Called cat cow pose in yoga circles, this pose is actually two poses that you can move back and forth between. Cat cow helps you create space between your ribs and loosen muscles in both your upper and lower back. These gentle stretches help reduce back pain and are easy to do.

To perform cat cow pose, start on all fours on a supportive yet firm surface, such as a floor or a yoga mat on a floor. If you have knee problems, you can add some padding under your knees to keep you comfortable.

Make sure your knees are directly under your hips, and your hands are directly under your elbows, which are directly under your shoulders.

Start by moving into cat: arch your back like a cat would, dropping your head and sucking your belly in. 

Next, move into cow: gently drop your belly toward the ground, raising your head and arching your back so your tailbone points toward the ceiling.

Hold each of these poses for about fives seconds at a time before moving into the next pose. Breathe out as you move into cat; breath in as you move into cow. Repeat about 10 times.