{"id":7644,"date":"2026-05-15T13:41:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T13:41:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/?p=7644"},"modified":"2026-05-15T13:41:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T13:41:37","slug":"what-exercises-should-i-avoid-with-back-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/what-exercises-should-i-avoid-with-back-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"What Exercises Should I Avoid with Back Pain"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Back pain is weird because at first you think it is temporary. Like maybe you slept wrong or sat too long or picked something up awkwardly. Then suddenly it has been three weeks and you are standing up slowly every single time without even noticing anymore.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That happened to me anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And the thing is, I thought exercise would automatically help. Everyone says \u201cstay active\u201d and \u201cstrengthen your core\u201d and all that. So I started trying random workouts online. Some helped a bit. Some absolutely did not. I remember doing sit-ups one night thinking I was fixing my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/10-gentle-workouts-to-help-lower-back-pain-at-home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lower back pain<\/a> and then the next morning I could barely bend to put socks on. So. Yeah.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Quick Back Pain Relief Easy Exercises to Feel Better Fast. #shorts #ytshorts #newhopephysiotherapy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YJoycYr9uWc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I think a lot of people dealing with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/back-pain\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Back Pain Clinic in Brampton<\/a> or anywhere really end up doing the same thing. You try stretching everything. Then resting too much. Then pushing too hard because you are tired of hurting all the time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is probably a balance somewhere in there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anyway this is not some perfect expert guide or anything. Just things that seem to make <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/5-exercises-to-relieve-back-pain-in-10-minutes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">back pain<\/a> worse for a lot of people, and honestly some stuff I wish I knew earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Also Read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/how-can-i-get-immediate-relief-from-knee-pain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>How Can I Get Immediate Relief From Knee Pain?<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Some Exercises Just Feel Wrong When Your Back Already Hurts<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That sounds obvious but people still force through it. I did too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You tell yourself maybe soreness is normal. Maybe your muscles are \u201cactivating.\u201d But there is a difference between regular workout soreness and your back feeling angry for two days after.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Especially lower back pain. That area gets irritated fast.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And weirdly the pain moves around sometimes too. One day it is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/how-to-avoid-lower-back-pain-while-lifting-heavy-items\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lower back pain<\/a>, then suddenly your upper back pain starts bothering you because your posture changes trying to avoid the first pain. Your whole body kind of compensates in awkward ways.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not sure if other people notice that too but yeah.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Also Read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/the-impact-of-bags-on-student-posture-and-practical-solutions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>The Impact of Bags on Student Posture and Practical Solutions<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Heavy Deadlifts Probably Are Not the Best Starting Point<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This one hurt my ego a little because deadlifts make you feel productive. Like you are doing a \u201creal\u201d workout.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But heavy deadlifts and back pain usually are not friends. At least not at first.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Too much pressure goes through the spine if your form is even slightly off. And honestly most people\u2019s form gets sloppy once the weight gets heavier. Mine definitely did even when I thought it looked fine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I would finish the workout feeling okay-ish. Then later that night my back tightened up like <i>wild<\/i>. Or the next morning. Sometimes delayed pain is the most annoying part because you think you got away with it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You probably did not.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"5 Common Types of Back Pain You Should Know! #shorts #ytshorts #newhopephysiotherapyinc #canada\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gVxH9MwvtBY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3>Crunches and Sit-Ups Made Things Worse for Me<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This surprised me because crunches seem harmless.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But repeated bending and curling forward can irritate the lower back more, especially if things are already inflamed or tight. After doing a bunch of sit-ups my back always felt compressed afterward. Hard to explain exactly. Just stiff and irritated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some gentler exercises for lower back pain felt way better:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bird-dogs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pelvic tilts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">modified planks<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dead bugs<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\nHonestly some of these look too easy to even work. But sometimes easier is better when your back is irritated already.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I learned that kind of slowly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Also Read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/5-quick-home-remedies-for-leg-cramp-relief-and-prevention\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>5 Quick Home Remedies for Leg Cramp Relief and Prevention<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Toe Touches Are Not Always Helpful Either<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This was another thing I did wrong for way too long.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I thought stretching harder meant stretching better. So I would force toe touches trying to loosen my hamstrings and lower back. But aggressive stretching first thing in the morning especially felt terrible after.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apparently your spine and discs are more sensitive in the morning. I read that somewhere after already irritating my back for months. Good timing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gentle stretches for lower back pain usually work better than trying to yank yourself into flexibility.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your body usually tells you when it hates something. We just ignore it sometimes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>High-Impact Workouts Can Keep Everything Irritated<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Burpees. Jump squats. Running on pavement. Box jumps.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not saying those exercises are bad forever. But when your back is already inflamed they can keep things irritated longer than necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Walking honestly helped me more than intense cardio did. Which annoyed me because walking feels too simple. You almost feel like it should not count as exercise.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But it helped.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes I think people overcomplicate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/5-common-types-of-back-pain-you-should-know\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">back pain relief<\/a> because simple things sound boring.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Also Read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/shoulder-pain-solutions-7-essential-exercises-for-quick-relief\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Shoulder Pain Solutions: 7 Essential Exercises for Quick Relief<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Back Pain Causes Are Sometimes Really Basic<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People expect one dramatic injury story. But honestly a lot of back pain causes are repetitive little things:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sitting too much<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bad posture<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stress<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">weak core muscles<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">driving for long periods<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">awkward lifting<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sleeping weird<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\nStress especially. People underestimate that one.