By Shreya Patel · 8 min read · April 2026
If you spend long hours at a desk, lower back pain is one of the most common complaints we see in clinic. Sitting for hours shortens the hip flexors, deactivates the glutes and loads the lumbar spine in ways it was never designed for. The good news: a handful of small movements, done often, can change how your back feels by the end of the day.
Below are five exercises that take less than five minutes total and require no equipment. Set a recurring reminder for every 60–90 minutes and run through the lot — your spine will thank you.
1. Seated cat-cow
Sit tall with feet flat. As you inhale, arch through the upper back and look slightly up. As you exhale, tuck the tailbone, round the spine and drop the chin. Repeat for ten slow cycles — this restores segmental motion through every vertebra.
2. Hip flexor stretch in a doorway
Step into a half-kneel with the back knee on a folded towel. Tuck the pelvis under and gently shift forward until you feel a stretch at the front of the hip. Hold 30 seconds each side. Twice a day is enough to start.
3. Glute bridge — five reps, slow
You can do these on the floor at lunch or even from a chair (lifting one foot at a time). The glutes are your lumbar spine’s best friend; the more often you remind them they exist, the less the back has to compensate.
4. Thoracic rotation
Cross your arms over your chest and rotate gently left and right, keeping the hips still. Ten reps per side. Most "low back" stiffness is actually a stiff mid-back asking your lumbar spine to do extra work.
5. Walk for two minutes
The most underrated exercise of the five. A short walk decompresses the discs, re-engages the gluteal chain and resets the brain. If you do nothing else, do this — every hour.
When to see a physiotherapist
Movement reminders help most desk-related back ache, but they are not a substitute for assessment if pain is sharp, radiating into the leg, or waking you at night. If symptoms persist beyond a week, book in with one of our physios for a proper look.