I've been wondering if Torso / Back twisting exercises (like twisting from side to side, with weight or without weight) can be harmful to the back. Mainly, if you'd have a herniated disc - would a twisting exercise aggravate the condition? If you're healthy, could such exercise create an injury?
Exercise examples:
http://www.mmmglawblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/10.-Spine-Twist.jpg
thanks!
"Listen" to your body. If you feel pain during exercise (not one of lactic buildup in muscles), with or without injuries, it's best to immediately stop. Make sure you are doing the exercise properly and that you don't have an underlying condition that limits your ability to perform the exercise safely.
That being said, I'm occasionally doing twists, starting with low range of motion before starting to push myself or use weight (for Russian twists). I occasionally feel lower back pain from all kinds of seated ab exercises thus I prefer exercises like the "Hanging Pike", ab-wheel (which can also be taxing to your lower back if not performed properly) and full range of motion chin-ups (which activate the abdominals most)[1].
My advice is given that you have an actual health condition - be very cautious, always start doing the twists slowly, warm up well and stay on the safe side. Don't ignore any pains and if in any doubt - consult a physician.
[1] https://www.t-nation.com/training/inside-the-muscles-best-ab-exercises
According to Dr Stuart McGill, twisting your spine is generally safe without a load, not safe with a load (discussed around 20:00 here). However, things may be different for people with bad backs:
For example, flexion-intolerant backs are very common. Stretches such as pulling the knees to the chest may give the perception of relief (via stimulation of the erector spinae muscle stretch receptors), but this approach only guarantees more pain and stiffness as the underlying tissues sustain more cumulative damage. Eliminating spinal flexion, particularly in the morning when the disks are swollen after bed rest, has proven very effective with this type of client. Realize that the spinal disks can bend only so often before damage ensues. Reserve the bends for essential tasks, such as tying shoes, rather than abdominal training.
McGill believes there is a tradeoff between strength and flexibility in the spine, because stretching works by making the annulus between the discs more gooey, which makes it perform worse under load. If you plan to load the spine and are exercising to build sufficient muscle to lock it in place, you can train oblique strength without twisting by doing asymmetric carries such as farmer's walk.
This stuff is gleaned from here, but I am honestly not that familiar with McGill's work so I may be misrepresenting him.
