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Strengthen your back: 12 easy exercises for lower back pain
What is low back pain and how can you strengthen your back to avoid it and the pain of its symptoms? Follow these daily exercises.
Lower back pain is a common cause for visits to the doctor. Actually called ‘low back pain’, it is the most common cause of job-related disability. This article will help you understand what low back pain is, what causes it and what you can do to help strengthen your back — including exercises.
What is low back pain?
- Low back pain (often called ‘lower back pain’) has a number of symptoms which can — but don’t always — include:
- Dull aches or pains in the low back (lumbar spine)
- Stinging, burning pain
- Numbness or tingling
- Muscle spasms and tightness
- Pain that gets worse after prolonged periods of sitting or standing
- Difficulty or pain going from standing to sitting
- These can often manifest or travel to the pelvis and hips as well.
Read our article on what causes low back pain here.
What can you do to strengthen your back?
By strengthening your back, you can reduce the symptoms and suffering of low back pain. There are various ways to do it, for example:
- Strengthen your core muscles (which include your pelvic floor muscles, transversus abdominis and internal and external obliques)
- Stay active! Aerobic exercise and limited bed rest for back pain are important
- Lift weights. This doesn’t necessarily need to be hours of dead weights in the gym, a few specific exercises with small weights at home can help strengthen your back over time
- Maintain good posture
- Improve your flexibility
- Avoid back braces as these don’t help to strengthen your back but can mean your back starts to rely on it.
Pilates, yoga, meditation and other relaxation techniques can also help to reduce pain and strengthen your core. Yoga helps increase muscle strength in specific muscle groups and does so by keeping the body in positions. Stretching with yoga also increases blood flow, promoting nutrient flow round the body helping to flush out toxins and nourish the muscles and soft tissues in the lower back.
12 exercises to strengthen your back
1. Bottom-to-heel stretch
Kneel on all fours while trying to keep your back and neck straight but don't lock your elbows. Slowly move your bottom backwards to meet your heels. Hold the stretch for a deep breath and return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.
2. Cat and dog stretch
Kneel on all fours and arch your back upwards while dropping your chin to your chest. Then drop your stomach and lift your head up tilting your pelvis as you do so. Repeat 10 times.
3. Child’s pose
Sit back on your heels with your arms stretched forwards, head and palms down. Work your hands as far away from you as you can, using your fingers to pull your hands along. Now take a deep breath in and out.
Then do this to each side. Turn to your right and place your hands flat on the ground. Reach again, breathe again. Then turn to your left and do the same.
4. Lying knee hug
Lie on your back. Lift your shoulder blades off the ground. Clasp your hands on your right knee and pull it towards your chest. Now swap legs. Repeat 10 times.
5. Bird dog
Kneel on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Stretch your left leg and right arm so they are as horizontal as you can get them, in line with your back. Hold it for three to five seconds. Then swap, stretching your right leg and left arm. If you can, tense your bottom muscles while stretching.
6. Plank and feet
Go into a push-up position with your arms extended — not bent. Lift your left foot upwards a few inches and down again. Do the same for the right foot. Remember to keep your back straight. Repeat 10 times.
7. Kneeling psoas stretch
Go into a lunge, with your left knee on the ground and place your hands on your right knee. Hold your body upright to stretch the front of your left leg. Then swap. Repeat 10 times.
8. Back extension
Lie face down on the floor (it can help to place a cushion under your hips). Place your arms by your side. Now lift your head and arms a few inches, hold for a few seconds, then slowly release. Repeat 10 times.
9. Pelvic tilts
Sit on the edge of a chair or bench and slowly rock your pelvis forwards, and then backwards. Do this for 30 seconds.
10. Piriformis stretch
Sit in a chair and place your right ankle on your left leg. Press down gently on your right knee while holding your ankle with the other hand to stop it sliding. Now sit up tall, then lean forwards. Hold for 30 seconds and slowly sit back. Now repeat for the other leg.
