Pain guide · Back pain

Lower back pain on one side, right or left: the back, the kidneys and other causes, and what helps

Lower back pain on one side, right or left, is usually the back itself: a strained back, the sacroiliac (SI) joint low down by the dimple at the back of the pelvis, or sciatica if the pain runs down one leg. The exact side rarely names the structure. Back pain often improves on its own within a few weeks, the National Health Service (NHS) says, and staying active and keeping up your daily activities helps you recover.

Less often the pain comes from a kidney, the bowel, a gynaecological problem, shingles or the aorta, and these usually bring other clues, such as a fever, burning when you pee, waves of pain into the groin, a possible pregnancy or a rash. This guide starts with those warning signs, from a 999 call or accident and emergency (A&E) to NHS 111 or a general practitioner (GP), shows how back pain and the other causes usually differ, and gives a three-stage plan, working each side on its own, that ends with lifting, carrying, turning and a full day's sitting.

3-stage exercise plan When to get help 36 sourcesUpdated 24 October 2026

When to get help first

Exercise is for pain that has been checked or is clearly mild and settling.

Get urgent medical help if

Call 999 or go to A&E: loss of feeling or numbness around the genitals or bottom, new trouble peeing or controlling your bladder or bowels, changes in genital sensation during sex or problems with erections or orgasm, or pain, tingling, weakness or numbness in both legs. These are signs of cauda equina syndrome, which needs treating in hospital urgently. Don't drive yourself.
Call 999 or go to A&E: back pain with chest pain, or back pain that started after a serious accident, such as a car crash.
Call 999: sudden, severe pain in the tummy or back, which can come with breathlessness, pale or grey skin, or collapse. It can be a burst abdominal aortic aneurysm, most common in men aged 65 or over and in people who smoke or used to smoke.
Call 999 or go to A&E immediately: a combination of a sharp, sudden and intense pain in your tummy, feeling very dizzy or fainting, feeling sick, or looking very pale, if there's any chance you could be pregnant. It could be an ectopic pregnancy that has split open (ruptured).
Call 999 or go to A&E now: you have a kidney or urine infection, or might have one, and you're confused, drowsy or have difficulty speaking.
Call 999 or go to A&E: pain spreading from the tummy to the back, with vomiting.
Call 999 or go to A&E: severe pain in your tummy; severe tummy pain with vomiting, a swollen tummy or being unable to poo or fart; heavy bleeding from your bottom; or tummy pain with confusion, blotchy or paler skin than usual, or difficulty breathing, which could be signs of sepsis.
Same day (GP or NHS 111): back pain and you feel hot, cold, shivery or generally unwell, or severe pain that starts suddenly or is getting worse quickly.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): you think you may have a kidney infection (pain in your lower back or side, often with a high temperature, burning or stinging when you pee or needing to pee more often), and you have a very high temperature or feel hot, cold or shivery, a very low temperature (below 36C), pain in the lower tummy or in the back just under the ribs, or blood in your pee, or you're feeling or being sick, haven't had a pee all day or are pregnant. Don't take ibuprofen for it unless a doctor advises you to.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): severe pain that starts in your side or lower back, may spread to your groin and comes and goes, or this pain with a high temperature or feeling hot, cold or shivery. It can be a kidney stone.
Contact your GP or call NHS 111 straight away: you might be pregnant, even without a positive pregnancy test, and you have a combination of tummy pain low down on one side, vaginal bleeding or a brown watery discharge, pain in the tip of your shoulder, or discomfort when peeing or pooing. It can be an ectopic pregnancy.
Same day (GP or NHS 111): back pain in the second or third trimester of pregnancy, or back pain in pregnancy with a fever, vaginal bleeding, pain when you pee, or pain in one or more of your sides (under your ribs). It could be early labour or an infection.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): sudden, severe pelvic pain, or pain in your tummy and you also feel sick or are being sick. It can be a problem with an ovarian cyst.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): tummy pain that is gradually getting worse or doesn't go away, or moves to the lower right side of your tummy. It can be appendicitis.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): tummy pain, often low on the left, that is getting worse or doesn't go away, blood or slime in your poo, or a high temperature or feeling hot, cold or shivery. It can be diverticulitis.
Urgent GP appointment or NHS 111: pain in your back, under your ribs, that doesn't go away, a lump or swelling in your back or under your ribs, or blood in your pee. These need checking, as they can be signs of a kidney problem.
Same day: you have or have had cancer, and new back pain that is severe and doesn't let up, is getting steadily worse, is worse at night and disturbs your sleep, is worse when you cough, sneeze or strain, or comes with tenderness over the spine. Contact your cancer team or GP urgently. With cancer, new weakness, difficulty walking, numbness or bladder or bowel problems are an emergency.
Same day: leg weakness that is getting worse.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): new difficulty lifting the front of your foot or toes (foot drop), or a foot that slaps down or catches as you walk, especially if it is getting worse. Weakness in both legs, or with numbness around the genitals or bottom or bladder or bowel changes, is the 999 emergency above.

