The exercises in the videos below have been provided to help with your low back pain. If there is any doubt about your fitness to do these exercises or they cause you significant pain then please discuss matters further with your GP or physiotherapist.
You may find that these exercises slightly increase your symptoms initially. Over time you should find that the exercises will become easier to do. These exercises can take up around 12 weeks for you to notice an improvement.
If the exercises do cause some discomfort then taking prescribed medication from your GP or pharmacist may help you to continue to exercise.
If these exercises cause a large increase in your pain, you fail to improve over a reasonable period of time or your symptoms worsen then please contact your GP or NHS Inform for more advice.
The guide below will help ensure you are working at the right level:
Pain during exercise
Aim to stay in the green or amber boxes. If you are in the red area then you can modify the exercises by trying reducing the amount of movement during an exercise, the number of repetition, reducing the weights, reducing your speed or increasing rest time between sets.
Pain After Exercise
Your pain or other symptoms should return to your pre exercise baseline within 30 minutes of exercising. Please note you may feel some pain the following day if you are not used to exercising
Here are some exercises that may help you. If you are unsure or in any doubt please speak to a health professional before commencing these.
Choosing the most relevant exercise section for you
- Section 1 – For Exercising after an Acute (recent) injury
- Section 2 – For Strengthening Exercise
Before undertaking the suggested exercises please review our disclaimer. Please click HERE
Section 1: Mobility Exercises
These exercises may be helpful to restore movement to your back. When these become too easy you can progress to the next section
Stop any exercise that significantly worsens your symptoms as per the pain chart above.
Exercise 1: Lumbar Knee Rolling
This exercise is useful for decreasing your pain and increasing your low back movement.
To do this exercise, lie on your back with your arms resting on your chest. Bend your knees, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Gentle roll your knees from 1 side to another. During this movement gently tighten your abdominal muscles to help control the movement. Do this exercise for 60 seconds, 4 times per day.
Exercise 2: Pelvic Rocking
This exercise is used for easing pain and stiffness in the lower back.
To do this exercise lie on your back, with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Rest your hands over your chest. Exhale as you flatten your back against the surface you are lying on. Hold for a few seconds and then return to your starting position. Repeat 5-10 times 3 times per day and increase as you feel you are able to do more.
Exercise 3: Sitting Rocking
To do this exercise sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Sit up tall and take a deep breath in. Exhale as you gently slump down to the back of the chair. The grow tall and return back to the starting position. Repeat 5-10 times 3 times per day and increase as you feel you are able to do more.
Exercise 4: Childs Pose
To do this exercise – Place hands and knees onto stable surface into a table position. Reach your arms out in front of you and then slowly lower your bottom towards your heels until you feel a stretch in your back. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
Aim to do this 3-4 times per day
Exercise 5: Forward Bend in Sitting
To do this exercise – Sitting on a stable chair with your feet planted on the floor. Slowly bend forwards towards the floor as far as you feel able. Hold for 5 seconds and then slowly return to starting position. Repeat 10 times.
Aim to do this 3-4 times per day.
Click HERE for a printable version of the mobility exercises.
Section 2: Strengthening Exercises
Once pain has slightly settled you can progress to work on strengthening you low back.
Stop any exercise that significantly worsens your symptoms as per the pain chart above.
Exercise 1: Bridging
This exercise is useful for increasing your strength in your bottom muscles.
To do this exercise lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Rest your arms at your side. Gently tilt you pelvis, like the pelvic rocking video, to flatten you back against the floor. Then push through your heels to raise your bottom up. Hold for a few seconds before returning back to the starting position. To start with aim for 1 set of 15 repetitions and slowly increase this to 3 sets of 15 repetitions as you become fitter and stronger.
Exercise 2: Sit to Stand
This exercise is useful to improve general core strength and function.
To do this exercise sit at the edge of a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Knees should be hip distance apart. Rest your arms across your chest. Lean forward and rise to a full standing position squeezing your bottom muscles as you do it. Then gently sit back down. To start with aim for 1 set of 15 repetitions and slowly increase this to 3 sets of 15 repetitions as you become fitter and stronger.
Exercise 3: Single Leg Stance
This exercise is very effective in improving your balance and core strength.
To do this exercise stand up tall, raise up onto your toes on one foot and gently lift your knee up. Try to keep your balance. You may need the support of a chair to start with. Hold for 5 seconds. Then place back down on the ground. Repeat with the opposite leg. Slowly increase time of the hold and aim for 60 seconds.
Exercise 4: Wall Press-ups
This exercise is useful for core strengthening.
To do this exercise stand face on to a wall or door. Place your palms on the wall at shoulder height. Gently lower yourself towards the wall and back to the starting position. To make this harder you can step further away from the wall and raise onto your toes. To start with aim for 1 set of 15 repetitions and slowly increase this to 3 sets of 15 repetitions as you become fitter and stronger. Click HERE for a printable version of the Strengthening Exercises.
Neurodynamics
Exercise 1 – Sciatic Nerve Gliding
To do this exercise – sit on a chair. Round your back and lower head so your weight is down via your tailbone. Slowly start to straighten your affected leg out until you reach the point of tension in the nerve. Do not push any further beyond this point.
Hold you knee in this position. Look up towards the roof with your head as you pull your toes backwards. Then return to the starting position. Perform the movement fluidly. Do for 30 seconds, repeat several times per day.
Exercise 2 – Sciatic Nerve Gliding with Ball
To do this exercise – sit on chair with a ball under. Round your back and lower head so your weight is down via your tailbone. Slowly roll the ball away from you, straightening your affected leg and pull the ankle backwards towards you. At the same time lift your head up. Do not push into pain or tension. Then pull ball backwards as you lower your head. Do for 30 seconds, repeat several times per day.
Exercise 3 – Femoral Nerve Gliding