Should I Exercise with Lower Back Pain?

Should You Exercise With Lower Back Pain?

If you’ve ever tweaked your back, you know the mental spiral that can follow: “Should I be resting right now—or moving more?” It’s a totally valid question—and one of the most common we hear from people with lower back pain.

The instinct to stop all movement and avoid making things worse is understandable. But surprisingly, the science says the opposite. While bed rest used to be the go-to advice, modern guidelines now urge you to stay active—even when your back is acting up.

So, should you exercise with lower back pain? Let’s break down what the latest research shows, which movements are actually helpful, and when to avoid certain activities.

Will My Back Heal Itself?

Most cases of low back pain are not serious and will improve over time—even without surgery or invasive treatments. In fact, research shows that only about 1–2% of back pain cases involve something more urgent like a tumor, infection, or fracture.

But that doesn’t mean you should lie in bed until it goes away.

Extended rest can actually make things worse by weakening your muscles, stiffening your joints, and decreasing circulation to the spine. That’s why global medical guidelines—including those from the Lancet Commission on Low Back Pain (2018) and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)—strongly recommend movement over immobility.

Why Should You Exercise With Lower Back Pain?

Research shows that exercise increases blood flow to the lower back, reducing stiffness and promoting faster healing. Regular strength training strengthens back muscles, offering better support and lowering the risk of future pain. Building core strength improves stability, enhances flexibility, and reduces injury risk.

According to a study published in The Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, exercise reduced low back pain by over 50% and decreased disability by 27.5%. Additional research highlights that activities like swimming, walking, and yoga can alleviate pain, improve posture, and enhance overall spinal health.

Why Movement (Not Rest) Is the New Medicine

Staying active with lower back pain might sound counterintuitive, but it can:

• Increase blood flow to sore muscles and joints

• Reduce stiffness and improve spinal mobility

• Strengthen your core and lower back muscles

• Decrease your risk of future flare-ups

• Improve mood, energy levels, and confidence

A 2022 Cochrane review found that exercise reduced low back pain intensity by up to 50% and improved functional ability across all age groups. Activities like walking, swimming, yoga, and Pilates are often particularly beneficial.

How To Approach Exercising with Low Back Pain

1. Find out which moves make your low back pain worse.

Everyone is unique and each case of back pain is different. Finding out what moves trigger your low back pain is important. When you know certain exercises are going to hurt it just makes sense that you can then avoid them.

2. Exercise at a comfortable intensity.

This is key to reduce fear of further injury. Fear avoidance is real and can be a big problem for those wanting to exercise but who are also scared of hurting themselves even more.

3. Don’t work through the pain.

Know the difference between pain and soreness from a workout. Soreness is a dull, achy feeling that should go away within 24–72 hours, and generally comes from working out. Pain is more severe and is your body’s way of telling you that it doesn’t like something you did to it. You should always listen to your body.

4. Watch your posture.

Slumping or slouching can exacerbate low back pain.

5. Don’t skip your warm up

Many back pain issues occur when we don’t warm up the muscles properly. Stretching before and/or after a workout can help with this.

6. Avoid high-impact exercises

Px90 and Crossfit may be popular workouts right now, but those programs are probably not going to be beneficial for those with low back pain. Low impact activities such as yoga, walking, or water aerobics, are all great ways or exercising with little to no impact on your low back.

7. Don’t lift weights above your head

Lifting weights above your head or your shoulders can stress the spine and these movements should be avoided.

8. Stretching exercises

Stretching should be an essential part of your low back pain workout. Stretching glutes, hamstrings and quads can have great benefits for reducing tightness and improving flexibility and range of motion.

9. Get your cardio on

High impact cardio that puts stress on your joints should be avoided but low impact exercises like walking, step machines, ellipticals, or even stationary bikes can help you get your calorie burn on without sacrificing your spine.

10. Skip the toe touch

Toe touches from a standing position can aggravate sciatica by over stressing spinal discs and ligaments. They can also aggravate your hamstrings — so stick with a gentle stretch instead.

Conclusions

Hopefully, after reading this article, you feel more confident about how to approach exercise when dealing with lower back pain. While the instinct to rest may be strong, staying active is often the best way to promote healing and prevent future discomfort.

Fear of re-injury is one of the biggest barriers to recovery from back pain. This is called fear-avoidance behavior, and it can lead to muscle deconditioning, anxiety, and even chronic pain. Working with a physical therapist or using a virtual PT platform (like the LivaFortis app) can help you ease back into movement safely—with professional guidance and feedback.

Daily exercise not only supports your spine but also enhances your overall well-being, benefiting your heart, mind, and soul. The key is to find a balance—engaging in safe, effective movements that strengthen your body without straining your back. Remember, taking proactive steps now through regular exercise can lead to long-term relief and a healthier, pain-free future.

Written by the LivaFortis Editorial Team. All content is created and reviewed by experts in biotechnology, translational medicine, and digital health innovation. Learn more about our editorial standards.