{"id":65888,"date":"2018-02-22T07:15:28","date_gmt":"2018-02-22T12:15:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=65888"},"modified":"2026-03-18T14:24:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T18:24:14","slug":"lower-back-pain-core-exercises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/lower-back-pain-core-exercises\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Core Exercises to Ease Lower Back Pain"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"6
Photo: Twenty20<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When most of us think about exercising with lower back pain, we think about workarounds. As in, \u201cis that squat<\/a> going to hurt? And what variations<\/a> can I sub in to prevent a flare-up?\u201d<\/p>\n

But, according to new research, we should actually be asking, \u201cwhat can I do to strengthen my core?\u201d After all \u2014 while four out of five people will battle back pain at some point in their lives, per the American Chiropractic Association \u2014 the 2018 study<\/a> from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center shows that weak core muscles in runners<\/a> (and, probably, any exerciser) can increase the risk of lower back pain. Meanwhile, 2017 research<\/a> out of Pakistan shows that performing core stabilization exercises is more effective than traditional physical therapy at reducing lower back pain.<\/p>\n

Why? Because the deep-lying core muscles, such as the transverse abdominis<\/a> (which hook in and around the spine) serve to stabilize the body\u2019s entire midsection, explains Grayson Wickham, DPT, CSCS, founder of\u00a0Movement Vault<\/a> flexibility and mobility online program. But when one muscle, or group of muscles, is weak, another one is forced to pick up the slack, he says.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>6 Core Exercises to Make You a Stronger, Faster Runner<\/a><\/p>\n

For example, in The Ohio State study, researchers found that when people\u2019s deep core muscles were weak, running placed excess stress on their more superficial core muscles, as well as the spine. Over time, these compensations can cause wear and tear and painful overuse injuries<\/a>, Wickham explains.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, most of us head into our workouts with pretty weak, inactive core muscles<\/a>. (Thanks, desk job.) That\u2019s why, to both ease and reduce the risk of mid-workout back pain<\/a>, Wickham recommends adding core exercises to your pre-workout warm-up.<\/p>\n

Start with these six core exercises, courtesy of Wickham, performing them back-to-back before any workout or as a standalone core workout.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>7 Ways Exercise Helps Relieve Back Pain<\/a><\/p>\n

The Core Workout to Help Relieve Lower Back Pain<\/h2>\n

\"Core<\/p>\n

1. Dead Bug<\/h3>\n

How to: <\/strong>Lie flat on your back with your arms and legs up in the air, knees bent and arms straight. Press your lower back into the floor, and brace your core<\/a> (a)<\/strong>. From here, lower one leg until your heel just about touches the floor while also lowering your opposite arm toward the floor above your head (b)<\/strong>. Pause, then squeeze your core to lift them back up to return to start (c)<\/strong>. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg (d)<\/strong>. Continue alternating for 30 seconds. Repeat three times.<\/p>\n

\"Core<\/p>\n

2. Low Side Plank Hold<\/h3>\n

How to: <\/strong>Get into a side plank<\/a> on your forearm and knees so that your shoulder is directly over your elbow and your knees are stacked on top of each other and in line with your shoulders. Brace your core and hold. Don\u2019t let your hips rotate or sag. Repeat on the opposite side. Perform two 20-second holds per side. If that\u2019s too easy, raise up off of your knees (as shown above) so that you\u2019re still balancing on your forearm, but with feet stacked.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Ab Challenge: 5 Planks to Sculpt Your Core<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Core<\/p>\n

3. Segmented Cat-Camel<\/h3>\n

How to:<\/strong> Start on your hands and knees, wrists under shoulders and knees under hips (a)<\/strong>. Squeeze your core and glutes<\/a> and round your back up toward the ceiling, tucking your chin to your chest (b)<\/strong>. From here, slowly reverse the arch in your back, starting at your tailbone and ending at your neck. Continue until your entire back is curved toward the floor and you look up toward the ceiling (c)<\/strong>. Now reverse the motion, starting at your neck and moving back down toward your tailbone to return to the starting position (d)<\/strong>. That\u2019s one rep, which should take a minimum of 15 seconds. Complete 5 reps.<\/p>\n

