Lower Back Pain When Sitting: Causes and Fixes (and Why stretching alone isn’t fixing your back pain - and what actually does)
Lower back pain when sitting is one of the most common things we see at Bay City Health.
It often starts gradually - a bit of stiffness after a long day at the desk, or discomfort when getting up from sitting. Over time, it can become something that lingers… or keeps coming back no matter how much stretching or massage is done.
The frustrating part is that most people feel like they’re doing the “right” things — moving more, stretching, trying to improve posture — but the pain still returns.
Why sitting triggers back pain
Sitting itself isn’t the problem.
The issue is what sitting exposes.
When we spend long periods sitting:
certain muscles become overactive (hips, lower back)
others become underactive (glutes, deep core)
joints stiffen due to lack of movement
Over time, this creates an imbalance — and that’s what drives pain.
Why stretching alone doesn’t fix it
Stretching can feel good in the moment, but it rarely addresses the root cause.
If the underlying issue is a lack of strength or control, stretching alone won’t change how your body moves when you sit, stand or train.
That’s why the pain keeps returning.
What actually works
At Bay City Health, we take a slightly different approach.
Rather than just treating symptoms, we look at:
how your body moves
where the strength deficits are
what patterns are contributing to your pain
From there, treatment usually involves a combination of:
hands-on Osteopathy to reduce tension and improve movement
targeted Clinical Pilates to retrain strength and control
This is where things start to change long-term.
The Bay City Way
We often explain this through a simple framework:
Release tight structures
Increase mobility
Retrain movement patterns
Maintain strength
Not everyone needs every step — but most people need more than just short-term relief.
When to do something about it
If your back pain:
keeps returning
flares up with sitting
isn’t improving with stretching or rest
…it’s usually a sign that something deeper needs to be addressed.
What to do next
If this sounds familiar, the next step is to understand what’s actually driving your pain.
From there, we can guide you through a clear plan - whether that’s treatment, rehab, or a combination of both.
👉 Book an appointment with our team at Bay City Health to get started.
Call 03 5229 3220 to chat to our reception team about making a booking, or hit the button below to book online:
For a more detailed blog specifically on addressing poor work-station ergonomics - which covers sitting posture and some handy tips - click below:
BLOG - The impact of Office Work
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