Spare the Spine

Greetings from Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas. Located virtually in the center of the state, the city is also centrally located
in the country.

Muscles located in the central area of our bodies are called core muscles. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) says that core strength is important because the muscles of the lower back and abdomen serve as a solid foundation for nearly all bodily activities, movement, and posture.

Core training is rapidly gaining in popularity for one reason:
Sitting leads to a weak core.

Risks associated with a weak core include a common ailment...lower back pain. Other problems include poor posture, being injury prone, having minimal strength and (drum roll, please) a bulging waistline.

Professor Stuart McGill, professor of spine biomechanics at University of Waterloo, cautions that even some widely held notions - like, "stretching the back and increasing the range of motion will help prevent injury" - are questionable. In fact, he says research shows that people who have a greater range of motion in their backs are more susceptible to future injury. How's that for blowing a hole in your exercise routine??

One of my (mother's!) primary concerns as I began jogging and lifting weights was the risk to my lower back. "Once you've injured your back, it's not something that's easily fixed," she argues.
Point well taken.

So, for the health of all our backs, please take a few minutes to review Dr. McGill's recommendations for how to maintain
lower back health and prevent injury to this vital skeletal component.

This week, I'm staying at the newly remodeled Holiday Inn Presidential, one of the nicest properties in the company's portfolio, where I'm taking full advantage of the hotel's fitness center to keep my core in shape!