In fact, I would say this isn’t a physiotherapy core exercise for most people who are in any form of pain…

…Unless they can get out of the pain through abdominal bracing and using a neutral spine position. And they can hold that position without much difficulty.

That being said, in my Toronto physiotherapy practice, I use this exercise often when my client has progressed from the basic core re-training program to add a little variety to the exercise and rehabilitation program.

In this dynamic variation of the plank exericse, the key is to keep your body in that set “plank” position, without allowing your hips or your low back to sag or peak, while you raise and lower your body from your forearms to your hands.

This follows the idea of avoiding excessive flexion or extension based (forward or backward bending) positions through the low back (as discussed in the 3 Worst Core Exercises For People With Low Back Pain).

Yours in planking (dynamically or otherwise!)

Dev Chengkalath

Yours in movement.

Dev Chengkalath