Many people carry about tension in the lower back. This may not even feel like a noticeable pain on a regular basis as you go about your day. However it can be a hidden potential for a flare up of back pain, or simply an injury waiting to happen when you move the wrong way. Here is a mild, simple and tell-tale method for finding out if your lower back has pent up tension in it, and is also a way to stretch and eliminate that tension and potential pain. This is an exercise for both women's and men's back health.

This can be especially helpful if you sit a lot, if your back is tight when you wake up, and before or after a long drive in your car, and can keep you from reaching for that bottle of pain killers as often for back pain.

I have found that this mild exercise is best done first thing in the morning. Now that may not sound like the most appealing or first thing you do in the morning (OK, grab your cup of coffee first, and do this mild back exercise while you enjoy your morning coffee!).

1. Get a chair with a hard, flat seat, like a wooden dining or kitchen chair.

2. Place your feet flat on the floor, with your ankles and calves aligned perfectly straight up and down, not tucked underneath or extended in front of you.

3. Sit up straight, and extend your spine perfectly straight.

4. Slowly loosen your neck muscles, lower your forehead and allow your chin to drop toward your chest.

5. You may start to feel a tight pulling sensation in your lower back, below your waistband. That is OK, as we want to find out how tight your back is in that location.

6. Place your hands with fingers interlaced around the back of your skull, not your neck, and apply some added tension with the weight of your arms to go deeper into the position.

7. Keep your back straight, and keep applying more pressure with your hands and arms.

8. You can slowly let up on the pressure, and slowly bring your head back up to normal forward looking position.

9. Repeat this 4 to 5 times slowly, depending on the amount of pain or tension you feel.

10.You should notice a great feeling of relief in your lower back, even if there was tension when you first began.

For some people, this will really not indicate much tension, which is a good thing. For those people just remember this exercise and try it once a week or so. Vary the days you try it, depending on amount of physical workload, if you are ill or healthy, the amount of exercise or sitting you have been doing recently, and even changes in the weather.

For other people, you will immediately notice tension and mild pain, and for some a very acute pain. That is OK also, this is intended to be a therapeutic stretch to relieve that pain by stretching and training the muscles and tendons back there. Your body has more power to heal itself that you may give it credit for, but sometimes that takes effort, and pushing a bit beyond what is comfortable.

I simply caution you to go slowly. Try repeating it 5 to 6 times per session, going just a bit deeper into the stretch each time. Perform this exercise 3 to 5 times per week, in the morning. If you have something serious going on with your back such as recent surgery, it may be best to discuss or try this with your doctor or caregiver the first time you do it.