The cat stretch is an excellent move if you experience tightness in the lower back from sitting too long. The stretch also helps with breathing in that it expands the ribs in the backside, which often become jammed. Here, Dr. Allison Haynes, DPT, demonstrates the proper way to do a cat stretch.
Unlike a cat stretch as seen in yoga, you should only round the back, but on the return, keep the back straight. Don’t overextend it into an arch. Maintaining the rounded back can help elongate the lower back muscles.
