Back Locked Up? 3 Quick Fixes to Get Moving Fast

Has your back ever suddenly locked up, leaving you in acute pain and disrupting your day? It's frustrating when you need to get back to work or simply move freely. I'm here to show you what I do at home to reduce that acute back pain in five minutes or less. When my back locks up, I go straight to these exercises to get things moving again.

 Arch and Sag (Mobilizing Your Spine)

This classic movement helps find and gently address tightness in your spine.

1. Starting Position: Get on your hands and knees, finding a neutral spine.

2. Find Your Arch: Start by gently arching your back, like a cat stretching. For acute pain, you'll want to find that arched position.

3. Rock Forward and Back: Gently rock your body forward and backward. As you do, identify where along your spine you feel the most tightness. For some, this area might look flatter than the rest of their arched back.

4. Shift Your Weight: Once you've found the tight spot, gently shift your weight from your left knee/left hand to your right knee/right hand, staying in that arched position. Notice which side feels tighter.

5. Gentle Rocking: Stay shifted towards the tighter side and continue to gently rock forward and backward. This is a subtle, non-painful motion. You'll know it's working when you can shift more weight, or your back starts to ease up.

Note: If your back has just locked up a few minutes ago, this initial phase might be too much. This is more for when the acute phase has settled slightly.

. Lumbar Decompression (Using a Physio Ball or Other Tool)

Decompression helps create space in your spine, which is crucial if you have a disc issue or simply feel a lot of compression.

1. Position: Get on a large physio ball (or you can explore other options like hanging your legs off the side of your bed).

2. Hang and Breathe: Gently drape your body over the ball, allowing your spine to extend and decompress. Find a position where you feel relief. Focus on breathing deeply into your belly, feeling your spine expand and lengthen.

3. Gentle Side-to-Side Motion: Just like the Arch and Sag, you can gently rock side-to-side on the ball. This allows for subtle movement and further relief. You might even hear a small "pop" or "click" as things shift.

 Heel Digs / Hip Holds (Strengthening Your Base)

Once you've mobilized and decompressed, it's time to strengthen the muscles that support your back: your hamstrings and hips.

1. Starting Position: Lie on your back with your knees bent. Find the right angle – not too close to your body, not too straight – aiming for about a 30-45 degree knee bend, whatever feels comfortable.

2. Engage and Dig: Tighten your glutes with a good squeeze. Then, "dig" your heels down into the floor as if you're trying to slide your heels away from you (without actually moving them).

3. Hold for Stability: You should feel your hamstrings and glutes engage. If you're shaking, that's normal – it means these muscles need work! Hold this contraction for 45 to 90 seconds. If it gets easier, you can progress to more advanced hip hold exercises (we have a dedicated video linked below). The key is to truly trigger those muscles.

4. Repeat on Both Sides: Ensure you perform this exercise on both sides to build balanced strength.

This specific exercise targets the muscles that fight the compressive loads of gravity on your spine.

The Takeaway: Mobile Spine, Strong Hips

You can complete all three of these exercises in about four to five minutes! What we're trying to achieve is a mobile spine and strong hips as a solid base. This helps prevent your back from being compressed, twisted, or locked up.

Often, a locked back is triggered by a combination of bending, twisting, and some load – especially when you're bending from your back instead of properly from your knees and hips. Be cautious of this habit and work on getting your movement correct, keeping everything in front of you when lifting or bending.

The major action that sets you up for a locked back is bending and twisting with load. Be mindful of this!

When your back locks up, what's your first instinct?

• 0%Rest and try not to move
• 0%Try to stretch it out
• 0%Apply heat or ice
• 0%Take over-the-counter pain relievers

See All Results