11. The bridge
Lie on your back with your knees raised and your feet flat to the floor. Allow the natural curvature of your back to remain — don’t make your back flat to the floor. Now lift your hips upwards, tilting your pelvis as you go. When your body and legs are in a straight line, hold for ten seconds.
12. Lying lateral leg lifts
Lie on your side (a towel or flat cushion to fill the gap between your tummy and the floor can help). If you can, do this exercise with your back to a wall and place your lower foot flat against the wall. Keep a slight forward tilt of the pelvis and use your hand to stop you from rocking forwards. Breathe in, and, as you breathe out, lift your uppermost leg. Ensure you do not twist your foot to point upwards.
3 Exercises to avoid
While exercise and stretches can be effective at strengthening your back and even relieving some of the pain, other exercises can be damaging. Avoid:
- Toe touches
- Sit-ups
- Leg lifts
What can you do to relieve lower back pain now?
Movement is essential for relieving lower back pain while too much rest can exacerbate your symptoms. Follow your usual daily routine if you can and practice stretches and gentle exercises such as yoga and swimming. Massage, heat therapy and reducing your stress levels can also help.
Here are seven ways to relieve lower back pain now:
Excercise
Lying or sitting still is one of the worst things you can do to alleviate back pain. Recovery relies on movement so it's important to get up and slowly start moving again. Exercise has been found to be one of the most effective ways to relieve back pain quickly. Try low-impact activities such as swimming, walking, yoga and the exercises above.
If you suffer from sciatica as well as lower back pain, certain stretches are not recommended. Learn more in our guide to exercises to avoid with sciatica.
Manual therapy (massage)
Manual therapies such as massage and physiotherapy can help reduce back pain, by using the hands to move, massage and apply careful force to the muscles, bones and joints in and around your spine.
If you do choose to have a massage, it is important that you use a recognised, qualified therapist. While most massage can be enjoyable, specific health benefits can only come from a qualified practitioner who understands your condition.
You or your doctor may recommend physical therapy, where you can learn how to sit, stand, and move in a way that keeps your spine in proper alignment and alleviates strain on your back. They may also be able to guide you on specialised exercises such as those above.
Use hot and cold
Ice works on injuries by reducing swelling, reducing spasms as well as numbing pain – in the short term. Heat works on injuries to help soothe muscles and increase blood flow to specific areas. As such, use an ice pack to help to reduce pain if you have strained your back, and heat - a hot bath or a hot water bottle placed on the affected area - to help relieve stiff and achy muscles. Alternating between these two methods - hot and cold – can also help soothe pain and help reduce discomfort.
Please note, you should never don’t put ice directly on your skin, as it can cause a cold burn. Wrap an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables in a cloth or towel first.
Destress
Relaxation is a powerful part of easing back pain, so avoid muscle tension which can make it things worse. If you have trouble relaxing, check out our resource for managing stress, which contains advice and guides to help you find the inner peace and calm you need.
Find a good sleeping position
Getting to sleep can be difficult when you are suffering from back pain so it’s important to find a comfortable sleeping position. If you like to sleep on your back, you might find it helps to place a pillow under your knees. If you prefer to sleep on your side, try to bring your knees closer to your chest, in a foetal position, or place a pillow between your knees.
You can find more tips for getting a good night’s rest in our sleep infographic
Improve your posture
The modern lifestyle often involves sitting at a desk for long periods, hunching over your phone and slouching on the sofa, and can trigger or exacerbate lower back pain through poor posture. Practice sitting and standing with your spine in a neutral position, without leaning your head forward or sticking your bottom out. If you work at a desk, speak to your employer about an occupational health assessment to optimise your workspace and help relieve back pain.
See a doctor
While you can often treat back pain with various medications, home remedies and treatment, if symptoms persist you may need to seek medical attention. A doctor will be able to diagnose chronic or severe back pain or refer you to a specialist for physical therapy, medication or other treas.
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