Should I Rest or Stay Active with Lower Back Pain? A Chiropractor’s Clear Answer

Greg Conlan No Comments , , , , Back Pain, Chiropractic Care, Recovery & Rehab, Spine Health

Should I rest or stay active with lower back pain?

Staying gently active helps lower back pain recover faster than prolonged rest.

Short rest is fine during flare-ups, but movement is what restores strength, confidence, and function.

Should I rest or stay active with lower back pain?Should I rest or stay active with LBP

This is one of the most common questions I hear in the clinic.
 The advice has changed significantly over the years.

Old advice:
 “Rest until the pain goes away.”

Current evidence-based advice:
 Rest briefly if needed, then get moving again.

Long periods of rest:

  • Weaken support muscles 
  • Stiffen spinal joints 
  • Reduce blood flow 
  • Increase pain sensitivity 
  • Delay recovery 

Gentle movement does the opposite.

Why does too much rest slow back pain recovery?

Your spine is designed to move.
 When movement stops, problems start.

Prolonged rest leads to:

  • Loss of joint mobility 
  • Reduced muscle support 
  • Increased stiffness 
  • Poor tissue nutrition 
  • Reduced load tolerance 

This makes your back:

  • More sensitive 
  • Less resilient 
  • More likely to flare up again 

Key point:
 Rest feels protective short-term but makes backs weaker long-term.

How much rest is okay when my back first flares up?

Short rest can be helpful in the first 24–48 hours.
 This allows severe spasm or irritation to settle.

Helpful short-term rest looks like:

  • Avoiding aggravating movements 
  • Changing positions often 
  • Lying in comfortable positions 
  • Gentle walking when tolerable 

Harmful rest looks like:

  • Staying in bed all day 
  • Avoiding movement completely 
  • Sitting for hours without moving 

Key point:
 Rest to settle symptoms—don’t rest until you’re “perfect.”

What kind of activity is safe when my back hurts?

Safe activity is about tolerable movement, not pushing through sharp pain. The complete reason why exercise is beneficial for lower back pain is a disputed point. Nonetheless, we know it works.

Good early activities include:

  • Walking 
  • Gentle spinal movements 
  • Light daily activities 
  • Controlled mobility exercises 

Activities to modify early on:

  • Heavy lifting 
  • Sudden twisting 
  • Prolonged sitting 
  • High-impact exercise 

The goal is to keep your back moving within comfortable limits. The emphasis sits with frequency and not intensity. More often rather than harder.

Key point:
 Movement should calm symptoms, not provoke them.

Won’t movement make my injury worse?

This is a very common fear.
 Pain makes people protective.

But most back pain is not due to tissue damage.
 It’s due to irritated, overloaded, or sensitised tissues.

Gentle movement:

  • Improves circulation 
  • Reduces stiffness 
  • Calms the nervous system 
  • Restores confidence 

Avoiding movement teaches your nervous system that your back is fragile.

Key point:
 Avoiding movement reinforces pain patterns.

What does “staying active” actually mean?

Staying active doesn’t mean:

  • Pushing through sharp pain 
  • Ignoring flare-ups 
  • Training hard during acute pain 

It means:

  • Continuing daily walking 
  • Light activity within comfort 
  • Frequent position changes 
  • Gradual return to normal movement 

You’re teaching your back:

“It’s safe to move again.”

How do chiropractors guide activity safely?

We help you find your safe movement window.

This involves:

  • Identifying pain-provoking movements 
  • Finding symptom-relieving movements 
  • Gradually reintroducing load 
  • Restoring joint mobility 
  • Building supportive muscle control 

The aim is to:

  • Reduce fear 
  • Improve tolerance 
  • Restore trust in your back 

Key point:
 Recovery is guided exposure to movement—not avoidance.

What happens if I avoid activity for too long?

Long-term avoidance leads to:

  • Deconditioning 
  • Reduced confidence 
  • Fear of movement 
  • Recurrent flare-ups 
  • Chronic pain patterns 

People become stuck in a loop:

Pain → Avoidance → Weakness → More pain

Breaking this loop requires gentle reactivation.

How do I know if I’m doing too much?

Use the 24-hour rule.

After activity, ask:

  • Is pain back to baseline within 24 hours? 
  • Did stiffness improve after movement? 
  • Do I feel more confident moving? 

If pain spikes severely and lasts days, you did too much.

Adjust volume, not movement itself.

Key point:
 Flare-ups guide pacing—not permanent avoidance.

FAQ

Should I stay in bed with acute lower back pain?

Short periods of rest can help during severe flare-ups, but staying in bed for days slows recovery. Gentle movement, frequent position changes, and short walks help reduce stiffness and restore function faster than prolonged bed rest.

Can walking help lower back pain?

Yes. Walking improves circulation, gently loads spinal tissues, and reduces stiffness. It’s one of the safest and most effective early activities for lower back pain when kept within comfortable limits.

How soon should I return to normal activity?

Return to normal activity gradually as pain allows. Start with light daily movements and walking, then progressively reintroduce bending, lifting, and exercise. The goal is steady progress, not pushing through sharp pain.

What movements should I avoid early on?

Avoid sudden twisting, heavy lifting, and prolonged static positions early in recovery. Modify activities that spike pain and focus on gentle, controlled movement until your back tolerates more load.

Can chiropractic care help me move safely with back pain?

Yes. Chiropractic care helps restore joint motion, reduce muscle guarding, and guide safe activity progression. This supports faster recovery and rebuilds confidence in moving your back again.

One Clear Action

Book a spinal assessment at Essendon Health and Sports Centre to learn how to move safely through your back pain and speed up recovery.