20/04/2026
What should you do if your back suddenly “seizes up?”
First up...
Don’t panic.
Whilst it might feel alarming, but most back spasms are not serious...
And tend to settle within a few days to a couple of weeks.
If this happens to you, here's some simple strategies to help you out...
'Keep Moving'
Avoid complete rest.
Short walks, light movement, and changing positions regularly help reduce stiffness and speed up recovery.
'Find a Comfortable Position'
The more time you can spend in positions you don't feel your back versus time spent in pain, the faster things will settle down.
Lying on your back with pillows under your knees, or on your side with a pillow between your knees, are two common comfortable positions for your back.
'Use Pain Relief'
Over-the-counter options (e.g. paracetamol or ibuprofen, if appropriate for you) can help with your pain and help you stay mobile.
'Heat > Ice'
A heat pack or hot bath/shower can help relax muscle spasm.
'Avoid Aggressive Stretching'
Gentle movement is good, but forcing stretches into pain usually isn’t.
Let symptoms settle first, then you can look at restoring your mobility.
'Modify, Don’t Stop'
You might need to scale things back, like the gym, running, or padel temporarily...
But don’t cut out activity completely.
Stay within tolerable limits, but try keep active as much as possible.
'Breathe and Relax'
Muscle guarding often makes things worse.
Slow, controlled breathing can help reduce tension.
Try box breathing.
'Gradually Return to Normal Activity'
As pain eases, build back up.
You don’t have to wait until you’re 100% pain-free before moving normally again.
This stuff is simple...
But sometimes (most of the time) the simple stuff, done well, is all you need.
If you've got a back problem, or a problem somewhere else, and things aren’t settling after 1–2 weeks, or you keep getting flare-ups, then give us a shout.
We can assess, guide, and help you out, and prevent your problem happening again.
Hope this helps.
Have a healthy and active week!
..
The Perform Ready Team
