This core exercise for low back pain is one of many exercises available to strengthen muscles in the abdomen to increase stability and reduce back pain, especially for people who sit for long periods of time.

To perform this exercise, start on hands and knees on the ground. Press into your hands to raise your knees off the ground and straighten your elbows, as if you’re about to do a push up. This is also called plank position.

Starting with the right side, bend your right knee up to touch your right elbow, bending your right side to make the connection. After you’ve touched your knee to your elbow, straighten your leg and place your right foot back where it was before. Repeat the exercise on the left side. Go back and forth from one side to the other until you’ve done the exercise 12 times on each side. As you get stronger, you can progress to doing 12 on each side, resting for one minute then doing 12 more.