My neck… my back.. you know the rest 🤷🏾‍♂️

There are two basic types of back pain – the first is acute, which often is caused by an injury. It comes on fast and it usually heals on its own with some rest.

The second is chronic, which hangs around for a long time.

It also can be caused by an injury but other factors include postural problems, muscle weakness, structural issues with your spine, illness, and sometimes the cause can seem like a mystery.

So … what can you do about low back pain?

Prevention is everything! And a big part of that is making your core muscles as strong and resilient as you possibly can. This is where I start all my clients when starting a new program. Strengthening the core, and engaging hamstrings. Almost every exercise you do can become a core exercise if you make sure your abdominals are engaged.

Things like squats, pushups, and lunges all work your core. You also can sneak in some core stability work by balancing on one foot while having your core muscles engaged.

Here’s a quick way to make sure your core muscles are engaged: think about “zipping up” the area just below your belly button before you do every exercise, like you are zipping up a pair of jeans.