Increasing core strength is an extremely effective way to reduce low back pain and injury risk as you set out to work or play. But did you know that there are right ways and wrong ways to train your core? The biggest misconception in core training is that you always need movement to effectively strengthen.. In reality, the more movement that occurs the greater the risk of injury- particularly when your execution of a particular exercise is off a bit.

Injury risk increases when load and/or shearing force occur in the spine. The movement that increases your risk the most is rounding the lower back when performed without proper form. Here are some examples of exercises that encourage rounding of the low back:

• Sit-ups
• Crunches
• Dead-lifts
• Squats
• Rows

While all these exercises are indeed helpful, without proper execution, they can actually cause pain and in fact, have an opposite effect. But there is good news. Dr. Hall is an expert in sports performance and injury. At Chattanooga Non-Surgical Orthopedics, Dr. Hall and our team of experts specialize in rehabilitation and clinical exercise. Our patients have access to a series of videos intended to improve and perfect your form as you train and strengthen your core, without rounding the low back and potentially irritating the spine.

Dr. Hall will tell you that if you round the lower back repeatedly, you are likely to herniate a disc over time. It is proven that movements requiring both repetitive flexion or bending, and extension have the potential to produce more annular, or ring-shaped damage in the spine than those which require flexion.

Want to strengthen your core, improve your sport, and stay out of pain? Call us today and schedule your evaluation. Become a patient and get free access to all our Clinical Exercise videos today!

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