Cross-legged forward bend: Hips & back
Crossing your legs rotates the hips outwards and stretches the lower back. Resting your hands on the ground and relaxing your head forwards stretches the upper back. Don’t push.
Seated twist: Outer hips & waist
This relieved hip soreness from lying in bed on my side. It also moved my waist and ribs, which felt like an enormous relief. Give that knee a good hug. Hold it for as long as it’s doing you good – a few seconds or a couple of minutes.
Thread the needle: Hips & back
More on the hips: But it was nice to lie down. This relieved hip soreness from lying in bed on my side, in a stronger way.
Side-lying twist: Hips, back & waist
This is a more relaxed version of the side twists. I preferred the stronger twist, hugging my knee firmly. But this one is more accessible and more relaxed.
Single leg stretch: Quadricep & lower back
I was surprised how useful this was, to release the discomfort from the whole front of the leg and hip on the outstretched leg. The leg being hugged stimulates the abdomen a bit, and stretches the lower back. Wonderful relief.
Sphinx and Cobra: Mid back bend
Lying in bed for too long causes my back to get tired and sore, Covid or not. This combination of poses gave my back a stretch in the opposite direction to what it was otherwise getting. Careful not to let your shoulders hunch up too close to your ears, that can make the neck sore.
Seated forward bend – Back & hamstrings
Fabulous relief all along my back, heels to top of head. BUT also very powerful: A tiny gesture of drawing my chin in a bit could be excrutiatingly strong. Remember to go easy with all these stretches.
Happy Baby Pose – Deep hip, groin and back release
The first image is the perfect pose :). The second image is a helpful variation. I often ended with this one. If you have the capacity to gently begin to straighten your legs, you’ll get a fantastic hamstring stretch too. Do not reach so hard to grab your feet that you arch your neck and create tension there. Remember – do only as much as you need, and helps you.