B A CK HEALTH
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W E IG H T L O S S
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Y O U R H E A L T H
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W E L L -B E IN G
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B etter Back
The right kind of know-how can keep
BY SARI HARRAR
P H O TO S BY
CAM ERON SAGDEPOUR
he delicate balancing act that is your back
is made up of a stunningly complex array
of parts. Most of the time, these parts
work together in harmony. Here’s how
to keep it that way.
If you’re like most, you cross your legs when you’re seated.
You do this unthinkingly because it relaxes the muscles of
your back and abdomen, says Evan Johnson, assistant
professor of clinical physical therapy at Columbia University
Medical Center. But it does so at a cost—the area being
relaxed forms a natural corset that otherwise would be
supporting your spine.
When this corset is off-duty, your spine supports itself
on various other muscles and ligaments that aren’t up to
the task. “Over time, some become stretched out and
others become shortened,” Johnson says. “Everything is
strained, setting the stage for the day when the tiniest
event—bending over to tie your shoe or pull a weed—could
make your back go out.”
B E TTER BACK A D VICE
When sitting for long periods of
time, keep both feet flat on the floor with hips slightly
higher than your knees. Slip a thin pillow behind the small of
your back if needed.
your back supple and pain-free.
UNCROSS YOUR LEGS
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS MARCH
2009
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