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You sit tense all day and your shoulders creep upward and then suddenly your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/upper-back-pain-vs-lower-back-pain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">upper back pain<\/a> starts becoming part of everyday life too. Bodies are kind of strange honestly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Upper Back Pain vs  Lower Back Pain! #shorts #ytshorts #newhopephysiotherapy #ontario\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Qa9KT_IoFWc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>What Helped More Than I Expected<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This part is less exciting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What helped most was consistency more than intensity. Walking more. Stretching lightly. Moving around during the day instead of sitting for hours. Basic stuff.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lot of clinics offering Back Pain Treatment Brampton or Back Pain Treatment Mississauga usually focus on gradual strengthening and movement patterns first instead of just hard exercise immediately. Which makes sense now. At first I thought I needed tougher workouts to \u201cfix\u201d the pain faster.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usually that just made me more sore.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And honestly getting guidance helped because when your back hurts long enough you start second guessing every movement. Even normal stuff like bending over feels suspicious after a while.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Also Read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/frequently-asked-questions-acupuncture-treatment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Acupuncture Treatment<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>When It Might Be Time to Get Help<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your pain:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shoots down your leg<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">keeps returning<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">causes numbness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">affects sleep<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lasts weeks<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">gets worse instead of better<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n\u2026it is probably worth getting checked out.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Back Pain Clinic Orangeville or <a href=\"https:\/\/share.google\/ucj9vH40hhOuKTr2w\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Back Pain Clinic Mississauga<\/a> can usually help figure out whether it is muscle tightness, posture, joint irritation, or something else entirely.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And honestly sometimes just having someone explain what is happening helps mentally too. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/chronic-pain\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chronic pain<\/a> gets exhausting after a while. You stop trusting your body a bit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That part does not get talked about enough.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Also Read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/7-core-principles-of-physiotherapy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>What are the 7 Core Principles of Physiotherapy?<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>FAQs<\/h3>\n<h4>1. Should I stop exercising completely with back pain?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usually no. Gentle movement is normally better than staying completely still all day.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>2. Are crunches bad for lower back pain?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For some people yes. They can irritate the spine more if your back is already sensitive.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>3. What are good stretches for lower back pain?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gentle hip stretches, cat-cow stretches, and knee-to-chest movements usually feel better.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>4. Can walking help back pain relief?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yeah honestly walking helps more than people expect sometimes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>5. Why does my upper back hurt after sitting?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usually posture and muscle tension. Sitting too long without moving does not help either.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>6. Are deadlifts always bad for back pain?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not always. But heavy lifting during active pain can definitely aggravate symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>7. Can stress actually cause back pain?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can make muscle tension worse for sure. A lot of people carry stress in their shoulders and back.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>8. What exercises feel safer during back pain?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Walking, swimming, gentle stretching, and light core stability exercises usually feel safer.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>9. Should I stretch every day?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usually gentle stretching helps, but forcing stretches aggressively can backfire.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>10. When should I visit a back pain clinic?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the pain keeps coming back or affects your normal daily life, probably sooner rather than later.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>11. Which exercise is not good for back pain?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heavy lifting, deep squats, and high-impact exercises may worsen back pain.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>12. What are the worst exercises for lower back pain?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sit-ups, heavy deadlifts, toe touches, and twisting exercises can strain the lower back.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>13. What&#8217;s the worst thing you can do for back pain?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ignoring the pain, poor posture, and lifting heavy objects incorrectly can make back pain worse.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Also Read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/what-should-you-not-do-after-cupping-therapy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>What Should You Not Do After Cupping?<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Conclusion<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Back pain is frustrating mostly because it follows you into normal everyday things. Getting out of bed. Driving. Carrying groceries. Stuff you normally never even think about.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And honestly, trying to push through pain all the time usually did not work for me. Resting forever did not work either. Somewhere in the middle was better. Still figuring that out honestly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The biggest thing I learned is that recovery usually looks less dramatic than people expect. Smaller movements. Better habits. Less irritation. More consistency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not very exciting advice maybe. But it helped more than trying to destroy myself with workouts hoping my back would magically become stronger overnight.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"10 Gentle Workouts to Help #lowerbackpain at Home #shorts #ytshorts #newhopephysiotherapy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WGSVXvWaD_I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Struggling with back pain? Discover the common causes and effective solutions to alleviate discomfort and improve mobility.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7645,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[2040,51,2142,1682,2032,2031,1874,2314,2315,2316,81,2165,434],"class_list":["post-7644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-back-pain","tag-back-exercises-for-lower-back-pain","tag-back-pain","tag-back-pain-causes","tag-back-pain-clinic-brampton","tag-back-pain-clinic-mississauga","tag-back-pain-clinic-orangeville","tag-back-pain-relief","tag-back-pain-treatment-brampton","tag-back-pain-treatment-mississauga","tag-back-pain-treatment-orangeville","tag-lower-back-pain","tag-stretches-for-lower-back-pain","tag-upper-back-pain"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7644","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7644"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7644\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7648,"href":"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7644\/revisions\/7648"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7645"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7644"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7644"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newhopephysio.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7644"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}