You wake up and feel that familiar ache in your back. Maybe it started after a long day at your desk. Maybe it flared up when you picked up your toddler or helped a friend move furniture.
Most cases I see have clear causes and treatable patterns, and when we find the right approach, things change quickly often for the better.
This guide will help you understand the whys and the hows of lower back pain and how targeted chiropractic care can help you move forward without going to the last resort of surgery.
How Big Is the Lower Back Pain Problem?
Lower back pain is a pervasive health issue not just here in Denver, CO but globally with significant personal and economic implications. Here’s what the studies we have compiled shows:
- Global prevalence: As of 2017, an estimated 577 million people were living with low back pain worldwide. That’s about 7.5% of the global population.
- Top cause of disability: Low back pain has been the leading cause of years lived with disability (YLDs) globally since 1990—and still holds that title today.
- Most affected age group: People aged 50 to 54 experience the highest burden. Nearly 70% of all back-pain-related disability occurs in working-aged adults between 20 and 65.
- No clear cause in most cases: Between 85% and 95% of people who visit a doctor for back pain have non-specific low back pain, meaning there’s no fracture, tumor, or infection.
- Disproportionate disability: Less than 28% of people with low back pain develop long-term disability, but this small group accounts for over 75% of the total burden.
- Rising healthcare costs: In the U.S., over $134 billion was spent on lower back and neck pain between 1996 and 2016.
Three Simple Stretches That Relieve Low Back Pain
When your spine doesn’t move, it stiffens. When it stiffens, it hurts. Movement, done the right way, definitely helps. These gentle exercises can help retrain your spine and hips to move the way that it used to. Here’s how to do them properly:
Cat-Cow Stretch
Credits: Webexercises
Purpose: Improves spinal flexibility and warms up the lower back
- Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Inhale as you slowly arch your back, lifting your tailbone and head upward—this is the “cow” position.
- Exhale as you round your spine, tucking your chin and tailbone—this is the “cat” position.
- Move slowly between these two positions, syncing each motion with your breath.
- Repeat for 30–60 seconds.
Dr. Al’s Tip: Keep the movement smooth and avoid forcing any range of motion. You’re aiming for fluidity, not intensity.
Double Knees-to-Chest Stretch
Purpose: Gently decompresses the lumbar spine and eases tension
- Begin lying flat on your back with both knees bent and feet resting on the floor.
- Place your hands either behind your knees or just below your kneecaps, whichever feels more comfortable.
- Slowly bend both knees toward your chest, using your hands to gently assist the movement.
- Pull your knees in just enough to feel a comfortable stretch across the lower back—avoid forcing the range.
- Hold the position for 20–30 seconds, breathing deeply and allowing your lower back to soften into the floor.
- Return slowly to the starting position and repeat for the recommended number of repetitions.
Dr. Al’s Tip: Keep your neck and shoulders relaxed. If your hips feel tight, try one leg at a time for a gentler stretch.
Pelvic Tilts
Purpose: Activates deep core muscles and improves lower back control
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Keep your arms relaxed at your sides.
- Your low back should start in a neutral position—a small, natural curve just off the floor.
- Engage your core by gently tightening your lower abdominal muscles. Think of drawing your belly button toward your spine.
- As you contract, flatten your low back into the floor by tilting your pelvis backward (posterior tilt). Avoid lifting your hips off the floor.
- Hold the tilt for 3–5 seconds while maintaining steady breathing.
- Slowly return to the starting position and repeat for the prescribed number of reps (usually 10–15).
Dr. Al’s Tip: This movement is subtle. You shouldn’t see big motion—focus on muscle control and spine awareness.
Need a Copy for When You’re Offline ?
Download and print our Lower Back Pain Relief Guide for easy reference. It includes simple, chiropractor-approved stretches, expert tips, and clear steps you can follow anytime.
👉 Click here to print the guide.
What’s Really Going On in Your Low Back
Most cases of lower back pain originate in the lumbar spine, the lower segment of your spinal column made up of five vertebrae, labeled L1 through L5. These vertebrae form the structural framework of your lower back, supporting the majority of your body’s weight while allowing for essential movements.
Between each vertebra sits an intervertebral disc, which acts as a cushion or shock absorber. These discs have a soft, gel-like center (the nucleus pulposus) and a tougher, fibrous outer ring (the annulus fibrosus).
