Low Back Pain and Exercise: Why Keeping Moving Matters
Low back pain is something most people experience at some point in life.
It can come on after lifting, gardening, sitting too long, doing more than usual, or sometimes for no obvious reason at all. It might feel stiff, sore, tight, aching, or simply “not right.” While it can be unsettling when it happens, the reassuring news is that most low back pain is not caused by anything serious, and most people recover well over time (Hartvigsen et al., 2018; ACSQHC, 2021).
At Antegrity Osteopathy, we take a calm, practical, whole-person approach. Our aim is to help you understand what may be going on, reduce unnecessary worry, and guide you forward with a plan that feels realistic for your body and your life.
Is low back pain always a sign of damage?
Usually, no.
One of the most important things to understand about low back pain is that it can be very real and very uncomfortable without necessarily indicating that your spine has been injured. Your back is designed to handle movement and load, and in most cases it is more resilient than pain alone might suggest. Many findings seen on scans, such as disc bulges, arthritis, or general “wear and repair,” are also found in people who have no low back pain at all (Hartvigsen et al., 2018).
Pain is often influenced by more than just the tissues themselves. Stress, sleep, activity levels, previous pain experiences, and general health can all shape how pain feels. While that may sound complex, it is actually helpful to know, because it means there are many ways recovery can be supported (WHO, 2023).
Why is movement so important?
When your low back is sore, the natural instinct is often to rest and avoid activity. That is completely understandable. But for most people, too much rest can actually slow recovery.
Research consistently shows that staying active and exercising can help reduce pain, improve movement, build strength, and restore confidence (George et al., 2021; WHO, 2023; Zhou et al., 2024).
This does not mean pushing through severe pain or jumping straight into intense exercise. It means finding the right starting point and building gradually.
Movement can help by:
reducing stiffness
improving strength and endurance
helping your body feel safer moving
supporting confidence in your back again
helping you return to everyday activities with more ease
For many people, the biggest shift is realising that gentle, appropriate movement is often part of the solution, not something to fear.
What kind of exercise is best?
The quick answer is: there is no ‘best’ exercise. The more technical answer is it depends on your current capacity, your goals, and what feels manageable for your body. The fun answer is: whatever you enjoy!
The best exercise is usually the one that suits your body, your current capacity, and your lifestyle, and that you can do consistently over time. Depending on the person, that might include walking, strength training, Pilates-style exercise, yoga, Tai Chi, or a simple home-based program (Fernandez-Rodriguez et al., 2022; Vanti et al., 2021).
For some people, it is about getting back to the gym. For others, it is being able to walk more comfortably, return to gardening, or feel more confident bending, lifting, and getting through the work day.
The goal is not to do everything perfectly. The goal is to help your body move again with more confidence.
How can osteopathy help?
Osteopathy may help by combining hands-on care, movement guidance, and education in a way that is tailored to the individual.
At Antegrity Osteopathy, care for low back pain may include:
listening to your story and understanding your goals
assessing how your back and body are moving
hands-on treatment to help ease stiffness or discomfort
practical advice around pacing, posture, and daily activities
tailored exercises to help you build confidence over time
Research suggests that exercise combined with manual therapy can be helpful for some people with low back pain, especially when care is individualised and part of a broader plan (Jiménez-Sánchez et al., 2024; Rubinstein et al., 2019).
Hands-on treatment can be useful for settling irritation and helping movement feel easier, but lasting improvement often comes from combining this with the right advice, appropriate exercise, and a clearer understanding of pain.
A whole-person approach matters
Low back pain is not always just about the back.
Work stress, poor sleep, long periods of sitting, reduced activity, busy life demands, and loss of confidence in movement can all play a role. That is why we take a whole-person approach at Antegrity Osteopathy. Rather than chasing a quick fix, we focus on understanding what may be contributing to your symptoms and helping you move forward with clarity and confidence (WHO, 2023).
The bottom line
If you are dealing with low back pain, complete rest is usually not the answer.
For most people, staying active, keeping movement in their routine, and gradually rebuilding strength and confidence gives the best chance of improvement (George et al., 2021; WHO, 2023).
