You have lower back pain, but you don’t have the time, resources, or maybe even desire to go to a physiotherapy or chiropractic clinic. What can you do?
We have good news!
There is plenty you can do to self treat lower back pain at home. Keep reading to find out how, and to find out when you really should make the time to go in and see a professional in person.
Contents
- Self‑assessment
- Phase 1: Relief
- Phase 2: Mobility
- Phase 3: Strength
- When to consult
Disclaimer:
You should consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new physical activity. This article is for educational purposes and is not meant to replace an assessment, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified professional. Note; no doctor patient relationship has been formed.
Self Assessment
The instructions that follow may seem obvious, but it is often the simple things that offer the largest benefit. It is shocking how often people continue doing the movements and activities that cause pain without any modification. So the first step is just to pay attention and figure out what hurts and keep track of it. Once you know what the problem is, you can start working on a solution.
For tracking it can be very helpful to keep a journal so you have an objective record to look back at. Human memory has amazing capacity for storage, but it has an equal capacity for making errors. A journal is useful for all kinds of things other than tracking pain too, like exercise, sleep and nutritional modifications.
So now you know what movements, postures and activities cause pain. Now what?
3 Steps to Self Treat Lower Back Pain
Phase 1 – Relief
Now it’s time to make some changes. The change could be as simple as standing more often throughout your day if your back hurts from extended periods of sitting. Making modifications as necessary to the postures, movements and activities that are causing the problem is the first step so that you can keep moving, being productive and enjoying yourself. Sometimes it will be necessary to take a break from something altogether. If that is the case, make sure to reintroduce that gradually so you don’t relapse.
Aside from modifying the painful activities, there are often some dynamic stretches or other movements that can help decrease pain rapidly. One example is the cobra pose or upward dog. This position is often very helpful for those with lower back pain, especially when it is caused by sitting, lifting or other repeated bending movements. Even something simple like walking can be very helpful for lower back pain. Try different movements and stretches to see what works for you.
The LBPfix program has a categorization step, so that you can be confident you will get the movements and stretches that are most likely to help.
Phase 2 – Mobility
This is not necessarily a distinct phase, but it is often something you can work on to keep active when your pain level is high. For lower back pain it is often very helpful to work on hip mobility. Better hip mobility can decrease the amount of movement and stress on the lower back for things like walking, bending and lifting.
One stretch that is often helpful is a kneeling hip flexor stretch, similar to the image below. These can be done for short holds or long holds of several minutes, or can be done dynamically for repetitions. Experiment with different stretches to see what feels good and track your response. Try one new thing at a time to make it easier to keep track.
Phase 3 – Strength
As mentioned above, these phases may overlap significantly and may never have stopped or restarted if you were able to continue despite the pain. If you were already doing strength training prior to having back pain, it is best to continue as much as possible so you maintain your strength.
That said, if you are just starting strength training it can be helpful to decrease pain somewhat before trying certain exercises. Often, the exercises that are easiest to tolerate initially are isometric exercises which is when the muscles are contracting, but they are neither shortening nor lengthening. Planks and wall sits are examples of isometric exercises.
If you can move comfortably, you can choose to include isometrics if you desire, but focus on building the basic movements to strengthen your back, hips and legs. Some examples would be pulling movements like rowing variations or pullups, lifting movements like deadlifts, leg exercises like squats, lunges and more.
You can start with just body weight or use some light weights and progress gradually. If you don’t have access to weights, use household items that are somewhat heavy like a grocery bag with canned food or drinks, or a backpack with books in it.
When to Consult
Listed below are signs and symptoms – also known as red flags, that are a cause for concern. If you have any of these, you should seek medical evaluation immediately:
- Progressive loss of strength in your hips and/or legs
- Numbness/tingling in the genital/anal region
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- redness/swelling over spine
In addition to these red flags, it is a good idea to go see a healthcare professional for lower back pain if you also have significant health issues like cancer, kidney disease, inflammatory arthritis, or if you use intravenous drugs.
Beyond those immediate concerns, it is probably a good idea to consult in person with a professional if you have very intense and/or debilitating pain. They can guide you through to make sure you get back to basic function quickly with minimal aggravation.
If you do not have any of the above health issues/symptoms and you are ready to finally get control over your back pain take the quiz now to see if you qualify for the LBPfix program.
No clinics. No appointments. Just simple, effective rehab that works for real people looking for lower back pain relief.
Our Framework: How LBPfix Can Help
1. Identify Your Pain Driver: We classify your pain into one of four movement intolerance types
2. Prescribe the Right Movement Strategy: Once we know your pain type, we match it with corrective movements
3. Build Long-Term Resilience: As pain settles, we help you:
Move confidently without flaring up
Rebuild core control and lifting mechanics
Return to work, sport, or life without setbacks
Ready to Fix Your Low Back Pain?
Take our 2-minute quiz to find out if you’re a good candidate to our program – no strings attached!
