How to Relieve Back Pain: Ask a Physical Therapist

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1Which exercises should people do for lower back pain?

2What are some of the best exercises for people who sit all day for work?

3Which exercises are good for people with pain on one side?

4Should back pain exercises and stretches hurt?

5What’s the best way to improve posture without making the pain worse?

6What’s happening with the muscles when you get a knot in your back?

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Back pain is one of the most common ailments out there, and 85% of people will experience some form of back pain at some point in their lifetime. Luckily, there are a ton of exercises that you can use to alleviate your pain and get you back into tip-top shape. That’s why physical therapist Ashley Mak is here to help answer your questions about back pain and exercise. From choosing the right exercises for your particular back pain to tips on correcting your posture, this guide covers everything you need to start feeling better!

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Question 1

Question 1 of 6:

Which exercises should people do for lower back pain?

1. 
   
   Ashley Mak: Rotations are great ways to alleviate back pain. Stand up straight and turn your shoulders and head in a slow, circular motion. Rotate all the way to your right until you feel your lower back stretching out. Then, slowly turn in the opposite direction. Do this several times to relax the lower back. You can also do this by lying on your stomach and extending your arms out to the side. Lift one of your feet up and try to extend it towards your outstretched hand on the opposite side before switching legs.

   • If you do the stretch on your stomach, flip over when you’re done and lie on your back. Extend your arms out at your sides. Then, lift one leg up and raise it up towards your opposite hand. Switch sides when you’re done.
2. 
   Additional Research

   Stretch your hamstrings and hips to take pressure off of your lower back. Start by lying on the floor and raise one leg straight up at a 90-degree angle. Hold your thigh to keep your leg from moving around. Straighten your knee and hold this stretch for 1 minute before switching legs. For your hips, lie on your back near the edge of your bed. Let one leg hang down and raise the other leg up to your chest. Pull your knee towards you and hold it for 30 seconds. Repeat this stretch 2 times for each leg.
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Question 2

Question 2 of 6:

What are some of the best exercises for people who sit all day for work?

1. 
   
   Ashely Mak: Extension-based exercises that involve bending backwards are ideal. An easy one is to stand up, put your hands on your hips, and lean back like you’re doing the limbo. Another option is the cow pose, where you get on your hands and knees and arch your back up while flexing your core. An additional option for extension-based pain relief would be the cobra pose, which is also known as the upward-facing dog. Start by lying on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders and press your chest up from the floor so that your arms are straight and your back is curved. Hold this position to stretch your back out.

   • Bending forward is not going to help if you sit in an office chair all day. When you sit down, your back is in the forward flex position. Adding more forward flexion isn’t going to relieve pain because you’re already doing plenty of that.
   • Talk to your doctor before doing these exercises if you’re arthritic or you’re older than 65.
2. 
   Additional Research

   Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Pull one knee to your chest, hold it for 5-10 seconds, and switch legs. Then, return to the original position with your knees bent together. Put your hands out at your side and lift your buttocks up 4–6 inches (10–15 cm). Hold this position for 5 seconds before taking a rest. Do this 5-10 times.
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Question 3

Question 3 of 6:

Which exercises are good for people with pain on one side?

1. 
   
   Ashely Mak: Any side-to-side movement is going to be helpful. Bending or stretching to the opposite side is an easy way to do this. One-sided pain is known as unilateral pain, and it often goes unresolved because we spend the majority of our time focusing on whatever’s directly in front of us. But in essence, any sideways movement should alleviate this pain.

   • You can do the teacup stretch by putting one hand on your hip and raising your other arm up. Then, lean sideways in the direction of your raised arm until you feel your side and lower back stretching out. Alternate the direction of the stretch and repeat as needed until you feel your back loosening up.
2. 
   Additional Research

   Do tail wags by getting on your hands and knees. Keep your back straight and rotate your head and hips to the same side without moving your hands or knees. This will stretch your side and back together. Hold the position briefly and then turn in the opposite direction. Do this 10-15 times. If this is too painful, try lumbar rotations. Lie on your back and bend your knees together with your feet on the floor. Put your hands behind your head and slowly rotate your knees from side to side without lifting your feet or back off the floor. Do this 10-15 times to loosen up your back.
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Question 4

Question 4 of 6:

Should back pain exercises and stretches hurt?

1. 
   
   Ashely Mak: No, it should never hurt, especially if you’re doing exercises to relieve the pain. So, your first goal is to figure out what kind of exercises will alleviate the type of pain you’re experiencing. You can talk to a doctor or physical therapist to figure out which exercises you should do. Often, you want to work in the opposite direction of the pain. So, if you have back pain when you’re leaning backward, you’ll often need to do exercises that involve forward movement and vice versa.
2. 
   Additional Research

   If a certain exercise hurts, stop and move on to a different exercise. Don’t completely stop working out or stretching just because one exercise or movement causes pain, though. Staying active, stretching, and working out is one of the best ways to recover after a back injury! Doctors used to think that bed rest was the best solution, but the medical consensus has changed. Exercise is going to be the fastest path to recovery.
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Question 5

Question 5 of 6:

What’s the best way to improve posture without making the pain worse?

1. 
   
   Ashely Mak: Gradually try to improve your posture over time and change your sitting position regularly. People tend to overcorrect way too hard and they end up hurting their back because their body isn’t used to sitting in this new position. Also, when people correct their posture, they tend to hold that position for way too long. If you’re locked in an extension or straight line, your back is going to start hurting again.

   • Don’t go out of your way to correct other people’s posture. It’s perfectly fine to not sit in an absolutely perfect position from time to time.
2. 
   Additional Research

   To sit with perfect posture, sit upright as far back in your chair as possible. Keep your feet flat on the floor and hold your chin up so your eyes look forward, parallel to the floor. Relax your shoulders and try to maintain a slight S-curve with your spine so there’s a space between the chair and your lower back. You can always slide a towel or pillow behind your lower back to prop it up!
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Question 6

Question 6 of 6:

What’s happening with the muscles when you get a knot in your back?

1. 
   
   Ashely Mak: A knot is really any unexplained muscle tension—the muscles aren’t actually knotting up. This often happens when there’s some kind of deficiency with your back strength. It could be that your back muscles aren’t strong enough so the muscles tense up when you push them too hard, or it could be an issue with your muscular coordination. If your body isn’t used to moving in certain way, you could end up with a knot in your back.

   • Sometimes, you get a knot from something called muscle guarding. This is where a muscle tenses up to stop you from moving in a certain direction because you’re irritating a joint or something.
2. 
   Additional Research

   Another way to think about knots is to picture a muscle tensing up and then refusing to let go. A deep-tissue massage is a great way to rectify this problem! Either pay a professional masseuse or treat the area yourself. To do it on your own, simply apply pressure to the knot with your fingers or a foam roller and move back and forth over the area. Do this for 3-5 minutes, 5-6 times a day. The knot should go away in no time.
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Tips

• Pain that occurs on one side of your back is often the result of sitting for too long or sleeping in an odd position. This kind of pain will often resolve on its own with exercise.
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Warnings

• If the pain is tingly and it radiates down your leg, you may have sciatica, which is a common form of back pain. See a doctor if this is the case.
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