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Tuesday, March 10, 2009

15 Minutes a Day To Keep the Back Doctor Away

Those of us who have ever put their backs out know: lower back pain is unforgiving and unforgettable.  At the most unexpected moment, it sends razor-sharp impulses up your spine to signal your brain that whatever motion you just engaged in is to be abolished - at least temporarily.

Yes, lower back pain impedes a lot of activities - one of which being work.  It is the second most frequent reason for doctor visits in America, making it a strong contributor to work absenteeism.  The suffering it generates also diminishes one's ability to engage in work activities, thus also contributing to presenteeism.

65 million Americans suffer from lower back pain and its costs in terms of lost enjoyment and lost work productivity are shameful.  Yes, you read right, I said shameful - because 95% of it is preventable.

What causes most lower back pain is muscular weakness either in the  lower back itself or in the abdomen.  The result of this weakness is a deficient posture first, and the resulting pain second.  This condition is particularly prevalent in people who sit all day at work - and I suspect, all night in front of their TV screen.

The solution is easy.  You can engage in abdomial and lombar reinforcement exercises, start a regular walking program, or both.  Esay enough, right?  No equipment required, no costly treatments, just the self-regulation to plug in 15 minutes per day, no excuses.

If you suffer from lower back pain, you won't admit that your life is so out of control that you can't even find 15 minutes per day to take yourself out of your misery, right?  Anyway, my prediction is that 3 weeks into your new exercise regimen, you will more than make up for the time invested through improved productivity.  So go ahead, get moving!

Posted By: Marie-Josée  Salvas @ 6:55:34 PM

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