தமிழ்हिन्दीతెలుగుಕನ್ನಡമലയാളംEnglish

🧘 Back · முதுகு

Back exercises: 6 home rehab exercises with Tamil names, doses and steps

Low back pain sends more people to Indian physios than any other complaint: long drives, two-wheelers on bad roads, desk jobs, lifting at work and pregnancy all contribute. The good news is that for most people the treatment is movement, not rest. These six exercises cover gentle mobility for the acute phase, control and strength for recovery, and the McKenzie extension exercise for disc-related pain and sciatica. Your physio will tell you which direction your back prefers.

In short: The best back exercises for low back pain are cat-camel, pelvic tilts, knee-to-chest stretches, bridges, bird-dogs and the McKenzie prone press-up for disc-related sciatica. Stay active rather than resting in bed, start with 8–10 gentle repetitions, and stop any exercise that sends pain further down the leg.

Used for

  • Mechanical low back pain
  • Lumbar disc prolapse and sciatica
  • Postpartum back pain
  • Spinal stenosis
  • After spinal surgery (once cleared)
  • Desk and driving stiffness

The 6 exercises on this page

  1. Cat-camel · பூனை-ஒட்டக · 10 reps
  2. Pelvic tilt · இடுப்பு சாய்வு · 2×10
  3. Knee-to-chest stretch · முழங்கால் மார்பு நீட்சி · 3×30 s
  4. Bridge · பிரிட்ஜ் (இடுப்பு உயர்த்துதல்) · 3×10
  5. Bird-dog · பறவை-நாய் · 2×8 each side
  6. Prone press-up (McKenzie) · குப்புறப்படுத்து மேல்நோக்கி உயர்த்துதல் · 10 reps

How to perform each exercise

Dose shown is a common starting point; your physiotherapist sets yours. Inside Physio Clinic Software these exercises go to patients on WhatsApp with a daily check-in in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, English. Recorded videos are planned; clinics can link their own video to any exercise today.

Exercise 1 · Kneeling

Cat-camel · பூனை-ஒட்டக

10 reps6 languages

A gentle, rhythmic way to move every segment of the spine through bending and arching without load. Used in the first days of acute back pain and as a warm-up for everything else.

How to perform it

  1. Kneel on all fours, hands under shoulders, knees under hips.
  2. Round the back up towards the ceiling, tucking the chin and tailbone (cat).
  3. Then let the belly drop and lift the head and tailbone (camel).
  4. Move slowly between the two, breathing out on each change.
Take care

Stay within a comfortable range; this is mobility, not a stretch to push.

Exercise 2 · Lying

Pelvic tilt · இடுப்பு சாய்வு

2×106 languages

Teaches control of the deep abdominal muscles and the lumbar curve. It is the base for core training after back pain, after pregnancy and before progressing to bridges.

How to perform it

  1. Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat, arms relaxed.
  2. Flatten the small of the back into the floor by tightening the lower belly and tilting the pelvis.
  3. Hold 5 seconds, breathing normally.
  4. Release and let the natural curve return.
Take care

Do not push with the legs or hold your breath.

Exercise 3 · Lying

Knee-to-chest stretch · முழங்கால் மார்பு நீட்சி

3×30 s6 languages

Eases tightness in the lower back and buttock, and gives relief in flexion-friendly back pain such as spinal stenosis. Done one leg at a time so the back stays supported.

How to perform it

  1. Lie on your back with both knees bent.
  2. Hold one knee with both hands and draw it towards the chest.
  3. Keep the other foot flat and the back relaxed on the floor; hold 30 seconds.
  4. Lower and repeat with the other leg.
Take care

If this increases leg pain or numbness, stop and tell your physio; disc pain often prefers extension.

Exercise 4 · Lying

Bridge · பிரிட்ஜ் (இடுப்பு உயர்த்துதல்)

3×106 languages

Strengthens the gluteals and the back extensors together, which takes load off the lumbar discs. Weak gluteals are a common finding in chronic low back pain.

How to perform it

  1. Lie on your back, knees bent, feet hip-width apart and close to the buttocks.
  2. Tighten the buttocks and lift the hips until the body is a straight line from shoulders to knees.
  3. Hold 5 seconds without arching the lower back.
  4. Lower slowly, one vertebra at a time.
Take care

Progress to single-leg bridges only when 3×10 is easy and pain-free.

Exercise 5 · Kneeling

Bird-dog · பறவை-நாய்

2×8 each side6 languages

Trains the back and core to keep the spine still while the limbs move, which is exactly what lifting, walking and bending demand. One of the three McGill exercises for a resilient back.

