Low Back Flexibility

The importance of low back flexibility

In most developed countries, 80% of the people have suffered low back pain in various intensities, duration and forms. Because of lower back pain, people at work also have their health, job performance and social life seriously affected. To assess your lower back flexibility, you can use the "YMCA Sit-and-Reach Test" which is objective measurement to test lower back and hamstring flexibility and grade it in five levels. A well-designed stretch programme can improve flexibility and can be performed at home, in gyms and even in the workplace. Quite a few kinds of daily physical activity require an adequate level of flexibility; some others, such as dancing, swimming, martial arts, etc., even require a higher degree of flexibility. Besides, some researches have shown that regular stretching exercise is one of the measures against musculoskeletal overuse injuries.

The advantages of maintaining good body flexibility

• Help the body maintain proper posture.
• Reduce the level of pain and chance of overuse injury.
• Lower the chance of joint and muscle injuries in exercises.
• Improve exercise performance, especially for those required for higher degree of flexibility
  e.g. dancing, swimming and martial arts, etc.