Is Rounding Your Back Dangerous?

Thank you to Rebecca Wong, our physiotherapy student, for putting together this insightful post!

Previously, people believed that rounding your back increased the risk of low back injury. As a result, many workplace ergonomic specialists, strength training coaches, and even physical therapists, encouraged keeping a flat back when lifting. Despite this advice, low back pain remains a common injury affecting a large portion of the population.

Recent evidence shows no consistent link between lifting with a bent back and developing low back pain. People with back pain often avoid bending their backs out of fear that it will worsen their symptoms or cause injury. However, a recent study found that people with low back pain actually bend their backs less when lifting. Bending is an essential part of everyday life! Whether you're reaching down to pet a friendly dog (like our clinic dogs Cato and Lotus!) or placing a ball on the golf course, bending is built into many daily activities.

The belief that flexing your back is harmful can increase your fear of movement, making your back feel stiffer and more painful. It’s natural to fear things that cause discomfort, especially when we don’t understand them. Gaining insight into how the back functions—and what truly drives pain—can be incredibly empowering.

Fear of pain and movement can lead to catastrophizing, where individuals wrongly believe their pain will never improve. It can also create a sense that their spine is fragile and easily damaged. This fear often leads people to avoid activities they love, which not only worsens back pain but can also contribute to feelings of sadness and isolation. Avoiding movement leads to muscle weakness and dysfunction, which makes activity even harder—starting a cycle of further avoidance. In fact, fear of movement is a better predictor of reduced mobility than pain itself.

Did you know the spine is made up of 33 small bones called vertebrae? It’s vital to maintain mobility through all these joints.

The magic happens when we find the right amount of movement to expose your back to—at the right time. It’s a bit like a Goldilocks scenario: too much or too little isn’t helpful—we want “just right,” based on your current condition. As your body adapts to this optimal movement exposure, your tolerance will increase, and you’ll be able to move more with less pain.

If you haven’t moved this way in a while, it can feel unfamiliar. A good rule of thumb is to monitor your pain response. If the pain:

- increases to an unbearable level (more than 5/10) during the activity, and
- It’s still bothersome two hours later, and
- It lingers the next morning

…then it’s time to slightly dial back your activity level. Gradually building movement tolerance—guided by exercises from a physical therapist—can significantly reduce stiffness and pain.

Rather than focusing solely on lifting with a perfectly straight back, it’s important to move your body in a variety of ways. In fact, professional powerlifters often lift very heavy weights with rounded backs and experience little to no pain. It’s essential to expose your back to bending, extending, side-bending, and rotating. Reducing fear around these movements helps increase physical activity—which can prevent future episodes of back pain.

A great exercise example: The Jefferson Curl. This is a fantastic exercise that trains your spine to flex forward with control, while a light weight helps stretch muscles and joints. It increases tissue tolerance and enhances spinal muscle coordination. It may also help increase the space between the small joints of the spine.

Start with a 5-lb weight and follow these steps:
1. Start  by holding the weight in front of you, standing tall.
2. Gradually bend through your upper back, then middle back, and finally the lower back. Imagine moving through each segment of the spine, one at a time.

4. At the bottom, let out a deep breath and let the weight gently pull you forward.

5. Slowly return to standing, unrolling the spine one segment at a time until your head is upright.

Note: Mild soreness is normal, especially if you don’t normally reach this range of motion. Refer to the pain response guidelines above to determine if this is right for you.

Important: This article is not a substitute for medical advice. If you have significant back pain that is not managed, consult a healthcare professional before working this into your training.

Start by completing 10 reps, twice a day. As your tolerance improves, you can gradually increase the weight—up to 10 lbs.

If you're dealing with back pain and are worried about causing further damage, speaking with a physical therapist can be incredibly helpful. Reach out to Titan Project to get your back assessed and discover how movement variability can be safely reintroduced into your daily life!

Thank you to Rebecca for her contribution! See below for the references that were used for the post. Cheers.

References:

Bunzli, S., Smith, A., Schütze, R., Lin, I., & O'Sullivan, P. (2017). Making Sense of Low Back Pain and Pain-Related Fear. The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy, 47(9), 628–636. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2017.7434

Saraceni, N., Kent, P., Ng, L., Campbell, A., Straker, L., & O'Sullivan, P. (2020). To Flex or Not to Flex? Is There a Relationship Between Lumbar Spine Flexion During Lifting and Low Back Pain? A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis. The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy, 50(3), 121–130. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2020.9218

Samuli. (2024, April 11). Controversial rounded back lifting will bulletproof your spine. VAHVA Fitness. https://vahvafitness.com/controversial-rounded-back-lifting-will-bulletproof-your-spine/

Song, D. (2023, June 25). Jefferson’s curl. Rehab Hero. https://www.rehabhero.ca/exercise/jeffersons-curl

Vertical Golfing. (2019, November 26). Get golf aids & more - don’t ruin your back, hips, & knees. https://verticalgolfing.com/health/dont-ruin-your-back-hips-knees/