Low back pain when getting up from a chair

Low back pain when getting up from a chair most often occurs because, after sitting bent for a long time, the tissues of the lumbar spine have stiffened, and straightening up suddenly loads them. Standing up in 4 steps helps: move to the edge of the chair, draw your feet back, lean your trunk forward with a straight back and push up with your legs. Breaks from sitting and simple exercises are also important.

Below we explain where this pain comes from, when to see a doctor first, how to stand up and which exercises you can do at home.

Where does low back pain when getting up from a chair come from?

When you sit, the lumbar spine is usually bent and the hip and back muscles do little work. When you stand up, the spine has to move quickly from bending to straightening, and the muscles from rest to work. If the tissues are stiff, overloaded or irritated, it is this moment of transition that triggers pain, which often eases after a few steps.

Such symptoms may accompany overloaded muscles and ligaments, degenerative changes in the facet joints, intervertebral disc problems and sometimes problems with the sacroiliac joint or the hip. The cause is established through an examination, not from the symptom alone. You will find a broader overview on the page back pain.

How to get up from a chair so that it hurts less?

Move to the edge of the chair and draw your feet back so that they are under your knees or slightly behind them, hip-width apart. Lean your trunk forward with a straight back until your nose is above your toes. Rest your hands on your thighs or the armrests and stand up by pushing with your legs. Straighten up only when you are standing steadily.

1. Edge of the chair. Shift your bottom forward instead of getting up from deep in the seat.
2. Feet under your knees. Place them hip-width apart; one can be slightly further back.
3. Lean forward with a straight back. Bend at the hips, not at the lower back.
4. Stand up using your legs. Push off with your hands and legs, and straighten your trunk smoothly at the end of the movement.

After standing up, take a few calm steps before you start lifting anything or bending down.

Which exercises help with low back pain when standing up?

Gentle exercises that mobilise the lumbar spine and strengthen the hip and thigh muscles help: seated pelvic tilts, sit-to-stand from a chair with support, a bridge lying on your back and a gentle backward bend while standing. Do them once or twice a day, within a pain-free range. Exercises are no substitute for an examination if you have warning signs.

1. Seated pelvic tilts. Sitting upright, alternately round and arch your lower back slightly. 10 repetitions, also during breaks from work.
2. Sit-to-stand. Stand up using the 4-step technique and slowly sit back down. 5–10 repetitions, 1–2 sets.
3. Bridge. Lying on your back with your knees bent, lift your hips, hold for 2–3 seconds and lower. 8–10 repetitions, 2 sets.
4. Standing backward bend. Standing, place your hands on your buttocks and lean your trunk slightly backwards. 5–10 repetitions, only if it does not increase the pain.

If the pain gets worse or spreads, stop the exercise and consult a physiotherapist.

How to sit so that your lower back hurts less when you stand up?

The most important thing is to break up sitting: stand up and walk around every 30–45 minutes, even briefly. Choose a chair on which your feet rest flat and your knees are at hip height or slightly lower. Supporting the lower back with a small cushion or a rolled-up towel can help. Armchairs that are too low and soft make it harder to stand up and increase the load on the lower back.

Low back pain that appears after exertion, e.g. lifting heavy things, often follows a different course – we describe it in our post low back pain after lifting.

How does a physiotherapist help with low back pain?

The physiotherapist takes a medical history and carries out an examination, looks for warning signs and establishes which movements provoke the pain. On that basis they choose the therapy: manual techniques, exercises, e.g. based on the McKenzie method, and learning how to stand up, sit, bend down and lift objects. A consultation in Rydułtowy costs 180 PLN, and manual therapy 180 PLN.

Prices valid from 08.2026. The physiotherapist decides on the number of visits individually after the consultation. You can read more about exercises based on directional movement in our post the McKenzie method.

Summary

Low back pain when getting up from a chair is usually linked to sitting for a long time and straightening up suddenly. Standing up in 4 steps, breaks every 30–45 minutes and gentle exercises help. Numbness in the groin area, problems passing urine or weakness in a leg need urgent medical help.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management (NG59), 2016, updated 2020.
• Maher C., Underwood M., Buchbinder R., Non-specific low back pain, The Lancet, 2017.
• Brinjikji W. et al., Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations, American Journal of Neuroradiology, 2015.
• Qaseem A. et al., Noninvasive treatments for acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians, Annals of Internal Medicine, 2017.