No Pain, No Gain .

It is widely believed that stretching the back, and increasing the range of motion is beneficial, and reduces back problems – however the scientific evidence shows that, on average, those who have more range of motion in their backs have a greater risk of future troubles. Clearly there is a tradeoff between mobility and stability where the optimal balance is a very personal and individual variable. Indeed, the “stability/mobility balance” may shift during a progressive exercise program as symptoms resolve, or with advancing age, or as rehab/training objectives change.Another generally perceived goal of training the back is to increase strength, believing in the “no pain-no gain” philosophy. Strength has little association with low back health, in fact, many hurt their backs in an attempt to increase strength. It could be argued that this is an artifact, in that
exercise programs intended to enhance strength contained poorly chosen exercises such as sit-2 ups. Performing situps both replicates a potent injury mechanism (specifically posterior disc
herniation) and results in high loads on the spine. On the other hand, muscle endurance, as opposed to strength, has been shown to be protective for future troubles. Further, for many,
it is better to train for stability rather than stretching to increase range of motion.