What should I do if my lower back hurts after sit-ups?

Many friends choose to lose weight by doing sit-ups when they find that their upper body is getting fatter. Correct and reasonable sit-ups can help the body burn fat quickly, making the body slimmer, but sudden excessive exercise intensity or incorrect posture may cause pain in the body. Let’s learn how to relieve lower back pain after sit-ups.

The lower back is a very important but easily injured part of the human body. Even if you train specifically for this part, you should pay attention to the training load and speed.

Improper sit-up movements and using too much force on the waist and back can cause back pain, so when doing sit-ups, don't hold your head with your hands, just place them on the sides of your ears. When doing this, your focus must be on your abdominal muscles. It is recommended to add stretching movements after completing a set, such as bending down, which is beneficial to the growth of abdominal muscles.

From the perspective of muscle training, sit-ups train the upper abdomen. The main reason why your waist and back are greatly stimulated is probably that you lower your body too much.

In fact, sit-ups are basically exercises in the middle range, slightly above the upper range but less than 60 degrees. This provides continuous stimulation to the abdomen, reduces the proportion of inertial movement, and is more effective for abdominal exercises. When lowering, do not let your upper back touch the ground. When raising up, do not use explosive force and do not lean your body back too much. Also, focus on your abdominal muscles, which can reduce the stress on your waist and back.

The traditional sit-up posture is incorrect: lie on the ground, bend your knees, hold your head with your hands, and lift your entire upper body straight up so that your elbows touch your knees.

This type of exercise mainly uses the muscles at the base of the thigh, rather than the abdominal muscles. In the long run, it will lead to changes in body posture and resulting in muscle strain in the waist and back. At the same time, because the lever arm is relatively long, it will cause great pressure on the lumbar spine. When we are exhausted, we will subconsciously hold our head with both hands, which will invisibly increase the chance of cervical spine injury and weaken the training effect of the abdominal muscles.

Sit-ups are a relatively good form of aerobic exercise. As long as you stick to the correct posture and pay attention, and gradually increase the intensity of exercise, it generally will not cause physical discomfort. You can also massage your abdomen with both hands after exercise to help the abdominal muscles relax quickly and avoid pain.