Abs and Abdominals

John Briley, a long time proponet of exercise to improve health, and
well known writer for the Washington Post, recaps the results of a
recent study that indicates that exercise helps alleviate back pain as
well psychological stress. The article quotes William O. Roberts, an
associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School and a
past president of the American College of Sports Medicine, thusly: “Get
people moving and it helps [address] their back pain,” The study –
involving 681 men and women, aged 34 to 69, who sought treatment for
low-back pain — was published in the October issue of the
peer-reviewed American Journal of Public Health. All data were
self-reported, including pain (on a zero-to-10 scale, with 10
representing unbearable pain), psychological distress, frequency and
amount of physical activity, and frequency of low-back exercises. The
average pain score was seven; 77 percent of the group said they had at
least one day of restricted activity in the prior month due to back
pain, and about 47 percent reported having had back pain for more than
a year. Participants filled out questionnaires six weeks after
enrolling in the study and again at six, 12 and 18 months. Researchers
converted exercise data for each participant into metabolic equivalent
task (MET) values. Those who exerted at least 10.5 METs per week –
about the equivalent of three hours of brisk walking or similar
activity — showed the greatest reductions in back pain and
psychological distress. But back exercises increased the odds of
subsequent low back pain and disability by 64 percent and 44 percent,
respectively. And among the participants who did lower-back exercises,
those who did them the least — less often than one day per week –
reported the lowest pain levels. Maddeningly, researchers did not
collect data on which back exercises each person performed, nor did
they determine why the exercises might worsen back pain. These failings
reduce the value of the findings. Poor form and the wrong exercises may
explain the negative results, they said. The findings are not
surprising, says William O. Roberts, an associate professor at the
University of Minnesota Medical School and a past president of the
American College of Sports Medicine. Roberts also promotes core
conditioning to address back pain. It”s generally felt that a strong
core and strong abs can go a long way towards reducing many kinds of
lower back pain.