The invention relates to a stretching apparatus consisting of a base plate (9) having a mast which is vertically adjustable thereon and at an upper end of which a lying element is mounted. The lying element is supported on said vertically adjustable mast in such a way that the lying element can be pivoted about a horizontal shaft (42). Adjustable restraining elements (22) for the upper arms near the armpits are attached to a movable slide having a pad (34) at the head end of the lying element, and the restraining elements having a foot pad (32) for the feet are attached to a movable slide having a pad (33) at the foot end of the lying element. A standing surface (31) extending perpendicularly to the lying element is formed thereon at the foot end thereof. Two handle bars (23) for the manually controlled pivoting of the lying element are articulated at the front side of the upper mast part (6). The movable slides having the pads (33, 34) are connected to each other together with the restraining means (22, 23) on the lying element by means of cable pulls having a steel cable (5) about a plurality of deflecting rollers (3, 4) in such a way that, by pivoting the lying element about the horizontal position, the slides with the pads (33, 34) can be moved apart and back toward each other again while coupled to each other. By means of the rocking about the horizontal position of the lying element, the back can be alternately stretched and relaxed.
