Introduction to Lower Back

Lower Back (Lumbar Spine)

Just below the mid back is the lumbar spine, or lower back, made up of five large vertebrae (L1–L5). These bones support most of your body’s weight and allow important movements like bending, twisting, and lifting. Because of the physical demands on this area, it’s one of the most common sources of back pain. Keeping the lower back strong, flexible, and well-supported is essential for everyday comfort and long-term spinal health.

There’s strong scientific evidence showing that exercise therapy—like stretching, strengthening, and guided movement—is one of the most effective ways to treat chronic low back pain. A large review of 249 studies found that people who exercised regularly had less pain and better movement than those who didn’t (Hayden et al., 2021). This supports what we see every day in the clinic: consistent movement, combined with expert care, can make a real difference.

At Sports Medicine, we combine targeted exercises, physiotherapy, and chiropractic care to help you move better, feel stronger, and live with less pain—whether your discomfort is in the mid back, lower back, or both.

References 

Hayden, J. A., van Tulder, M. W., Malmivaara, A. V., & Koes, B. W. (2021). Exercise therapy for chronic low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 249 trials. Journal of Physiotherapy. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34580864/

Waqas, M. S., Ur Rehman, S., & Ali, S. A. (2023). The effects of spinal manipulation added to exercise on pain and quality of life in patients with thoracic spinal pain: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 36(3), 529–535. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37152585/