Having back pain doesn’t mean you should stop exercising. In fact exercising is very important in the recovery and protection from back pain. Certain exercises can be very bad for back pain. Here is a list of the worst exercises for back pain:
- Avoid doing standing toe touches – While stretching the hamstrings is very good for keeping the back healthy, standing toe touches can put extra stress on the spine and aggravate back pain. Try: back lying hamstring stretch
- Avoid sit- ups – Sit-ups put a lot of extra stress on the low back and focus more on hips than back. Try: Partial Crunches which helps maintain good spinal support while engaging those core muscles.
- Avoid double leg lifts – This exercise is great with a healthy back, but can put extra stress especially when the core muscles are weak. Try: Single leg lifts that have one knee straight and the other bent and supportive. Move slowly through the lift and only to a height about 6″ off the ground
- Avoid back squat – This is another great exercise when you don’t have back pain, but can really exacerbate back pain when you are dealing with it. Putting heavy loads on your back can dramatically increase the pressure and stress in the spine. Try: Wall Sit – Sit against a wall with knees at 90 degree angle and a tight core will reduce stress on back and encourage strength in your legs and buttocks.
- Avoid burpees – This high intensity exercise can put significant stress on the back, especially as you become more fatigue. Putting extra stress on the back from explosive jumping motion while getting up from the ground. Try: Planks are great core strengthening exercises that encourage static strengthening, versus the dynamic aggressive movements of a burpee.