“Sit-ups are bad for your back.”

“Rounding your back during deadlifts will wreck your discs.”

These are just two of the many warnings you may have heard when it comes to protecting your spine during exercise. For years, I structured my training—and that of my clients—around these claims, striving to avoid anything that might “damage” the intervertebral discs.

But what if these warnings are based more on fear than on fact? What if your discs are more adaptable than we’ve been led to believe? Let’s dive into the latest science and explore how your spinal discs respond to exercise. If you’re a strength coach, physiotherapist, or fitness enthusiast, this is for you.

Key Takeaways:

1. Your discs can adapt to the forces you place on them.
2. Exercise improves disc health markers, especially in those who are active regularly.
3. Different forms of physical activity, from running to cycling to weightlifting, promote positive adaptations.
4. Disc adaptation takes time—this is a long-term process that requires consistency.

Understanding Your Discs

Your spine is made up of vertebrae, and between each vertebra is an intervertebral disc. These discs consist of two key parts:

• Nucleus Pulposus: The inner, gel-like core.
• Annulus Fibrosus: The tough, fibrous outer rings that encase the nucleus.

Discs allow for movement, absorb shock, and contribute to spinal stability. However, they can also be involved in common issues like disc herniation (where the disc bulges out) and degeneration (loss of disc height).

For decades, conventional wisdom has suggested that protecting your discs means avoiding stress and certain movements, but science tells a different story.

Discs Are Adaptive

The human body adapts to the stresses it experiences. Just as muscles grow stronger with regular exercise, your spinal discs also respond to mechanical loading. Here’s what the research shows:

1. Wolff’s Law Applies to Discs

Wolff’s Law states that bones adapt to the forces placed upon them, and this concept extends to discs. Research indicates that discs can change in response to mechanobiological signals, becoming stronger and healthier over time.

2. Disc Height Changes Temporarily

Exercise can temporarily decrease disc height, which has led some to worry that it contributes to disc degeneration. However, studies show that disc height quickly returns to normal after exercise, and this temporary compression is part of a healthy adaptive process.

3. Active Lifestyles = Healthier Discs

Studies (e.g., Bowden et al. and Quittner et al.) have found that individuals who regularly engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity have better markers of disc health. This includes thicker discs and improved hydration, both of which are crucial for disc function.

Physical Activities That Promote Disc Health

Not all physical activities stress the spine in the same way, but many have been shown to encourage positive disc adaptations:

Cycling

High-volume cyclists, who often ride in a flexed spinal position, display beneficial adaptations in their intervertebral discs despite the frequent flexion.

Running

Runners, whose activity involves repetitive impact, also show improved disc health. The compressive and tensile forces from running seem to stimulate positive changes in disc structure.

Rowing

Rowers are often considered at higher risk for disc degeneration due to the extreme lumbar flexion and shear forces involved in the sport. Yet, studies have found that rowers exhibit superior markers of disc health during preseason testing. Interestingly, disc height tends to decrease during the competitive season due to high training loads but recovers during rest periods.

Resistance Training

Heavy resistance training, particularly exercises like squats and deadlifts, improves bone mineral density in the lumbar spine. Given the link between bone density and disc health, this indirectly suggests that lifting weights is beneficial for your discs.

What About Sit-Ups and Rounded Back Deadlifts?

For years, these movements have been demonized as harmful to your discs. But when performed with proper technique, within a reasonable effort, and as part of a balanced program, there’s no strong evidence to suggest they are inherently dangerous.

The key is progression: gradually increasing the intensity and volume over time while ensuring adequate recovery.

A Long-Term Approach to Disc Health

Encouraging disc adaptations is not a quick process. Unlike muscles, which respond relatively quickly to training, discs adapt more slowly. This is why consistency over years—not weeks or months—is critical.

The good news? Even if your discs don’t adapt in the ways we hope, physical activity still provides other benefits, including reduced back pain, improved mobility, and enhanced quality of life.

Summary

The idea that exercise is bad for your discs is outdated and unsupported by current evidence. Your discs, like any other tissue in your body, are capable of adapting to the stresses you place on them. Whether you’re doing sit-ups, deadlifts, or sports like running or rowing, the key is to adhere to quality exercise principles:

• Train with reasonable effort and volume.
• Progress gradually over time.
• Allow for adequate recovery.

Physical activity isn’t just good for your discs—it’s essential for your overall health. So the next time someone tells you a particular exercise will “wreck your back,” remember: your body is built to adapt. Keep moving, stay consistent, and trust the process.