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Writer's pictureLiz Cotroneo

Permission to: “Say No to Sit-Ups!”

As I approach my Sciatica Series, I want to address a common culprit behind sciatica, as well as chronic back and neck pain: the abdominal crunch.


You might be thinking, "Wait, I was told to strengthen my abs to protect my back!" This is a very common misconception—one that suggests having “strong” abdominal muscles will somehow prevent or improve back issues. But let’s break down the actual physiology.


What does a crunch do? An abdominal crunch flexes the torso, pulling the head and pelvis toward each other in front of you. Essentially, it creates a C-shape in the spine, making you look a bit like an ape. Over time, repeated contraction and flexion can cause the front of your body to become essentially “stuck” in that position, pulling your head and shoulders forward.


While you might develop beautifully toned muscles in the front, the problem is that your back now has to work extra hard to keep you upright. Let’s dive deeper.


The muscles along the front of our torso, like the abdominals, work in opposition to the extensor muscles along the back. When one side shortens, the other needs to lengthen. What happens when we focus too much on shortening the front? We end up forcing our back muscles to work overtime just to manage everyday activities like standing, walking, and even sitting. Think about it, if I am getting pulled forward even just a little bit by contracted stomach muscles, my back has to fight against that contraction to lift me up even to a neutral position. 


Yes, it’s important to be able to flex forward and to have the ability to do a crunch motion. But the fitness industry has become fixated on this forward movement, often neglecting exercises that extend and open up the body. As a result, even activities like yoga, which are meant to balance the body, can become difficult to perform effectively. Have you ever had the experience of having trouble in the cobra position? Furthermore, this over-contraction in the front can lead to issues like sciatica.


The good news is, there’s a solution that doesn’t involve crunches or difficult back extensions, and we’ll cover this in my upcoming Sciatica Series.


So, the next time someone asks you to do a sit-up, feel free to say, "My spine prefers I don’t overemphasize my abdominals, so I’m going to pass." Trust me—your back will thank you for it!

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