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If you've ever caught yourself rubbing your lower back after a long day at your desk or felt an all too familiar ache when getting out of bed in the morning, you're in good company. Low back pain affects roughly 80% of adults at some point in their lives, making it one of the most common reasons people visit their doctors. The good news is that much of everyday back pain stems from muscles that have simply gotten out of shape or stopped working together properly, which means you can do something about it.
This article focuses specifically on muscular causes of low back pain. If you're experiencing shooting pain down your legs, numbness, tingling, or weakness, etc. these symptoms often indicate nerve-related issues like sciatica that require individual attention from a physical therapist or healthcare provider. The strategies we'll explore here work best for that general stiffness and discomfort that comes from certain muscles not pulling their weight or activating to properly stabilize the spine.
Here's something that might surprise you: your low back pain probably has less to do with your actual back muscles and more to do with two areas that work as your spine's primary support team. Your core and glutes work together to support maintaining good spinal posture, and when they're not doing their respective jobs effectively, your lower back tends to end up in a poorly supported position.
Let’s talk about the core first. Your core does much more than look cool like the six-pack muscles you see in fitness magazines or in superhero movies. In reality, the six-pack muscle, the rectus abdominus, largely acts to flex the spine and also provide postural support. All of your core muscles together including muscles like your internal and external obliques, and your transverse abdominis all work together as an internal support system that also includes your diaphragm at the top, and your pelvic floor muscles at the bottom. When this system functions properly, it creates internal pressure that supports your spine from the inside out, similar to inflating a balloon inside your torso. This support takes tremendous pressure off your vertebrae and the small muscles that connect them, preventing them from becoming overworked and irritated.
At the hips the gluteus maximus handles hip extension which enables you to do things like walk, climb stairs, or stand up from sitting. Your gluteus medius is smaller and plays a crucial role in keeping your pelvis stable and level during those same tasks mentioned earlier. When these muscles are strong, they maintain proper alignment between your pelvis and spine, taking significant burden off your lower back. Getting these to work together like they should may be enough to help relieve your muscle related low back pain!
When your glutes become weak from too much sitting or simply not being challenged enough, something happens to your pelvic posture that directly affects your back. Weak glutes, often combined with tight hip flexors from prolonged sitting, can pull your pelvis into what's called an anterior pelvic tilt. Picture your pelvis as a bowl of water. In anterior pelvic tilt, the bowl tips forward, spilling water out the front.
This forward tilt of the pelvis forces your lower back to arch more dramatically than it should, creating excessive compression and stress on the joints and muscles in that area. It's essentially like walking around with your back constantly hyperextended, which becomes uncomfortable quite quickly. Over time, this altered alignment contributes significantly to that persistent ache many people feel in their lower back.
The beauty of addressing muscular low back pain lies in how simple it can be. A handful of targeted exercises, performed consistently for a few minutes a day, can make a noticeable difference in how your back feels and functions. It’s also worth mentioning that you may also find some comfort in gentle stretching and foam rolling exercises but we want to focus on the following movements because they are addressing more of the root causes of the problem rather than the symptoms of tightness. We will address stretching in a future article and as part of an upcoming exercise library.
Dr. Stuart McGill, a renowned spine researcher, noticed that three exercises excelled at building the type of core strength that protects your back. They're designed to strengthen your core muscles while keeping your spine in a safe, neutral position throughout the movement making it more stable in the long run.
This exercise targets your front abdominal muscles without putting your spine through repeated bending that can be irritating. Lie on your back with one knee bent and your foot flat on the floor, while keeping the other leg straight. Place your hands gently under the natural curve of your lower back, or use a small rolled towel or flat cushion for support. This support helps you maintain proper spinal alignment throughout the exercise. Gently lift your head and shoulders just a few inches off the ground, focusing on bracing your abdominal muscles as if you're preparing for someone to gently press on your stomach. Hold this position for several seconds while continuing to breathe, then slowly lower back down. This movement builds protective core endurance without excessive spinal flexion, creating the kind of stability your back craves.
