Babies are consistently tapping into their center of power because they rely on their core muscles to learn how to balance, turn over, crawl, sit up, and walk. For this reason, young children typically have strong core muscles.

As time passes, inactivity sets in, and the core muscles are not activated as often as they once were. And the end result is a weakened midsection that no longer supports your frame properly. The weaker your core muscles get, the more vulnerable you become to a number of problems.

When your core is not conditioned, it causes loss of appropriate lumbar curve. And when everyday activities such as bending, slumping, lifting children, and standing puts pressure on already vulnerable back muscles, you become more prone to back injuries.

Unfortunately, core weakness is not uncommon - and low back pain is one of the most prevalent ailments associated with poor core conditioning. This is especially true when the deep abdominal muscles are weak. The most common reasons for back pain include:

herniated disc

injuries

muscle strains

sprains

muscle spasms

fibromyalgia

osteoarthritis

sciatica

being overweight

Anyone who's ever suffered from low back pain can vouch for the misery it causes. Back pain keeps you from enjoying life, and can result in costly doctor visits, and potentially dangerous pain reliving drugs. But there is good news; most back pain is due to postural alignment problems, and can be easily prevented with regular core conditioning exercises.

In addition to core training exercise, you should also work to improve your posture. This ensures that your weight is evenly distributed throughout the body, and that your muscles are being used efficiently to prevent excess pressure on the spine, and supporting ligaments.

Proper Sitting Posture:

Sit with your back straight, shoulders back, and your bum touching the back of the chair.

Distribute your body weight evenly on both hips.

Keep your knees and hips even.

Keep your feet flat on the floor.

Stand up every 30 minutes to stretch your back.

Proper Standing Posture

Keep your spine straight, your chin up, and your head centered above the shoulders.

Keep the knees slightly bent, and your feet slightly shoulder with apart.

Move around periodically to avoid standing still too long.

Proper Lifting Posture:

Stand close to the object with your feet wide apart.

Tighten your abdominal muscles.

Keep your back straight, and bend at the knees.

Squat down to pick up the object (never bend at the waist).

Hold the object close to your body, and lift with your leg muscles.

Never lift heavy objects higher than waist length.

If the object is too heavy, find someone to help.