You may wish to use a small flat pillow underneath your tummy and hips as you do this exercise.  Lie on your front on a firm surface and push up onto your forearms without raising your hips as shown in the diagram, do not strain, and then lower. Repeat this slowly and steadily without straining. You can also use the position shown in the diagram as a static stretch for up to 30 seconds to relieve back pain and stiffness.

How many how often?

Try doing 10 to 15 exercises at a time, in 2 or 3 sets, with a rest in between then stand up again.  You can repeat this again in the day.  If you find this helpful it can be done at intervals in the day depending on your pain and stiffness.

What is the benefit of this exercise?

Prone on elbows can be used to introduce a vital movement back to the spine when it can feel very difficult to be upright. It can also help particularly during the early phase of recovery from a lumbar disc problem.

What can I expect to happen?

You may feel stiff in your back whilst doing this, but after a few days, your tolerance to standing and walking for example as well as pain control in general may improve due to the benefits of this exercise.

Works best with?

The rest positions, after flexion in lying and lumbar rotation exercises.