The knee to chest is a simple home exercise for your low back. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Pull one knee toward your chest with both hands until you feel a gentle stretch. Switch legs. Hold 20 seconds. Do it 3 times each leg.
Do this exercise only if your physician checked it on your home exercise handout. Unless your provider writes something different, do your checked exercises two times a day, every day.
How do you do the knee to chest?
- Start: Lie on your back with your knees bent.
- Do: Pull one knee toward your chest with both hands until you feel a gentle stretch. Switch legs.
- Repeat: Hold 20 seconds. Do it 3 times each leg.
What does the knee to chest help?
It gently stretches your low back and buttock muscles, which often tighten up after a back injury.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Pulling hard or fast.
- Lifting your head and neck off the floor.
- Holding through sharp or shooting pain.
When should you stop and call?
A gentle stretch, mild discomfort or feeling a little sore the next morning is normal. Stop and call (314) 887-5866 if you have:
- Sharp or stabbing pain
- Pain 2 points higher than before that lasts more than an hour
- New numbness, tingling or weakness
- Dizziness, or any change in vision
For chest pain, trouble breathing or fainting, call 911.
Bring your log to every visit
Check a box each time you do your exercises and write your pain number once a day. At each visit, your technician counts the days you did them and watches you do one exercise to make sure your form is right.
More low back exercises
This exercise is part of our physician-directed physiotherapy program, where a physician orders and supervises every treatment.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP. Board Certified in Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine, Interventional Pain Management, Addiction Medicine, and Obesity Medicine. Last reviewed October 18, 2026.