Deadlifts are often hailed as the “king of all exercises” due to their ability to build muscle mass, enhance full-body strength, and improve functional movements. (1) However, many individuals experience lower back pain when performing deadlifts. Does this mean that deadlifting should be avoided?
Strongman Mitchell Hooper — the only athlete to have won the World’s Strongest Man, Rogue Invitational, Arnold Strongman Classic, and Strongest Man on Earth titles — recently shared his insights on deadlifting and its association with lower back pain, exploring common myths.
[Related: Eddie Hall: If Mitchell Hooper Wants To Make Deadlift History, He Must Get This Right]
Six Fundamental Movements
Hooper played a clip of strongman Robert Oberst from the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, wherein Oberst claims, “If you’re deadlifting to be a better deadlifter, fine. If you’re not doing that for deadlift sake, then don’t do it. The risk-to-reward ratio is a joke.”
Hooper challenges Oberst’s advice, expressing disagreement because deadlifts engage a crucial human movement — the hinge. The human body can perform six fundamental movement patterns:
“If you can do those six things, then you’re ready to live life,” Hooper stated. When any of those six factors become problematic, one may experience a level of disability — whether it’s a legitimate condition or a temporary one caused by pain.
Deadlifts may be among the riskiest exercises in the gym, but that risk often arises from improper execution by lifters.
How to Protect the Lower Back When Deadlifting
Hooper identifies three areas where one can err while performing a deadlift, which may result in injury:
- Intra-Abdominal Pressure: Creating a good core brace.
- Strength of the Spinal Erectors
- Soft Tissues of the Lower Back
Studies on Lower Back Pain
Hooper references a study that observed millions of people experiencing lower back pain in 2020, leading to significant disability. (2) The study attributed it to non-specific lower back pain rather than deadlifts. “Imaging shows nothing; assessment shows nothing. Your back is sore, and we don’t know why,” Hooper said.
Hooper cites a study on lower back pain demonstrating how deadlifts can benefit rehabilitation, particularly for individuals with weak back extensor strength. (3) In a subsequent study, patients with lower back pain may benefit from deadlift training. Hooper asks: How can deadlifts alleviate lower back pain if they’re also a potential cause?
Patients with stronger back extensors experience a reduction in lower back pain. Deadlifts effectively strengthen these muscles. Hooper advises those with weak back extensors to incorporate hinged-based movements to reduce the risk of injury. (4)
Another study explored deadlift training for treating persistent lower back pain. While Hooper considers the evidence to be weak, he finds it noteworthy. The study pertains to individuals suffering from discogenic-related back pain (e.g., disc bulges or herniations) and recommends deadlifts as a potential treatment. (5)
What About Deadlifting Injuries?
Executing any exercise incorrectly can lead to injury. Hooper references a CNN health article titled “10 Dangerous Exercises That Lead to Injuries,” highlighting several commonly performed gym and strength training exercises that pose risks.
“Anyone who says this is a good exercise and [this is] a bad exercise is totally full of crap because you don’t know who you’re talking to. You don’t know who the population is,” Hooper stated.
In conclusion, introspection can be used to address weaknesses during training and optimize functional capacity. Hooper recommends focusing on the six fundamental movement patterns to become a stronger athlete.
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References
- Nigro, F., & Bartolomei, S. (2020). A Comparison Between the Squat and the Deadlift for Lower Body Strength and Power Training. Journal of human kinetics, 73, 145–152. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2019-0139
- GBD 2021 Low Back Pain Collaborators (2023). Global, regional, and national burden of low back pain, 1990-2020, its attributable risk factors, and projections to 2050: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The Lancet. Rheumatology, 5(6), e316–e329. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00098-X
- Fischer, S. C., Calley, D. Q., & Hollman, J. H. (2021). Effect of an Exercise Program That Includes Deadlifts on Low Back Pain. Journal of sport rehabilitation, 30(4), 672–675. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsr.2020-0324
- Berglund, L., Aasa, B., Hellqvist, J., Michaelson, P., & Aasa, U. (2015). Which Patients With Low Back Pain Benefit From Deadlift Training?. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 29(7), 1803–1811. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000000837
- Holmberg, D., Crantz, H., & Michaelson, P. (2012). Treating persistent low back pain with deadlift training – A single subject experimental design with a 15-month follow-up. Advances in Physiotherapy, 14(2), 61–70. https://doi.org/10.3109/14038196.2012.674973
Featured image: @mitchellhooper on Instagram
