Prone Press-Up

The prone press-up bends the lower back backwards while you lie face down. For some people with lower back pain, especially pain that is worse with sitting and bending forward, repeated back-bending eases the pain and can draw leg pain back towards the back. It is part of the McKenzie method that physiotherapists use to assess and treat back pain.

Written by Dr. V. B. Rajendra Prasad, MPT, licensed in the US and UK.

1. Lie face down, then prop yourself up on your elbows
2. Press up on your hands, keeping your hips on the floor

How to do it

  1. 1

    Lie face down on a firm bed or mat. Rest for a minute or two to let the back settle.

  2. 2

    Prop yourself up on your elbows, with your hips staying on the bed. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute if comfortable.

  3. 3

    Then place your hands on the bed under your shoulders, as if starting a push-up.

  4. 4

    Keeping your hips and legs relaxed on the bed, slowly press up with your arms, letting your lower back sag.

  5. 5

    Hold for 1 to 2 seconds and lower down. Each time, try to go a little further if it feels comfortable.

How many

10 repetitions, several times a day, if your physiotherapist has confirmed it suits your back.

Common mistakes

Lifting the hips off the bed. The hips stay down so that the lower back bends.

Tightening the buttocks and back muscles. Let them relax and let the arms do the work.

Carrying on when leg pain spreads further down. That is the sign to stop.

Make it easier

Stay on your elbows rather than pressing up on your hands.

Make it harder

Press higher, breathe out at the top to let the back sag a little more, or do the exercise more often through the day.

Who it helps

Lower back pain that is worse with sitting or bending forward
Some disc problems
Long hours of sitting

When to stop and check

This exercise helps some backs and aggravates others. Stop if pain spreads further into the leg, or if numbness or weakness increases. Pain that moves from the leg back towards the spine is usually a good sign. Do not use it for spinal stenosis or back-bending pain without a physiotherapist's advice. Any loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness around the groin, needs emergency care.

Not sure you are doing it right? A physiotherapist can watch you on a video call, correct your form and build a full programme around it.

Get my form checked

Frequently asked questions

Is the prone press-up good for slip disc?
For some people with a disc problem, repeated back-bending reduces pain and draws leg pain back towards the spine. For others it does not help. Physiotherapists test your response to repeated movements to find out which group you are in.
What does it mean if my leg pain moves to my back?
Physiotherapists call this centralisation. Pain moving from the leg back towards the spine during an exercise is usually a positive sign. Pain spreading further down the leg is the opposite, and the exercise should stop.
What is the McKenzie method?
It is a system of assessment and treatment in which the physiotherapist uses repeated movements to find which directions ease your pain, then builds exercises around them. The prone press-up is one of its best known exercises.

Related

Online physiotherapy: Back Pain and SciaticaOnline physiotherapy: Slip DiscSlip Disc Exercises: Safe Movements for RecoverySciatica Exercises and Stretches for Pain ReliefBack pain self-check

More back exercises

Knee to Chest StretchCat-CamelBird DogAll exercises
Dr. Rajendra

Written by Dr. V. B. Rajendra Prasad, MPT. Licensed to practice in the US (NY state) and UK (HCPC).
20 years of clinical experience. About Dr. Rajendra