Volume 1, Issue 2 / September 1999
How's Your Back? While keeping fit for the heat is something we can begin to forget for now, taking care our our back should always be on our mind. Your spine is the central pole of your skeletal structure and the protective casing for the bundle of nerves called the spinal cord so be sure to give it proper care and protection. Danny Ward, 6'8" Master of The Eastern School of Farriery in Martinsville says: use your legs, don't use your back. If we can lower our center of gravity by using our legs then our back does less of the work and is far less likely to be injured. Develop your quadriceps to save your back. Of course, this involves exercise. You can develop your legs by placing your back against a wall and sliding down to a sitting position and holding it for a certain period of time, increasing that time as you grow stronger. It may also be wise to work our in a gym, and use the leg machine that will focus on the development of the thigh and quadriceps muscle. In addition to this, make sure that you keep the stomach in shape with sit-ups. Strong stomach muscles also help prevent back injury. When doing sit-ups, always try to keep your knees bent to avoid straining the back in the process. Try to get in a few leg-lifts while you're at it to work those lower stomach muscles. If you work out at a gym, look for equipment specifically designed to strengthen torso muscles. If you have your own weights, exercise with a weight in one hand hanging at your side and your other hand on your head as you lean to and away from that side (as if picking up a suitcase) focusing on the side muscles of your torso. It is also helpful to regularly stretch the back muscles before and after you work. Flexible muscles are far less likely to be strained or injured. A little time spent on prevention goes a long way towards avoiding time (and money!) spent on recovery. As always, consult your doctor when an injury occurs. Just like our adage: no hoof, no horse - it's also true: no back, no farrier! |