Even people with lower back pain or back injuries can exercise their abdominal muscles safely and effectively. Low-impact exercises help prevent joint injuries, while most abdominal exercises can be adapted to enhance protection to lower back muscles. A variety of exercises may help reduce weight gain and reduce belly fat, including low- or non-impact sports or activities like swimming or bicycling. Other methods of avoiding back pain while still strengthening the abs require incorporating a few simple techniques into your abdominal workout.
Limit Range of Motion
Protect the lower back when performing any abdominal exercise by limiting or reducing the range of motion. For example, instead of doing a lying-down bicycle exercise with feet extending between 30 and 60 degrees, raise legs to 90 degrees. This will prevent the lower abdominals from straining to lift and keep the legs in position, which for those with back injury or pain, will tend to pull the lower back away from the floor. When riding an actual bicycle, suck in the lower abs to support the back, and sit straight, resisting the urge to lean forward.
Lower Back Support
When performing any floor abdominal exercise, support the lower back. This means placing the hands immediately underneath the buttocks to help press the lower back into the floor, or placing the hands on the floor by the hips and pressing down, holding in the lower abs through any type of crunch or leg extension. An example of such an exercise is the pelvic tilt, which strengthens abs and back muscles without strain on the lower spine.
For example, lie on your back, knees bent, lower back touching the floor. Achieve this by sucking in the abs, as if you're trying to touch your belly button to your spine. Slowly and gently lift the pelvis and buttocks off the floor, scooping in an upward motion. The lower back should remain on the floor. This is a small move. Hold the lift for about five to 10 seconds, and then slowly lower. Repeat this exercise between five and 10 times.
Low-Impact Exercise
Try core-strengthening exercises that are low impact, suggests the Mayo Clinic. Swimming and bicycle riding are two abdominal workout exercises that won't place strain on joints.
Use a fitness or Pilates ball for this exercise: Lie on your back on the ball with your feet about shoulder distance apart and flat on the floor. Folding the arms over the chest or stomach, lean backward just until you feel your abdominal muscles engage. Keep the lower abs pulled inward to help prevent pain or injury to the back. Hold that contraction for a count of five and then slowly lift yourself to the starting position. This can be a relatively small move, depending on your core strength and level of back pain, as well as location.
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