Top stretches to grow taller

1. Touch your toes.

Start every morning by getting out of bed and stretching your back and hamstrings with some toe-touches. This is not recommended for older adults, though, as it compresses the anterior head of the vertebrae, especially in the lumbar region, and could actually make you shorter.

• Touching your toes will help to loosen you up first thing in the morning.
• Doing this stretch will warm up your back muscles.
• Doing this stretch will improve your posture and strengthen your back. Make yourself look taller by standing upright.
• Start by reaching straight up with your arms above your head, before bending over and touching your toes. Try to keep your legs straight, but a little bend in the knee is fine.
• Finish by releasing and bring your hands back up above your head and straighten your spine.

2. Do the bridge. 

Improve flexibility in your back by doing a bridge. While this pose is a stretch of the hip flexors, it’s also an exercise for the lower back and the back of thighs.

• Completing a bridge is a little tougher than just touching your toes.
• Start by lying on your back. Then lift your knees and reach your hands down to grab your ankles. To make it easier, you can hold your arms out at your sides instead of holding the ankles.
• Finish by lifting your torso from your hips so you are stretching out your back.

3. Do a cobra pose.

Doing this yoga pose will help improve flexibility in your back. Relieve pressure on your back by doing this stretch.

• Doing this pose after slouching can help to realign your back.
• Start by laying flat on your chest with your hands at either side of you.
• Now, push down on your hands and lift your chest up. Tilt your head back a little.
• Make the stretch more effective by using your back muscles as much as you can.

4. Do a hip flexor stretch.

Follow these instructions to release pressure on your lower back and abdominal muscles, with this stretch.

Start from standing position with your hands on your hips. Make sure that your knees are aligned horizontally.

• Now, place one foot on the ground ahead of you like you are stepping forward.
• Bend your extended knee and transfer your body weight to that front leg, lowering yourself slowly until your back knee just kisses the ground.
• Lean backwards a bit and tilt your head up to the ceiling.
• Step back into a standing position and repeat on other side.
• Try to do this stretch right before you go to bed.