Why Does My Back Hurt When I Try to Sit Up or Do Core Work?

By Dr. Andrew Kakishita, DC | Lehi, UT

Back pain during sit-ups or core work is often caused by poor load distribution.

Is My Core Weak?

If sit-ups or certain core exercises hurt your back, it’s easy to assume your core is weak.

But that’s not usually the full story.

People often assume that your core is your abdominal muscles. But it’s more than that. Your core is a system that includes your hips, spine, and surrounding muscles working together. If that system isn’t distributing load well, other areas (like your lower back) end up doing more than they should.

This is when pain shows up.

Instead of pushing through it, it’s better to scale things back and rebuild.

A few helpful starting points:

• Assisted sit-ups (using your hands for support)
• Dead bugs or other controlled core exercises
• Focusing on movement quality instead of intensity

As control improves, you can gradually increase difficulty and load.

As with any other exercise, the more you work your core, the stronger you’ll get and the better you‘ll find yourself able to move your body in a way that it can handle!

FAQs:

Does this mean my core is weak?

Not necessarily. It’s more likely a coordination issue.

Should I stop doing sit-ups?

If it hurts, then consider temporarily modifying. Then, reintroduce gradually.

Will this go away on its own?

Sometimes, but it’s better to address the cause.