, which can cause uncomfortable symptoms. Read on to learn some common causes of discomfort and a few lower back stretches that may offer some relief once a healthcare professional has approved them.
What Typically Damages Your L5-S1?
Before we discuss exercises to relieve lower back pain, it is crucial to explain what causes this pain.
1. Age-Related Cartilage Loss
Like the other joints in your body, the joints in your lower back are subject to age-related cartilage loss, also known as osteoarthritis. This is a common condition that develops gradually during the aging process.
Although osteoarthritis is incurable, your doctor can recommend interventions like physical therapy, prescribed medications, or surgical procedures to improve pain, mobility, and spinal stability.
2. Herniated Disk
The disks in your spine are like rubbery cushions that sit between your vertebrae. Also known as a slipped disk or ruptured disk, a herniated disk occurs when one of these disks slips out of place because of aging-related changes or trauma.
Over time, these disks lose water and become less flexible, meaning the space between the vertebrae narrows. These are most common in the lower back and can cause pain or numbness.
3. Joint Damage
The facet joints that make up your lower back often experience significant stress and compression because of poor posture and overuse. This can lead to gradual joint damage or cartilage loss, often resulting in stiffness, spasms, inflammation, and pain.
4. Muscle Injury
In some cases, your lower back pain may not be due to direct damage to the lumbosacral joint, but could result from injury to the surrounding muscles known as lumbar strain. If you lift a heavy weight or suddenly twist your lower back you may cause yourself muscle pain or injury, especially if you have a weak core.
Why Exercises Shouldn’t Be Your First Choice for L5-S1 Pain
Unfortunately, L5-S1 pain (and most other lower back pains) do not usually heal themselves, especially after a few weeks of consistent aches, according to David Wells-Roth, MD, a neurosurgeon specializing in minimally invasive spinal surgery.
"If [your pain] persists, it is probably not muscular, and you should see a specialist in order to figure out a solution and what is wrong, so you don’t create further injury," he says.
Generally Safe L5-S1 Exercises to Try
Before you try any exercises or stretches for your lower back, it's best to consult a medical professional. While these exercises are generally safe, in some cases, stretching can worsen a herniated disc, according to Dr. Wells-Roth.
"If you have a herniated disc and some of the disc is extruded out onto the nerve, you can extrude it even more from the pressure and ultimately make it worse," he says.
Basic hamstring stretches (like touching your toes) can decrease the tension across your lower back, according to Wells-Roth.
- Sit up straight in a chair with your feet planted flat on the floor.
- Come to the edge of the seat and extend your right leg in front of you with a gentle bend in your knee. Ensure your heel is on the floor and your toes are pointing upward.
- Gently lean forward and reach your fingers toward your toes, keeping your chest up and back straight and bending at the hips. You should feel a stretch in the back of your thigh. On the extended leg, keep your knee as straight as possible.
- Hold here for about 30 seconds and then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat this two to four times on one side, then repeat on the other.
If you can't reach your toes, that's okay! You can reach for your knee or shin, depending on your flexibility.
This may help to stretch and strengthen your back and support muscles.
- Lie on the floor with your feet flat and your knees bent.
- With your right foot planted, gently pull your left knee toward your chest with both hands until you feel a stretch in your lower back.
- Pause here for a few breaths (around five seconds).
- Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Repeat each stretch two or three times.
If lying on the floor feels uncomfortable, you can place a pillow or mat under your back. For those who struggle to get up from the floor, perform the exercise near a couch or sturdy chair to help with balance. Alternatively, you can perform this move in bed.
"You should feel this stretch in your glutes and also in your opposite groin and adductors," Wells-Roth says.
- Place your left foot on a bench or couch.
- Keeping both legs straight and your hips square to the front, slowly bend from your waist to feel a stretch in your left hamstring.
- Breathe and switch sides.
You can also perform this stretch seated, with one leg stretched out in front of you with the toes pointed upward and the sole of the other foot resting against the inside thigh of the extended leg.
Tips to Relieve L5-S1 Pain
To complement your exercises, incorporate the following habits to relieve L5-S1 pain:
1. Strengthen Your Core
Strengthening your core is one way to relieve lower back pain, according to Wells-Roth. But that doesn't mean you should focus on the six-pack muscles.
Your core is a group of deep muscles around your trunk that support your spine and pelvis, including your lumbosacral joint. A stronger core means more support and protection for the sensitive joints in your lower back.
Although some research has found that specific core exercises are no more effective than engaging in exercise overall for lower back pain, activity is beneficial, and a focus on the core muscles may provide added benefit.
Poor posture is another common cause of lower back discomfort.
A stronger core might help improve your posture and thus improve your back pain.
2. Exercise Regularly
As long as you're not already in pain when you do it, exercise may alleviate lower back pain, according to Wells-Roth.
An umbrella review of 70 systematic reviews found evidence of low to moderate strength that both prescribed exercises and physical activity for enjoyment provided slight benefits for pain management and improved function in individuals with lower back pain. It also reduced how often people experienced lower back pain.
Sustained activity is also crucial for maintaining a healthy weight.
In general, a healthy body weight can significantly reduce pressure on your lower back and minimize pain, he says.
Everyone’s body responds differently to exercise, though. Consult your doctor to learn more about your specific goals and your body's needs.
3. Listen to Your Body
It may sound obvious, but it's important to listen to your body's pain signals. Lower back pain shouldn't be taken lightly, especially if the pain keeps getting worse or you've been experiencing pain for four weeks or longer.
If you experience prolonged discomfort, ease off your exercise routine and consult a doctor. "It’s important to properly stretch daily and get adequate exercise, such as taking long walks, other forms of low-impact cardio, and strengthening your core," Wells-Roth says. "However, if the L5-S1 is injured, it is never going to fully get better without treatment, and this will all simply relieve pain, not solve the issue."
Rachel Green
Rachel Davis
Derek Schulz
Sophia Martinez
Dr. Amara Okafor