17 Best Physical Therapy Exercises For Lower Back Pain Relief (2024)

Low back pain, or lumbar back pain, is incredibly common. As such, you would think that there would be a few habitual ways to treat back pain. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Since the back is such a complex area made up of bones, muscles, nerves, and tendons, there’s no easy way to tell what’s causing any given low back pain. There is, however, a list of widely-agreed-upon physical therapy exercises for lower back pain.

The following exercises are scientifically backed and designed to help relieve and prevent back pain. They are not a substitute for seeing a doctor, chiropractor, or physical therapist. If you’ve suffered an injury, such as a car accident or falling, you should see a medical professional before attempting any sort of exercise at home.

Back Pain Exercises hide

1 Hip Flexors

2 Hip Adductor

4 Glute

5 Cat and Cow

6 Side-to-Side

7 Figure 4

8 Knee to Chest

9 Child’s Pose

10 Supine Core Strengthening

11 Supine Core Strengthening with Leg Draw

12 Press Ups

13 Prone Cobras

14 Bridge

15 Side Bridge

16 Bird Dog

17 Prone Bridge

It’s also a good idea to keep in mind that none of these exercises should hurt. They may make you feel uncomfortable or put some strain on your muscles, but if an activity begins to hurt you, stop it at once.

For example, you may have a pinched nerve that’s causing your back pain. Some of the exercises below may not help fix your pinched nerve. If you can’t do any of these stretches without experiencing pain, you should consult a doctor, physical therapist, or chiropractor.

All of the exercises below are meant to be done with steady movements; no jerking or bouncing. To prevent injury, take it slow, steady, and only do what you feel comfortable with. This will help you realize the full benefits of physical therapy exercises for lower back pain.

Exercises For Increased Flexibility and Pain Reduction

Low back pain is often caused by poor flexibility in the hips, legs, and glutes. The following exercises can help you increase flexibility in those areas and possibly decrease instances of low back pain.

Hip Flexors

17 Best Physical Therapy Exercises For Lower Back Pain Relief (1)
  1. Place one knee on the ground in a kneeling position.
  2. Bring the arm of that same side up straight and slightly back.
  3. This will cause your hips and middle back to extend.
  4. Hold for 30 seconds and release.
  5. Perform 3 times each side to stretch hip flexors.

Hip Adductor

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  1. While standing, place the inside of your ankle on a table, bed, or tall chair.
  2. Bring the opposite arm straight up next to your ear as if you’re reaching for the ceiling.
  3. Lean into the stretching leg and hold for 20 to 30 seconds and release.
  4. Repeat on each side 3 times.

Hamstring

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  1. Stand facing a table, bed, or tall chair.
  2. Place the back of your heel on the surface so that your leg is straight.
  3. Lean forward at the hips to stretch your hamstring.
  4. Hold for 30 seconds and release.
  5. Repeat on each side 3 times.

Glute

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  1. Stand facing a table, bed, or tall chair.
  2. Place the outside of your heel and knee on the surface so that your leg is at a 90-degree angle.
  3. Lean forward at the hips while keeping your back straight.
  4. Hold for 30 seconds and release.
  5. Repeat on each side 3 times.

Cat and Cow

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  1. Begin on all fours with your hips over your knees, your shoulders over your hands, and your head neutral.
  2. Breathe in while bringing your eyes up to look toward the ceiling and bending your spine toward the floor.
  3. Breath out while bending your spine toward the ceiling and tucking your chin to your chest.
  4. Repeat 15 to 20 times.

Side-to-Side

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  1. Begin lying on your back with your feet pulled toward your hips and your knees up.
  2. Twist your knees gently to one side and stop when you feel your hips start to come off the table or mat. Keep your upper body in position.
  3. Bring your knees back the other way and do the same thing on the other side.
  4. Repeat 25 to 30 times.

Figure 4

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  1. Lying on your back with your knees up, place one ankle on the other knee, forming a figure 4 with your legs.
  2. Press down on the leg you crossed. You should feel the stretch in your hip.
  3. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds before releasing.
  4. Perform 3 times on each side.

Knee to Chest

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https://www.verywellhealth.com/knees-to-chest-exercise-296870

  1. Lying on your back with your knees up, grab the back of one knee with both hands and bring it to your chest (or as far as you can toward your chest).
  2. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds before releasing.
  3. Switch sides and perform a total of 3 times each side.

