Back Pain: Why Can’t I Stand Up Straight?

Help for those who are unable to stand up straight after a painful lower back episode.

Image showing woman struggling to stand up due to lower back pain

Losing the ability to stand up straight is a very common, but no less alarming, problem associated with severe lower back pain episodes.

Painful muscle spasms can make it difficult or impossible to move, walk or even stand up.

The most important thing is to not panic. It can be very easy to let yourself become overwhelmed and almost believe that you will be stuck like that forever.

In most (not all) cases, it can be simply down to the nervous system entering a “panic mode” to protect the lower back and locking down the muscles around the hips.

Two key things we need do:

  1. Understand what we did to aggravate the back to this stage, so that we reduce the likelihood of it happening again.
  2. Reduce the tightness in the muscles locked into panic mode so we can restore some movement.

If we can get the muscles to relax a little, we can steadily start restore normal movement.

What Aggravated the Lower Back?

This pain mechanism occurs most frequently in those who are flexion (rounding of the lower back) intolerant.

It can occur both in those with disc injuries and those without.

If you are flexion intolerant and have a flare up, it means you have used up your bank account for flexing or over-using the lower back.

This can occur from they way you bend down to pick things up, how you sit (without lumbar support to stop the lower back rounding), how you move between positions when sleeping and even how you sit on the toilet.

To give yourself the best chance of avoiding future flare-ups, you need to become aware of your current movement and posture habits, then work to improve them to make them as back sparing as possible.

How Do I Stand Up Again Without Pain?

One of the quickest, safest and most effective way I know is reduce tightness in muscles in the front of the upper leg.

You just need a semi-firm foam roller and some patience.

I’ve detailed the process below in a video.

Note: It won’t work for everybody, but it might just help. Be careful in how you use it.

Video: Why Can’t I Stand Up Straight?

Need more information?

BackfitPro is a great resource to study the work of Professor Stuart McGill, who has spent more then 30 years researching the causes and types of lower back pain.

Need Help With Lower Back Pain?

If you need some help, I offer back pain rehabilitation sessions based in Brisbane, Australia and also Worldwide via online, one-to-one coaching:

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