Protect your back!

The vertebrae are concave to allow the nerves and blood vessels to pass along the spine and they are held in place by a group of structural muscles that are designed to function throughout your life. [...] In this interconnected system of bones and muscles, the trunk and more specifi cally the lower back 1 is the weakest link. [...] The pain is localized in the neck, upper back or lower back (lumbago), or spreads down into the buttock and thigh areas (sciatica). [...] The discs and portions of the vertebrae gradually deteriorate and irritate the nerve roots exiting from the spine. [...] The risk of back pain is higher if you frequently lift loads, if you carry loads over long distances, if the load is heavy, if you carry a load far out in front of you or pick up a load from the fl oor, and if you must extend or stretch one or both arms out to reach the load or bend or twist while carrying the load.