See a doctor or physiotherapist if

Back pain that hasn't improved after a few weeks of looking after it at home, stops you doing day-to-day activities, or worries you.
Back pain that is persistent and unchanging after following self-care advice, isn't affected by movement, or is worse at night: contact your GP practice, or NHS 111 if it's closed.
Pain that doesn't improve with rest or is worse at night, or pain that is worse when you sneeze, cough or poo.
Unexplained weight loss, or a lump, swelling or change in the shape of your back.
Tummy or back pain that doesn't go away or keeps coming back, or a lump you can feel in your tummy: see a GP.
A tingling or painful patch of skin on one side, sometimes with a headache or feeling generally unwell, then a rash on that side a few days later: get advice from a pharmacist or NHS 111 as soon as possible, ideally within 3 days of the rash appearing. Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if you're pregnant, the rash is on your eye or nose, your vision changes, or you have a severely weakened immune system.
Pain in your lower tummy and back (your pelvic area), severe period pain that stops you doing your normal activities, or pain when you poo or pee or during or after sex: see a GP if you think it could be endometriosis.
Pain, tingling or numbness spreading below the knee that isn't settling after a few weeks, is getting worse or stops your normal activities: see a GP.
Back pain that started before 45 and has lasted more than 3 months, especially if it wakes you in the second half of the night, comes with buttock pain, eases with movement or within 48 hours of anti-inflammatories, or you have psoriasis or a parent, sibling or child with spondyloarthritis. These can point to inflammatory back pain (axial spondyloarthritis, such as ankylosing spondylitis); the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) refers people with four or more of these features to a rheumatologist.
Unexplained back pain with muscle spasms, loss of height, or a curved spine or change in posture: a possible osteoporotic spinal fracture, more likely with older age or long-term steroid tablets.
Pelvic pain in pregnancy that makes it hard to move around, hurts when you get out of a car or turn over in bed, or makes going up or down stairs painful: call your midwife or GP. You may be referred to a physiotherapist who specialises in pelvic joint problems in pregnancy.

Where does it hurt?

Location narrows the likely causes; it does not diagnose.

Low back to one side, came on suddenly after lifting, bending or nothing in particular, stiff and sore to move, with no leg symptoms

Ordinary back pain, often called a pulled muscle or spasm.

Read: Back spasm and pulled back muscle →Low on one side by the dimple at the back of the pelvis, into the buttock, worse getting up from sitting, standing on one leg, on stairs or turning in bed, with little pain higher up

Possibly the SI joint.

Read: SI joint pain →Down one leg below the knee, often into the foot, with tingling, numbness or weakness, the leg hurting more than the back

Sciatica, from a nerve in the back.

Read: Sciatica →In pregnancy or after the birth, across one or both sides of the low back or the back of the pelvis, worse walking, on stairs, standing on one leg or turning in bed

Pelvic girdle pain: your midwife or GP can refer you to a physiotherapist.

Read: Pelvic girdle pain (SPD) →An ache from mid-life, worse arching back or standing upright

Often labelled facet joint pain, though no test confirms it.

Read: Facet joint pain →A scan report says a disc bulge or herniation on one side

It could be the cause, or a normal finding for your age.

Read: Herniated or bulging disc →The buttock or groin, with a stiff hip, so socks and car seats are hard

The hip rather than the back.

Read: Hip pain →Deep in the buttock, worse sitting, sometimes down the back of the thigh

Possibly piriformis syndrome.

Read: Piriformis syndrome and buttock pain →Sudden pain after a minor fall, lift, cough or sneeze from 50, or on long-term steroid tablets

A possible osteoporotic spinal fracture: see a GP.

Read: Spinal compression fracture →Back pain that has lasted more than 3 months or keeps coming back

Chronic back pain.

Read: Chronic low back pain →

Pain in the side or lower back with a high temperature, shivering, burning or needing to pee often, or cloudy or bloody pee

Possibly a kidney or urine infection: get help the same day, as the warning signs say.

Severe pain that starts in the side or lower back, comes and goes in waves and may spread to the groin

Possibly a kidney stone: get help the same day, as the warning signs say.

Tummy pain low down on one side when you could be pregnant, with bleeding, shoulder tip pain or discomfort peeing or pooing

A possible ectopic pregnancy: contact your GP or NHS 111 straight away.

Pain in your lower tummy and back, with severe period pain or pain when you poo or pee

Possibly endometriosis: see a GP. Our exercise and endometriosis page covers staying active with it.

