How to Ease Lower Back Pain: Tips to Manage Back Pain Better
Maybe you've had a recent episode of lower back pain. Or maybe you've been dealing with chronic back pain that feels worse when you sit too long.
Back pain is a common experience for most humans at some point in their lives. Knowing how to ease lower back pain can be the difference between someone managing most of their usual activities vs feeling they have to spend their time lying flat on the ground.
Having an idea of where to start with managing back pain better can be overwhelming. Here are my most commonly shared tips for how to ease lower back pain:
Try to stay as active as possible
Use movement snacks in your day
Avoid staying in the same position for long periods
Get out for walks (and keep them short to begin with)
Use a lumbar support when sitting
Try to stay as active as possible
When lower back pain starts, it is a natural reaction to feel like you should avoid activity until things feel better again. For many people, this can look like stopping their workout routine, avoiding getting out to walk, or even spending more time lying down.
It’s common to worry that activity may be making things worse and not know what you should or shouldn’t be doing.
Even though pain is present, try to keep as active as possible. It’s incredibly common to feel a slight increase in pain while you’re being active when back pain is present. If your lower back pain isn’t getting worse as you continue an activity and it doesn’t take longer than 20 minutes for the slight increase in pain to settle, consider this a neutral activity.
If you’re feeling apprehensive about getting back to an activity, start with a small amount (e.g. a few minutes or so).If this feels neutral (or you feel better!!), then build your time up progressively by a few minutes at a time.
If you reach a threshold where you feel the activity was too much, cut back a little the next time.
Use movement snacks in your day
I'm sure you’ve heard the saying “motion is lotion”. The majority of folks with lower back pain find introducing little movement breaks (or snacks) is one of the most impactful things they do.
While I didn’t coin the term movement snack, I absolutely love the idea. Small nibbles of activity are typically well managed for most people with back pain.
Our spine is designed to move, and historically, most of us would have been more active in our days than we are in our current lifestyles. Using movement snacks helps to break up postures and positions that you may be using during the day that could be aggravating or prolonging your pain.
These movement snacks also get your soft tissues and joints moving which improves blood flow and stimulates your nervous system to help with pain.
How to figure out what movements to use
The type of motion that feels best for you may be different than what helps another person feel their best. That being said, the majority of people will find working through movements that are gentle and in a pain-free range won’t lead to more pain afterward.
One of the go-to movements I recommend someone try at home before we get the chance to see each other for a physiotherapy assessment is the cat-camel stretch. You may have also heard this called the cat-cow stretch. Here’s a video showing this movement:
Avoid staying in the same position for long periods
One of the biggest aggravating factors for lower back pain is staying in the same posture for long periods. I know there are times when changing your position just won’t be possible, but whenever possible, a quick position change can make a big difference in your comfort level.
If you lose track of time easily, set a timer to remind yourself to move as often as every 10-30 minutes. The time interval you want to use depends on your symptoms; if it takes 30 minutes for your symptoms to come on or worsen, then aim to change your position before the 30-minute mark to avoid bringing on or increasing your symptoms.
If sitting aggravates your lower back pain, try standing up to walk around the room or even stand up for a few moments before sitting again. This can have a drastic impact on how comfortable you feel with sitting afterward.
If you’re not able to get up to move around, try the following movements to see if this helps you to feel more comfortable:
Get out for walks (and keep them short to begin with)
It’s common to feel you can’t do your usual physical activities while experiencing lower back pain. Try to get out each day to walk. Walking will help you feel you’re getting some activity in and often the movement through the spine required for walking will feel better than sitting or standing.
Many people with lower back pain find that walking regularly greatly improves their pain. You may even find that walking multiple times in the day helps you manage your pain even better!
While I know getting multiple walks in each day isn’t possible for each person with lower back pain, don’t undervalue the benefit of getting out at least daily for a short walk.
Use a lumbar support when sitting
One of the easiest ways to help your comfort while sitting is using a lumbar support. A lumbar support helps to support the lumbar spine curvature, making it easier to maintain a neutral spine posture.
If your chair doesn’t have a lumbar support and you don’t own a lumbar pillow, use a small hand towel to make a temporary support. Roll the towel tightly to make a firm roll that is 3-4 inches across.
Positioning a lumbar support
A common question I get is where the lumbar support should be positioned.
Place your lumbar support at the lower back around the level of a mid-rise pant. Another way to check positioning is to feel for the two little divots to either side of the base of the spine. Place your roll just above these two divots.
Make sure your bum is positioned at the very back of your chair before you place the lumbar support. With it in place, you should feel the roll giving you a small arch to the lower back. Most people feel this makes them sit up straighter, and some even tell me that they have an improvement in their pain and comfort level right away.
Who can help me with how to ease lower back pain?
Seeing an orthopaedic physiotherapist for an assessment and treatment can greatly improve how your back has been feeling.
While the information above can help you start to feel better, it is not meant to replace specific medical advice. Having recommendations and exercises individualized for your specific needs will always be more impactful than general advice.
If you’re local to Toronto and are looking for in-person care, my physiotherapy clinic is located on St Clair Ave West between Dufferin and Landsdowne. I’d be happy to work with you on your lower back recovery.
If you’re located in Ontario and looking for virtual physiotherapy appointments, I’d be happy to speak with you further about physiotherapy for lower back pain.
Next on your reading list:
Orthopaedic Physiotherapy: A Guide for Folks to Know if Physiotherapy Is for Them
Updated: May 27, 2025
