Popular exercises that could be dangerous for your back
Those with a family history of back problems are more prone to injury, says UCI Health expert
IN THE NEWS: Exercise is important for a healthy body and mind, but some movements can be risky for your spine. UCI Health spine surgeon Dr. Emily S. Mills recently spoke with HuffPost about common exercises that can lead to spine injuries and safer alternatives.
“Not everyone is prone to lumbar disc degeneration. It is an inherited condition, so if you have family members who have had spine surgery or who have back problems, you may want to listen more carefully.”
Mills, who sees patients at the UCI Health Comprehensive Spine Program, shares that exercises like deadlifts, even if done in good form, can be extremely dangerous for your spine, because the amount of force on the discs in your lumbar spine. She says safer options are hip bridges or hip thrusts, which work the same muscles.
Additionally, squats with heavier weights become dangerous when you don’t maintain an upright posture and you round your back. Mills encourages trying weighted step-ups or reverse lunges instead, because they work the same muscles without putting as much force on your spine.
Mills is a UCI Health orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in the surgical treatment of spine disorders. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the UC Irvine School of Medicine. Her clinical interests include the treatment of cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral spinal disorders. Mills is highly trained in complex spinal pathologies, including trauma, tumor, and deformity, including scoliosis and flat back syndrome.
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About UCI Health
UCI Health is one of California’s largest academic health systems and the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Established on July 1, 1976, UCI Health has grown into a 1,461-bed health system that includes UCI Health — Orange, UCI Health — Irvine, four Community Network hospitals and a growing network of ambulatory care centers across Orange and Los Angeles counties. As Orange County’s only academic health systems, UCI Health is home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the county, the region’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, American College of Emergency Physicians Gold Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and a nationally recognized regional burn center verified by the American Burn Association. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people across Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County through excellence in patient care, research and medical education. Follow UCI Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.