Sudden, severe pelvic pain, or tummy pain with feeling or being sick

Possibly an ovarian cyst: get help the same day.

Tummy pain that moves to the lower right and keeps getting worse, sometimes felt in the right flank

Possibly appendicitis: get help the same day.

Tummy pain, often low on the left, with a high temperature or blood in your poo

Possibly diverticulitis: get help the same day.

A burning, tingling or painful patch of skin on one side, then a rash on that side a few days later

Shingles: get advice from a pharmacist or NHS 111.

Sudden, severe tummy or back pain, with breathlessness, pale or grey skin or collapse

A possible burst aortic aneurysm: call 999.

Pain in the middle of the tummy or under the ribs on the right for more than 30 minutes

Possibly gallstones: ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111.

Pain in your back under your ribs that doesn't go away, with blood in your pee or a lump

These need an urgent GP appointment: they can be signs of a kidney problem.

Upper tummy and back pain, worse after eating or lying down and easier leaning forward

The pancreas, not the back: our back pain when lying down guide explains.

Read: Back pain when lying down →Pain mostly when you sit

Our back pain when sitting guide.

Read: Back pain from sitting →Pain mostly when you stand still

Our back pain when standing guide.

Read: Back pain when standing →Pain mostly when you bend

Our back pain when bending guide.

Read: Back pain when bending →Pain mostly when you walk

Our back pain when walking guide.

Read: Back pain when walking →Pain mostly when you lie down or at night

Our back pain when lying down guide.

Read: Back pain when lying down →Pain mostly first thing in the morning

Our back pain in the morning guide.

Read: Back pain in the morning →

Understand it

Most one-sided low back pain is the backEmerging evidence

The NHS names an injury such as a pulled muscle (a strain) as a common cause of back pain, says back pain usually improves within a few weeks, and says it is very rarely a sign of something serious such as a broken bone, cancer or an infection. NHS inform says back pain often starts for no obvious reason. Our back pain guide describes ordinary low back pain as felt across the back or to one side.

We found no study that measured how often ordinary low back pain is one-sided, so this guide doesn't give a figure.

Sources 1, 2

Where it hurts gives clues, not a diagnosisEmerging evidence

In people with long-lasting back pain checked with diagnostic injections, no examination test identified the facet joints as the source, combinations of sacroiliac joint tests helped modestly, and hip, groin and leg pain didn't separate pain from the disc, the facet joints and the sacroiliac joint. Sacroiliac joint pain was felt in the buttock by 94% of 50 people and in the lower back by 72%, but also below the knee by 28%.

In one spine centre's records, the disc was the source in 42% of long-lasting low back pain, the facet joints in 31% and the sacroiliac joint in 18%, with facet and sacroiliac pain more likely with age. These shares come from injection studies in people with long-lasting pain; applying them to everyday one-sided pain is our extrapolation.

Sources 3, 4, 5, 6

The SI joint, sciatica and pelvic girdle painEmerging evidence

In 81 people with long-lasting pain checked with injections, sacroiliac joint pain went with three or more positive provocation tests, pain when rising from sitting, pain on one side and no pain higher up the back. When three or more of six provocation tests reproduced the pain, they picked up 94% of the people whose pain an injection confirmed, and in 43 people with pain mainly below the waist, 30% had relief from sacroiliac joint injections. These studies were in people with long-lasting pain referred for injections, so using the pattern for a new bout of everyday pain is our extrapolation.

Sciatica causes pain, tingling, numbness or weakness in the bottom and down the back of one leg, often into the foot, and the back pain is usually milder than the leg pain, the NHS says. In pregnancy, pelvic girdle pain can be felt across one or both sides of the lower back; the NHS says it affects up to 1 in 5 pregnant women, and a European guideline puts it at about 20%.

Sources 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

The quadratus lumborum: often blamed, not a proven causeMixed evidence

The quadratus lumborum (QL), a muscle either side of the lower spine, is often blamed for one-sided back pain. A review found trigger points reported in it in 30% to 55% of people with low back pain across 9 studies, but noted that finding them depends on pressing by hand, which is subjective; in 42 people with long-lasting back pain, more active trigger points went with more pain.

In a study of 40 people with long-lasting back pain and 40 without, the QL was less stiff, not more, in the back pain group, with no difference between sides, and stiffness told the groups apart poorly. Side planks and carries strengthen it; rolling or pressing it is fine if it feels good, but it isn't a proven treatment.

Sources 13, 14, 15

The causes that aren't the back usually bring other cluesStrong evidence

Kidney stone pain usually starts in the side of the tummy or the lower back, may spread to the groin and comes and goes, sometimes with a high temperature, feeling sick, needing to pee often or cloudy pee. A kidney infection causes pain in the lower back or side with a high temperature, feeling sick, pain or burning when you pee, needing to pee more often and dark or cloudy pee, and it can follow a urine infection. Kidney cancer often has no obvious symptoms, but its signs can include blood in your pee and pain between the ribs and waist that doesn't go away.

