Guide
Core exercises for back pain
Core work for back pain is not about crunches or a six-pack. It is about keeping your trunk steady while your arms and legs move, and building that up step by step.
Key takeaways
- For back pain, “core” means the muscles that keep your trunk steady, not just your abs.
- Core-focused exercise helps chronic low back pain about as much as other good exercise, so it is one useful piece, not the only one.
- Progress from supported floor exercises to side planks and loaded carries over several weeks.
What does “core” mean for back pain?
Your core is the set of muscles around your trunk: the deep abdominal muscles, the muscles along your spine, the muscles on your sides, your diaphragm, and your pelvic floor. For back pain, the useful skill is keeping that trunk steady while your arms and legs do the moving. That is why back programs lean on exercises like the bird dog and dead bug instead of crunches.
Does core exercise help back pain?
Yes, though it is not unique. A Cochrane review of motor control exercise, the formal name for this kind of core training, found it probably helps people with chronic low back pain more than minimal treatment, and about as much as other forms of exercise 1. A network meta-analysis also ranked stability training among several effective exercise types 2, and the American College of Physicians lists motor control exercise among its recommended non-drug options for chronic low back pain 3.
So core work is a good part of a routine, alongside mobility and strength. It is not the whole answer on its own.
A core progression for back pain
This is the order Remedy climbs through. Stay on each step until it feels steady for a week or so, then move on.
- Dead bug: on your back, lowering an opposite arm and leg while your low back stays down. 3 sets of 10.
- Bird dog: on hands and knees, reaching an opposite arm and leg. 3 sets of 5 per side with 10-second holds.
- Side plank from the knees: short holds from the knees. 3 sets of 4 ten-second holds per side.
- Side plank: the full version on your feet.
- Suitcase carry: walking with a weight in one hand without leaning. The most “real life” of the set.
Short holds beat long shaky ones
Holding a plank for two minutes is not the goal. Repeated short holds of around ten seconds let you keep good form for every second of work, which is what builds the endurance you use in daily life. When you can do all your holds without your hips sagging or your back moving, that is the signal to progress.
Common mistakes
- Holding your breath. Breathe normally through every hold.
- Going too fast on the dead bug and bird dog. Slow, controlled reps are the point.
- Skipping straight to full planks. Starting from the knees is not a lesser version, it is the right step.
How Remedy fits
Core and stability work is a fixed part of most Remedy sessions, and the app climbs this ladder for you as the weeks go on. Each exercise has a demonstration video, so you can check your form against it. Browse the exercise library.
Exercises in this guide
Dead bug exercise
A core exercise done on your back: you slowly lower an opposite arm and leg while keeping your trunk still.
Core and stabilityBird dog exercise
From your hands and knees, you reach one arm forward and the opposite leg back while keeping your back still.
Core and stabilitySide plank from the knees
A shorter-lever side plank with your knees on the floor.
Core and stabilitySide plank
A side plank on your feet.
Core and stabilitySuitcase carry
Walking while holding a weight in one hand, like carrying a suitcase.
Questions
Are crunches good for back pain?
Crunches are not usually the first choice. Exercises that train the trunk to stay still while the limbs move, like the dead bug, bird dog, and side plank, are more common in back programs.
Is planking good for lower back pain?
Side planks are a common part of back routines because they build endurance in the side of the trunk. Start from the knees, keep holds short, and stop if your form goes or the pain gets sharper.
How long until core exercises help my back?
Think in weeks. Judge a routine after four to six weeks of doing it regularly, not after a few sessions.
Sources
- Saragiotto BT, et al. Motor control exercise for chronic non-specific low-back pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2016;CD012004.
- Owen PJ, et al. Which specific modes of exercise training are most effective for treating low back pain? Network meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2020;54(21):1279-1287.
- Qaseem A, et al. Noninvasive treatments for acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2017;166(7):514-530.
- Back pain (NHS Health A to Z). NHS, 2026.
This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. How we write our guides.
