Quick answer: exercise is the best-supported treatment for ongoing non-specific low back pain, and no single style has convincingly beaten the others in trials. What matters most is that you actually do it, that you start below the level that provokes symptoms, and that you build gradually. The ten exercises below are grouped into three phases so you start in the right place rather than attempting all ten on a bad day.
Before You Start: When Not to Exercise
Get medical assessment first, rather than starting a programme, if any of these apply:
- Numbness around the groin, inner thighs or buttocks (saddle anaesthesia), difficulty passing or controlling urine, or loss of bowel control. This can indicate cauda equina syndrome and needs same-day emergency care.
- Leg weakness that is getting worse, or a foot that catches or drops when you walk.
- Back pain with fever, unexplained weight loss, or a history of cancer, or pain markedly worse at night and not relieved by lying down.
- Pain following a fall, accident or other significant trauma, or sudden severe pain in anyone with osteoporosis or on long-term corticosteroids, where vertebral compression fracture is a possibility.
- Pain that worsens on walking or standing and eases when you sit or lean forward. This pattern suggests lumbar spinal stenosis and neurogenic claudication, which respond to a different approach. See our guide to lower back pain when walking or standing.
- Pain radiating below the knee with numbness or paraesthesia. Lumbar radiculopathy needs a modified programme. See our sciatica exercises instead.
If you are pregnant, recovering from abdominal or spinal surgery, or managing a diagnosed condition such as spondylolisthesis or ankylosing spondylitis, check with your doctor or physiotherapist before starting.
Is This the Right Programme for You?
This is a general programme for non-specific lower back pain, which covers the large majority of cases. Some patterns need a different starting point.
| If your pain | Start here instead |
|---|---|
| Is general, across the lower back, worse after activity or long sitting | This page. Begin at Phase 1 |
| Travels below the knee with numbness or pins and needles | Sciatica exercises at home |
| Builds on standing and walking, eases on sitting or leaning forward | Back pain when walking or standing |
| Is one-sided, low and just inside the dimple, worse on stairs and rolling in bed | Sacroiliac joint pain |
| Is right at the tailbone and worst on sitting | Coccydynia and tailbone pain |
| Spikes sharply when you cough, sneeze or strain | Back pain when coughing |
How to Tell If an Exercise Is Helping
This matters more than which ten exercises you pick, and most articles skip it entirely.
- Mild discomfort during and shortly after is acceptable. Muscles that have not worked in a while will complain.
- Judge by the next morning. If you are no worse the following day, the load was appropriate. If you are noticeably worse, reduce the repetitions rather than abandoning the movement.
- Symptoms spreading further down the leg, or new numbness or pins and needles, means stop that movement, even though it appears on this list. Symptoms retreating towards the back and buttock, known as centralisation, is a good sign.
- Sharp, stabbing or electric pain is a stop signal. A dull stretch or muscular burn is not.
Many people have a directional preference: some feel better with gentle lumbar extension, others with flexion. If one whole group of these movements consistently aggravates you and another consistently helps, that is useful information for a physiotherapist rather than something to push through.
Phase 1: Gentle Mobility, Start Here
Low-load movements for when pain is high. Do these daily. Move within a comfortable range rather than pushing to the end of it.
1. Knee-to-chest stretch
Works: lumbar and hip mobility, with almost no compressive load on the spine.
- Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Use both hands to draw one knee gently towards your chest.
- Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, breathing normally. Lower the leg slowly.
- Repeat on the other side. Three each side, once or twice daily.
Stop if: leg symptoms increase or travel further down.
2. Pelvic tilt
Works: gentle control of the lumbar spine, and awareness of neutral spine position.
- Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat, arms by your sides.
- Gently flatten your lower back towards the floor by drawing your lower abdomen in. Hold 5 seconds, then release.
- Now allow a small arch in the lower back, letting the abdomen relax. Hold 5 seconds.
- Alternate slowly. Start with 10 repetitions and build up.
