A strong core is essential for posture, balance, lifting, and overall movement, but many people experience back strain, sciatica, or other pain from core exercises due to improper form. At JAG PT, serving New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, we know the right approach is key to building core strength safely—especially if you have existing back concerns. Book an appointment with us today to strengthen your core without risking injury, or read on for tips to protect your back during core workouts.
Why Do Some Core Exercises Cause Back Pain?
Some soreness, fatigue, and tenderness are normal possible consequences of any exercise. These are all signs that the muscle tissue is growing and changing and shouldn’t last long after exercise. However, pain after working out that is sharp or severe, or lasts for days or longer, means that something has gone wrong in the exercise process.
When it comes to core exercises, the biggest area of risk is the back. Poor form generally can lead to exercise-related back injury, as can failing to warm up, overextending even while using proper form, or using difficult movements with insufficient experience. Large and prominent muscles such as the latissimus dorsi and multifidus spinae can be damaged because the sheer area they cover subjects them to forces from different angles during core exercise.
A key concept in core exercises is muscular engagement – making sure different core muscles tense in unison, even ones not directly involved in the movement. “Engage your core” is an instruction or piece of advice that is repeated so often it has become cliche. But one reason you can’t ignore it no matter how often you do core exercises is the risk of lumbar compensation.
This term refers to bending or twisting at the lower back to complete a movement, due to the difficulty of properly using the core, inattention, or some other reason. Lumbar compensation puts undue force on the lower torso muscles and is a very common reason people feel pain or get injured after core exercise. Sit-ups and Russian twists are just two of the most often used core exercises that are risky for people with tight, sensitive, or previously injured back muscles, often because of the possibility of lumbar compensation.
What Are the Best Core Exercises That Don’t Hurt Your Back?
The core exercises with the lowest risk of back pain are those that use slow movements or a single held position rather than fast, vigorous movements. Dead bugs and bird dogs are both popular examples of the first type. Meanwhile, glute bridges and modified versions of planks or side planks, including doing them with the knees down, are exercises of the second type.
Your spine should be aligned as much as possible – that is, not too rounded or pushed out to one side, with the vertebrae largely “stacked” on top of each other. Having an overly arched spine is less of a risk, but consciously keeping alignment is always necessary. Breathe in and out slowly and with moderate deepness to maintain controlled movement, thus protecting your spine. Finally, brace yourself, or, in other words, engage your core!
How Can You Modify Core Workouts to Prevent Injury?
The simplest modification to an exercise is simply reducing the number of repetitions, which you can do for core exercises if your concern is pain from overtraining. However, if you are worried about other kinds of injuries during a core workout, there are many different modifications you could consider. A foam support block or simply a rolled-up towel under the lower back can greatly increase comfort and distribute force better. Changing the range of motion involved in an exercise reduces the risk of a strain, and if you properly utilize your core muscles to firmly stop and reverse each movement, you can even exercise at the same level of intensity.
Even if you don’t have any musculoskeletal health conditions, it’s good practice to avoid overly sudden motions in core exercises. Twisting or jerking your body could cause pain or injury even in healthy muscles. Using visual cues like a mirror and paying attention to the relative position of your body parts are ways to check your form, but seeing a physical therapist will give you the best insight into this aspect.
When Should You See a Physical Therapist for Back-Safe Core Training?
Almost anyone, especially athletes who rely on the core muscles in their sport of choice, could benefit from consulting a physical therapist about exercising this body area. However, you should definitely schedule a PT appointment if you consistently feel discomfort from training your core, or if you need a stronger core to improve your physical condition but have specific health worries. These may include a recent injury, a chronic musculoskeletal condition, or some other health issue that could be worsened by core movements, such as in the digestive or neurological system. An experienced physical therapist can not only let you know what exercises are and aren’t safe for you, they can also work with you to determine a custom core training routine that strengthens your weakest muscles and protects your back health.
Get a Personalized Core Strength Plan at JAG Physical Therapy
At JAG PT, spinal health is one of our major specialties, as is exercise-based rehabilitation. When you work with our therapy team, you can be assured your core exercise regimen will be safe and effective, especially thanks to our injury prevention expertise. We offer easy and flexible appointment setup at our many convenient locations – book now to get started.
