Is running good for your back? Check out this NY Times article.

Is running good for your back?  Check out this NY Times article.

As we age, our body goes through changes including the joints in the spine.   Over time, the spinal discs dry out and we lose mobility over time.

Those who run may have an edge against this phenomenon, according to a new study that the NY Times just reported on.

According to Scientific Reports this past April, researchers at Deakin University in Australia and other institutions decided to examine the backs of people who run and others who do not.

According to the data, the runners’ discs were larger and contained more fluid than the discs of the men and women who did not exercise.  What was interesting is that the mileage did not matter much, as shorter distance and long distance runners had a similar improvement when compared to those who did not run.

Read the full article here

Why Running May Be Good for Your Back
By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS JUNE 7, 2017

People who regularly run or walk briskly appear to have healthier discs in their spines than people who do not exercise, according to one of the first studies to closely examine links between movement and disc health.

The findings refute a widely held belief that activities like running might overtax the spine and indicate that, instead, they make it sturdier.

The human spine is a complicated mechanism, composed of vertebral bones cushioned between intervertebral discs. These discs, shaped like tiny whoopee cushions, contain a viscous fluid that compresses and absorbs pressure during movement, keeping the back in good working form.

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