\"Core<\/p>\n

4. Bird Dog<\/h3>\n

How to: <\/strong>Start on the floor, on your hands and knees with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. Look toward the floor, just in front of your hands. Brace your core to maintain a flat tabletop position (a)<\/strong>. From here, extend one arm and the opposite leg up and away from your body so that they are parallel to the floor (b)<\/strong>. Pause for three seconds, then slowly lower to return to start (c)<\/strong>. Repeat on the opposite side (d)<\/strong>. That\u2019s one rep. Perform two sets of 8-12 reps.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Quick Lower Ab Exercises for a Stronger Core<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Core<\/p>\n

5. Pallof Press<\/h3>\n

How to: <\/strong>Stand in a quarter squat with one side of your body facing a cable station. Hold the cable\u2019s handle with both hands at navel-height (a)<\/strong>. From here, press the handle straight out in front of you, making sure your body doesn\u2019t turn to one side (b)<\/strong>. Pause, then slowly reverse the movement to return to start (c)<\/strong>. Perform 12-15 reps, then repeat on the opposite side.<\/p>\n

\"Core<\/p>\n

6. Lying Windshield Wipers<\/h3>\n

How to: <\/strong>Lie face-up on the floor with your arms straight out from your sides. Raise your feet off of the floor so that your knees and hips are bent to 90 degrees, and press your low back into the floor. Brace your core to maintain this position (a)<\/strong>. From here, keeping your legs together, slowly lower your legs as far as you can to one side without lifting your shoulders or low back off of the floor (b)<\/strong>. Pause, then reverse the movement to return start (c)<\/strong>. Repeat on the opposite side (d)<\/strong>. That\u2019s one rep. Perform 8 reps.<\/p>\n

Not a Daily Burn member? Sign up at\u00a0dailyburn.com<\/a>\u00a0and start your free 30-day trial today.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Read More
\n<\/strong>50 Ab Exercises to Score a Stronger Core<\/a>
\nHate Crunches? 6 Better Core Exercises for Beginners<\/a>
\n8 Yoga Poses to Help Ease Back Pain<\/a><\/p>\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n

What core exercises help with lower back pain?<\/h3>\n

The most effective core exercises for lower back pain focus on stabilization rather than movement. Bird-dogs, dead bugs, modified planks, and glute bridges strengthen the muscles that support the lumbar spine without placing excessive load on it. Research consistently shows that core stabilization exercises reduce lower back pain intensity by 30-50% over 6-8 weeks when performed consistently. Avoid full sit-ups and crunches, which can aggravate back pain by compressing the spine. For complementary stretching, try our 7 back stretches for sitting<\/a> and hip flexor stretches<\/a> \u2014 tight hip flexors are a common contributor to lower back discomfort.<\/p>\n

How often should you do core exercises for back pain?<\/h3>\n

For lower back pain management, core stabilization exercises should be performed 3-5 times per week in short sessions (10-15 minutes). Consistency matters more than intensity \u2014 daily 10-minute sessions produce better outcomes than occasional longer workouts. Start with 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps per exercise and progress gradually. On days you don\u2019t do core work, a morning stretching routine<\/a> helps maintain mobility and reduce stiffness. Daily Burn offers guided core programs with certified trainers who ensure proper form.<\/p>\n

Can strengthening your core fix lower back pain?<\/h3>\n

Core strengthening is one of the most evidence-supported approaches for reducing chronic lower back pain. A strong core creates a muscular \u201ccorset\u201d that supports and stabilizes the lumbar spine, reducing the load on spinal structures that cause pain. Multiple systematic reviews confirm that core training programs reduce pain intensity and improve function in people with chronic lower back pain. However, core training works best as part of a comprehensive approach that includes stretching, proper posture habits, and gradual return to activity. For a complete home fitness program, see our beginner\u2019s guide to working out at home<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Research shows a strong core can help ease back aches. Let these core exercises for lower back pain help strengthen your midsection so you can find some relief. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":65897,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6,14],"tags":[136,321,32,289,341,377,100],"class_list":["post-65888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-strength-training","tag-abs","tag-back-pain","tag-bodyweight","tag-exercise","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2back-and-neck-pain","tag-workout"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65888"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65888\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65897"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}