3. Cat-cow
Works: segmental spinal mobility through flexion and extension, in a low-load quadruped position.
- Kneel on hands and knees, wrists under shoulders, knees under hips.
- Exhale and round the back upwards, tucking the chin and drawing the navel towards the spine. This is the cat.
- Inhale and reverse it, letting the belly drop, lifting the chest and tailbone. This is the cow.
- Move slowly between the two. Five to ten repetitions, twice daily.
4. Seated rotation stretch
Works: rotational mobility through the trunk. Useful if you sit for long periods.
- Sit upright on a chair or stool without arms, feet flat on the floor.
- Keeping your hips square and your spine tall, rotate your upper body to the right.
- Place your left hand on the outside of your right knee for a gentle assist. Do not force it.
- Hold 10 seconds, return to centre, repeat to the left. Three to five each side, twice daily.
Phase 2: Building Control
Add these once Phase 1 is comfortable, typically after one to two weeks. Three to four sessions a week.
5. Abdominal draw-in
Works: the transversus abdominis, the deep abdominal muscle that contributes to lumbar stability.
- Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat, arms by your sides.
- Breathe in normally.
- As you breathe out, draw your navel gently towards your spine without moving your hips or holding your breath. The effort is subtle, not a hard clench.
- Hold 5 seconds while breathing normally. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
6. Glute bridge
Works: the gluteus maximus and hamstrings. Stronger hip extension means the lumbar spine does less of the work when you stand, walk and lift. Fuller technique detail in our bridge exercise guide.
- Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat and hip-width apart, arms by your sides.
- Press through your heels and lift your hips until shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line. Squeeze the buttocks at the top.
- Hold 2 seconds, then lower with control.
- Ten to fifteen repetitions, two to three sets.
Stop if: you feel it pinching in the lower back rather than working in the buttocks. Lift a little less high.
7. Side-lying leg lift
Works: the gluteus medius and other hip abductors, which control pelvic position during walking and single-leg stance.
- Lie on one side with your legs together and stacked, the lower knee slightly bent for stability.
- Gently engage your abdominal muscles to keep your trunk still.
- Lift the top leg about 30 to 45 centimetres, keeping it straight and in line with your body rather than swinging it forward.
- Hold 2 seconds, lower slowly. Ten to fifteen repetitions, then repeat on the other side. Two to three sets.
8. Partial curl-up
Works: the rectus abdominis and obliques with less spinal flexion than a full sit-up.
- Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat and hip-width apart. Place your hands across your chest or lightly behind your head without pulling on the neck.
- Breathe out and lift your head and shoulder blades a few centimetres off the floor, keeping the neck in line with the spine.
- Hold 2 to 5 seconds, then lower with control.
- Eight to ten repetitions, two sets.
Skip this one if you have disc-related pain aggravated by bending forward, by sitting, or by coughing, and also if you have osteoporosis or low bone density, since repeated loaded spinal flexion increases compressive load at the front of the vertebral bodies. Use the abdominal draw-in instead.
Phase 3: Strength and Endurance
Add these once Phase 2 is comfortable. These build the capacity that prevents recurrence.
9. Wall sit
Works: the quadriceps and trunk endurance in an upright, spine-neutral position.
- Stand with your back against a wall, feet about 30 centimetres out in front of you, hip-width apart.
- Slide down the wall until your knees are bent to roughly 45 degrees. Do not go to a full 90 degrees at first.
- Keep your lower back gently in contact with the wall and your knees tracking over your toes.
- Hold 10 to 20 seconds, then slide back up. Repeat 8 to 12 times, building the hold time gradually.
10. Prone back extension
Works: the erector spinae and multifidus, the back extensor muscles that hold you upright. These are commonly weak in people with persistent back pain.
- Lie face down with your arms by your sides and your forehead resting on the floor or a folded towel.