An ectopic pregnancy can cause tummy pain low down on one side, vaginal bleeding, shoulder tip pain and discomfort peeing or pooing, usually between the 4th and 12th weeks of pregnancy; the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) says the pain may be on one side only. An ovarian cyst can cause pelvic pain from a dull, heavy feeling to a sudden, severe pain, and endometriosis can cause pain in the lower tummy and back.

Appendicitis pain usually starts around the belly button and moves to the lower right of the tummy, and it can be in a different place. It can occasionally be felt in the flank: in one small computed tomography (CT) series of 33 people with an uncommon type, ascending retrocaecal appendicitis, 8 had pain in the right flank. Diverticular disease usually hurts low on the left of the tummy, shingles can start as a tingling or painful patch of skin a few days before a rash on one side of the body only, and gallstone pain is in the middle of the tummy or just under the ribs on the right.

An abdominal aortic aneurysm often causes no symptoms, though it may cause tummy or back pain. A burst one is an emergency, and it can be mistaken for something else: in one 1992 US series of 152 burst aneurysms, 30% were first misdiagnosed, most often as kidney stones.

Sources 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

How back pain and the other causes usually differEmerging evidence

Single clues are weak, so get checked when you're unsure. This comparison is our summary of the health-service pages; no study has tested it.

Movement: back pain is usually stiff and sore to move and changes with your position. NHS inform says get back pain checked by your GP practice if it isn't affected by movement, is persistent and unchanging, or is worse at night.
Pattern: back pain builds with activity and eases with rest or a change of position; a kidney stone brings waves of severe pain; an infection brings steady pain with a fever.
Where: back pain sits low on one side, in the buttock or down the leg; kidney pain is in the side or just under the ribs, and may spread to the groin; gynaecological pain is low in the tummy on one side.
Other symptoms: back pain comes with stiffness or spasm; the other causes bring a high temperature, shivering, burning or frequent peeing, cloudy or bloody pee, feeling sick, vaginal bleeding or shoulder tip pain in early pregnancy, changes in your poo, or a rash after a few days.
First test: usually none for back pain; a urine test, a pregnancy test, a low-dose CT scan within 24 hours for a suspected stone, or an ultrasound scan for an aneurysm or an ovarian cyst.

Sources 1, 2, 16, 17, 20, 22, 26, 27, 31, 32, 29

When a scan or test helpsStrong evidence

For ordinary back pain, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says don't routinely offer imaging outside specialist care, and NHS inform says most back problems don't need an X-ray or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. For the SI joint, a cluster of provocation tests is the best bedside guide, and a European guideline doesn't recommend mobility tests or X-rays for pelvic girdle pain.

For the other causes, a urine test checks for infection; a suspected kidney stone is confirmed with a low-dose CT scan within 24 hours in adults, or an ultrasound scan in pregnancy; a pregnancy test is part of checking one-sided tummy pain, with an ultrasound scan and blood tests at an early pregnancy clinic if needed; and an aneurysm is found with an ultrasound scan of the tummy, which men are offered at 65.

Sources 31, 2, 8, 12, 17, 32, 16, 20, 24, 29

How it usually goesEmerging evidence

Back pain usually improves within a few weeks, the NHS says, and NHS inform expects most new back problems to begin to settle within 6 weeks; sciatica usually gets better in a few weeks to a few months. Pelvic girdle pain tends not to settle completely until after the birth, though treatment helps. A kidney infection is treated with antibiotics for 7 to 14 days, and you'll usually feel better after about 2 weeks; most kidney stones pass at home with medicine, which can take a few weeks. No one can promise a date.

Sources 1, 2, 10, 11, 17, 16

What helps, and how strong the evidence is

Stay active, and exercise for a flareStrong evidence

The NHS says stay active and try to keep up your daily activities, don't stay in bed for long, use an ice pack for pain and swelling and a heat pack for stiffness or spasm, and take anti-inflammatory medicine such as ibuprofen if it suits you, as paracetamol on its own isn't recommended. NICE suggests a group exercise programme for a flare, and NHS inform's back exercises (knee rolls, pelvic tilts, knee to chest and the back curl on all fours) come with a pain limit of 0 to 5 out of 10.

Sources 1, 31, 33

Two exceptions to ibuprofenStrong evidence

With a possible kidney infection, the NHS says don't take ibuprofen unless a doctor advises you to, because it may increase the risk of further kidney problems; it suggests paracetamol for the pain and a high temperature. With diverticular disease, the NHS says don't take anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen. If your one-sided pain could be either, ask a pharmacist or GP before taking it.

