5 Common Causes of Back Pain (and How to Fix Them at Home)
Why Back Pain Is So Common
Back pain affects approximately 80% of adults at some point in their lives. At Fit Physio, it's our most frequently treated complaint — and in the vast majority of cases, the root cause is postural.
The good news? Postural back pain is highly treatable. With the right diagnosis and a structured exercise programme, most people can resolve their pain completely and prevent it from returning.
1. Poor Sitting Posture
Spending hours hunched over a desk places enormous stress on your lumbar spine and surrounding muscles. Over time, this leads to muscle imbalances, tight hip flexors, and a weakened core — all of which contribute to lower back pain.
Fix it: Set up an ergonomic workstation. Your screen should be at eye level, your chair should support your lumbar curve, and your feet should be flat on the floor. Take a 5-minute walking break every 30–45 minutes.
2. Weak Core Muscles
Your core muscles — including your abdominals, obliques, and deep stabilisers — act as a natural brace for your spine. When these muscles are weak, your spine is forced to bear loads it wasn't designed to handle.
Fix it: Targeted core strengthening exercises (not just crunches!) can dramatically reduce back pain. We recommend dead bugs, bird-dogs, and McGill curl-ups as a starting point.
3. Tight Hip Flexors
Sitting all day shortens your hip flexors, which then pull your pelvis forward into an anterior tilt. This increases the curve in your lower back and places compression on the lumbar vertebrae.
Fix it: Regular hip flexor stretching (kneeling hip flexor stretch, pigeon pose) combined with glute strengthening exercises can correct this imbalance.
4. Poor Movement Patterns
How you lift, bend, and carry objects matters enormously. A sudden awkward movement — bending forward with a rounded back to pick something up — can overload the spinal structures and trigger acute back pain.
Fix it: Learn to hinge at the hips rather than rounding your back when bending. Practice the hip hinge movement pattern daily.
5. Sedentary Lifestyle
Prolonged inactivity causes muscles to weaken and stiffen, joints to become less mobile, and disc health to deteriorate (discs are nourished through movement). A sedentary lifestyle is one of the strongest predictors of chronic back pain.
Fix it: Aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. Walking, swimming, and yoga are excellent low-impact options if you're just starting out.
When to See a Physiotherapist
While the home tips above can help with mild to moderate postural back pain, you should consult a physiotherapist if:
- Your pain has lasted more than 2 weeks
- The pain radiates down your leg (sciatica)
- You have numbness or tingling
- The pain is severe or getting progressively worse
- Your pain is not improving with rest
At Fit Physio, we can assess your specific condition, identify the exact root cause, and design a personalised treatment programme to get you pain-free as quickly as possible.