- Keeping your gaze down at the floor to protect the neck, lift your chest a few centimetres off the ground. This is a small movement, not a big arch.
- Hold 2 to 5 seconds, then lower with control.
- Eight to ten repetitions. Progress by extending the arms forward, not by lifting higher.
Note: this replaces the full superman, in which both arms and legs are lifted simultaneously. That version places considerably more extension load on the lumbar spine and is not a sensible starting exercise for someone in pain. Build up to it if you want to, once this version is easy.
Skip this one if extension movements reliably aggravate your symptoms, which is common with spinal stenosis.
What a Session Actually Looks Like
A worked example, so you are not assembling it from scratch each time. This is Phase 2, about fifteen minutes.
| Order | What | How much |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walk, or Phase 1 movements, as a warm-up | 2 to 3 minutes |
| 2 | Cat-cow | 10 slow repetitions |
| 3 | Knee-to-chest | 3 each side |
| 4 | Abdominal draw-in | 8 holds of 5 seconds |
| 5 | Glute bridge | 2 sets of 12 |
| 6 | Side-lying leg lift | 2 sets of 12 each side |
| 7 | Partial curl-up, if suitable for you | 2 sets of 8 |
| 8 | Finish with a short walk | 5 minutes |
Matching the Programme to Your Situation
The same ten exercises suit most people, but the emphasis changes.
| Situation | Prioritise | Go easy on |
|---|---|---|
| Desk worker, pain builds through the day | Seated rotation, cat-cow, glute bridge, hourly position changes | Nothing in particular. Frequency matters more than intensity |
| Manual or lifting work | Glute bridge, side-lying leg lift, prone extension for load tolerance | Adding volume during a flare week |
| Over 60, or reduced bone density | Wall sit, glute bridge, walking, standing balance work | Repeated end-range spinal flexion, including the partial curl-up |
| Disc-related pain, worse sitting and coughing | Abdominal draw-in, prone extension, walking | Partial curl-up, deep knee-to-chest, forward folds |
| Stenosis pattern, worse standing and walking | Knee-to-chest, cat-cow, abdominal draw-in, cycling | Prone extension and other extension work |
| Pregnancy or postpartum | Pelvic tilt, side-lying leg lift, walking, with clinician sign-off | Supine work in later pregnancy, partial curl-up, anything with abdominal doming |
How Often, and How to Progress
| Phase 1 | Phase 2 | Phase 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Daily | 3 to 4 times weekly | 3 times weekly |
| Session length | 5 to 10 minutes | 15 minutes | 20 minutes |
| Move on when | Movements feel easy and are not sore the next day | You can complete all sets with good form | Continue as maintenance |
- Warm up with two or three minutes of walking or the Phase 1 movements before the harder work.
- Progress one variable at a time, usually repetitions before sets, and sets before difficulty.
- Walk on the days between sessions. A large randomised trial published in The Lancet in 2024 found a progressive walking programme roughly doubled the time before people had another activity-limiting episode of back pain.
- Expect months, not weeks. Strength and endurance changes take time. Consistency beats intensity.
No equipment is needed. A folded towel or thin mat makes the floor work more comfortable, and that is the extent of it.
Common Mistakes
Resting too much
Extended bed rest consistently produces worse outcomes than staying active. Reduce the aggravating activity; do not stop everything.
Avoiding lifting and bending permanently
Backs are built to bend and lift, and permanently avoiding those movements leads to deconditioning and to fear of movement, both of which predict worse long-term outcomes. The goal is graded return: lighter loads, better technique, and gradual progression rather than lifelong avoidance. During an acute flare, temporarily reducing heavy lifting is reasonable. Permanently is not.
Chasing passive fixes
Traction devices, inversion tables, decompression gadgets and similar products have limited evidence for lasting change. They may feel good briefly. Our review of lower back pain relief products covers what is worth the money.
