The popular myth about a popular exercise has been debunked

Exercises aimed at strengthening core muscles don't always effectively prevent lower back pain or improve body balance. This was reported to The Conversation by Hunter Bennett, an expert in physical education and sports from the University of South Australia.

"When people talk about abs, they usually mean the visible abdominal muscles. At the same time, the concept of 'core' encompasses a wider complex of muscles related not so much to appearance as to their functional role. These are not only the abdominal muscles, but also the diaphragm, back muscles, hips, buttocks, and pelvic floor," the specialist explained.

These muscles play a key role in stabilizing the spine and transferring load between the upper and lower body. That's why social media actively promotes the idea that working on the core helps prevent back pain.

However, according to Bennett, although exercises like the plank can indeed alleviate individual episodes of pain, they are not superior in effectiveness to other physical activities - such as walking or strength training.

He also referenced a study in which a nine-week core strengthening program did not lead to a significant reduction in pain syndrome, which calls into question the universality of this method.

Nevertheless, Bennett emphasizes: this doesn't mean that strengthening the core is useless.

"Muscle weakness increases the risk of functional disorders and disability with age. Therefore, developing the core, like general physical activity, is important for maintaining health and fitness for many years," he concluded.