This exercise strengthens the often-neglected muscles along the sides of your core, your obliques and the quadratus lumborum (low back muscle) which are essential for preventing your spine from bending sideways under load. This position also requires the gluteus medius to fire pretty hard to keep the hips in a straight line with your torso. Start by lying on your side with your elbow positioned directly beneath your shoulder. To make this more manageable, bend your knees and keep your feet together, creating a shorter lever that's easier to control. Stack your hips and shoulders directly on top of each other, engage your core muscles, and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your head to your knees. Focus on preventing your hips from sagging toward the floor or rotating backward. This exercise builds lateral stability that helps your spine stay steady during everyday activities like carrying groceries or reaching across your body.
This movement teaches your core to stabilize your spine while your arms and legs move, which is exactly what your body needs to do during daily activities. Start on your hands and knees with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Keep your back flat like a tabletop. Slowly extend one arm straight forward while simultaneously extending the opposite leg straight back. Focus on maintaining level hips and avoiding any rotation in your torso. Move slowly and deliberately, engaging your core to prevent your back from arching or rounding. This exercise builds the coordination between your core and limb movements that's crucial for protecting your spine during real-world activities.
This fundamental glute exercise directly addresses the anterior pelvic tilt problem mentioned earlier by strengthening the muscles that pull your pelvis back into proper alignment. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, positioned about hip-width apart with your heels close enough that you can nearly touch them with your fingertips. Press through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Avoid arching your lower back excessively; the lifting motion should come primarily from your glutes. Hold at the top for a moment, really focusing on that glute squeeze, then slowly lower back down. As your gluteus maximus becomes stronger through this exercise, it becomes better able to counteract tight hip flexors and support proper posture throughout your day.
This seemingly simple exercise targets your gluteus medius, an important muscle for hip stability that often gets overlooked. Lie on your side with your knees bent at roughly a 45-degree angle, keeping your feet together and your hips stacked. Rest your head on your bottom arm for comfort. Keeping your feet touching, slowly lift your top knee toward the ceiling like a clamshell opening, but make sure your hips don't roll backward during the movement. Focus on feeling the contraction in the muscles on the side of your hip. This exercise strengthens the gluteus medius so that it can keep your pelvis level when you walk or stand on one leg, reducing compensatory stress on your lower back.
The key to success with these exercises is all about consistency. Start with what feels manageable, perhaps holding each rep for 3 to 5 seconds or completing 8 to 12 repetitions to start. A practical starting approach might include performing the McGill Three exercises for 6 to 8 repetitions each, squeezing the muscles for 3 to 5 seconds per rep, with brief rests between exercises. For the glute exercises, try 2 sets of 8 to 12 glute bridges and 10 to 15 clamshells per side.
Start trying to perform this routine three times per week, but realistically you could get to where you can do them daily once they aren’t as challenging. As movements become easier over consecutive sessions, gradually increase the difficulty by increasing your hold times by a few seconds, add a couple more repetitions, or progress to more challenging versions like straightening your legs during the side plank. Eventually these exercises will become more like routine maintenance and other exercises in your routine will be most responsible for supporting further improvements to hip strength and core stability like variations of classic gym exercises like lunges, squats, and deadlifts.
Beyond these specific exercises, small changes in your daily habits can support your progress. Break up long periods of sitting with just two minutes of movement every hour. Take short walks whenever possible, even if it's just for 10 minutes. When carrying bags or groceries, alternate sides or distribute weight evenly between both hands to avoid creating imbalances. Little things like that add up over time on your posture and the types of stresses you place on your spine. It’s similar to how small rivers carve out valleys. It didn’t happen quickly, but over time the erosion created massive changes to the landscape. The same is true for our bodies in regards to our posture and regular habits when moving.
Remember that your low back pain likely developed over months or years of movement patterns and habits. Give these exercises time to work while staying consistent with your practice. Many people begin noticing improvements in their comfort levels within a few weeks, but the real transformation comes from making these movements a regular part of your routine.
Your back has been working hard to support you every single day. These targeted exercises provide the support system it needs to keep you moving comfortably and confidently for years to come. Start where you are, be patient with the process, and celebrate the small improvements along the way. Stay tuned for more articles like this with easy fixes for common posture related ailments!
You may also enjoy some of our other articles that address areas of lifestyle fitness. These articles tend to lean toward sustainable starting points for beginners
Mini Workouts, Major Gains: The Power of Exercise Snacks
How Strong Is Strong Enough? - A Different Perspective on Measuring Strength
Full Body vs. Body Part Training Splits: What Beginners Need to Know
