Exercise library

Lower back exercises

Staged programmes and exercises for low back pain and core control.

Single-exercise guides and staged recovery programmes, each drafted to a shared house style and clinically reviewed by an HCPC-registered physiotherapist.

Individual exercises

Bridge ProgressionTargets hip and trunk strength to improve movement tolerance.Lumbar spineStrength phaseView details

Dead BugBuilds core control by moving the arms and legs slowly while keeping the trunk steady.CoreStrength phaseView details

Bird DogImproves spinal stability by extending opposite arm and leg in a slow, controlled pattern.Lumbar spineStrength phaseView details

McKenzie Press-UpGentle repeated lower-back extension to centralise leg symptoms toward the spine, following the McKenzie extension principle.Lumbar spineEarly rehabView details

Standing ExtensionAn upright version of the press-up, hands on hips, easing the spine backward for symptom relief between exercise sessions.Lumbar spineMobility phaseView details

Prone CobraLying face down, lifting the chest slightly using back extensors to build postural endurance for desk-based pain.Lumbar spineStrength phaseView details

Side Plank (Modified)A knee-supported side plank building lateral trunk stability, progressing spinal load tolerance safely.Lumbar spineStrength phaseView details

Segmental RollingRolling from back to side in a controlled, segmental way to reintroduce comfortable movement after an acute flare.Lumbar spineEarly rehabView details

Pelvic TiltA small rocking of the pelvis to ease lumbar tension, safe and gentle enough for antenatal and postnatal back pain.Lumbar spineEarly rehabView details

Quadruped Arm/Leg ReachAn advanced bird-dog progression adding controlled reach, challenging balance and trunk control together.Lumbar spineReturn to functionView details

Lumbar Flexion in LyingGently drawing both knees toward the chest to ease stenosis-related symptoms, which typically prefer flexion over extension.Lumbar spineEarly rehabView details

Sciatic Nerve GlideA gentle sliding nerve mobilisation of the leg and ankle to ease nerve-related sensitivity down the leg.Lumbar spineEarly rehabView details

Functional Lifting PatternPractising a hip-hinge lifting technique with a light load, building confidence for safe lifting at work or home.Lumbar spineReturn to functionView details

Recovery programmes

Staged home-exercise programmes for conditions in this area.

Back & neckLow back pain exercises

A staged exercise programme for low back pain from a HCPC-registered physiotherapist - settle a flare, rebuild strength, and get back to normal activity.

11 exercises Back & neckSciatica exercises

A staged exercise programme for sciatica from a HCPC-registered physiotherapist - nerve glides, strengthening, and how to know when to seek urgent help.

10 exercises Back & neckNeck pain exercises

A staged exercise programme for everyday neck pain from a HCPC-registered physiotherapist - ease stiffness, build strength, and settle desk-related aches.

12 exercises

Self-checks for this area

Quick movement tests you can try at home to see what your symptoms might point towards. A guide, not a diagnosis.

Slump Self-CheckWhether the sciatic nerve is sensitive to being put on stretch
Straight Leg Raise Self-CheckWhether lifting the straight leg reproduces leg pain from a sensitised sciatic nerve
Chin Tuck and Rotation Range CheckThe movement and comfort of the neck joints and muscles

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Using these exercises safely

This is general information only. Please do not start these exercises without guidance from a physiotherapist who has assessed you. Stop if pain is sharp or does not settle, and seek advice. Using them without an assessment is at your own risk.

A few general rules that apply to every exercise and programme in this library:

Build up gradually. Start with the easier end of what is suggested and add more only when it feels comfortable.
Some muscle soreness during or after is normal - up to about 3 or 4 out of 10 that settles within a day is fine.
Sharp pain, pain that spreads down a limb, pain that wakes you at night, or pain that is clearly worse the next morning means stop and get it checked.
Do not push through pain to 'earn' progress. Slow, steady loading is what builds tissue tolerance.
These are general exercises, not a substitute for a personal assessment. If you are not sure what is wrong, or things are not improving, book an assessment.

If your symptoms are severe, spreading, or you feel unwell, see a doctor rather than starting exercises.

Not sure which exercises are right?

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