Work Those Abs!

The American Chiropractic Association estimates that approximately 31 million American adults currently suffer from pain in their lower back. While the causes can be many, including arthritis and old sports injuries, poor abdominal strength is often the cause or a contributing factor in the occurrence of pain and the severity of that pain. That's because your abs play a major role in supporting the spine. Your ab strength also affects the tilt of your pelvis; if it tilts too far forward or too far backward due to poor ab strength and endurance, too much pressure can be placed on your lower back. Thus, strengthening your abdominal muscles can help reduce existing lower-back pain and also may help to prevent back problems from happening in the first place. (www.livestrong.com)