Guide # Exercises for lower back pain: what actually helps Exercise is one of the most recommended things you can do for a sore lower back. There is no single magic move. What works is a sensible mix, done regularly and made a little harder over time. By [the Remedy team](https://remedyrecoveries.com/about#editorial) · Published October 23, 2026 · 3 min read · 7 sources On this page - [Does exercise help lower back pain?](#does-exercise-help) - [Which exercises are best?](#which-exercises) - [A simple starter routine](#starter-routine) - [What should I avoid?](#what-to-avoid) - [How Remedy fits](#how-remedy-fits) - [Questions](#questions) - [Sources](#sources) Key takeaways - Clinical guidelines from the UK, US, and WHO all list exercise as a first-line option for low back pain. - No single exercise is best. Several types help, and the one you will keep doing beats the perfect one you skip. - A good routine covers mobility, core stability, and hip and back strength, and gets harder over the weeks. ## Does exercise help lower back pain? Yes, for most people. Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and in most cases there is no single structural cause that a scan would find [1]. That is part of why guidelines lean so heavily on exercise and staying active rather than on fixing one specific thing. The UK’s NICE guideline recommends exercise programs for managing low back pain [2]. The American College of Physicians recommends exercise, along with other non-drug options like yoga and tai chi, as a first step for chronic low back pain [3]. The World Health Organization’s 2023 guideline also lists structured exercise programs among its recommended options [4]. A Cochrane review of 249 trials found that exercise probably reduces pain for people with chronic low back pain compared with no treatment or usual care [5]. The average effect is moderate, not miraculous, which is a good reason to treat it as a habit you build over weeks rather than a one-off fix. ## Which exercises are best? A large network meta-analysis compared different exercise types for chronic low back pain. It found benefits across several, including Pilates, stability (motor control) training, resistance training, and aerobic exercise [6]. In practice that means the label matters less than covering a few bases: - **Mobility.** Moving the spine and hips through a comfortable range. [Cat-cow stretch](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/cat-cow), [open-book rotation](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/open-book-rotation), and a [hip flexor stretch](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/hip-flexor-stretch) are common choices. - **Core stability.** Holding the trunk steady while arms and legs move: the [bird dog](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/bird-dog), [dead bug](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/dead-bug), and [side plank from the knees](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/side-plank-knees). - **Hip and back strength.** The muscles that do the work when you lift and stand up: [glute bridge](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/glute-bridge), [hip hinge](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/bodyweight-hip-hinge), and [bodyweight squat](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/bodyweight-squat). - **General activity.** Walking counts. [Walking for back pain](https://remedyrecoveries.com/guides/is-walking-good-for-back-pain) has its own guide. ## A simple starter routine This is the kind of session Remedy builds early in a program for someone with no equipment. It takes about 15 minutes. Move slowly and stay in a range that feels manageable. - **[Cat-cow stretch](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/cat-cow)**: 2 sets of 10 slow reps to warm up. - **[Bird dog](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/bird-dog)**: 3 sets of 5 per side, holding each for about 10 seconds. - **[Dead bug](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/dead-bug)**: 3 sets of 10, lowering over about 3 seconds. - **[Glute bridge](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/glute-bridge)**: 3 sets of 12. - **[Hip hinge](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/bodyweight-hip-hinge)**: 3 sets of 12. - **[Child’s pose for back pain](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/childs-pose)**: 2 holds of about 40 seconds to cool down. Do it three times a week. When a move feels easy for a full week, move to the harder version listed on its exercise page, for example from the glute bridge to the [single-leg glute bridge](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/single-leg-glute-bridge). That is how Remedy progresses: harder variants, not endless extra reps. ## What should I avoid? You do not need to avoid bending or lifting forever. What helps is choosing a version you can do with control right now and building up from there. A few practical rules: - Mild, general discomfort that settles within a day is common when you start. Sharp pain, or pain spreading down a leg, means stop that movement. - Swap an exercise that always makes things worse for another in the same group. - Don’t judge a routine after one week. [How long to stick with it](https://remedyrecoveries.com/guides/how-long-to-stick-with-a-back-routine) covers realistic timelines. ## How Remedy fits Remedy builds this kind of program from a short onboarding, including where it hurts and what makes it