Can Exercising Cause Lower Back Pain?

Exercise is often prescribed as the solution for back pain, but what if it’s actually making things worse? In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles breaks down why exercise can both help and harm your lower back, depending entirely on how you move. He explains the hidden role of muscle imbalances, why highly fit individuals often struggle more with chronic pain, and how strengthening the wrong patterns can keep you stuck in the back pain cycle.

This episode covers:

Why exercise can actually worsen lower back pain

The real root cause of chronic pain

Why getting stronger is not the same as getting better

How fit and athletic people often struggle more with recovery

The difference between what exercises you do vs how you do them

Why core connection is the foundation of pain-free movement

How to recognize if your exercises are helping or hurting

How to safely progress exercises without triggering pain

How to interpret soreness correctly

How to handle setbacks, flare-ups, and fear after injury