Exercises For Lower Back Pain Relief

Are you looking for exercises to relieve your lower back pain?

Our qualified and trusted team has put together this list of six (6) exercises which we often prescribe to our patients with aches and pains in the lumbar spine region of the back.

If you’re experiencing any aches in your lower back region, it’s important to seek personalised advice from a qualified health professional before beginning an exercise program.

6 Exercises for Lower Back Pain Relief

1. Knee Rocking

Knee rocking is a great exercise to help relieve pain and stiffness in your lower back. It can be especially effective for those with an acute presentation of lower back pain.

This movement helps to reduce joint stiffness, muscle spasm and improve rotational range of motion in your lower back, thus helping to boost overall function.

How to do Knee Rocking

1. Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Keeping your knees together, gently rock both bent knees from side to side as far as you can go (within a pain free range).
3. Continue this pattern of movement in a slow and controlled manner for 1-2 minutes. Try to time your movements to match each breath.

2. Cat Cow

Cat-Cow is a gentle, yoga-style exercise commonly used to help improve flexion/extension and range of motion, as well as to reduce pain and muscle spasm in your lower back.

It is important to keep this movement slow and controlled, while moving within a pain-free range.

How to do Cat-Cow Pose

1. Begin in a tabletop position, on all fours with a flat back.
2. Arch your back towards the ground as you inhale to look up.
3. Then, on an exhale tuck your chin into your chest and arching your spine toward the ceiling.
4. Continue this pattern of movement for 1 to 2 minutes. Again, keep trying to move with each breath in a slow and controlled fashion.

3. Knees-to-Chest Stretch

Knees-to-chest is a gentle exercise commonly given to help reduce pain in an acute lower back injury, especially if bending backwards or extending your back provokes pain for you.

This movement helps to relax your hips, thighs and glutes, while also providing a flexion stretch of you lower back.

How to do Knees-to-Chest Stretch

1. Lie on your back on the floor. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. 
2. Draw one knee into your chest, while keeping the second knee bent or extend that leg out along the floor.
3. Clasp your hands behind the thigh or at the shinbone on the knee which is drawn into your chest.
4. Take deep breaths to alleviate any tension you may have.
5. Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
6. Repeat on the other side.

4. Pelvic tilt

Pelvic tilt is an exercise designed to help promote mobility and reduce stiffness in your lower back, while also helping to build strength in your core abdominal muscles. 

This exercise aims to improve your core muscle control, hence helping to protect and strengthen your lower back.

How to do Pelvic Tilt Exercise

1. Lie flat on your back. Bend both of your knees and position your feet flat on the floor. 
2. Gently tilt your hips backwards, engaging your abdominal muscles and flatten your back against the floor.
3. Breathe normally while holding this position for 2-3 seconds, before slowly reverting to your starting position.
4. Do 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.

5. Child’s pose

This yoga-based exercise is used to help reduce stiffness in your lower back and hips, by gently stretching your erector spinae muscles of your back, glutes and thigh muscles.

This exercise can be relieving and help to alleviate pain if extending your back hurts and causes discomfort. 

How To Do Child’s Pose

1. Begin in a kneeling position and place your hands on the ground in front of you. Sink your hips backwards and rest them on your heels. 
2. Fold forward by hinging at the hips, while walking your hands out in front of you.
3. Rest your stomach on your thighs.
4. You can either extend your arms out in front with your palms to the ground, or alongside your body with your palms facing upwards.
5. While holding this position, concentrate on breathing deeply and relaxing any areas of tension or tightness.
6. As you feel comfortable, you can slowly walk your hands further away from your body to increase the stretch.
7. Hold this position for up to 1 minute.

6. Piriformis Stretch

When you have an injury or pain in your lower back, it is very common for the muscles in your hips to spasm/tighten as a form of protection.

This can progress to tightness in your gluteal and piriformis muscles, which can further increase the stiffness in your lower back and hips.

How to do Piriformis Stretch

1. Start by lying flat on your back with both knees bent. Ensure your feet are flat on the floor.
2. Bring your right ankle to the base of your left thigh, so it is positioned on top of your left knee.
3. Hold onto your left thigh with your hands and pull up toward your chest until you feel a stretch.
4. Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Perform this stretch on both sides.

Brisbane Physio for Back Pain

If your back pain is impacting your quality of life and you’re ready to see a trusted physio, please contact one of our clinics on Brisbane’s northside.

North West Physiotherapy is your one-stop pain relief and healthy living practice in Brisbane. With six clinics across North Brisbane; Everton Park, Keperra, Eatons Hill, Nundah, Lutchwyche and Newmarket, our aim is to provide holistic healthcare solution to suit your specific lifestyle. 

Our services include Physiotherapy, Sports Physio, Hydrotherapy, Pilates, Podiatry, Dry Needling, Massage, Womens Health, and Seniors Strength and Balance Classes. Please note that services vary across our clinics. 

Contact your local clinic to book an appointment.