Is It Safe to Do Deadlifts for Your Back? (What the Science Says)

Who Should Deadlift? (The “Aasa” Criteria)

So, should everyone with back pain start deadlifting tomorrow? Not necessarily.

We look to a seminal 2015 study by Aasa et al., which is still considered the gold standard in physio research. They took patients with mechanical low back pain and split them into two groups: one did low-load motor control exercises (like Pilates), and the other did heavy deadlifts.

The Results: Both groups got better. But the deadlift group also improved their strength, power, and athletic robustness.

However, the study found that deadlifts worked best for patients who met these specific criteria:

1. Pain Intensity: Their resting pain was manageable (less than 60mm on a visual scale).
2. Endurance: They had decent baseline endurance in their back muscles (measured by a holding test).

   If you are in acute, 9/10 pain where you can barely put on socks, we probably won’t start with a heavy barbell. We might start with a “hinge” movement (see Part 3). But if your pain is a dull ache and you feel weak, deadlifts might be exactly what you need.

The Pursuit Protocol (How to Start)

If you want to reap the benefits of the deadlift—strengthening the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, and erectors)—you need a roadmap. We don’t throw you into the deep end; we wade in.

Step 1: The Hip Hinge – Patterning

Before we add load, we need to dissociate your hips from your spine. Many people with back pain move their spine when they think they are moving their hips.

• The Drill: Stand with a broomstick along your spine (touching head, upper back, and tailbone).
• The Move: Push your butt back toward a wall behind you without the stick leaving your tailbone.
• Why: This teaches your massive hip muscles to take the load, sparing the smaller muscles of the lower back.

Step 2: The Elevated Pull – Rack Pull

Pulling from the floor requires good hamstring flexibility. If you are tight, you might compensate by rounding too much before you’re ready.

• The Fix: We elevate the bar on blocks or a rack so the handle is at knee height.
• The Benefit: This reduces the range of motion, allowing you to load the muscles safely while building confidence.

Step 3: The Trap Bar – Hex Bar

For many of our “Longevity Seekers,” the Trap Bar is superior to the straight bar.

• Why: You stand inside the bar rather than behind it. This keeps the weight closer to your center of gravity, reducing shear force on the spine. It is the perfect hybrid between a squat and a deadlift.

Step 4: Progressive Overload

Once you have the movement, we must add weight.
A 2025 review in Archives of Physiotherapy confirmed that resistance training with external load is safe and feasible for chronic low back pain. The magic is in the loading.

We use the Traffic Light System:

• Green Light (Safe): Pain is 0-3/10 during the lift and settles within 24 hours.
• Yellow Light (Caution): Pain is 4-5/10 but returns to baseline by the next morning.
• Red Light (Stop): Pain >6/10 or lasts for days.

Stuck at Step 1? If you can’t figure out the “Hip Hinge” or feel pain every time you try to bend over, you might need a hands-on guide to unlock your mechanics. Book a Movement Assessment with our team.

The “Core Stability” Trap

“But don’t I need to strengthen my core first?”

Yes, but the deadlift is a core exercise.

Research consistently shows that heavy compound lifts recruit the lumbar multifidus (deep spinal stabilizers) more effectively than many floor-based “ab exercises.”

When you brace for a deadlift, you are creating intra-abdominal pressure. This acts like a natural weight belt, stabilizing the spine from the inside out. By avoiding heavy lifts to do endless “dead bugs” on the floor, you might be missing out on the most potent core strengthener of all.