Lower Back Pain (LBP) is one of the few ‘sure’ things in life.  Well, it’s almost a sure thing…there’s about an 80% chance you will have an episode of LBP at some point in your life.  And, once you’ve had an episode, you are much more likely to have one or more repeat episodes.  We’ve known this for 20+ years now, yet the statistics have not changed…so why can’t we do anything about it?

Your lower back feels stiff when you get out of bed in the morning or after doing some work in the yard.  We’ve all been there and we all joke that it’s, “…because we’re getting older!”  While there is some truth to that statement, the reality is that we can do something about it.  With a little focus and dedication, you can get yourself up to speed on a few exercises and then maintain your stability by incorporating a couple of exercises into your normal, everyday activities.  First, you need to know why your muscles become stiff and sore and how to protect against it.

With Pilates programs increasing in popularity over the past ten years, Pilates and core stability have become common terms in exercise.  Many people pursue the dream of the “6-pack abs”, or a flat stomach, by doing sit-ups, crunches, and working out on a variety of abdominal machines. Although having a toned abdomen looks good, and a “gut” can put a strain on your low back, traditional abdominal exercises do not provide core stability. These exercises, along with hip strengthening, increase superficial muscle strength or what’s called core strength.  However, these muscles do not necessarily provide the stability that the spine needs to function.