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Standing Extension exercise demonstration
Exercise library

Standing Extension

An upright version of the press-up, hands on hips, easing the spine backward for symptom relief between exercise sessions.

Area
Lumbar spine
Stage
Mobility phase
Equipment
No equipment

Typical dose: 1 set × 10 reps · 3 times a day · slow and controlled. This is a general starting point, not a plan matched to your condition or stage.

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How to do it

No equipment needed - just a bit of space.

Stand tall with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on your lower back or hips, with your fingers pointing downwards.

  1. Use your hands as a support and gently lean your upper body backwards.
  2. Let the bend come from your lower back, keeping your knees straight.
  3. Go only as far as feels comfortable, then return to standing upright.

Form cues

  • The bend comes from your lower back, not from your knees.
  • You feel a gentle easing in your back, not a sharp pinch.
  • Any symptoms in your leg move up towards your back, or stay the same.

Common mistakes

  • Forcing the movement or bouncing at the end of the range.
  • Leaning back so far that you feel unsteady — stand near a wall or worktop if your balance is uncertain.

Safety: Stop and message your physio if the pain spreads further down your leg, or you notice new or worse numbness, pins and needles, or weakness.

Part of these recovery programmes

This exercise is one step in a staged plan for the conditions below. Each link opens the full programme and shows where this exercise fits.

Related exercises

Other exercises from the library that pair well with this one.

Bridge ProgressionTargets hip and trunk strength to improve movement tolerance.Lumbar spineStrength phaseView details Bird DogImproves spinal stability by extending opposite arm and leg in a slow, controlled pattern.Lumbar spineStrength phaseView details McKenzie Press-UpGentle repeated lower-back extension to centralise leg symptoms toward the spine, following the McKenzie extension principle.Lumbar spineEarly rehabView details Pelvic TiltA small rocking of the pelvis to ease lumbar tension, safe and gentle enough for antenatal and postnatal back pain.Lumbar spineEarly rehabView details

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Written and clinically reviewed by Shivaliba Zala, HCPC-registered physiotherapist (PH155757)

Reviewed 8 September 2026

This exercise is generic - you're not

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