The cat and cow is a simple home exercise for your low back. Get on your hands and knees. Put your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Slowly round your back up like a cat, then let it sag gently toward the floor. Move slowly with no holding. Do it 10 times.
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 cat and cow?
- Start: Get on your hands and knees. Put your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Do: Slowly round your back up like a cat, then let it sag gently toward the floor.
- Repeat: Move slowly with no holding. Do it 10 times.
What does the cat and cow help?
It moves each part of your spine through a small, safe range. Gentle motion helps a stiff back loosen up and brings blood flow to the area.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Moving fast or jerking.
- Forcing the bottom of the movement.
- Locking your elbows.
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.