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?

In a word, YES.  But like most things in life, flexibility is a relative term and its importance really depends upon what activities you are performing.  Different activities have very different demands and our bodies respond to our training by improving in the areas that we stress them.  This is called specific adaptation to imposed demands and is really why when we lift weights we get stronger, when we run we get in better cardiovascular and aerobic condition, etc.  Our bodies respond by getting bigger, looser, stronger and more efficient.  Likewise, when we stop training our bodies respond by getting smaller, tighter, weaker and terribly inefficient!

Remember when you were a kid and you heard that old song…”The knee bone’s connected to the leg bone…the leg bone’s connected to the hip bone…”?  Well, guess what?  It’s true!  The body really is a series of bones that are connected and inter-dependent.  That means that the movement of one bone or joint often depends upon the movement or position of another.

Does a day of yard work, a tennis game or a quick house project leave your shoulder aching for days?  Shoulder pain can range from a constant, dull ache to a sudden sharp pain with movement.  Whatever symptoms you are experiencing and no-matter how short-lived they are, they are a warning sign and you should pay attention to them.

The ‘shoulder’ is actually made up of four joints.  The shoulder joint itself is made up from the ‘ball’ of the upper arm (humerus) fitting into the shallow ‘socket’ of the shoulder blade (scapula).  The shallow socket is more properly known as the glenoid fossa and this joint is called the gleno-humeral joint.

Breathing.  We all do it but rarely think about it.  Breathing, or known by its more medical term, respiration, happens automatically as the diaphragm (muscle across the bottom of the rib cage) contracts and expands the lungs downward.  This is like stretching a rubber band and it creates a negative pressure (vacuum) within the lungs, causing outside air to rush in and fill the spaces called alveoli (small air sacs).  This is the first part of respiration, called inspiration or inhalation, and it occurs actively through muscle contraction.  The alveoli are covered with tiny little blood vessels called capillaries and this is where the ‘exchange’ takes place. 

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.  

Does a day of yard work, a tennis game or a quick house project leave your shoulder aching for days?  Shoulder pain can range from a constant, dull ache to a sudden sharp pain with movement.  Whatever symptoms you are experiencing and no-matter how short-lived they are, they are a warning sign that you should pay attention to.

So, you feel hungry.  What does it mean and what is the best way to feed your hunger?  What should you eat?  Is it OK to ‘cheat’ now and then?  Understanding what your body needs and how to eat in a way to fill those needs.  Different types of exercise require changes in your diet.  As your body heals and repairs itself after injury or surgery, nutrition will play a crucial role.