3 Common Causes of Lower Back Pain in Chattanooga (And What to Do About Them)

If you live in Chattanooga, Hixson, Lakesite, or Soddy Daisy, there’s a good chance you or someone you know has struggled with lower back pain. It’s one of the most common reasons people miss work, stop exercising, or avoid doing the things they love. And the frustrating part? Most people try things like rest, YouTube stretches, or quick-fix treatments… but don’t get lasting relief.

At Bounceback Physical Therapy in Hixson, I help people with lower back pain every day — and while every person is unique, there are a few consistent patterns I see that make a big difference. If I had to narrow it down, here are my top 3 tips for getting real results:

1. Find the Movement That Makes You Feel Better

Lower back pain usually falls into one of three patterns:

• Flexion-biased pain – rounding the back (like bending forward or curling into a ball) provides relief.
  
  
• Extension-biased pain – arching the back or standing up tall feels better.
  
  
• Stability-based pain – your back just feels better when your core is engaged and your movements are controlled.
  
  

Here’s what most people miss: instead of guessing or stretching everything, try gently testing each direction and noticing what helps. If one direction clearly eases your pain — whether it’s rounding, extending, or just bracing your core — do that movement frequently.

Often, the best results come from a combination of movement and stability. Once you’ve found what your body responds well to, the key is repetition. Your spine craves consistency and feedback. Helping it move in the right direction can quickly calm down sensitivity and reduce pain.

2. Centralize Your Symptoms

If you’re feeling symptoms like:

• Pain down the leg
• Tingling or numbness in your glutes, thigh, or foot
• Sciatica or nerve-like discomfort
  
  

…then your body is sending signals that something deeper is going on — usually involving the discs or nerves in your lower spine.

The first goal in these cases is centralization — meaning we want the symptoms to move closer to your back rather than further away. That’s a great sign that your body is responding to the right movement.

So how do you do that?

Let’s say bending forward (like tying your shoes or sitting) causes more leg pain. But gently arching your back (like standing tall or doing a press-up on your stomach) feels better and makes the leg symptoms reduce. That’s centralization in action.

It’s not about “fixing” your spine in one day — it’s about doing the right movement repeatedly to calm the nervous system and reduce pain over time.

3. Stay Moving (Even If It’s Just a Little) 

One of the worst things you can do for lower back pain is to stop moving completely. Bed rest might seem like the safe option, but research shows it often delays recovery and increases stiffness and fear of movement.
Instead, try gentle activity like:

• 5–10 minute walks
• Light stretching (especially in the direction that feels best)
• Changing positions regularly (especially if sitting hurts)
  
  

If a walk feels better after a few minutes than when you started — that’s your body telling you it wants movement. The key is to avoid overdoing it or pushing through sharp pain, but to find what feels good and do it often.