If you’ve ever had back pain and been told “you should do some exercises,” you know how unhelpful that advice can feel.
Which exercises? In what order? How many? What if it makes it worse?
Most people either do nothing — and the back pain keeps coming back — or they try something off YouTube, tweak themselves further, and end up back at square one.
As a physiotherapist, I want to give you something more useful than that. A simple, evidence-based starting point. Because the research on back pain is actually quite encouraging — most episodes can be managed well with the right approach.
First, Understand What Back Pain Actually Is
Roughly 80% of people (or 4 out of every 5) will experience significant back pain at some point in their lives. It’s the leading cause of disability worldwide.
But here’s what the research tells us that often surprises people: in most cases, back pain is not caused by serious structural damage. Even when scans show things like disc bulges or degeneration, these often don’t correlate with pain levels at all. Many people with “terrible looking” scans have no pain whatsoever.
This is good news. It means that for most people, the back can be rehabilitated — even if it looks worn on imaging.
The Simplest Starting Point: The Walking Programme
Before we get into specific exercises, the single most evidence-supported thing you can do for your lower back is also the simplest: walk.
A few recent research studies showed that regular walking is almost as good for back pain as comprehensive core strengthening programmes.
And the best thing. You don’t need to walk fast. Or go far. Just regularly.
Start with 10 minutes a day on flat ground. Build up to 20–30 minutes over two to three weeks. Walking activates the deep stabilising muscles of your spine, keeps the joints mobile, reduces inflammation, and improves blood flow to the discs.
Many people are surprised at how much difference regular short walks make before they’ve done a single “back exercise.”
Then Add These Two Movements
Once walking feels comfortable, add these:
1. Knee-to-chest stretch Lying on your back, pull one knee gently toward your chest and hold for 20–30 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Do this twice daily. It gently opens up the lower back joints and relieves compression.
2. Glute bridge Lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, slowly lift your hips off the ground until your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders. Hold for two seconds, lower slowly. Repeat 10 times. This activates the gluteal muscles — your back’s best friends.
👉 The rule: If an exercise increases your back pain significantly or causes it to travel down your leg, stop and get it assessed before continuing.
When Simple Isn't Enough
For most people with mild to moderate back pain, the above approach makes a real difference. But if:
- Your pain has been going on for more than six weeks
- The pain travels down your leg (sciatica)
- You have pain at night that wakes you from sleep
- Your pain is getting progressively worse
…then you need a proper physiotherapy assessment, not a generic exercise programme.
At Growing Younger Physiotherapy in Howick and Highland Park, we specialise in getting people over 40 out of back pain and keeping them that way. We’ll assess what’s actually driving your pain and build a clear, manageable plan around your life.
Reach out to us here — we will either help you fix your back pain or point you in the right direction.