Hi Caz I think the concept of 'core stability' is making people worse with low back pain (and other conditions). Most patients with LBP have increased activation of their trunk muscles caused by a combination of pain and 'fear avoidance'. Our brains learn movement and not muscles, so trying to cognitively learn how to recruit a muscle does not make sense to me. Overactivation of trunk muscles caused increased loading of the lumbar spine joints, and more importantly, the nerve roots thus increasing pain. Peter O'Sullivans articles on the lumbar spine and posture are excellent.
Steve