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Why Your Lower Back Stretch Isn’t Working — The Secret Lies in Your Ribs

Do you keep stretching your lower back every day, but never feel real relief?
Maybe you feel your back is always tense or you notice an excessive arch in your lower back.
If this sounds familiar, it’s time to shift your attention from your lower back—to your ribs.

Your Lower Back Isn’t Working Alone

Most people believe the lower back pain comes from the spine itself. But actually, your ribs play a crucial role in supporting your back.
When your rib cage becomes stiff and stops moving well, your breathing becomes shallow and your thoracic mobility decreases.
As a result, both your spine and pelvis lose their natural movement, forcing your lower back to compensate for that loss of motion.
This extra workload leads to chronic tension and pain in your lower back.

[Try This] Simple Self-Check: Are Your Ribs Moving?

Place your hands on your back ribs.
Take a slow breath in through your nose, and exhale gently through your mouth.
Can you feel your back (especially your lower ribs) expanding as you breathe in?

If you don’t notice any movement in your back ribs, it means your rib cage is stiff—and your lower back is probably compensating for that lack of mobility.

If Your Ribs Move, Your Back Will Feel Better

When your ribs can expand and your breathing becomes deeper, your spine and pelvis can start moving together again, smoothly and naturally.
So, instead of focusing only on making your lower back flexible, try checking if your ribs are actually moving.

In Summary: Start With Your Ribs and Breathing

If you want to make your lower back feel better, begin by improving your rib mobility and breathing.

Want to Learn More?

On our blog, we explain the real reasons behind pain and discomfort in your body—sometimes in places you’d never expect. If you’ve tried everything and still haven’t found relief, you might find the missing piece here.

Check out our other articles for more insights.

At Wellness Factory TOKYO, we create truly personalized programs to support your individual needs.

Whether you’re struggling with shoulder or back pain, poor posture, or just want to move more comfortably—if you’re looking for long-term solutions (not just quick fixes), we’re here to help.

If you want to improve your posture, manage chronic pain through movement, or simply enjoy life more comfortably, why not try a session with us?

Let’s unlock your body’s true potential—together.

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