Child’s Pose

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This simple stretch is ideal for opening up your lower back and bringing quick pain relief.

  • Kneel on the floor and sit back on your heels.
  • Bend forward with your arms extended in front of you until your forehead is resting on the floor.
  • Hold this position for 30 seconds, or as long as you feel relief from the stretch.

Exercises to Strengthen and Relieve Pain

Core and back strength is incredibly important when it comes to low back pain. The following exercises are designed to help you strengthen these areas and ease the pain in your back. We’ll begin with the easy ones and move on to the more difficult ones.

Note: Most of these exercises require that you engage your ab muscles. The proper form calls for a drawing-in of the muscles, instead of a bulging-out. Your lower stomach should flatten in a little bit. If you’re pushing your abs out, you’re likely over-flexing.

Supine Core Strengthening

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https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/Pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=zm6019&lang=en-ca

  1. Lying on your back on a mat or the floor, bring your knees up and your feet comfortably away from your hips.
  2. In this position, engage your ab muscles and push your low back down to the mat or floor.
  3. Repeat 15 to 20 times.

Supine Core Strengthening with Leg Draw

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  1. Lying on your back with your knees drawn up and feet flat, engage your ab muscles.
  2. Maintaining the engagement, lift one knee toward your chest without using your hands.
  3. Keep your abs engaged until you put your foot back in the starting position.
  4. Repeat 15 to 20 times on each leg.

Press Ups

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  1. Lying flat on your stomach, bring your elbows to your sides and place your hands just above your shoulders. Your legs should be fully extended, your hips flush with the mat or floor.
  2. Pull your shoulder blades back and in while you lift your chest off the ground.
  3. Hold for 5 seconds, making sure that your legs and hips stay in contact with the floor or mat. Your neck should stay long and in-line with your upper spine the entire time.
  4. Slowly return your chest to the ground.
  5. Repeat 15 to 20 times.

Prone Cobras

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  1. Lying flat on your stomach with your legs extended, place your arms flush at your sides, hands pressed to legs.
  2. Without using your hands to help, lift your chest off the ground, keeping your neck in-line and long. Pull your shoulder blades in and flex your glutes throughout.
  3. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds before slowly lowering your upper body back to the mat or floor.
  4. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

Bridge

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  1. Begin lying on a mat of the floor with your knees up and your feet flat a comfortable space away from your hips.
  2. Keeping your arms on the floor, lift your hips off the ground to make a ‘bridge’. From your chest to your knees should be a straight line.
  3. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, keeping your shoulder blades and neck on the ground, your glutes and abs engaged the whole time.
  4. Slowly lower your hips to the ground.
  5. Repeat 15 to 20 times.

Note: To make his exercise more difficult, cross your arms over your chest so you can’t use them to help you.

Side Bridge

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  1. Start by lying on your side with one elbow underneath you.
  2. Rise up onto your elbow and forearm.
  3. Bring your legs off the ground so you’re only resting on your forearm and the side of one foot.
  4. Hold for 15 seconds before easing yourself back down. Increase the time you hold as you feel comfortable.
  5. Repeat 10 to 15 times on each side.

Bird Dog

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  1. Begin on your hands and knees, shoulders over hands and hips over knees.
  2. Simultaneously stretch one arm and the opposite leg straight out. (Left arm, right leg, or vice-versa.)
  3. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds before bringing your limbs slowly back down.
  4. Repeat 15 to 20 times, alternating each time.

Prone Bridge

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  1. Begin by laying on your stomach, your elbows underneath you and your toes ready to take your weight.
  2. Lift yourself to rest on your toes and elbows. Your core should be engaged and your body straight. Keep your hips and chest in line and parallel to the floor.
  3. Hold for 15 seconds before easing yourself back down. Increase the time you hold as you feel comfortable. You can hold for up to 90 seconds as you progress.

Useful Resource: Best Back Exercises With Resistance Band

Tips for Avoiding Back Pain

The exercises above can help you relieve low back and lumbar pain. But for best results, you can practice habits that not only help you avoid back pain, but also keep you generally healthy and fit.

