Most people have a sore lower back at some point, and it is usually not a sign that something is badly wrong. The habits that tend to help are ordinary ones. None of them need equipment or much time. Here are the ones we talk through most often at Fernway.
There is no perfect posture
People often worry that they sit or stand “wrongly”. In practice, the most helpful position is usually the next one. Backs like to move, and they tend to complain when they stay in one place for too long, however good the position looks.
It also helps to know that a sore back does not always mean damage. Pain can flare after a long drive, a poor night’s sleep or a stressful week, even when the back itself is fine.
Five habits worth trying
- Change position often. Every half hour or so, stand up, stretch or walk to fill your water bottle.
- Walk most days. Even ten minutes can keep your back and hips moving, and many people find it eases stiffness.
- Lift with your legs. Bend at the knees and hips, and keep the load close to your body.
- Add some strength work. Sit-to-stand squats, bridges and gentle trunk exercises, a couple of times a week, often make backs feel more capable.
- Wind down before bed. A pillow between or under your knees can help you settle, and a regular bedtime helps more than a perfect mattress.
Making them stick
Pick one habit, not five. Attach it to something you already do, such as standing up for phone calls or stretching while the kettle boils. After a couple of weeks, add another.
Small, steady changes usually beat big efforts that fade after a few days. If a habit feels like a chore, make it smaller until it does not.
Keep moving, within reason
Rest can feel like the right answer when your back hurts, but long periods in bed usually do not help. Gentle movement is often kinder to a sore back than staying still. Aim for a level of activity that feels manageable, and build up slowly as things settle.
If an exercise makes your pain sharply worse or sends pain down your leg, stop and ask a clinician for advice.
When to get help
See a physiotherapist or your GP if your back pain lasts more than a couple of weeks, keeps coming back, disturbs your sleep or gets in the way of daily life. A short visit can often clear up what is going on and give you a plan.
Get urgent medical care straight away if the pain comes on suddenly and severely, follows a fall or accident, or comes with numbness around your groin, weakness in a leg, trouble controlling your bladder or bowels, fever or chest pain.
If you would like help, you can read about physiotherapy at Fernway or book an appointment.
This article is general information, not personal health advice. It cannot take account of your own history. See a registered clinician about your situation.