Sources 17, 26

The SI joint and pelvic girdle painEmerging evidence

For pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy, the NHS lists physiotherapy with exercises for the pelvic floor, tummy, back and hip muscles, and a European guideline recommends individual exercises in pregnancy and an individual programme of several treatments for others. No test shows a joint "out of place": the guideline doesn't recommend mobility tests for diagnosis, and the best bedside guide is whether provocation tests reproduce your pain. Our SI joint guide has the plan.

Sources 11, 12, 8

The quadratus lumborum isn't the targetMixed evidence

Because the QL wasn't stiffer in long-lasting back pain, and trigger point findings rest on subjective pressing, there's no good reason to make releasing it the treatment. Side planks and carries in the plan work it along with the other trunk muscles.

Sources 15, 13

Treatment for the other causesStrong evidence

A kidney infection is treated with antibiotics. For a kidney stone, NICE recommends an anti-inflammatory painkiller first, and stones that don't pass may need medicine, shock wave treatment or surgery. An ectopic pregnancy is removed with medicine or an operation. Antiviral medicine for shingles works best if it is started within 3 days of the rash appearing. Appendicitis is usually treated with surgery, and an aneurysm is watched with scans or repaired.

Sources 17, 32, 16, 20, 27, 24, 29

How much pain is OK while you exercise?

Up to about 5 out of 10, settled within an hour; leg symptoms are the exceptionEmerging evidence

This guide uses the back hub's rule. Some discomfort during exercise is fine, and it doesn't mean you are doing damage. Aim for pain you would call mild to moderate, no more than about 5 out of 10. It should settle within an hour or so, and your back should be no worse the next morning. If it is worse, do less next time (fewer reps, a smaller range, a lighter load), not nothing.

Leg symptoms are the exception: stop or shrink any movement that sends pain, pins and needles or numbness further down your leg. If leg symptoms move back towards your spine, that is a good sign, even if your back aches a little more for a while.

If pain climbs day after day, or you notice any warning sign, stop and get it checked. The 5 out of 10 figure matches this site's other pain guides and hasn't been tested in a back pain trial; NHS inform's back exercises use the same limit (keep pain within 0 to 5 out of 10, and no worse the morning after), and in trials of long-lasting muscle and joint pain, exercise that allowed some pain did no harm.

One side against the other (our suggestion): compare the sides in the one-sided moves, such as side planks, staggered bridges and carries. The sore side may tire first, which is fine within the rule; don't force the two sides to match in the first weeks.

A fever or shivers, burning or frequent peeing, blood in your pee, waves of severe pain into the groin, one-sided tummy pain when you could be pregnant, bleeding, a new rash, or pain that doesn't change at all with movement aren't pain-rule questions: see the warning signs.

Sources 35, 33

The exercise plan: 3 stages

Start at the first stage. Each move opens a full guide with a 3D demo.

Stage 1

Settle: keep moving, and find what eases it

About the first 2 weeks, once the warning signs are ruled out: keep up your daily activities and walk little and often, as the NHS advises; use whichever of the knee to chest and the sphinx eases your pain, not necessarily both (the back hub); and NHS inform's back exercises with their pacing. With pain down one leg, add our sciatica guide's lying nerve slider (the move page's dose: 10 repetitions with a 1-second pause, 2 to 3 times a day, from an NHS musculoskeletal service), kept only if it eases the leg. In pregnancy, our pelvic girdle pain guide's plan replaces this one.

Treadmill walking demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoTreadmill walkingBeginner · Cardio machine

5 to 10 minutes, several times a day · As in our back pain guide; outdoors or around the house counts the same

Harder: Treadmill jogging

Single knee-to-chest stretch demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSingle knee-to-chest stretchBeginner · No equipment

Hold 20 to 30 s, 2 to 4 times each side · The move page's dose, an editorial starting point; NHS inform's knee to chest. Keep it only if it eases you, and leave it out if bending forward sends pain down a leg, as the move page says

Harder: 90/90 hip lift-off

Sphinx pose (Salamba Bhujangasana) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSphinx pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)Beginner · No equipment

3 holds of 20 to 30 s, only if it eases your pain · As in our back pain guide. Skip it with spinal stenosis or if arching sends pain down a leg, as the move page says

Harder: Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)

Hip windshield wipers demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoHip windshield wipersBeginner · No equipment

10 slow passes side to side, 2 rounds · The move page's dose, an editorial starting point; NHS inform's knee rolls move the same way

Easier: Supine heel slide · Harder: 90/90 switch

Pelvic tilt into bridge demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoPelvic tilt into bridgeBeginner · No equipment

The tilt first, holding 2 s: 2 to 3 at a time, building to sets of 8 · NHS inform's pelvic tilt, with its pacing

Harder: Glute bridge

3D demoCat-cowBeginner · No equipment

8 waves, slower than feels natural · The move page's dose. NHS inform's back exercises include the same curl and uncurl on your hands and knees

Harder: Half lord of the fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Move on when: You can walk for 15 to 20 minutes and get through normal daily tasks, and your back is no worse the next morning (the back hub's check).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 2

Build: work each side on its own

About weeks 2 to 6, 2 or 3 days a week, with walking on most days: trunk and hip strength from the back hub's second stage and our SI joint guide's one-side-at-a-time stage, comparing the two sides.

