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 BetterLower 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.

A Real-Life Example: From Hip Pain to the Right Back Fix

Let me share a quick story about Emily, a runner from Hixson who came to me with outer hip pain that had been bugging her for months. She assumed it was a hip issue — maybe her IT band, maybe her glutes, maybe even her shoes.

But during our evaluation, we noticed something interesting: every time she extended her back, the pain significantly decreased. And every time she rounded her back (especially while sitting or bending forward), the pain got worse.

It turned out the root cause wasn’t in her hip at all — it was a referral pattern from her lower back. Her body responded really well to spinal extension. So we focused her plan on that: repeated extension movements, avoiding aggravating flexion positions, and gently restoring her mobility and stability.

Within just a few visits, she was back to running without pain — and more importantly, she now knew how to manage it if symptoms ever returned.
That’s what personalized care can do.

When Should You See a Physical Therapist in Chattanooga?

If your back pain is:

• Coming back often
  
• Lasting more than 1–2 months
  
• Getting worse instead of better
  
• Traveling down your leg or into your foot
  
• Limiting your ability to move, work out, or live normally
  
  

…it’s time to get help. And not just generic stretches or a cookie-cutter program — but a plan designed around your body and how it responds.

At Bounceback Physical Therapy, we specialize in working with active adults in Hixson, Lakesite, and Soddy Daisy who are tired of quick fixes and want a real solution. Our sessions are always one-on-one, and we take the time to dig deep and figure out the root cause of your pain — not just where it hurts.

Ready to Feel Better?
If you’re ready to stop guessing and start healing, let’s talk. We offer a free 15-minute consultation (phone screening) to help you understand what might be going on — and whether our approach is a good fit for you.
👉 Click HERE to book your free consultation
📞 Or call/text (423) 212-3149

More Resources

• Back Pain Physical Therapy in Chattanooga
  
• Physical Therapy for Sciatica in Hixson
  
• Why Bounceback PT Is Different