Stretching a nerve and calling it a tight muscle
Tightness at the back of the thigh is often neural rather than muscular, and stretching hard into it makes nerve root irritation worse. There is a one-minute test that separates the two in our guide to tight hamstrings and lower back pain.
Doing all ten on day one
The most common error. Start with Phase 1 only, even if it feels too easy.
Ignoring smoking and sleep
Smoking is associated with a higher rate of back pain and poorer healing. Poor sleep independently increases pain sensitivity. Both matter alongside the movement work.
For causes, red flags and treatment options beyond exercise, see our lower back pain guide. For a rounded upper back contributing from above, see hunchback posture and kyphosis.
Terms You May Hear
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Non-specific low back pain | Pain with no single identifiable damaged structure. The large majority of cases |
| Centralisation | Symptoms retreating from the leg towards the back and buttock during or after a movement. Generally a favourable sign |
| Directional preference | A consistent tendency to improve with one direction of movement, usually flexion or extension |
| Transversus abdominis | The deepest abdominal muscle, targeted by the abdominal draw-in |
| Erector spinae and multifidus | The back extensor muscles that hold the spine upright, targeted by prone extension |
| Gluteus medius | A hip abductor that controls pelvic position when you walk, targeted by the side-lying leg lift |
| Fear-avoidance | Restricting movement because of anticipated pain, which drives deconditioning and predicts worse outcomes |
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no single best exercise. Trials comparing different exercise types for non-specific low back pain have not found one style to be clearly superior, which means the best programme is the one you will actually keep doing. A mix of gentle mobility, hip and trunk strengthening, and regular walking covers the ground for most people.
Judge by the next morning rather than by how it feels at the time. Mild soreness during and shortly after is acceptable. If you are noticeably worse the following day, reduce the repetitions rather than stopping altogether. Symptoms spreading further down the leg, new numbness or pins and needles, or sharp electric pain all mean stop that particular movement.
Phase 1 mobility work can be done daily. Phase 2 and 3 strengthening suits three to four sessions a week, with walking on the days in between. Move to the next phase when the current one feels easy and does not leave you sore the following day.
Many people notice some easing within two to three weeks of consistent gentle movement, but meaningful strength and endurance gains take two to three months. If nothing has changed after six weeks of consistent work, that is a reason to see a physiotherapist for an individualised assessment rather than to try harder.
Temporarily reducing heavy lifting during an acute flare is sensible. Avoiding it permanently is not. Backs are built to bend and lift, and long-term avoidance leads to deconditioning and fear of movement, both of which are associated with worse outcomes. The aim is a graded return with lighter loads and gradual progression.
Usually yes, at a reduced level. Staying gently active produces better outcomes than bed rest. Drop back to Phase 1 movements, shorten the sessions, and keep walking within comfort. Seek assessment rather than exercising if you have any of the warning signs listed at the top of this page.
No. All ten exercises use body weight only. A folded towel or a thin mat makes the floor work more comfortable, and a wall is needed for the wall sit. Nothing else is required.
Whichever you will do consistently. One practical point: the discs absorb fluid overnight and are slightly more pressurised first thing, so many people prefer to leave an hour or so after waking before doing floor-based flexion work. If mornings are the only time you will realistically exercise, do them in the morning and warm up a little longer.
Sources
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke — Low Back Pain.
- Pocovi NC, Lin CC, French SD, et al. Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an individualised, progressive walking and education intervention for the prevention of low back pain recurrence (WalkBack). The Lancet, 2024.
- NICE guideline NG59 — Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management.
- NHS — Back Pain.
- MedlinePlus — Low Back Pain: Exercises.
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases — Back Pain.
Last updated: August 2026. Written by Aisha Desai, who covers back and musculoskeletal topics and is not a clinician. This page has been reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team but has not been reviewed by a named clinician. It is general information rather than a personal exercise prescription. Lower back pain has several possible causes that respond to different approaches, and an exercise that helps one person can aggravate another, so please have your own symptoms assessed by a doctor or physiotherapist before starting.