Glute bridge demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoGlute bridgeBeginner · No equipment

2 to 3 sets of 10 · As in our back pain guide

Easier: Pelvic tilt into bridge · Harder: Single-leg glute bridge

Staggered-stance bridge (offset bridge) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoStaggered-stance bridge (offset bridge)Beginner · No equipment

2 sets of 8 each side · As in our SI joint guide (the move page's own dose is a trial's, for outer hip pain)

Easier: Pelvic tilt into bridge · Harder: Single-leg glute bridge

Bird dog, one limb at a time demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoBird dog, one limb at a timeBeginner · No equipment

3 sets of 6 to 8 each side, with 3 to 5 s holds; then the full bird dog · As in our SI joint guide (the sets) and back pain guide (the holds)

Easier: Side-lying tummy draw-in · Harder: Bird dog

Knee side plank demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoKnee side plankBeginner · No equipment

3 holds of 15 to 20 s each side · As in our back pain guide; compare the sides

Harder: Side plank

Dead bug heel taps demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDead bug heel tapsBeginner · No equipment

2 sets of 6 to 8 each side · As in our back pain guide

Easier: Bent-knee fall-out · Harder: Forearm plank

Hip-hinge practice demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoHip-hinge practiceBeginner · No equipment

2 to 3 sets of 10 · As in our back pain guide

Harder: Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

Move on when: You can do every set with good control and any pain settles by the next morning (the back hub's check), and the two sides feel similar in the side plank and the staggered bridge (our suggestion).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 3

Strengthen: lift, carry and turn on either side

From about week 6, and ongoing: the back hub's last stage with the one-sided carries and single-leg work of our SI joint guide, while lifting, carrying, turning and sitting come back by the written steps below. Keep it going after the pain has gone, as the back hub advises.

Side plank demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSide plankIntermediate · No equipment

3 holds of 20 to 30 s each side · As in our back pain guide

Easier: Knee side plank · Harder: Side plank with leg lift

Suitcase carry demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSuitcase carryIntermediate · A dumbbell + A kettlebell

3 walks of 20 to 30 m each side · As in our back pain guide: carrying on one side, practised on purpose. If you can't stay level, the weight is too heavy, as the move page says

Easier: Farmer's carry · Harder: Overhead carry (waiter's walk)

Single-leg glute bridge demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSingle-leg glute bridgeIntermediate · No equipment

3 sets of 8 each side · As in our SI joint guide

Easier: Glute bridge · Harder: Barbell hip thrust

Kettlebell deadlift demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoKettlebell deadliftBeginner · A kettlebell

3 sets of 8 to 10, light to start · As in our back pain guide

Easier: Hip-hinge practice · Harder: Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

Half-kneeling Pallof press demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoHalf-kneeling Pallof pressBeginner · A band + An anchor point

2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 each side · As in our back pain guide; it trains control of turning

Harder: Pallof press

3D demoStep-upBeginner · A step

3 sets of 8 each side · As in our back pain guide

Easier: Low step-up · Harder: Dumbbell step-up

Move on when: Our suggestion: lifting, carrying, turning and a full day's sitting leave your back no worse the next morning. Keep two strength days a week; if a heavy day flares it, drop back a stage for a few days rather than stopping.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

What to change for now

What to change for now (written steps)

Our 3D figure can't show these changes. They come from the NHS, NHS inform and NICE; where a step is our suggestion or another of our guides' advice, it says so.

