Core Exercises for Lower Back Pain – Everything You Need To Know

Overview

Low back pain is an incredibly common chief complaint seen in hospitals and private clinics.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), more than 80% of people experience low back pain at least one time during their lifetime.

Statistics place people between 30–50 years old as the most susceptible age group.

Unfortunately, and due to the complex anatomy of the lower back, the accurate diagnosis and management of this condition are challenging.

In medicine, researchers define acute back pain as a sensation of discomfort that lasts between a few days to less than 3 months. Anything above this time is considered chronic back pain.

In this article, we will briefly cover the causes of lower back pain, as well as the core exercises that can improve your symptoms.

The causes of low back pain

Lumbar strain

Lumbar strain is an umbrella term that describes an injury to:

• Tendons
• Ligaments
• Muscles

When the pressure applied to these structures exceeds supportable values, microscopic tears occur. Consequently, the brain responds by triggering a sensation of pain.

Unlike popular belief, the latest guidelines suggest that individuals with lumbar strains should avoid staying in bed for a long time.

Lumbar radiculopathy

Commonly known as sciatica, lumbar radiculopathy occurs when the disks become weak, forcing the soft area to herniate.

During the management of this condition, patients get triaged to opt for either medical or surgical treatment (e.g., minimally invasive lumbar spine surgery).

Arthritis

Arthritis refers to the inflammation of the joint.

Researchers use the term spondyloarthropathy to describe arthritis of the joints.

Over time, the vertebrae fuse together, which produces continuous pain and restricted movement of the joint.

Top strength training exercises for back pain

Back exercise with equipment

The exercises in this category aim to increase the strength of the back muscles, meaning it focuses on progressively heavier loads.

Here are some examples:

Pullup powered dumbbell

Adding a dumbbell to your lower body while doing a pullup is an excellent way to recruit more muscles and strengthen your back.

The added weight makes the pull-up more challenging, placing your muscles under more stress and building more strength.

Once you feel comfortable with the current weight, increase the load to maintain stress on your muscles.

Dumbbell dead row

• Place yourself in a deadlift position and two dumbbells on the floor.
• Lift the dumbbells off the floor, using the strength of your legs.
• Once the dumbbells are above your back with your elbows extended, lower them back to the floor and repeat.

What we love most about this exercise is the absence of any momentum; therefore, each repetition requires explosive movements of your arms and legs to complete.

The Manmaker

We can divide the Manmaker into three phases:

The pushup phase

• Place yourself in a pushup position while holding the dumbbells.
• Perform one pushup and move on to the next phase.

The renegade row phase

• As you keep your back straight, do a renegade row for both sides of your body.

The jumping phase

• After finishing the renegade row, bring your feet forward and switch to a standing position.
• Lift the dumbbells above your head, then switch to the first phase.

Kettlebell swings

Kettlebell swings are among the best exercises to build a strong core and strengthen your back muscles. This a a good core exercise for lower back pain.

• Place your feet in a slightly widened position, with your knees bent.
• Hold the kettlebell with both hands between your feet.
• Once in position, lean forward without misaligning your spine.
• Swing the kettlebell backward until it’s just behind your feet, then swing it again until it reaches the shoulders’ level.

Back exercise without equipment

Bridges

Bridges recruit the gluteus maximus, which is the large muscle of the buttocks responsible for supporting your lower back and hips.

To perform this exercise, do the following:

• Lie on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Press on the floor with your feet while your arms sit by your sides.
• Raise your buttocks off the ground until you have a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Squeeze your buttocks.
• Lower your buttocks to the ground and take some rest.
• Repeat this exercise 15 times in 60 seconds.

Knee-to-chest stretches

Knee-to-chest stretching elongates your lower back, which relieves all tension from your muscles. This a a good core exercise for lower back pain.

Here’s how to do this exercise:

• Lie on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Use your hands to pull one knee toward your chest.
• Maintain the knee against your chest for 5 seconds, while keeping your abdomen tight.
• Return to the initial position.
• Repeat the whole process with the opposite leg.

Draw-in maneuvers

The draw-in maneuver works the transversus abdominis, which is located on the front and side of your abdomen. This muscle stabilizes your spine and lower back. This maneuver can help with lower back pain. This is one of our favorite core exercises for lower back pain.

To perform the draw-in maneuver, here’s what you need to do:

• Lie on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Take a deep breath.
• As you breathe out, pull the belly button toward the spine to tighten the abdominal muscles.
• Maintain this position for 5 seconds.
• Repeat for 5 times.

Pelvic tilts

The main purpose of this exercise is to release the tightness of your back, allowing you to become more flexible.

Here’s how to do it:

• Lie on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Gently push your stomach out and arch your lower back.
• Maintain this position for 5 seconds, then relax.
• As you flatten your back, pull the belly button in toward the ground.
• Maintain this position for 5 seconds, then relax.
• Try to increase the number of repetitions you do every day.

Takeaway message

Lower back pain is an incredibly common symptom that affects athletes and sedentary people.

Hopefully, this article will serve as a mini-guide for people who want some core exercises to strengthen their lower backs. This is one of our favorite core exercises for lower back pain.

Check out our article on self myofascial-release-benefits.

If you have any questions or concerns about lower back pain or the exercises we listed above, please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts in the comment section below.