Day to day activities, as well as exercise, can take their toll on our backs, resulting pain and long term problems.

However, this needn't always be the case if you concentrate on improving your posture and repeating a few simple stretching exercises at home.

If you're suffering from back pain try spending between ten and 15 minutes a day doing these three easy stretches and hopefully you'll start to feel the difference.

Lower back stretch

Begin by sitting on the floor with your legs tightly together and straight out in front of you.

Follow this by reaching towards your feet slowly until you feel a stretch travelling from your calves, up your spine and in your lower back,

Make sure you breathe normally and hold the position for ten seconds, repeating three times.

Doing this stretch twice daily should also help improve your flexibility, meaning that while you may not be able to reach your toes initially after a few weeks you might just manage it.

Upper back stretch

You can carry out this stretch at work as all you need is a chair. Sit upright and keep your head erect, with your hands in your lap and your feet firmly on the floor.

Bring both your hands into a praying position and inhale deeply, then extend your hands out in front of you in the same position as you exhale.

As you do this drop your head and relax your shoulders, then sweep your arms back as if you were about to perform a swan dive, with your head facing the ceiling and your upper back arched.

Return to the prayer position and repeat five to ten times.

Upper eagle arm stretch

This upper back stretch is based on yoga and is also performed while seated upright in a chair.

Keep your head up tall, with your feet flat on the ground and your arms extended in front of you.

Cross your left bicep over your right bicep, bending the elbows so that the right forearm holds the left elbow.

Twist the right arm round and grab the palm of your left hand with the fingers of your right hand, grasping as much of the hand as you can.

Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.