  • Regular exercise can help you even when you don’t have back pain, particularly if you aren’t active. Even 30 minutes, 5 times a week can work wonders for your body and your back.
  • Proper posture can do much to prevent and relieve back pain. Make a point to become aware of your posture throughout the day. You may also consider getting a back brace to help you keep proper form your day.
  • Healthy eating, believe it or not, can reduce chronic inflammation and help your back pain. Some anti-inflammatory foods include berries, sweet potatoes, beets, olive oil, carrots, and salmon.
  • Weight loss can also help prevent back pain. The more excess weight you carry, the more pressure it puts on your back.

Back pain is pretty common, and most of the time it goes away without surgery or too much effort. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do to avoid back pain, but a healthy lifestyle is one of the best ways to live a life free of back pain.

17 Best Physical Therapy Exercises For Lower Back Pain Relief (2024)

FAQs

What is the number one exercise for back pain? ›

Knee-to-chest stretch

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor (A). Using both hands, pull up one knee and press it toward your chest (B). Tighten the muscles in your belly and press your spine to the floor. Hold for five seconds.

What is the best physical therapy for lower back pain? ›

Easy-to-perform core-strengthening exercises to relieve back pain include the pelvic tilt, cat-cow pose, bird dog, high and low planks, crunches, and exercises performed using a Swiss ball (or exercise ball).

What type of exercise is best for lower back pain? ›

“In general, aerobic exercise has been shown to help chronic low back pain,” says Alexis DiClemente, PT, DPT, OCS, a physical therapist at HSS. “Aerobic exercise can diminish the intensity of pain and improve how people feel about their condition.”

How do you stretch out severe lower back pain? ›

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips and place a foam roller or firm cushion underneath them. Completely relax your body into the support of the floor and the foam roller or firm cushion. Hold for 30–60 seconds and repeat 3–5 times, resting for 30–60 seconds between sets.

What are 2 exercises for back pain? ›

Bringing the knees up to the chest and back down again is one repetition.
  1. Lying on your back, slowly bring your knees in towards your chest. You can place the hands over the knees to feel the stretch a little deeper.
  2. Slowly release the knee hug.

How should I sleep with lower back pain? ›

The best sleeping position for lower back pain is on your side with a partial bend in the knees. View Source . Keeping the knees bent helps balance the body and reduces pressure on the lumbar spine. Many people find it helpful to put a small pillow between their knees to make this position more comfortable.

What does PT do for low back pain? ›

Your PT will evaluate how you move, talk to you to understand how your pain limits you and identify any deficits you may have that could be contributing to the issue. They'll then create a unique, customized treatment plan tailored just for you using various techniques, including: Strengthening exercises.

How long does it take for physical therapy to help lower back pain? ›

According to Penn Medicine, about 80 to 90% of physical therapy patients with acute lower back pain felt better after six weeks. With metrics like these, physical therapy remains the preferred treatment for lower back pain.

Is there a pressure point to relieve lower back pain? ›

Pressure points along the spine, especially the lower back points (Sea of vitality), significantly reduce upper and lower back pain and fatigue. The points (B-23 and B-47) are located at the waist level, between the second and third lumbar vertebrae.

Should I stretch my lower back if it hurts? ›

Stretching and focused back and abdominal strengthening exercises are two of the best ways to ease lower back pain. Strong abdominal and hip flexor muscles help improve posture, and strong glutes help support the back while walking, standing, and sitting. Having well stretched muscles helps improve your mobility.

What is the number one exercise for sciatica? ›

What Exercises Help Reduce Sciatic Nerve Pain? There are four sciatica exercises your spine specialist may recommend to help you reduce sciatic nerve pain caused by degenerative disc disease: pelvic tilt, knee to chest, lower trunk rotations, and all fours opposite arm and leg extensions.

What exercises should I avoid with back pain? ›

Here are which exercises to avoid if you have back pain, and which to do instead.
  • Avoid: Crunches.
  • Try this instead: Modified sit-ups. ...
  • Avoid: High-impact activities.
  • Try this instead: Water aerobics or yoga. ...
  • Avoid: Running.
  • Try this instead: Walking. ...
  • Avoid: Biking off road.
  • Try this instead: Use a recumbent bike.
May 29, 2018

Is walking or biking better for back pain? ›

If you experience pain when you're doing weight-bearing activities, such as walking, cycling may offer a more tolerable way to exercise. However, if you find the bent position of cycling more painful, walking may be a better alternative.

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