Lower back pain will affect nearly 80% of us at some point in our lives. These episodes often come up out of seemingly nowhere, and can linger longer each time they occur. Sometimes the pain is severe enough to prevent us from doing the things we like, or need, to do. Other times it’s just a constant low-level nuisance in our day, that without us realizing may be making us feel distracted, less energized, and more irritable.
The global market for treatments to manage lower back pain was estimated at $2.7 billion in 2024, which tells us that a lot of people are looking for solutions. Thankfully, meaningful long-term relief often comes from small, sustainable changes to your daily routine.
When determining the most effective way to address lower back pain, it’s important to consider not just your muscles and joints, but also your movement patterns, habits, stress levels, and environment.
This blog was inspired by a recent uptick in clients that I’ve seen in my clinic who are dealing with lower back pain. Each individual has a unique presentation of symptoms, lifestyle influences, and environmental factors that contribute to the onset of their pain. As such, each client receives an individualized program to suit their specific needs and goals.
My goal with the information below is to summarize some of the educational tidbits that I find myself sharing time and time again with my clients. In many cases, making just a few consistent changes to your routine can be the difference between having pain, and not.
Understanding Lower Back Pain Through a Holistic Lens
Lower back pain rarely comes from a single cause. Typically, it involves the complex relationship between a variety of factors, and how they all interplay with one another. The most common contributing variables I see in my clinic are related to prolonged sitting/standing, repetitive activities that overload the body beyond its limits, poor coping strategies to manage stress, too little or ineffective recovery, and imbalances in strength or mobility.
Pain is your body’s way of signaling that something is off, and often has no correlation with structural changes in the body. In order to address things holistically, it’s important to consider the whole system, not just the painful area. This helps us to develop a well balanced program that not only alleviates your symptoms, but prevents them from recurring in the future.
Lifestyle Adjustments That Make a Difference
Optimize Your Work Routine
You don’t need an expensive ergonomic chair. What matters is movement variety.
As a general rule of thumb, aim to switch positions every 30–45 minutes. You can alternate between sitting and standing for sedentary tasks, and go for a walk or stretch during meetings or phone calls that don’t require you to be in front of your screen. Consider using a timer on your phone as a reminder, or using natural breaks in your day (like when a meeting ends, or before/after lunch) to shift things up.
When looking at your desk set up, try to keep your monitors at eye level. This will prevent you from needing to look down, up, or to either side for a prolonged period of time. During times you need to sit, consider using a small lumbar roll to support the natural curve of your spine.
There aren’t inherent postures that are “good” or “bad” for everyone, they all live on a spectrum. Any posture can become an issue if you stay in it for too long and don’t balance it out with other movements or positions.
Add “Movement Snacks” Throughout Your Day
Our bodies have evolved to move. Unfortunately, our modern society has made movement less and less accessible during our busy days. A stiff or achy back is a common indicator that we need to change things up. Taking small breaks to move your body in different ways can prevent tension from building.
There are countless exercises or activities to achieve this. Go for a mid-morning walk, do a 10 minute yoga class on your lunch break, or spend a few minutes stretching while you’re listening in on a meeting for work.
The most important piece is consistency, so choose an option that you actually enjoy! It will make you that much more likely to stick to the routine everyday.
Alter Your Sleeping Setup
When dealing with an episode of lower back pain, your sleep position can make a big difference in how quickly things improve.
Try these adjustments for more support:
- Side sleepers: Place a pillow between your knees. Aim for a thicker pillow under your head that supports your neck in a neutral position
- Back sleepers: Slide a pillow under your knees. Aim for a thinner pillow under your head to prevent your neck from being propped up too high
- Stomach sleepers: This can be tricky, especially if you’re dealing with neck or upper back pain. Some find that a modified position (slightly more on side than stomach) with pillow support can be a happy medium to allow for your spine to stay in a more neutral and supported position.
Carry Weight Evenly
If you always carry a purse or backpack on one side, your body may be compensating to accommodate this uneven demand. This would be like going to the gym, but only strengthening one arm. Try to balance things out by switching sides, or using a backpack with two straps.
Pay Attention to Footwear
Shoes can have a big influence on how we feel as we navigate the world around us. This is a big topic to cover, but as a basic rule of thumb, consider the following.
- How old are your shoes? Are they worn out in certain areas more than others? How many miles have you walked or run in them?
- How do you feel when you wear certain types of footwear (supportive sneakers, high heels, sandals, barefoot)? Does it depend on how long you’re wearing them, or what activities you use them for?
As a general rule, try to select your footwear based on the situation. Listen to your body and choose something that makes you feel your best, based on your individual experience. If you’re going to be on your feet on a firm surface for a longer period of time, consider something more supportive. If you’ve been wearing the same pair of sneakers for years on end, consider getting a new pair for day to day use.
Optimize Your Nutrition To Promote Healing
Inflammation can sensitize pain pathways and inhibit recovery. Making the effort to nourish your body properly helps to create an environment for optimal healing.
When recovering from an injury, it’s important to consider if you’re doing the basics right. Are you drinking enough water? Eating a whole food diet? Incorporating enough protein to allow for optimal tissue healing? You could also consider reducing some common contributors to inflammation, such as processed foods, excessive refined sugar, and alcohol.
If you feel your nutrition is not ideal, and don’t know where to start with improving your diet, it’s best to consult with a specialist. While this is not my scope of expertise, I’m happy to make recommendations for those who are interested in getting a customized program to complement their health and fitness goals.
Manage Stress to Ease Muscle Tension
Your shoulders, neck, jaw, and back are some of the most common areas in the body to hold stress. It’s sadly too common for us to spend the majority of our days in a "fight or flight" state, especially if we’re not focused on consciously relaxing.
When our nervous systems stay in this state for prolonged periods of time, the muscles around the spine often tighten as a protective mechanism. I plan to highlight this in great depth in my next blog, but want to provide a high level overview of this important topic.
To dip your toe into the world of nervous system downregulation, consider strategies such as diaphragmatic breathing, implementing mindfulness breaks throughout the day, or utilizing body scanning techniques.
These strategies all call upon your parasympathetic nervous system, which sends signals to your brain and body that you’re safe. This allows your body to shift focus to resting and healing, which can help to alleviate pain. This is even more effective when implemented consistently throughout the day, helping over time to rewire your system to make this state of relaxation a default. Each time you practice these techniques, they become easier and more accessible for you to tap into in the future.
When to Seek Professional Guidance
Lifestyle changes can help most people, but there are times when a customized plan is essential.
Don’t hesitate to seek evaluation if you're experiencing:
- Pain lasting longer than 6 weeks
- Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs
- Pain that disrupts sleep
- Difficulty standing or walking
- Pain after a fall or trauma
Lower back pain doesn’t have to control your life. With small lifestyle shifts, mindful movement, and holistic support, you can improve mobility, reduce discomfort, and feel more at ease in your body.
If you’re seeking expert guidance tailored specifically to your body and lifestyle, Ebb & Flow Rehabilitation is here to create a personalized recovery plan that helps you to feel confident in your movement again.
