Why Can Some Exercises Hurt Your Back?
Generally, when someone starts exercising, it’s with the intention of becoming healthier or simply looking better. Physical activity is based on controlled exposure of your body to stress; the problem arises when you’re a beginner and technical mistakes end up hurting you. When that happens, you can end up causing yourself the very damage exercise is supposed to prevent in the first place.
These five exercises aren’t inherently bad, but poor technique could be silently damaging your lower back and eventually causing back pain over the long term:
Deadlift
The deadlift isn’t a bad exercise; in fact, it’s one of the most complete basic movements for strengthening the posterior chain. The risk appears when it’s performed without the necessary precautions, mainly for three reasons:
- Loading too much weight before the lumbar muscles are ready to support it.
- Improper posture.
- Not understanding what the correct stimulus should look like.
To avoid low back pain, all three of these points need to be addressed simultaneously. The deadlift is a great exercise that can strengthen your lower back over time, but for that to happen, the load needs to progress gradually. Likewise, every time you lift a challenging weight, you need to pay attention to whether your posture is correct. Poor posture that’s only focused on lifting for the sake of lifting almost always results in injury. Be aware of which areas should be engaged in the movement before you even perform it.
Lumbar Hyperextensions
This exercise isn’t universally bad, but it does require evaluating each person’s body type and habits before adding it to a routine. People who spend many hours sitting, like office workers, tend to develop tightness in the lumbar muscles. In these cases, doing hyperextensions adds even more tension to an area that’s already overloaded, which can lead to more pain rather than relief.
On the other hand, for high-performance athletes like Olympic lifters or powerlifters, this exercise may be necessary to strengthen their lower back.
The takeaway is simple: the same exercise can be therapeutic for one person and counterproductive for another, depending on their body type and activity level.
Torso Twists With A Bar Or Twist Machine
This exercise involves rotating the torso from side to side while the legs turn in the opposite direction, mimicking a “twister” motion. Despite its popularity, it lacks substantial scientific support, especially given the significant risk it poses to your spine. The spine isn’t designed to withstand forced, repetitive twisting movements, so without realizing it, you could be increasing your risk of disc protrusion or herniation.
Dumbbell Side Bends
This exercise became popular under the belief that it helps “slim the waist” by strengthening the obliques. The clinical reality is different: the lumbar spine isn’t anatomically built to handle repeated lateral loading with added weight.
Instead of toning the abdomen, this movement creates asymmetrical overload on the intervertebral discs and facet joints, increasing injury risk without delivering the aesthetic benefit people are after. Our best alternative? Side planks.
Twisting Sit-Ups (Russian Twist)
This is probably the most aggressive exercise for the lower back on this entire list, because it combines three risk factors at once:
- Repeated rotation of the torso.
- Constant lumbar flexion (as with any classic sit-up).
- Added external weight (a plate, dumbbell, or medicine ball).
This combination creates simultaneous compressive and rotational load on the intervertebral discs, regardless of whether the technique is performed “correctly” or not. That’s why it’s definitely the most dangerous exercise on the list, and likely the one most responsible for causing low back pain over the long run.
FAQ
Why are twisting exercises risky for the spine?
The spine isn’t built to handle repeated, forced rotation. Twisting movements like torso twists or Russian twists raise your risk of disc herniation.
What should I do instead of dumbbell side bends?
Try side planks. They strengthen the same area without loading your spine asymmetrically.
What's the single worst exercise for the back?
The Russian twist. It combines rotation, lumbar flexion, and added weight, all at once, making it the riskiest movement on this list.
How do I know if an exercise is safe for my back?
Progress your weight gradually, prioritize posture over load, and stop if you feel strain in your lower back rather than your target muscles.
hen Back Pain Doesn’t Go Away on Its Own
If you’ve been dealing with low back pain from any of the exercises above, or from years of compensating for poor form, you’re not alone. At University Pain & Spine Center, we offer a wide range of treatments for back pain, paired with a personalized recovery plan built around you.
Back pain doesn’t have to define your routine, in or out of the gym. At University Pain & Spine Center, you’ll find an experienced team, advanced treatment options, and a recovery process built to support you every step of the way. Don’t let low back pain keep you from training, working, or living the way you want. Contact us and schedule your consultation.
When Back Pain Doesn’t Go Away on Its Own
If you’ve been dealing with low back pain from any of the exercises above, or from years of compensating for poor form, you’re not alone. At University Pain & Spine Center, we offer a wide range of treatments for back pain, paired with a personalized recovery plan built around you.
Back pain doesn’t have to define your routine, in or out of the gym. At University Pain & Spine Center, you’ll find an experienced team, advanced treatment options, and a recovery process built to support you every step of the way. Don’t let low back pain keep you from training, working, or living the way you want. Contact us and schedule your consultation.
