24/12/2025
Weak Core = Back Pain? It's not that simple...
A "weak" core has been blamed as the "cause" of low back pain for a long time.
However, we now know that persistent back pain is much more complicated than "weak core = back pain" And there are PLENTY of people with really strong "cores" who suffer from persistent back pain, so what gives? Well, there can be a myriad of factors that contribute to one's persistent back pain experience (or any persistent pain issue for that matter), which may include but are not limited to:
โช๏ธMobility restrictions
โช๏ธMovement coordination/control deficits
โช๏ธStrength deficits
โช๏ธFear of movement
โช๏ธPost-traumatic stress
โช๏ธDepression
โช๏ธLack of sleep
โช๏ธAnxiety
โช๏ธAutoimmune disorders
โช๏ธPoor understanding of the condition
โช๏ธPoor diet
โช๏ธExcessive worry or constant focus on the pain โช๏ธCatastrophizing ...and the list goes on... So don't freak out if you suffer from persistent back pain but don't have great abdominal strength and control!
And no, if you don't currently experience back pain, you aren't doomed to have it if you have below average abdominal strength...you are at no higher risk than those with excellent strength!
It's also worth noting that performing "core" exercises can actually help, but it's not necessarily because it was "weak" to begin with and needs to be strengthened (note: "core stability" exercises have not been shown to be any more effective for improving chronic back pain compared to other forms of exercise) It's probably more related to the act itself of tensing muscles around this area in a pain-free way, building confidence in the process... It can also be helpful to learn how to use these muscles to limit movement if the spine is overly sensitive to TOO MUCH movement at any given point in time, BUT again...this doesn't mean that movement of the spine must be limited forever (it was designed to move!) So hopefully now know that back pain (especially when persistent) is much too complex to be "fixed" by core exercises alone, and that, as a whole, neither having "weak" nor "strong" abdominal muscles will predict who will or will not suffer from back pain nor who will more likely recover from it!
