“Movement is medicine” is a well-known adage with research to back it up. Exercise can undeniably benefit our mental and physical health. However, some common exercises cause harm to the spine, experts warn.
While this information is good for us all to know, certain populations will want to pay more attention — particularly, those who already have lumbar (or lower back) concerns.
“Not everyone is prone to lumbar disc degeneration,” said Dr. Emily S. Mills, a spine surgeon with UCI Health. “It is an inherited condition, so if you have family members who have had spine surgery or who have back problems, you may want to listen more carefully.”
Without further ado, spine surgeons and a physiatrist share nine examples of popular exercises that can put your back at risk, plus effective, relevant alternatives so you can still keep your body strong.
1. Sit-Ups Or Full Crunches
We’re starting with perhaps the most surprising (and common) one. What’s concerning about sit-ups or full crunches?
“Repeatedly flexing the spine under load compresses and shears the lumbar discs,” explained Dr. Gbolahan Okubadejo, a spinal and orthopedic surgeon in the NYC area.
The safer alternative
Okubadejo recommended “dead bugs” instead. These entail lying on your back and slowly extending your opposite arm and leg while keeping your lower back pressed to the floor. These will work your abs, no doubt — and keep your back happier and healthier.
2. Improper Deadlifts
Deadlifts aren’t in and of themselves dangerous, but can easily be done improperly, which is primarily where the concern comes in.
“With improper mechanics — particularly the loss of a neutral spine — deadlifts can generate high compressive and shear forces across the lumbar spine, especially at the L4—S1 levels,” said Dr. Andrew J. Bach, a physiatrist at Cedars-Sinai Spine Center in Los Angeles, California. (The “L4-S1 levels” are the lowest on the lumbar spine.) “The risk increases significantly when the lumbar spine becomes the ‘hinge’ of the movement rather than the hips.”
Many factors can put the spine in a mechanically vulnerable position, he added, including fatigue, poor hip mobility and excessive load.
Mills mentioned deadlifts, too, saying they “can be extremely dangerous for your spine,” even if they aren’t done improperly. Her explanation is the same: the amount of force on the discs in your lumbar spine.
“Even if you are using proper form, the sheer forces on your lumbar discs exceed the safe threshold after about 120 pounds,” she said.
The safer alternative
If you’re going to do deadlifts, a trap bar deadlift is more spine-friendly.
“It allows for a more upright torso, reduces the ‘moment arm’ on the lumbar spine and makes it easier for most individuals to maintain a neutral spine,” Bach explained.
Hip bridges or hip thrusts are another healthy option. “These exercises are safer for your spine and work the same muscles,” Mills said.
3. Lat Pulldowns Behind The Neck
This exercise forces the neck into sharp flexion, or angle decrease, under load, which stresses the cervical discs (aka cushions between your neck vertebrae) and the shoulder joint.
“The cervical spine is simply not designed to absorb heavy downward force in that position, making nerve impingement and disc damage a real risk over time,” Okubadejo explained. “The shoulder is simultaneously driven into extreme internal rotation at the very end of its range, one of the most common set-ups for a rotator cuff tear.”
The safer alternative
Try a front lat pulldown, he said. You can do this by pulling the bar to your upper chest with a slightly leaned back.
4. Improper Barbell Back Squats
This exercise is another example of one that’s highly effective, but also potentially dangerous. It can put too much compressive force on the spine.
“Some degree of spinal compression is expected and well-tolerated in many individuals,” Bach clarified. “However, risk increases when the squat depth is too low, there is excessive forward trunk lean or when the spine is unable to [be] maintained in a neutral position.”
What happens, he explained, is the increased forward lean lengthens the “moment arm” between the load and lumbar spine, increasing torque and stress on the posterior elements and intervertebral discs.
The safer alternative
To be safe rather than sorry, Bach suggested a goblet squat, saying it “tends to promote a more upright posture.” This one is easier to do at home, too: You just need one dumbbell or kettlebell.
Morsa Images via Getty Images
If not executed properly, squats can exacerbate lower back pain.
5. Improper Squats
Be aware that squatting in general — and especially back squats or low-bar squats — can be unsafe for your spine when done incorrectly. That’s more likely to happen under certain circumstances.
“Squats become dangerous when you don’t maintain an upright posture and you round your back,” Mills said. “This dangerous posture tends to happen more with deep squats and heavier weights.”
The safer alternative
Mills encouraged trying weighted step-ups or reverse lunges instead. “These work the same muscles without putting as much force on your spine,” she said.
6. Seated Twist Machines
Hopping on a machine and twisting back and forth sounds fun, but your spine won’t love it.
“The lumbar spine isn’t built for rotation under resistance,” Okubadejo explained. “By doing this, you are at risk of shearing the discs.”
The safer alternative
Okubadejo recommended a Pallof press instead, in which you press a cable straight out from your chest and resist the pull. “Train your core to fight rotation rather than force it,” he added.
7. Seated Toe-Touch Hamstring Stretch
The risk here is “very common but often overlooked,” according to Bach.
“While widely taught, this stretch frequently results in lumbar flexion rather than true hamstring elongation,” he said. “Individuals tend to round through the low back, which increases anterior disc compression and posterior disc pressure.”
In turn, he continued, that can contribute to disc irritation or exacerbate existing disc pathology. (Ouch!)
The safer alternative
Work your hamstrings with a supine hamstring stretch instead, Bach said, using a strap or band to target hamstring lengthening while maintaining a neutral spine. “The goal is to isolate hip flexion without forcing the lumbar spine into flexion,” he said.
8. Running
Yep, it’s not just resistance exercises that make your spine unhappy — cardio exercises can, too.
“Running places repetitive stress on your lumbar spine and low back,” Mills said. “This adds up over time.”
She clarified that running can be safe, but longer distances and faster runs can put more stress on your lower back.
“This can lead to disc degeneration over time, causing low back pain and sciatica-type symptoms,” she continued.
Again, this is not a concern, or less of a concern, for people who don’t have a family history of back problems.
The safer alternative
Cardio is still crucial and can be safe. Mills recommended swimming, cycling or an elliptical instead.
9. Heavy Good Mornings
This exercise (which is a thing, despite the funny name) is essentially a forward hinge with a barbell — and it’s a no-go for your back.
“A barbell across your back while hinging forward creates massive compressive force on the lumbar spine, especially if it rounds,” Okubadejo explained. “The long lever arm between the bar and your hips means even a small amount of spinal rounding can multiply that force enough to herniate a disc.”
The safer alternative
Romanian deadlifts (again, done correctly) are a safer bet; they entail hinging and lowering a weight to your mid-shin. “It uses the same muscles, but the weight stays closer to your legs and center of gravity the whole time,” Okubadejo said.
In short, perhaps it’s time to do a little more research into your exercises and see if they’re right for your body. If not, don’t worry: You have other options that provide the benefits without putting your spine at risk.
