Lower Back Injuries and Weakened Core Muscles
It should come as no shock to many athletes that one cause of lower back injury is an overall weakness in certain muscles of the abdomen and the spine itself. In order to pick up an item and move with it, various muscles are used to project force, while others function to support the spine and maintain it in a position of low risk of damage.
If any of the muscles are atrophied and weakened, especially the lower back muscles, instability may result and a collapsing of the spine may occur even when lifting light items. Therefore, it is important to train all of the relevant tissues of the spine to eliminate weaknesses causing instability.
In addition to endurance, the focus should be put on correct movements and motor control. Maintaining a neutral spine and having healthy posture when picking up or carrying items is very important in preventing pain and injury in the back. This is why the first step in healing from a sore back is usually developing correct movement patterns in patients.