5 Exercises for Lower Back Pain

Around 80% of adults experience lower back pain at some point. Most cases aren't structural — they're caused by weak core muscles, tight hips, and prolonged sitting. These 5 exercises target all three.

1. Cat-Cow Stretch (2 minutes). On all fours, alternate arching your back up (cat) and dipping it down (cow) with slow breaths. This mobilizes the spine and releases stiffness. Do 15 slow reps each morning.

2. Bird Dog (3 sets of 10 per side). On all fours, extend opposite arm and leg straight out, hold 3 seconds, return. This trains deep core stabilizers without loading the spine. Keep hips level — don't rotate.

3. Glute Bridge (3 sets of 15). Lie on back, knees bent, feet flat. Squeeze glutes and lift hips until body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Weak glutes force the lower back to do extra work — strengthen them and back pain often fades.

4. Dead Bug (3 sets of 10 per side). Lie on back, arms up, knees bent at 90°. Slowly lower opposite arm and leg, return. This builds anti-extension core strength — critical for spine stability during daily movement.

5. Child's Pose (hold 1 minute). Kneel, sit back on heels, stretch arms forward on floor. Gently decompresses the spine and stretches tight hip flexors from sitting.

Do these 5 times weekly. Most people notice significant relief within 2–3 weeks. Pair with 30-minute daily walks and getting up from your desk every 45 minutes.

Red flags to see a doctor: Pain radiating down one leg, numbness/tingling, weakness in legs, pain worse at night, or pain after trauma. These need immediate medical evaluation — don't self-treat.