Why does my back hurt when I bend over?
Back pain when bending over is often caused by a strained muscle, stiff joints or irritated tissues in the lower back. Tight hamstrings and hips can make it worse because the back ends up doing more of the bending.
Why bending can hurt
Bending forward puts extra load on the muscles and structures at the back of your spine. If they are tired or irritated, that movement can pinch or ache. Some people feel it only when they rise back up, and others feel it the moment they lean forward.
Try bending differently
- Hinge from your hips and keep your back long
- Bend your knees when you pick things up
- Hold objects close to your body
- Avoid twisting while you bend
- Warm up before gardening or lifting
What a physiotherapist looks for
A physiotherapist will check how your spine and hips move, test your strength and ask when the pain shows up. That helps them work out whether the problem is mainly muscle, joint or movement habit, and what to do about it.
Seek urgent medical care if bending pain comes with numbness in the groin or inner thighs, loss of bladder or bowel control, sudden severe leg weakness, fever, or follows a fall or car crash.
If the pain keeps returning, our physiotherapists can assess it and show you how to move with less strain.
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?