5 safe back exercises for back pain you can do at home

Back pain can be uncomfortable and hard to manage day to day. Maintaining a regular exercise and stretch routine can help ease your symptoms and improve your muscles and joint health.

In this article, we detail why it is important for those with back pain concerns to do regular exercises, five key exercises you can do at home, and when it is appropriate to seek further assistance.

Why are exercises important for back pain?

Exercises and stretches are important for back pain because they help restore movement, strengthen the muscles that support the spine, and reduce stiffness. Gentle, gradual activity is usually more helpful than prolonged bed rest for most non-serious back pain.

Focusing on stretching and exercising the back can:

• Improve mobility: Stretching helps tight back, hip and leg muscles move more freely, reducing stiffness and improving your range of movement
• Build spinal support: Strengthening the abdominal (stomach), back, buttock and thigh muscles can help share the weight load on the spine and can reduce strain
• Reduce recurrence: Strong, flexible muscles are less prone to strain, so regular exercise can help prevent future issues
• Improve posture and function: Exercise and stretching can help you return to everyday activities and maintain better posture

Exercise and stretching can also help manage several back-related conditions alongside additional treatment. These include:

• Nerve-related back pain issues, such as sciatica
• Muscle strain
• Postural issues
• Inflammatory back conditions, including Ankylosing spondylitis 
• Osteoarthritis affecting the spine or hips 
• Osteoporosis affecting the spine

Making sure you rest may feel natural during a painful flare-up, but in some cases, too much inactivity can increase stiffness and muscle weakness, potentially making pain and difficult joint movement last longer. 

Maintaining gentle movement can help your tissue recover slowly and restore your confidence in normal activity.

To better understand back pain, check out our Living with Back Pain report for further information about how back pain can impact all aspects of your life.

Exercises that you can do at home

Exercises that can help benefit your joints, including your back, don’t have to be done at the gym or in a healthcare setting.

You can do some easy stretches at home to help alleviate pain and maintain flexibility. If you have any concerns about stretching at home, speak to your GP to assess whether you have any issues to be aware of before starting. 

Alternatively, you can book in with one of our specialist physiotherapists, who can help guide you through these and other stretches that will best help your back pain.

These can include the following five actions listed below. 

For a visual demonstration, check out our video with physiotherapist Sanjana Prakash, as she performs the stretches step by step:

Lumbar rotations

The lumbar rotation stretch is a gentle spinal move that targets stiffness and tension felt in the lower back and trunk.

This exercise is done by following these steps:

1. Lie flat on your back with your arms straight, tucked towards your body
2. Lift your knees up so they align with the hip joint, feet planted on the ground
3. Keeping your back straight and fixed, draw the knees towards the floor on one side
4. Sustain this stretch for a few seconds
5. Raise the knees up slowly so you are back in starting position again
6. Repeat on the other side

Cat-Cow pose

The Cat-Cow pose is a popular yoga move that provides a gentle stretch across your spine as you smoothly move from one stretch into the next.
The way to perform the cat-cow pose is as follows:

1. Start by going down to the floor on your hands and knees, in a tabletop position. Make sure your hands are in line with your shoulders and your knees in line with your hips
2. Once you are in position, adjust yourself so you keep a neutral spine
3. Inhale slowly. As you breathe in, start to curve your spine down, lift your sit bones upward, push your chest forward, and allow your belly to relax. Lift your head, relax your shoulders away from your ears, and keep your gaze straight ahead
4. Breathe out slowly. As you are breathing out, round your spine upwards, tuck your tailbone in, and draw your pelvis forward. Release your head toward the floor and relax
5. You can repeat this upward and downward stretch as many times as you feel is best for you

Child's pose

The child's pose is a relaxing pose that helps to stretch your back, the muscles around your hips, and your arms.

Stretching your lower back with Child's pose is as follows:

1. Begin in a kneeling position on the floor, with the tops of your feet pressed down to the ground
2. Keep your big toes touching together while also making sure your knees are hip-width apart. For a deeper stretch, you can widen your knees as much as you feel comfortable
3. Once in position, slowly drop your hips back toward your feet, either sitting on top of your feet or getting as close to them as is comfortable
4. Exhale and, as you’re breathing out, slowly bend forward to bring your forehead toward the floor
5. Allow your chest and belly to drop toward your thighs. When in this position, try not to lift your behind away from your heels, and keep your neck relaxed
   
   • For a softer stretch, relax your arms by your sides, keeping your palms upward 
   • For a deeper upper body stretch, extend your arms out in front of you with your palms facing down towards the floor
   
6. Hold this position for as long as you feel comfortable. You can take long, slow breaths and allow your body to relax
7. When you feel ready, slowly rise up and return to a seated position

Back extensions

The back extension exercise is a pose that mainly stretches the lower back.

To perform floor back extensions, follow these steps:

1. Lie down on your stomach and straighten your legs behind you. Place your palms on the ground, keep your elbows bent, and slide your shoulders down
2. Exhale and raise your chest off the floor by pressing your hips down and contracting your lower back
3. Pause for a second once you have risen up, while continuing to squeeze your lower back muscles
4. Inhale and slowly lower your chest back to the floor to return to the starting position

Bird-Dog stretch

The Bird-Dog stretch helps ease the back by elongating the muscles using your arms and legs.

To perform a Bird-Dog stretch, you will need to do the following:

1. Begin down on your hands and knees, in a tabletop position. Move your knees so they are under your hips and your hands under your shoulders
2. Maintain a neutral spine and draw your shoulder blades together
3. Raise your right arm and left leg at the same time, keeping your shoulders and hips parallel to the floor
4. Lengthen the back of your neck and draw your chin down into your chest so you are looking down at the floor
5. Hold this position for a few seconds, then lower back down to the starting position
6. Raise your left arm and right leg, holding this position for a few seconds
7. Return to the starting position

To make these exercises more comfortable, you can complete these on a yoga mat or any comfortable floor padding, such as a folded blanket, as you move through the stretches. This can help avoid the impact your joints may have on a hard surface.

When doing stretches, always work within your own range of limits and abilities. If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practising yoga.

When to seek further assistance for back pain

If your back pain isn’t improving with at‑home exercises, book an appointment with a healthcare professional to check out why this is the case. This is especially important if your back pain hasn’t started to get better after 2 to 4 weeks, if it’s getting worse, if it’s stopping you from doing normal activities, or if it’s spreading down your leg with new numbness or tingling. 

Seek urgent same‑day medical help if you have developed a fever, feel very unwell with the pain, have new or worsening leg weakness, experience numbness in the groin area, or have any new bladder or bowel problems. 

If you lose control of your bladder or bowels, have severe numbness or weakness in both legs, or develop chest pain or severe shortness of breath with your back pain, seek immediate A&E treatment as this could be a sign of a serious health concern. 

If the exercises are causing sharp, radiating, or worsening pain that lasts more than a day, stop those movements immediately and ask your GP or a physiotherapist to review and adjust your programme.

Why choose Circle Health Group for your physiotherapy treatment?

At Circle Health Group, you can get swift, easy access to our network of expert physiotherapists who can create a personalised treatment plan according to your individual wants and needs. 

There are many benefits to receiving treatment at our hospitals. These include:

• Physiotherapy sessions tailored to your individual needs
• Consultant-led care from a multidisciplinary team of medical experts
• Flexible appointment times that give you the freedom to book your consultation at a time that suits your schedule
• Affordable treatment prices that are confirmed beforehand
• Amazing patient satisfaction rates across our network of UK hospitals

If you would like to arrange a consultation with one of our highly skilled physiotherapists, give us a call or book online today.