worse. Every session has a warm-up, main work, and cooldown, every exercise has a demonstration video, and the difficulty climbs week by week. [See how it works](https://remedyrecoveries.com/how) or browse the [exercise guides](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/). ## Exercises in this guide [Mobility ### Cat-cow stretch An all-fours movement that alternates rounding and arching your spine. No equipment · Gentle](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/cat-cow) [Core and stability ### Bird dog exercise From your hands and knees, you reach one arm forward and the opposite leg back while keeping your back still. No equipment · Beginner](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/bird-dog) [Core and stability ### Dead bug exercise A core exercise done on your back: you slowly lower an opposite arm and leg while keeping your trunk still. No equipment · Beginner](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/dead-bug) [Glutes and hips ### Glute bridge Lying on your back with knees bent, you drive through your heels to lift your hips. No equipment · Beginner](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/glute-bridge) [Strength ### Hip hinge Bending forward by pushing your hips back while your spine stays long. No equipment · Beginner](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/bodyweight-hip-hinge) [Stretches and recovery ### Child’s pose for back pain A resting stretch where you sit back toward your heels with your arms stretched out in front. No equipment · Gentle](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/childs-pose) ## Questions ### What is the best exercise for lower back pain? There isn’t one. Research comparing different types of exercise finds benefits across several, including stability work, strength training, Pilates, and aerobic exercise. The best one is a sensible mix you will actually do a few times a week. ### Should I exercise with lower back pain? For most everyday back pain, yes. Guidelines recommend staying active and exercising rather than resting. Keep movements in a range that feels manageable, and stop anything that causes sharp pain or pain spreading down a leg. If you have any red-flag symptoms, see a clinician first. ### How often should I do lower back exercises? Most structured programs run three or more short sessions a week for several weeks. Consistency matters more than session length. ## When to see someone instead of using an app Get medical care, not an exercise routine, if you have back pain with any of these: - Numbness or tingling around your genitals or buttocks - Trouble peeing, or loss of bladder or bowel control - Numbness, tingling, or weakness in one or both legs that is getting worse - Back pain after a fall, car accident, or other injury - A fever, or feeling unwell, along with back pain - Unexplained weight loss, or a history of cancer - Pain that is severe, constant, and gets worse at night or when lying down - Pain that keeps getting worse over several weeks instead of better [More on the warning signs](https://remedyrecoveries.com/guides/when-to-see-a-doctor-for-back-pain) ## Sources - Hartvigsen J, et al. [What low back pain is and why we need to pay attention](https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30480-X). *The Lancet*. 2018;391(10137):2356-2367. - [Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management (NG59)](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng59). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2016, updated 2020. - Qaseem A, et al. [Noninvasive treatments for acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians](https://doi.org/10.7326/M16-2367). *Annals of Internal Medicine*. 2017;166(7):514-530. - [WHO guideline for non-surgical management of chronic primary low back pain in adults in primary and community care settings](https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240081789). World Health Organization, 2023. - Hayden JA, et al. [Exercise therapy for chronic low back pain](https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD009790.pub2). *Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews*. 2021;CD009790. - Owen PJ, et al. [Which specific modes of exercise training are most effective for treating low back pain? Network meta-analysis](https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-100886). *British Journal of Sports Medicine*. 2020;54(21):1279-1287. - [Back pain (NHS Health A to Z)](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/back-pain/). NHS, 2026. This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. [How we write our guides](https://remedyrecoveries.com/about#editorial). Keep reading ## Related guides [Guide ### Stretches for lower back pain Gentle stretches that ease a stiff lower back, and why stretching alone is not enough.Read the guide](https://remedyrecoveries.com/guides/stretches-for-lower-back-pain)[Guide ### Core exercises for back pain What “core” really means for a sore back, and a progression from floor to standing.Read the guide](https://remedyrecoveries.com/guides/core-exercises-for-back-pain)[Guide ### Back routine with no equipment What a home routine for a sore back needs, using only the floor.Read the guide](https://remedyrecoveries.com/guides/back-exercises-no-equipment) ## Get a back program you can actually keep Free to download on the App Store. Answer a few questions and your first session is ready in minutes. 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