Posted on 10/06/2026 8:13:32 AM PDT by fwdude
Most people will experience back pain. In fact, two-thirds of us will deal with it if we don’t already, said Karena Wu, doctor of physical therapy, Start TODAY trainer and orthopedic physical therapist.
As we age, our back issues will only get more challenging because with getting older comes mobility changes. You might notice a shift in your ability to walk and move freely, and maintain balance and strength, she said during a TODAY segment.
So, “restoring mobility and maintaining mobility is super important,” she added. And one move in particular can make all the difference.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
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I need to do this.
I still know how to sip.
Thanks, I needed that.
And she’s pretty cute!
Ibuprofen, works well................
Back Pain really sucks and I havge a lot of sympathy for those that suffer from back problems. My back went out about 10 years ago, I couldn’t walk more than 50-100 feet without my legs going numb and extreme pain, doctor sent me for an MRI and when I came out of the tube they all looked at me like they saw a ghost and told me to call my doctor first thing in the morning.
I called and they told me I needed emergency spinal surgery to remove the pieces of something pinching my spinal cord. Problem is, when I woke up that morning ALL MY PROBLEMS WERE GONE and have never come back, never been better! go figure??
Thanks for posting this! The standing backward bend is easy to do, even for those (like me) who are a quite bit older than age 50.
One comment: A physical therapist I know advises doing such standing exercises in the corner of a room. That way, if you lose your balance the wall will catch you. Less chance of tumbling to the floor.
👍
i turned 63 less than two weeks ago...this morning i ran two miles to the gym, swam a half mile, did abs for 20 minutes, 400 push-ups than ran home 2 miles..
I have no back issues- my main issue is avoid getting hit by a car on my runs....
The “one exercise” we all need to be doing appears to be a standing backward bend.
So lucky! Results of back surgery can be so “iffy”.
Optional follow-up: the seated elbow bend.
You can execute the standing backward bend by standing up straight and then leaning backward.
Wu places her hands on her lower back as she performs the move. She swings her hips forward and back while keeping her lower back arched. Repeat the exercise as often as needed.
Seems like a stretch more than an exercise. Looks like a good idea to keep limber. I do it some, but will try to do it more regularly now.
Strengthening the abs and building core strength is the best way to relieve back pain that I have found, because it uses the abs to relieve strain on the back.
I wonder if she does one-on-ones?
Buy a foam roller. Lay your back on it (on the floor), and roll on it from the top of your back to your hips. It’s a little painful at first as you are restoring mobility to your spine and massaging back muscles that aren’t used to it.
12 oz curl?
It’s good to do but it’s no where near as good as just walking briskly (or as fast as your body will allow you for a good distance).
About a year ago I had my worst brush with a back injury. What’s funny is that I don’t know how I did it, although I did do some yard work the previous week. It started out in my lower back and I thought it was a kidney stone. While at the hospital for a scan, they confirmed it wasn’t a stone. But the pain moved down into my left leg while I was talking to the ER doctor.
The next two weeks were hell. It was like my leg was in a constant cramp/spasm. I couldn’t walk more than 20 steps without collapsing in a ball of pain. A steroid pack from my doctor was the only thing that helped. I went through two of them.
Im 76 years old. I’ve never, as in never had any back problems. Weirdly, I’ve also had fewer than a dozen headaches in my whole life, (maybe Im a carrier)😄
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