The old fashioned of treating back pain was rest and pain killers. In fact, I was advised two months ago when my back pain began to go to bed for a month. However, more contemporary thoughts on the topic are that moderate exercise is better for your back.

I, for one, could not laze in bed for a month because of backache, because whilst my back was at its worst, I could not rest in one place for over a minute or two and sleep was almost unattainable.

I was in too much pain to travel to the GP’s surgery and I was not given a home visit. So, I merely sat at home and waited to get better. Then my wife arranged a masseur to come around.

The massage helped, but she also recommended some stretching exercises to attempt, which I have since seen mentioned by some physiotherapists on the Internet.

To begin with, she suggested strolling as far as I could each day. Set achievable goals, but extend them whenever you reach them. Permit yourself one rest on both the outward and homeward journeys and after a time, try to do without the pause.

This has helped very well for me and from not being able to walk to the bathroom a month ago, I bin now walk about 350 yards without a break. I place most of the reason for my recuperation, such as it is, down to walking.

I have a slipped disc and a trapped sciatic nerve, so leaning backwards was agony for me (and still hurts), but I found that rotating at the hips helps loosen things up.

There are two methods, I do this: 1] place you hands on your hips and push down or 2] clasp your hands behind your head; then standing with feet apart or sitting on a chair with no back, revolve your upper body as low as you can in a circle to the right eight times and then to the left. Increase the repetitions as and when you are able.

Sitting on a chair with a high back, reach back over your shoulders and grip the back of the chair (or you may grip the sides of the chair). Then keeping your posterior still, try to turn to the left eight times and then to the right. Take it slowly, no jerky movements, but really push.

Lying on your back, bring one knee up to your body; pull it if you need to. First one knee eight times, then the next, and then both together. A variation on this is to lie on the floor, bend your knees and put your feet flat on the floor. Then place one foot on the other knee and pull that knee towards you. The second version can also be conducted seated.

Lying on your back, lift your straight legs as high as you can, holding them together. You will almost certainly not manage a lot, so ask someone to push them right up to ninety degrees and hold. Push them over towards your face. Lift your posterior off the ground if you like. It sounds as if this one will really hurt, but it was OK for me.

These exercises were recommended to me by a personal masseur who has been extremely well trained. They are to suit my condition, so maybe you had better take advice before attempting them yourself.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on a range of subjects, but is now involved with sciatica and acupuncture. If you would like to know more, please go to our website at Sore Back Remedies