Illustration: ADAM

Strong, functional ab muscles are a cornerstone to maintaining a healthy back – any back doctor, physical therapist, fitness trainer or chiropractor will tell you that. But being that we each have 6 abdominal muscles in all: the rectus abdominus on top, then two external obliques, two internal obliques under them and the very deep transverse abdominal muscle, doctors and researchers are not prepared to let it go at that.

A 2004 study involving 20 participants compared the size and activity of each abdominal muscle in people with low back pain to those lucky enough not to have back problems. The measurements were made after a chiropractic adjustment, or technically spinal manipulative therapy. The results showed that, as many Pilates instructors will tell you, the transverse abdominal muscle, or nature’s back belt, as I like to call it, does not work as well for people with low back pain as it does for those with healthy spines.

So what does this mean to you? That depending on your particular back problem, you may wish to get started on a core strengthening program, one that has you isolating and working the transverse abdominal muscle, for sure. And if you are already involved in a program, such as Pilates, pay careful attention to the instructions on how to access the deep abdominals.

Related:

• The 6 Abdominal Muscles, and what they mean to you.
• Transverse Abdominal Muscle
• Back Doctors
• Spinal Manipulation
• Is Chiropractic for You?
• Core Strength and Your Back
• Core Muscles Awareness Exercise
Pilates for Back Pain
• About.com's Pilates site - check it out!
• Prevent Back Pain

=============================== To stay up to date on back and neck pain treatments, news and issues and more, get the Back and Neck Pain Newsletter and join the discussion on the Back and Neck Forum. ===============================