On the posterior side of each vertebra are facet joints, which provide stability and guide motion.
Running alongside the spine are bundles of spinal nerves that exit through openings called foramina. These nerves branch into the legs and feet, which is why irritation or compression, like with the case of a herniated disc, would often lead to Sciatica and other symptoms such as numbness and tingling in the lower extremities.
Supporting all of this is an intricate system of muscles and ligaments. The erector spinae, multifidus, and quadratus lumborum are some of the key stabilizing muscles of the lumbar region.
Common Causes of Lower Back Pain
- Herniated or Bulging Discs: When the soft center of a spinal disc pushes out, it can irritate nearby nerves and create sharp, radiating pain.
- Muscle or Ligament Strain: Overuse, poor lifting mechanics, or sudden movements can overstretch or tear soft tissues, leading to inflammation and stiffness.
- Degenerative Disc Disease: As we age, the discs lose hydration and elasticity, reducing their ability to cushion the spine. This can lead to chronic pain or stiffness.
- Spinal Stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canal can compress nerves and cause back or leg pain, especially during walking or standing.
- SI Joint Dysfunction: The sacroiliac joints, located where your spine meets your pelvis, can become irritated or misaligned—often felt as one-sided low back or buttock pain.
- Poor Posture: Slouching, or poor standing posture can overload tissues that weren’t meant to work all day, resulting in dull or achy pain.
- Weak Core or Glutes: If your stabilizing muscles aren’t doing their job, your spine picks up the slack—leading to strain, poor mechanics, and eventual pain.
The Disc Chiropractic’s Treatment Approach
At The Disc Chiropractic in Wheat Ridge, CO we believe that every spine is different, and every care plan we create should be perfect for your exact needs. Below are the core treatment tools we use:
Chiropractic Care Adjustments
Dr. Al Simeone specializes in the Gonstead Technique, a very scientific and biomechanically sound chiropractic method. After a thorough examination and x-rays.
Precise and controlled thrust are applied to specific bones and joints in the spine; these restore joint alignment, reduce nerve irritation, and reduce lower back pain.
Spinal Decompression Therapy
When disc pressure builds up, it can compress nerves, reduce circulation, and trigger radiating pain down the legs. Our Triton DTS decompression table gently stretches the spine at exact angles to create negative pressure in the discs.
This allows nutrients and oxygen to re-enter the area, relieves pressure on nerve roots, and gives bulging or herniated discs space to retract and heal naturally.
Shockwave Therapy
The Intellect RPW 2 unit delivers acoustic waves deep into soft tissues to break up adhesions, stimulate blood flow, and accelerate tissue repair.
It’s ideal for long-standing low back pain, tendon dysfunction, or gluteal tightness that limits spinal movement.
Therapeutic Exercise
Adjustments realign the spine. Strengthening exercises help keep it there. Once your pain begins to improve, we incorporate gentle but strategic movement to retrain your core, glutes, and postural stabilizers.
FAQs About Lower Back Pain
What are some common causes of lower back pain?
Lower back pain often stems from a herniated or bulging disc, muscle spasms, joint inflammation, and poor posture. In many cases, it’s caused by a combination of mechanical stress and movement dysfunction, not a single injury.
Does having a strong core help prevent lower back pain?
Yes. A strong, balanced core supports your spine and reduces load on the discs and joints. Core weakness is one of the most common contributors to chronic back pain, especially in people who sit for long periods.
Is low back pain hereditary?
Not directly. While back pain can run in families, it’s more often due to shared lifestyle factors like physical demands, stress, and activity levels.
Will bed rest help relieve lower back pain?
Prolonged rest often makes things worse. Movement helps increase blood flow, reduce stiffness, and is usually better than staying in bed.
Can chiropractic care help with arthritis-related back pain?
Yes. Chiropractic treatment can improve joint mobility, reduce inflammation, and help manage pain related to spinal arthritis. We focus on preserving function and keeping you moving as well as possible.
Final Thoughts
Don’t let lower back pain keep you sidelined. Whether you’re training hard at the gym, powering through long workdays, or just trying to get through daily life without discomfort, your spine should support you, not hold you back.Call (720) 573-4910 or Book Your Appointment Now to claim your $97 New Patient Special. Get answers, get relief, and get back to living—without pain holding you back.