Ditto on what has already been suggested: check with your doctor, first, to determine what sort of therapy and/or exercise would be appropriate for you.
A little background on where I am coming from:
I've had to contend with lower back issues ever since a college injury (no, I didn't play football, haha!). Plus, I recently learned that I have mild scoliosis - my mother didn't even know because none of my doctors ever said anything about it. It was my new chiropractor who noticed the curvature and asked about it. On top of all this, I had a ruptured disc in my lower lumbar area a couple of years back, and, thankfully, my surgeon wanted to take a non-surgical approach to healing.
So, there are certain "ab" exercises I can do, and those I cannot, or risk re-injury. For me, a balance ball is an important piece of exercise equipment. I'm a marathoner, so core (all those muscles surrounding and including the abdominals) strength is extremely important for my physical performance. Last year, I had to wear a back brace if I was looking at a longer than 8-mile run. But, this year, I've completed several long distance events without the brace, and I attribute this to a better core strength training program.
Core strength is important for our balance, posture and so much more. Certain things you can do without doctor's advice: watch your posture, avoid sitting long periods of time, don't sleep on your stomach.
Please do consult your doctor for an exercise regimen that would fit your particular needs and any limitations.
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Ditto on what has already been suggested: check with your doctor, first, to determine what sort of therapy and/or exercise would be appropriate for you.
A little background on where I am coming from:
I've had to contend with lower back issues ever since a college injury (no, I didn't play football, haha!). Plus, I recently learned that I have mild scoliosis - my mother didn't even know because none of my doctors ever said anything about it. It was my new chiropractor who noticed the curvature and asked about it. On top of all this, I had a ruptured disc in my lower lumbar area a couple of years back, and, thankfully, my surgeon wanted to take a non-surgical approach to healing.
So, there are certain "ab" exercises I can do, and those I cannot, or risk re-injury. For me, a balance ball is an important piece of exercise equipment. I'm a marathoner, so core (all those muscles surrounding and including the abdominals) strength is extremely important for my physical performance. Last year, I had to wear a back brace if I was looking at a longer than 8-mile run. But, this year, I've completed several long distance events without the brace, and I attribute this to a better core strength training program.
Core strength is important for our balance, posture and so much more. Certain things you can do without doctor's advice: watch your posture, avoid sitting long periods of time, don't sleep on your stomach.
Please do consult your doctor for an exercise regimen that would fit your particular needs and any limitations.
December 8, 2008 - 5:20pmThis Comment
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