1. Rule out the other causes first: a fever, shivers, burning when you pee, waves of pain into the groin, a possible pregnancy, bleeding or a new rash change the plan (see the warning signs).
2. Stay active: keep up your daily activities, don't stay in bed for long, use an ice pack for pain and swelling and a heat pack for stiffness or spasm, and take ibuprofen if it suits you, unless a kidney infection or diverticular disease is possible (the NHS).
3. Getting up from a chair: ease yourself forward to the edge, brace your tummy muscles and use the arms of the chair, or push on your thighs (NHS inform).
4. Getting into and out of bed: to get in, sit down slowly, lower yourself with your arms and roll onto the side you feel most comfortable; to get out, roll onto your tummy, edge towards the side of the bed, let the leg nearest the edge drop to the floor and push up with your hands (NHS inform). In pelvic girdle pain, put a pillow between your legs in bed and keep your knees together getting in and out of a car (the NHS).
5. Carrying on one side: the NHS's pregnancy advice is to balance the weight between 2 bags, and splitting the load between two hands is our SI joint guide's suggestion for everyone.
6. Standing and dressing: in pelvic girdle pain, put equal weight on each leg when standing and sit down to get dressed (the NHS).
7. Belts and corsets: NICE says don't offer belts, corsets or foot orthotics for low back pain; in pregnancy, a physiotherapist may suggest a pelvic support belt (the NHS).
8. Long sits: break them up (our back pain guide's advice).

Sources 1, 17, 26, 2, 11, 34, 31

Lifting, carrying, turning and sitting come back (written steps)

No trial has tested how to bring these back after one-sided back pain. These steps are our suggestion unless a source is named.

1. Lifting: keep the load close and start light, then build the weight with the deadlift and carry work. There's no single right way to bend; our back pain guide explains the evidence. In pregnancy, the NHS advises bending your knees and keeping your back straight when you lift, and avoiding heavy lifts.
2. Carrying: split shopping between two bags (the NHS's pregnancy advice); carry a child in front or use a rucksack rather than always on one hip (our pelvic girdle pain guide's advice).
3. Turning in bed: roll with your knees bent and together at first (our suggestion); a pillow between your knees helps some people, as the NHS suggests in pelvic girdle pain.
4. Sitting: break up long sits, and get up by easing forward to the edge of the chair (NHS inform).
5. Twisting sports: practise the swing or stroke on both sides at half pace before full effort.
6. If it isn't improving after a few weeks, stops your daily activities, or doesn't change at all with movement, see a GP (the NHS; NHS inform). In many areas you can refer yourself to physiotherapy (the NHS).

Sources 34, 2, 11, 1

Positions to swap, and why

Habit or position	Why it matters	Instead
Staying in bed or stopping activity	The NHS says stay active and don't stay in bed for long periods.	Short walks, little and often.Try: Treadmill walking
Taking ibuprofen for side or back pain with a fever or burning when you pee	The NHS says don't take ibuprofen for a kidney infection unless a doctor advises it.	Paracetamol, and a same-day check.
Waiting it out with waves of pain into the groin, a fever or blood in your pee	A kidney stone or a kidney infection needs a same-day check.	An urgent GP appointment or NHS 111.
Putting one-sided pain down to your back when you could be pregnant	Tummy pain low down on one side with bleeding or shoulder tip pain can be an ectopic pregnancy.	Your GP or NHS 111 straight away.
Carrying a heavy bag, a child or a toolbox always on the same side	The NHS's pregnancy advice is to balance the weight between 2 bags, and our SI joint guide splits the load.	Split the load, or practise carrying on each side on purpose.Try: Suitcase carry
Standing on one leg to dress, with SI joint or pelvic girdle pain	The NHS says sit down to get dressed and put equal weight on each leg in pelvic girdle pain, and the move page says skip it with pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy.	Sit to dress, with your weight on both feet.
Having your SI joint "put back in" again and again	A European guideline doesn't recommend mobility tests for diagnosis, and no test shows a joint out of place.	Strength around the pelvis.Try: Staggered-stance bridge (offset bridge)
Rolling or pressing hard on the quadratus lumborum as the fix	The muscle wasn't stiffer in long-lasting back pain, with no difference between sides, and trigger point findings are subjective.	Side planks and carries.Try: Side plank
A back belt or corset	NICE says don't offer belts or corsets for low back pain.	Trunk and hip strength.Try: Knee side plank
Deep lying twists that send pain down a leg or into the SI joint	The move page says go gently with disc problems or sacroiliac irritation, and get assessed if twisting reproduces leg symptoms.	Smaller knee rolls.Try: Hip windshield wipers
Prone press-ups and other arching moves, with leg symptoms or spinal stenosis	The move page says skip it with spinal stenosis or if arching brings on leg symptoms.	The knee to chest, if it eases you.Try: Single knee-to-chest stretch

Routines to follow

Lower back stretch routine

Seven gentle stretches and mobility moves for a stiff lower back, done lying and kneeling.

12 minBeginner7 movesA wall

Pilates for back pain (gentle routine)

A gentle 15-minute Pilates-based routine for ongoing low back pain, built from neutral-spine moves with options for backs that dislike bending or arching.

15 minBeginner10 movesNo equipment

Beginner core workout

A 15-minute beginner core workout on the floor: dead bugs, bird dogs, knee planks, side planks and curl-ups.

