I suffer from sciatica — here's 9 exercises I swear by to stretch and strengthen the lower back

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

If you’re suffering from lower back pain, I don’t need to tell you that it can affect all parts of your life. Whether you’re a runner or a cyclist, a sore lower back can prevent you from doing the sport you love, as well as making everyday tasks a little more uncomfortable. I've suffered from sciatica for years, and I've got good news — the right exercises can really help keep lower back pain at bay.

If like millions of other Americans, you’re finding the toll of sitting down all day is hurting your back, I'm here to help. While you should definitely consult your doctor if you’re struggling with long-term lower back pain, research has found that strengthening certain muscles can prevent and alleviate lower back pain. In addition, targeted exercises can increase the blood flow to the lower back area, which can help reduce stiffness.

Pair these exercises with one of the best office chairs to give you proper lumbar support, and the best standing desks to break up the time spent sitting down, and your back will thank you.

The best exercises for lower back pain

1. Glute bridges

Bridge exercises largely target the glutes, which in turn stabilize and support the lower back. Here's how to do a glute bridge:

Lie on your back on an exercise mat with your knees bent and your feet pressed into the floor.
Squeezing your glutes, raise your hips to the ceiling until they form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
Pause here for a few seconds, before slowly lowering back to your starting position.
To progress the exercise and make it more challenging, put a dumbbell on your hips, or loop one of the best resistance bands above your knees.
Aim to do three sets of 10 reps.

2. Lower back twist

a photo of a woman doing a lower back twist — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

If you do suffer from lower back pain, this one will feel great and can relieve tension and tightness in the lower back. To do the spine twist stretch:

Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Keeping your torso pressed into the floor, bring one knee up towards your chest, and drop that knee down to the opposite side of the body.
At the same time, turn your head in the opposite direction to the knee.
Hold for a few seconds before returning to your starting position and switching sides.
Aim to do 10 reps on each side.

3. Supermans

an illo of a woman doing the superman exercise — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

This exercise is great at targeting the back extensors, which run alongside the spine and help with good posture and pelvic support. To do the Superman exercise:

Lie on your belly on your exercise mat, stretching both arms and legs out from your body.
Engage your glutes and raise both arms and legs off the floor, aiming for about six inches. You should feel a stretch in your lower back.
Hold the pose for a couple of seconds before lowering back to your starting position.
Repeat 10 times.
To make the exercise harder, flutter the arms and legs up and down when they are raised off the floor as if you are swimming.

4. Side leg raises

an illo of a man doing a side leg lift — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Side leg raises activate your hips, abs, and lower back muscles, so they're a good exercise to target the midsection of the body. To do side leg raises:

Start by lying on your side, with your legs and hips stacked on top of each other.
Bracing your core, flex the foot of the top leg, and slowly raise it up towards the ceiling to about shoulder height. If you feel unbalanced, you might find it easier to slightly bend your lower leg.
Pause at the top before lowering the leg back down.
Keep the entire movement slow and controlled, and aim for three sets of 10 leg lifts on each leg.

To make the exercise harder, add a resistance band above the knees to increase the resistance, add ankle weights, or hold a dumbbell against the top leg as you raise and lower it. You can also increase the repetitions, or add some pulses to the top of the movement.

5. Plank with leg lift

an illo of a man doing plank leg lifts — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

The plank is a killer exercise that targets your body from head to toe, but is great at working the abdominal muscles and the lower back. For this exercise, the additional movement of the legs in this exercise increases the intensity, but if it’s too much, just hold a regular plank.

To do a plank with a leg lift:

Get into a plank position, with your weight on your elbows or your hands pressed into the floor.
Engage your core, thinking about sucking your belly button into your spine, and raise one leg off the floor.
Pause for a few seconds, before lowering your leg back down to the floor, and repeat on the opposite side.
Aim for three sets of 10 reps.

6. Bird dogs

an illo of a woman doing the bird dog exercise — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

A birddog exercise works the abdominal muscles, the lower back, and the glutes. To do a bird dog:

Start on all fours, with your body weight on your knees and your hands.
As you reach your right arm forward, extend your left leg out behind you.
Pause here, before lowering them back down to your starting position and repeating on the opposite side.
Keep your core engaged for the entire exercise.

When doing this exercise, it’s important to keep your pelvis level as you lift and lower your arms and legs — be sure to move slowly and with control, and if you struggle staying stable for the crunch part of the exercise, just do regular bird dogs. Read what happened when I did 100 bird dogs a day for a week.

7. Cat/Cow stretch

an illo of a woman doing the cat cow stretch — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

This stretch is a brilliant way to strengthen and move the lower back. To do the cat/cow stretch:

Get onto your hands and knees, with your knees hip-width apart. Make sure your hands are in line with your shoulders, and your knees are stacked underneath your hips.
Engage your core, take a deep breath in and arch the back, pulling your belly button into your spine.
Hold at the top of the movement for two or three breaths — you should feel a stretch in your spine and lower back.
Then move into the cow part of the stretch by lowering your belly to the floor, lifting your sit bones outwards, and raising your head and neck to the ceiling, rounding your spine.
Keep moving between these two stretches for a few minutes each day.
Read more about how to do the cat/cow stretch and it's benefits here.

8. Kegel exercises

an illo of a man doing kegel exercises — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Kegel exercises are a great way to work on engaging your core and pelvic floor. They sound simple, as you're not moving much, but they really target the deepest core muscles, which work to support your lower back. Here's how to do them:

Start by lying on your lower back, with your feet pressed into the floor and your arms by your side.
Take a deep breath in, and engage your abdominal muscles and pelvic floor. Think about sucking your belly button into your spine, bracing your stomach muscles. At the same time, think about zipping your pelvic floor muscles up and in, as if you're trying to stop the flow of wee when urinating.
Hold for 3-5 seconds, then fully relax all of your muscles. Repeat 10 times.

9. Side planks

an illo of a woman doing a side plank — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

The side plank is a modified version of the plank, that targets the glutes, and TFL. These muscles are important for hip stability, which in turn can help prevent strain on the lower back.

To do a side plank:

Lie straight out on one side, legs stacked. Rest your forearm flat on the floor and ensure your elbow is in line with your shoulder.
Engage your abs and raise your hips and knees from the floor, keeping a straight line from head to feet. Only your forearm and foot should be in contact with the ground.
Don’t allow your hips to sag and keep looking straight ahead for the duration.
You can rest your top arm on your hip or, to make the move more challenging, raise it towards the ceiling.
If you are new to the side plank, try to hold form for 15 seconds, then change to the other side. Otherwise, hold for 30-60 seconds and add time as you become stronger.
Read what happened when this writer did side planks every day for a week.

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Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fitness related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past five years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll find Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far too many photos of her puppy.