Today’s live sorts popular “lower-back-pain stretches” into two buckets: the ones that feel good but slow healing (e.g., knee hugs/forward-flexion flossing, long dead hangs) vs the ones that actually help (towel or bed decompression done gently, with a neutral spine focus). You’ll learn why repeated flexion eases symptoms but strains the injured L4/5–L5/S1 tissues, how to set up towel decompression safely (3–5 min), and when a dead hang is simply too aggressive for a recovering disc. We also cover sit-to-stand cues that stop the “lightning bolt” when you get up, mattress myths, hydrotherapy pitfalls, why planks provoke discs, and common anatomy variants (lumbarisation/Bertolotti) that don’t change the rehab plan.Start here → https://backinshapeprogram.com/start/Highlights:🔹 Why knee-hugs/chest-to-knees worsen disc strain.🔹 Towel decompression: what it does, 3–5 min setup.🔹 Dead hangs: big pressure swings = too aggressive.🔹 Neutral-spine sit↔stand: feet under, push vertically.🔹 Rehab framework: Relief + Strength (Core work) + Education.#backinshape #sciatica #herniateddiscsChapters: 00:00:00 Intro — today’s topic: stretches for lower back pain00:01:29 Wrong ‘decompression’: knee hugs / flossing00:02:21 Recovery rule: focus on a neutral spine00:03:14 Why knee-hugs feel good but harm healing00:03:55 Towel decompression — what it does & why00:05:24 Towel demo: setup, 3–5 mins, getting up safely00:06:09 9.5h sitting: restore lordosis to offload L4/5–L5/S100:07:11 Bed decompression — gentler option00:07:21 Dead hangs: pressure swings = too aggressive00:26:42 Getting out of bed/chair: feet under, push vertically00:30:29 Mattress advice: replace only if broken/bowing00:33:25 Relief, Rehab, Education — the 3-part plan00:40:57 Hydrotherapy: relief, but often impractical early00:46:18 Planks = disc provocation test; skip for rehab00:48:35 Lumbarisation/Bertolotti: common anatomy variants00:57:12 Microdiscectomy: why prehab helps either way01:09:30 Wrap-up & next steps