For most people with common lower back pain, movement is medicine. Current guidelines recommend staying active and doing regular exercise rather than resting in bed for days. The challenge is knowing which exercises are safe, how many to do and when to stop. This guide shares a gentle routine that a physiotherapist might teach in the early and middle stages of recovery.
Please read the safety notes first. This routine is meant for general, non-specific back pain. If you have sciatica, a recent injury, osteoporosis, are pregnant or have had spine surgery, get assessed before starting.
Before you begin: safety notes
- Mild discomfort or stretching sensations are acceptable. Sharp, shooting or increasing pain is not.
- Use a yoga mat or a folded bedsheet on the floor. A very soft mattress is not ideal for exercise.
- Move slowly and breathe normally. Do not hold your breath.
- Start with fewer repetitions on day one and see how your back feels the next morning.
- In summer, exercise in the cooler part of the day and drink water.
Stop if: pain spreads further down your leg, you feel new numbness or tingling, your leg feels weak, or pain is clearly worse the next day and does not settle. Contact a physiotherapist or doctor.
Stage 1: Gentle mobility (early days)
1. Knee rocking
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Slowly let both knees fall a little to one side, then the other, staying within a comfortable range. This gently moves the lower back without strain.
Dose: 10 slow rocks to each side, 2 sets, two or three times a day.
2. Pelvic tilts
In the same position, gently flatten your lower back into the mat by tightening your tummy muscles and tilting your pelvis backward, then relax and let a small arch return. Keep the movement small and smooth.
Dose: 10 repetitions, 2 sets.
3. Single knee to chest
Lying on your back, hold behind one knee and gently draw it towards your chest until you feel a mild stretch in the lower back or buttock. Hold, then lower and switch sides.
Dose: Hold 15 to 20 seconds, 3 times each side. Stop if this increases leg pain; some disc problems do not like bending.
4. Cat and camel
On hands and knees, slowly round your back towards the ceiling, then let it gently dip, moving within a comfortable range. Think of moving one segment at a time.
Dose: 10 slow repetitions, 2 sets.
Stage 2: Building support (as pain settles)
5. Glute bridge
Lie on your back with knees bent. Tighten your tummy gently, then squeeze your buttocks and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Lower slowly. Do not arch your back excessively at the top.
Dose: 10 repetitions, 2 to 3 sets. Progress to holding for 5 seconds at the top.
6. Bird dog
On hands and knees, keep your back flat like a table. Slowly reach one arm forward and the opposite leg back, keeping your hips level. Return and switch sides. If this is hard, start by lifting only the leg or only the arm.
Dose: 8 to 10 repetitions each side, hold 3 to 5 seconds, 2 sets.
7. Side-lying clam
Lie on your side with hips and knees bent, feet together. Keeping your feet touching, lift the top knee a little without rolling your hips back. This strengthens the hip muscles that support the pelvis and lower back.
Dose: 12 to 15 repetitions each side, 2 sets.
8. Wall sit or sit-to-stand
From a firm chair, stand up and sit down slowly using your legs, keeping your back long and chest up. This trains the movement you do many times a day.
Dose: 10 repetitions, 2 sets. Use your hands on the armrests if needed at first.
Walking: the most underrated back exercise
Regular walking is one of the best things you can do for back pain. Start with what is comfortable, even 5 to 10 minutes, two or three times a day, and add a few minutes every few days. Walking inside the house, on the terrace or in a nearby park all count. Avoid the hottest hours of the day.
How to progress safely
- If an exercise feels easy for three or four days in a row, add 2 to 3 repetitions or one more set.
- Change only one thing at a time, so you know what your back is reacting to.
- Use the next-morning test: if your back is no worse the next morning, the dose was fine.
- A flare-up does not mean you have damaged your back. Reduce the dose for a few days, then build up again.
Exercises to avoid in the early phase
While your back is irritable, avoid heavy weights, full sit-ups, fast twisting, toe-touching with straight legs and any exercise that makes leg symptoms worse. These may be suitable later, but only with good control and guidance.
Daily habits that support the exercises
- Break up sitting every 30 minutes with a short stand or walk.
- When lifting, bend your hips and knees, keep the load close to your body and avoid twisting.
- Get out of bed by rolling onto your side first, then pushing up with your arms.
- Sleep in a position that feels comfortable; a pillow under or between the knees often helps.
When to see a doctor urgently
Do not continue home exercises and seek medical help straight away if you notice loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the groin or private parts, worsening weakness in a leg, pain with fever or unexplained weight loss, or severe pain after a fall. Severe pain that keeps you awake every night despite rest also needs a doctor's review.
Why a personal plan is better
Every back is different. Some people feel better bending forward; others feel better arching backward. A physiotherapist checks which movements suit you, corrects your technique and adjusts the routine as you improve. Wrong technique or the wrong exercise for your type of pain is a common reason people give up on exercise.
Physiotherapy at home in Jaipur
If you would like these exercises checked and tailored to your back, LifeWell Physio provides back pain physiotherapy at home. Dr. Rohit Kumar assesses you in person and then, when suitable, continues exercise progression on live video calls. We visit homes across the city, including Vaishali Nagar.
Send a WhatsApp enquiry to LifeWell Physio to book a home assessment and get a routine designed for your back.
This article is general health information from a physiotherapist and is not a substitute for a personal assessment or medical advice. If symptoms are severe, sudden or getting worse, please see a doctor.
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