You can have a friend or family member give you a lower back massage, or you can give one to yourself with the proper equipment. This may help relieve short-term pain.

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Massage for lower back pain may help relieve short-term pain, but research is mixed.

You can try a self-massage to ease back pain or seek the help of a friend, family member, or professional to soothe your soft tissues.

Keep in mind that you should never apply pressure directly to the spine. Only use gentle pressure to avoid injury and discomfort.

To get started:

  1. Position the person receiving the massage on their stomach on a massage table, mat, or mattress. The person should remove their shirt or wear something loose fitting to raise above the lower back to allow for the massage to occur directly on the skin.
  2. Place a pillow under the breastbone, a rolled towel under the forehead, and a rolled towel under the ankles.
  3. Rub massage oil on your hands and spread the oil on the person’s lower back.

Then, you can begin the massage, focusing on each side of the back separately:

  1. Try palm circling by extending your arms and putting one open hand on top of the other. Make circular motions on the back that originate from your waist.
  2. Practice muscle lifting by keeping your fingers straight, spreading your thumbs, and lifting the muscles of the lower back by turning your wrist, one hand at a time.
  3. Begin thumb circling by turning toward the person’s feet and using your thumbs to make slow, gentle strokes from their mid-back toward the hips, repeating this motion two more times.
  4. Practice muscle lifting as you did before, but focus on lifting the muscles near the hips.
  5. Repeat this technique on the other side of the back.

Once you’ve gone through these motions, you can perform a few additional exercises to help alleviate any remaining back pain.

Other techniques to try

  • Knuckling: Making fists with both hands and gently rubbing them from the middle of the back to the hip area, avoiding the spine.
  • Back spreads: Opening your hands and slowly moving them over the mid-back to the hips. Position your hands on each side of the lower back and move them back and forth across the back as a final massage technique.

There are many types of massage for your lower back. Some of them are safe to try at home, and others should only be done by a professional.

  • Therapeutic massage. This is any type of massage that targets a specific area of your body to relieve discomfort and pain.
  • Deep tissue massage. This type of massage requires an expert because it applies more force to the body.
  • Swedish massage. This is a gentler form of massage, emphasizing long, flowing strokes.
  • Sports massage. A sports massage is geared toward athletes. It’s used to prevent injury or to help an injured athlete return to sport.
  • Shiatsu massage. This is a Japanese style of massage that uses rhythmic pressure over the body.

It’s possible to massage your own back with a few pieces of equipment:

  1. Lie face up on a mat and place two tennis balls under your mid-back, one on each side of the spine.
  2. Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor.
  3. Slowly move yourself up and down so the tennis balls roll along your lower back.
  4. You can move yourself up and down with your legs to relieve or increase pressure from the tennis balls.

You can also do this with a foam roller:

  1. Place the roller below your lower back while lying face up on a mat.
  2. Put pressure into the roller to target the source of your pain.
  3. You may also find that rolling the foam above or below the source of the pain also provides relief.

You may find these exercises to be most beneficial throughout the day for a few minutes each or before bedtime.

You may find that your massage efforts at home aren’t doing enough to ease your lower back pain.

Consider seeking a massage therapist to provide a massage or consulting a physical therapist to adjust your spine. These efforts by professionals may help relieve your back pain.

You may want to consult a doctor if your lower back pain is severe or persistent.

A doctor can diagnose and help you manage back pain that interferes with your daily life. They may recommend a variety of treatments to help with severe or lingering back pain.

Some treatment recommendations may include:

  • physical therapy
  • medications, like anti-inflammatory drugs or muscle relaxants
  • application of heat or ice
  • moving properly when performing daily activities, especially those involving heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling
  • avoiding activities that trigger back pain
  • eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and quitting smoking

The American College of Physicians also recommends the following:

  • exercise
  • multidisciplinary rehabilitation
  • acupuncture
  • mindfulness-based stress reduction
  • tai chi
  • yoga
  • motor control exercise (MCE)
  • progressive relaxation
  • electromyography biofeedback
  • low level laser therapy
  • operant therapy
  • cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
  • spinal manipulation

Massage may help ease your short-term lower back pain. You can ask a friend or family member to massage you, seek the services of a professional, or try to massage yourself with a tennis ball or foam roller.

Discuss chronic back pain or acute back pain that interferes with your daily life with your doctor. You may need a more varied management plan that involves other treatments to alleviate pain.