Lumbar facet joint pain is a common source of lower back discomfort, typically presenting as unilateral, localized pain that may radiate a few inches outward but doesn’t follow a nerve root distribution. It often worsens with spinal extension, rotation, or prolonged standing or walking, and may feel stiff first thing in the morning or after inactivity. The pain originates from the small joints at the back of the spine—called facet joints—which can become irritated due to compression, degenerative changes, or excessive mechanical stress.
In this video, we’ll cover four exercises that can help reduce facet joint pain in the low back. More specifically, you’ll learn exercises that focus on lumbar flexion mobility, reducing spinal erector muscle tone, lumbar stabilization, and gentle active spinal flexion and extension mobility to reduce pain, improve mobility and enhance overall function. By improving mobility and neuromuscular control in the surrounding musculature, these strategies will help reduce pain, improve spinal support, and help you return to daily activities with greater confidence and less discomfort.
Book Link:
Peanut Massager Link:
00:00 Introduction
00:16 What is facet joint pain?
01:10 Exercise 1: Lumbar Flexion Stretches
02:27 Exercise 2: Spinal Extensor Mobilization
04:18 Exercise 3: Lumbar Flexion-Extension Mobility
05:41 Exercise 4: Marching Bridge
07:31 The Facet Joint Pain Program in My Book
source
A more comprehensive program for facet joint pain can be found in the back and spine chapter in my book. Additionally, my upcoming app will have video-based rehab programs for facet joint back pain and all other common orthopedic pain issues. Visit the links below to order my book or to access my app.
Rehabscience.com/book
Rehabscience.com/app
@rehabscience
Does the peanutball have to be soft like a silicon peanutball or a hard one is also OK?
I beg u please 🙏
Next time u show us massage of pregnant women
Thank you so much! I'm actually becoming a massage therapist! My hubby and mom are my inspiration cause they both have muscles and joints problems! I want to help them both continue to live without pain as much as possible! Once I started learning, I found it satisfying!
Knee pain exercise
Hi, Dr. Tom Walters. How are you ? I hope you are well . Your content is very good and very important for healthy life .
Can you please recommend at home exercises for a thoracic herniated disc? I went to PT for months and it helped but I still experience muscle weakness) more now since im no longer going). I do my exercises at home but when I skip a few days I can tell because of the weakness in my legs. I also still have loss of sensations in my legs but over time it had improved slowly because a year ago I had no sensation. Can you please help? I was told surgery isnt needed and a couple doctors wanted to do a dramatic surgery. Different advice. I really do not want to end up needing surgery. Thank you. Blessings~
Thanks Tom ❤😊
I do some of these exercises too along with my resistance bands. I have been miserable lately. My feet weirdness causes me knee and back and neck pain. Thats why i ordered the toe separator socks. I'm hoping for some relief. Im on my feet all day and even when i wake up, i still hurt. This has just been recently. I hate taking Tylenol but i do.😢
RehabScie😊 Amazing 🥜exercise❤❤❤❤❤🏋♀️Thank you Dr Rehab😊💯🤗🤗
Thank you 👍