Individuals with LBP exhibited adaptive trunk muscle activity levels during the core stability exercises measured in this study, while maintaining similar levels of balance and lumbar movement to healthy controls. The between groups’ differences in muscle activity were not influenced by the use of a labile surface. The labile surface worsened whole body balance and increased lumbar range of motion during the quadruped exercise, and only increased muscle recruitment during the side-bridge. Considering that research evidence does not support one specific mode of exercise over another, the practicality and safety of using labile surfaces as exercise modification techniques for LBP rehabilitation must be questioned. The results of this study are limited to the acute examination for the demands of core stability exercises in individuals with and without LBP.