Is Maintaining a Neutral Spine Functionally Possible?

Neutral Spine: Critical Cue or Contextual Concept?

In the world of fitness and rehabilitation, the cue “keep a neutral spine” has become gospel. From deadlifts to planks, maintaining this posture is frequently touted as essential for safety and performance. But how important is it really? And are there times when spinal movement — including flexion — is not only safe but inevitable?

Let’s unpack the science behind neutral spine and why the truth is more nuanced than popular advice might suggest.

What Is a Neutral Spine, Really?

Neutral spine isn’t a single locked-in position — it’s a zone where spinal movement meets minimal internal resistance. Within this “neutral zone,” passive structures like ligaments and discs are under minimal strain, and spinal muscles do most of the work to stabilize the spine.

However, this zone is surprisingly small. According to both cadaver and in vivo studies, the neutral zone in the lumbar spine accounts for only a fraction — sometimes as little as 1–2 degrees — of the full range of motion.

Why Keeping a Neutral Spine Important?

A neutral spine is important for 3 reasons;

1. To decrease injury a neutral spine creates a postural alignment which maintains the normal curvature of the spine which will act as shock absorbers to decrease the shear forces on the spine.

2. To improve stability and support by engaging the core which increases the amount of control and improves lifting techniques.

3. Increases spinal healthy longevity and integrity.

Neutral Spine in Lifting: Ideal vs. Reality

While it's commonly taught that lifting with a neutral spine reduces injury risk, studies show that even highly trained lifters (including powerlifters, CrossFit athletes, and strongmen) exhibit significant lumbar spine flexion — well beyond the neutral zone — during common lifts like squats, deadlifts, and kettlebell swings.

In one study, elite lifters flexed their spines to 76% of their max range during deadlifts, despite being cued to stay neutral. Another found strongmen reached 146% of their measured flexion capacity when lifting atlas stones. In short: real-life lifting involves spinal movement, even when coached otherwise.

Is Moving Out of Neutral Dangerous?

It’s tempting to assume that leaving the neutral zone increases injury risk — but the evidence is mixed. While cadaver studies show that repetitive flexion under load can damage discs, this doesn’t necessarily reflect how living tissues behave or adapt over time.

Athletes repeatedly lifting heavy loads don’t consistently develop disc herniations or fractures. In fact, spinal structures may adapt over time. For example, weightlifters often show increased bone density in the lumbar vertebrae, which may enhance their resilience to compressive and flexion forces.

Moreover, epidemiological studies have failed to definitively link lumbar flexion during lifting to a higher incidence of low back pain. One study of nurses, for instance, found no correlation between spinal flexion angles and future back pain episodes.

Spinal Stiffness and Movement: A Dynamic System

Another important insight comes from biomechanical studies on spinal stiffness and repetitive motion. Bisschop et al. (2013) showed that repetitive movement slightly increases the range of motion and affects spinal stiffness around neutral — a reminder that the spine is not a static structure, but one that dynamically responds to movement and load.

Additionally, Di Pauli von Treuheim et al. (2020) highlighted how difficult it is to precisely define or measure the neutral zone due to its variability across individuals and methods. This suggests that cues to "stay neutral" may be overly simplistic and even misleading in certain contexts.

So… Should We Stop Cueing Neutral Spine?

Not quite.

Maintaining a neutral spine during exercise can still be a valuable teaching tool, especially for beginners or those recovering from injury. It may reduce excessive strain in certain contexts, promote mindful movement, and help create better spinal alignment habits.

But for healthy, trained individuals? A little spinal motion — even outside the neutral zone — is likely natural, adaptive, and not inherently dangerous.

Takeaways for Coaches and Lifters

• Neutral spine is a zone, not a fixed position.

• Lumbar flexion is common and often unavoidable during real-world lifting — even when trying to stay neutral.

• Evidence linking lumbar flexion to injury is inconclusive, especially in athletic populations.

• Spinal tissues adapt to loading over time, increasing resilience.

• Cue neutral spine when it’s helpful — but recognize that some flexion isn’t a flaw.

In sum, let’s trade dogma for context. Rather than rigidly enforcing neutral spine in every lift, we can strive to understand and respect the complexity of human movement — spine included.