long distance youth

One minute you’re zooming purposefully out the door on your way to hammer an opponent at racquetball; then you stoop for your gym bag and boing, you’re instantly a crippled old man who can barely hobble to the nearest chair. “I’ve had back pain myself, and I can tell you that when you can barely move, and you can’t play sports or exercise, it profoundly changes your life and your whole sense of well-being,” says Alexis P. Shelekov, M.D., a spine surgeon at the Texas Back Institute in Dallas.
Most back troubles are minor problems caused by weak muscles, particularly the abdominals, which provide most of the spine’s support. To strengthen them, Dr. Shelekov recommends walking, in conjunction with curl-ups: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your hands on your thighs. Keeping your lower back pressed to the ground, lift your head, neck and shoulders. Hold for a count of two; return. Start with five per day, working up to three sets of ten. As your abdominals become stronger, try the curl-ups with your hands across your chest.