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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

>  What helps him when his flares up is to stretch in this manner:  sit on 
> the floor (preferably on a mat so as to not move), put your left leg out 
> in front of you.  Bend your right leg at the knee bringing your right 
> heel in to your crotch (as best you can to form an "L" with your 
> legs).  Lean forward with both arms stretching to your left foot and 
> count slowly to 15.  Reverse with right foot in front.  Then put both 
> legs in front of you and repeat.  Do 3x.

Thanks, Lisa. Btw, I do such exercises on the bed. Easier getting back up 
when in pain.

> Here's another one.  Stand and bring both your arms behind your back, 
> clasping your hands.  Keeping your hands together, begin to slowly bend 
> from the waist going as far down as you can.  You'll feel the stretch in 
> your lower back and legs.

That one makes me nervous. One of the possible movements that led to the 
initial back pain was trying to touch my toes. Hah! My long-ago 
heavily-used chiropractor once told me that, if one feels the need to 
stretch the back, it is much safer to lean sideways, first one way and then 
the other.