Relearning Basic Movements Eases Chronic Lower Back Pain

Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Briana Mercola

Alternative Health, Health & Fitness

4.6 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 3 February 2026

⏱️ 7 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Relearning basic movements like rolling, crawling, and squatting restores smoother coordination and reduces the fear-driven stiffness that worsens chronic low back pain
A 12-week movement retraining program improved balance, daily function, and confidence by teaching participants how to move without triggering pain
A structured walking routine nearly doubled the time people stayed pain-free after a flare, giving them longer stretches of normal movement and fewer recurrences
Breaking up long sitting periods by even 40 minutes a day kept pain from worsening, showing that small increases in daily movement meaningfully change back pain trajectories
Combining movement retraining, steady walking, less sitting, and mindful daily habits offers a practical, accessible strategy for easing chronic low back pain and preventing flare-ups

Transcript

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0:00.0	What if the way you roll out of bed or sit at your desk is quietly training your spine to hurt tomorrow?
0:06.0	Welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go. No reading required.
0:15.0	Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest health insights.
0:19.0	Hello. And welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom.
0:23.6	I'm Ethan Foster. Today we're focusing on chronic lower back pain and a set of simple,
0:29.8	repeatable habits that retrain how you move, extend your pain-free days, and prevent flare-ups
0:35.8	without relying on complicated routines.
0:38.6	I'm Alara Sky.
0:40.3	Chronic low-back pain doesn't just ache.
0:42.6	It reshapes how you move.
0:44.6	You tense up, avoid bending, and guard every transition.
0:48.7	Recent research shows that relearning basic movements, rolling, crawling, kneeling,
0:53.5	squatting, restores smoother coordination
0:56.5	and reduces the fear-driven stiffness that makes pain feel unpredictable.
1:01.3	The first study we're drawing from used a 12-week physiotherapist-led program teaching foundational
1:07.9	motor patterns. Participants had pain for more than three months
1:11.9	and struggled with balance and fear of aggravating symptoms.
1:15.8	By retraining these basics, they improved how confidently and efficiently
1:19.4	they moved through the day.
1:21.3	A key finding was the drop in fear avoidance.
1:24.3	When you stop bracing against every motion,
1:26.7	you move with less stress on your spine.
	...

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