Part of the reason for back pain is a lack of strength, especially in the lower back. This is often a result of not getting enough exercise that specifically strengthens those muscles. For office workers especially, sitting for long periods of time can exacerbate the problem.

Wall squats can help strengthen not just the lower back muscles, but also the deep abdominal muscles that help to support the lower back. Squats also provide the added advantage of helping to strengthen the thighs, in turn helping to keep the knees healthy.

To perform a squat, stand in the middle of a doorway and face one side of the frame. Hold both arms out straight in front of you, so the door frame is between your arms and your nose is right in front of the wall. Think about tightening your abdominal muscles as you slowly lower straight down toward the ground. Go as far as is comfortable, then slowly rise back up. Start by doing this exercise 5 to 10 times and slowly increase both the number of repetitions and amount of time you stay in a squatting position.

It’s ok if your heels don’t touch the ground as you do this exercise. Also, if you’re finding squats to be difficult, consider widening your stance. As you improve and practice, you may find that your heels will begin to touch the ground and you’ll be able to keep your feet closer together.