Your back is strong.
It can adapt.
And with the right support, it can often become less sensitive and more capable again.
If you are unsure where to start, getting the right guidance can make a real difference.
Need support with low back pain?
At Antegrity Osteopathy, we provide patient-centred, evidence-informed care to help you better understand your pain, move with more confidence, and build a stronger foundation over time.
If low back pain is stopping you from doing the things you need or enjoy, we are here to help guide you forward with clear, practical care.
Book an initial consultation to begin with a thorough assessment, hands-on care where appropriate, and a personalised plan to help you move forward.
Sources:
This article is informed by contemporary clinical guidelines and research on low back pain, including publications from the World Health Organization, The Lancet, BMJ, and the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy.
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. (2021). Rapid review report: Diagnosis, investigation and management of low back pain. ACSQHC. https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-02/rapid_literature_review_-_investigation_and_management_of_low_back_pain.pdf
Fernandez-Rodriguez, R., Alvarez-Bueno, C., Cavero-Redondo, I., Torres-Costoso, A., Pozuelo-Carrascosa, D. P., Reina-Gutierrez, S., Pascual-Morena, C., & Martinez-Vizcaino, V. (2022). Best exercise options for reducing pain and disability in adults with chronic low back pain: Pilates, strength, core-based, and mind-body. A network meta-analysis. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 52(8), 505–521. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2022.10910
George, S. Z., Fritz, J. M., Silfies, S. P., Schneider, M. J., Beneciuk, J. M., Lentz, T. A., Gilliam, J. R., Hendren, S., & Norman, K. S. (2021). Interventions for the management of acute and chronic low back pain: Revision 2021. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 51(11), CPG1–CPG60. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2021.0304
Hartvigsen, J., Hancock, M. J., Kongsted, A., Louw, Q., Ferreira, M. L., Genevay, S., Hoy, D., Karppinen, J., Thomsen, G., Smeets, R., Turner, J., Underwood, M., Woolf, A., & Buchbinder, R. (2018). What low back pain is and why we need to pay attention. The Lancet, 391(10137), 2356–2367. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30480-X
Jiménez-Sánchez, M. D., Córdoba-Peláez, M., Marcos-Pérez, D., García-Rodríguez, A., Fernández-González, P., & Molina-Rueda, F. (2024). Clinical relevance of combined treatment with exercise in patients with chronic low back pain. Scientific Reports, 14, 17322. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-68192-2
Lang, G., Pereira, M., Schweinberger, M., Tapper, R., Waltenspül, M., & Zweifel, M. (2020). Dose-response-relationship of stabilisation exercises in patients with chronic low back pain. Scientific Reports, 10, 17238. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-73954-9
Martín-Núñez, J., Navarro-Ledesma, S., & Pruimboom, L. (2025). Pain neuroscience education with physical activity improves outcomes in chronic low back pain. Scientific Reports, 15, 10241. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-23951-7
Oliveira, C. B., Maher, C. G., Pinto, R. Z., Traeger, A. C., Lin, C.-W. C., Chenot, J.-F., van Tulder, M., & Koes, B. W. (2018). Clinical practice guidelines for the management of non-specific low back pain in primary care: An updated overview. European Spine Journal, 27(11), 2791–2803. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-018-5673-2
Rubinstein, S. M., de Zoete, A., van Middelkoop, M., Assendelft, W. J. J., de Boer, M. R., & van Tulder, M. W. (2019). Benefits and harms of spinal manipulative therapy for the treatment of chronic low back pain: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ, 364, l689. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l689
Vanti, C., Andreatta, S., Borghi, S., Guccione, A. A., Pillastrini, P., & Negrini, S. (2021). Exercise interventions can improve muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility in patients with non-specific low back pain. Scientific Reports, 11, 16998. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-96403-7
World Health Organization. (2023). WHO guideline for non-surgical management of chronic primary low back pain in adults in primary and community care settings. WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240081789
Zhou, T., Salman, D., & McGregor, A. H. (2024). Recent clinical practice guidelines for the management of low back pain: A global comparison. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 25(1), 344. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-024-07460-6