15 minBeginner6 movesNo equipment

McGill big 3 core routine

The McGill big three for the core: curl-ups, side planks and bird dogs, each held for 10 seconds at a time in falling sets of 5, 3 and 1 reps.

12 minBeginner3 movesNo equipment

Glute workout at home

A 25-minute glute workout with bodyweight and a mini band: bridges, clamshells, band walks, kickbacks and lunges.

25 minBeginner9 movesA wall, A band

Pregnancy Pilates workout (no lying on your back)

A 20-minute Pilates workout for any trimester: seated, standing, all-fours and side-lying moves, with no lying on your back or front and no jumping.

20 minBeginner15 movesA wall, A bench or box

More moves for this area

Questions people ask

Why does my lower back hurt on one side?

Usually it's the back itself: the NHS names a pulled muscle as a common cause, and back pain usually improves within a few weeks. Pain low by the dimple at the back of the pelvis can be the sacroiliac joint, and pain down one leg is sciatica. Less often it's a kidney, the bowel or a gynaecological cause, which usually bring other signs.

How can I tell if it's my back or my kidney?

Back pain is usually stiff and sore to move and changes with your position. Kidney pain tends to come with a high temperature, shivering, burning or needing to pee often, cloudy or bloody pee, or severe waves of pain spreading to the groin, and the NHS says those need an urgent GP appointment or NHS 111. NHS inform says back pain that isn't affected by movement should be checked by your GP practice.

What causes lower back pain on the right side?

Mostly the same back causes as on the left: a strained back, the sacroiliac joint or sciatica. On the right, appendicitis can occasionally be felt in the flank, though its pain usually moves to the lower right of the tummy, and gallstones hurt under the right ribs. A kidney infection or stone can be on either side.

What causes lower back pain on the left side?

Usually the back, as on the right. Diverticulitis usually hurts low on the left of the tummy, sometimes with a high temperature or blood in your poo, and a kidney infection or stone can affect either side.

Why does my lower back hurt on one side, just above my buttock?

That spot, by the dimple at the back of the pelvis, often points to the sacroiliac joint, especially with buttock pain, pain getting up from sitting and little pain higher up the back. Pain there can spread down the leg too, so it's hard to separate from other back pain without an examination. Our SI joint guide has the plan.

Can a tight quadratus lumborum (QL) cause one-sided back pain?

It's often blamed, and trigger points are commonly reported there, but finding them depends on subjective pressing. In a study of 80 people, the muscle was less stiff in long-lasting back pain, not more, and no different between sides. Side planks and carries strengthen it; rolling is fine if it feels good, but it isn't the treatment.

Lower back pain on one side in women: what else could it be?

A urine or kidney infection (more common in women), endometriosis (pain in the lower tummy and back), an ovarian cyst (sudden, severe pelvic pain needs a same-day check) or, if you could be pregnant, an ectopic pregnancy. Most one-sided back pain in women is still the back, but these come with other clues.

Is one-sided back pain in pregnancy normal?

Back pain is very common in pregnancy, and pelvic girdle pain can be felt across one or both sides of the lower back. Contact your GP or midwife urgently for back pain in the second or third trimester, or with a fever, bleeding, pain when you pee or pain in one or more of your sides under your ribs. In early pregnancy, tummy pain low down on one side with bleeding or shoulder tip pain needs your GP or NHS 111 straight away.

Could shingles cause pain on one side of my back?

Yes: shingles can start as a tingling or painful patch of skin, sometimes with a headache or feeling unwell, a few days before a rash on one side of the body only. Get advice from a pharmacist or NHS 111 as soon as possible; if you're 18 or over, try to see a pharmacist within 3 days of the rash appearing.

Why does my lower back hurt on one side when I walk, sit or bend?

One-sided pain that changes with walking, sitting or bending is usually ordinary back pain or the sacroiliac joint. Our guides to back pain when walking, sitting, bending and lying down cover each situation, and pain down a leg is in our sciatica guide.

What exercises help lower back pain on one side?

Keep active and use whichever gentle stretch eases it, then build strength on each side on its own: bridges, bird dogs, side planks and one-sided carries. NICE suggests a group exercise programme for a flare, and no single type of exercise is clearly best.

When is lower back pain on one side an emergency?

Call 999 for numbness around your genitals or bottom, new bladder or bowel problems or weakness in both legs; for sudden, severe pain in the tummy or back; or for sudden, intense tummy pain with dizziness or fainting when you could be pregnant. Get help the same day for a high temperature, burning when you pee, blood in your pee or severe pain that comes in waves.

Related exercise guides

Spine guide

Other pain guides

Sources

Exercise education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. It is written from the guidelines and studies listed above; review by a clinician is pending. If your pain follows an injury, is severe, is getting worse, or comes with any warning sign listed on this page, get it assessed. Health disclaimer.