After doing swim session yesterday ,mainly breast stroke suffering from lower back pain .
Question is swimming a good mix better for overall suppleness, with riding too.
Main riding is short lots of 7-10 miles mainly off road , single track,forestry n good mix of climbing out of saddle too.usually two three times a week.

Dull ache or sharp pain?
How focussed?
How bad on a scale of 1-10?
All the time, or just bending, sitting, twisting?
When did it start?
Even with all that answered, anyone on here would be guessing.
I found swimming a very good combo with riding (no time for it now though)

I regularly go to an osteopath because of my job and due to the way my back is, i can only swim using front crawl, breast stroke would actually cause me more problems due to the position you put your back in etc. I would say if it's hurting get a professional to look at it and ask for their advice on what type of exercise will help you and help you avoid hurting yourself. 🙂

More a dull ache and in small of the back,will prob seek my oesteopaths advice when i can ,but earlier comment on position of breast stroke more likely cause,just that i'm such a lousey front crawl that am aware of the wash i create ,ok in empty pool, but some sessions are quite crowded.

Breast stroke is really bad for the back if like me you don't put your head down in the water (chlorine gets to me). To get round this I swim with a sort of sideways crawl/doggy-paddle – but I'm told it's actually a life-savers stroke (no idea where I got it from). Works anyway and I don't get the backache. Swimming is good for an aerobic workout, but as neither cycling nor swimming involves weight-bearing exercise, you need something else for all-round fitness and to help your back. Plain walking's good for the back, and there's Nordic walking which is even better. You need the right walking poles for this – ordinary leki types are useless. Pacerpolesare the best.

Is it muscular, nerve or bone related? That can make a difference.

First time for pain, or recurring?

Recent experience taught me that six weeks is a normal window for back-pain related discomfort. More info available if required.