Sudden lower back pain: what should I do?
If you have sudden lower back pain, try to stay gently active, avoid long bed rest and find comfortable positions. Most sudden back pain eases with time and movement, but a physiotherapist can help if it does not or if you are unsure.
What to do in the first days
- Keep moving with short walks at an easy pace
- Change positions often instead of staying still
- Use heat or ice, whichever feels better
- Take it easy with heavy lifting and twisting
- Sleep in a position that supports your back, such as on your side with a pillow between your knees
What to avoid
Staying in bed for long periods can leave the back stiffer. Pushing through severe pain or returning to heavy activity too soon can also set you back. Aim for a middle path: active, but not aggravating it.
When to get help
Book a physiotherapy assessment if the pain is not easing after a few days, is getting worse, spreads into your leg, or limits your sleep or work.
Warning signs
Seek urgent medical care or go to the emergency department if you have numbness in the groin or inner thighs, loss of bladder or bowel control, sudden severe weakness in a leg, fever with back pain, or pain after a fall or car crash.
Our physiotherapists can work out what is going on and help you get moving again.
Related: should I use heat or ice for an injury?, how soon after an injury should I see a physiotherapist? and should I see a physiotherapist or a chiropractor for low back pain or sciatica?