How to perform it

  1. Kneel on all fours with a flat back; imagine a glass of water balanced on it.
  2. Reach one arm forward and the opposite leg back until both are level.
  3. Hold 5–10 seconds, keeping the hips and shoulders square.
  4. Return slowly and switch sides.
Take care

Start with the arm only or the leg only if the back wobbles.

Exercise 6 · Lying

Prone press-up (McKenzie) · குப்புறப்படுத்து மேல்நோக்கி உயர்த்துதல்

10 reps6 languages

The McKenzie extension exercise for disc-related pain and sciatica, used when leg pain reduces or moves back towards the spine (centralises) as the spine extends.

How to perform it

  1. Lie face down with hands flat under the shoulders.
  2. Push the upper body up with the arms, keeping the hips on the floor and the back relaxed.
  3. Go as high as is comfortable; hold 2 seconds.
  4. Lower and repeat, noticing whether leg symptoms move towards the back.
Take care

If leg pain spreads further down the leg, stop and tell your physio.

How to progress back exercises, phase by phase

A back programme is not one fixed list. The same 6 exercises are introduced in stages, and the dose rises only when the current stage is easy and pain settles within 24 hours. This is the usual order a physiotherapist follows:

PhaseGoalTypical exercises
Days 1–7 · acuteEase spasm and keep movingCat-camel, pelvic tilt, short walks; McKenzie press-up if leg pain centralises
Weeks 2–6 · recoverBuild gluteal and core controlBridge, bird-dog, knee-to-chest stretch, walking 20–30 minutes a day
Week 6 onwards · resilienceLift, drive and sit without flare-upsSingle-leg bridge, longer bird-dog holds, side plank, lifting-technique practice

Disc-related pain often prefers extension (press-ups); spinal stenosis often prefers flexion (knee-to-chest). Your physiotherapist's assessment decides which direction leads.

How often, and how hard?

As a rule of thumb, mobility and range-of-motion exercises are done little and often (2–4 short sessions a day), while strengthening is done once a day or on alternate days with full sets. Mild discomfort up to 3–4 out of 10 that settles by the next morning is acceptable; sharper pain, new swelling or pain that spreads means drop back a phase and tell your physiotherapist.

What this looks like on the patient's WhatsApp

With Physio Clinic Software, the physio picks these exercises, sets the dose and the language once. Each morning the patient gets the plan with a link to the steps (and the clinic's own video, if added); they tap Done and reply with a pain score. The therapist sees adherence and pain trend on the chart, and the referring doctor gets a one-page progress letter at week 6.

  • No app to install; works on any phone with WhatsApp
  • English and Tamil exercise names; greeting and check-in line in the patient's language
  • Printable A4 sheet with a QR code for patients who prefer paper
  • Daily pain score shown beside adherence on the chart (automatic high-pain alerts are planned)
Try free for 30 daysPhysio Clinic Software for clinics

Sample data: illustrative WhatsApp conversation.

Back exercise questions

Should I rest in bed for back pain?

No. Every major guideline now advises staying active. Bed rest beyond a day or two slows recovery. Gentle movement such as cat-camel and short walks, with your usual activities as pain allows, gets most people better within six weeks.

How long does a disc prolapse take to heal?

Most disc-related sciatica improves substantially within 6–12 weeks with exercise and activity, and the disc material itself shrinks over months. Surgery is considered only for persistent severe pain, progressive weakness or red-flag symptoms.

When should I see a doctor urgently?

Same day if you have new difficulty passing or controlling urine or stools, numbness around the groin or buttocks, weakness in both legs, fever, unexplained weight loss, or back pain after a fall or accident. Your physio screens for these at the first visit.

Should I wear a lumbar belt?

A belt can help for a few days in acute pain or for heavy lifting at work, but wearing it all day weakens the muscles it replaces. Use it short-term while you build strength with bridges and bird-dogs.

Can I do these exercises during or after pregnancy?

Pelvic tilts, cat-camel and bridges are commonly used in pregnancy and postpartum. Avoid lying flat on your back for long periods after 20 weeks, and ask your physio to check for abdominal separation before starting core work after delivery.

Other body regions

🦵 Knee · முழங்கால்

ACL, knee replacement, meniscus, patellofemoral pain, osteoarthritis

💪 Shoulder · தோள்பட்டை

Frozen shoulder, rotator cuff, impingement, post-fracture, cricket shoulder

🙆 Neck · கழுத்து

Mechanical neck pain, cervical spondylosis, tech neck, headaches

🦶 Ankle · கணுக்கால்

Ankle sprain, after cast or fracture, Achilles, plantar fasciitis, balance

🏃 Hip · இடுப்பு

Hip replacement, gluteal weakness, bursitis, piriformis, older adults

← Back to the full exercise library · Why patients stop doing home exercises, and what fixes it · Home exercise program app for physiotherapists

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