Exercise and nonspecific low back pain: a literature review.  There are lots of gimmicks on the market, most of them not very effective.  Support belts, for example, do little aside from reminding their wearers to exercise precautions, to lift properly.  But exercises of the proper type and amount, are effective.  A good source of back exercises may be found at the Mayo Clinic website. 

Here are some warm-up exercises I used to use before physical education classes.  They were modified from Astrand and take from 12 to 15 minutes to perform:

1.  Skip or un in place for a minute.  Resf for half a minute, then repeat for another minute.

2.  Sit on the floor, knees bent and feet held down by your partner.  Lie down and sit up again.  Repeat up to 20 times.  Round your back while sitting up and lowering.

3.  Line on your stomach with a pillow under your hips.  Lift your legs and trunk until both are off the floor.  Your arms are at yuour sides.  Keep your back flat.  In fact, if you have a back problem, skip this one:).  If not, repeat up to 20 times.

4.  Stand with your feet apart.  Do 20 to 30 shoudler rolls in an jpward-backward-downward-forward direction. 

5.  Stand with your feet apart.  Do 20 to 30 arm swings across the front of your body as in exercise 4.

6.  Stand on one leg, supporting yourself with one arm on a railing.  Swing your free leg and arm forward and backward 20-25 times.  Repeat with the other leg.

7.  Stand with your feet apart, hands on hips, and slowly rotate your hips.  Do 10 times in each direction.

8.  Skip or jog in place for 30 seconds.

9.  Get down on the floor and do up to 20 push-ups with the body straight.  This may be done against a sofa or chair. 

10.  Run in place or skip for up to 5 minutes, slowly.

Now do your work-out, whether it's a game of racuqetball or running a few miles.  Remember to cool down by walking and stretching after your work- out. 

According to Janet Tietyen, Extension Food and Nutrition Specialist, Univeristy of Kentucky College of Agriculture, you can greatly improve your chances of success in a weight loss program by losing only 10 percent of your weight at a time.  Your initial weight loss goal, for example, saying that you weight 200 pounds, would be to lose 20 pounds.  Then work at maintaining that new, lighter weight for a few weeks or months.  After you are accustomed to your new weight, then consider losing more.  Research supports this stepwise approach to weight control. 

Wii computer systems are no longer new, although new applications appear monthly if not weekly.  These computer games are a clever way of getting some folks, particularly children, to exercise without their realizing that they are doing so.   

If you're into weight lifting or body building, have you looked at the products I am selling from Monster Barbells?  The Forearm Flex Bar and the AMP Universal bar will add some variety to your workouts and allow you to strive towards higher goals. 

Consumer Reports (February 2008) has reviewed treadmills, gyms, and exercise gadgets promoted on television.  First, regarding exercise devices, abdominal exercisers are in demand now.  CR rates the Ab Lounge XL as “not a lot more useful than a floor mat.”  “The Bean,” says CR, is “comfortable but not very challenging,” and “results were similar to those with no equipment.”  Conclusions were similar for two other devices that were tested, the Ab-Doer Extreme and the Red Exerciser DX.  For one, it “engaged abs less effectively than no-equipment exercise,” and for the other, “engaged obliques at least as much as comparable floor moves but may not work abs as well.”  CR is referring to rectus abdominis as the abs, and the external and internal obliques as obliques.  Four muscles of the abdominal wall work together, so the testers are referring to where the electromyography recordings were greater, to where you might most feel the “burn.” 

Other devices tested included the Leg Magic Professional, the Air Climber, the Urban Rebounder, Easy Shaper Ultimate, Fluidity Bar, Bun and Thigh Doer, The bottom line is, according to Fitpursuit.com, buy these gadgets if you need variation or motivation, or to meet a particular need.  For example, rebound joggers, also called mini trampolines or trampoline joggers, are inexpensive and allow jogging in place with less joint impact.  The Air climber and various elliptical machines, plus exercise bicycles of different types, could make the same claims.

What about treadmills?  CR rated 33 elliptical machines and treadmills, and recommends criteria to consider before purchasing such a machine: available space, features, ergonomics (meaning how well it fits the buyer, in this sense), and special needs, such as lessening joint impact or providing balance. Nordic Track, which machines may be accessed through http://www.fitpursuit.com, ranked highest in “best value ellipticals”, budget model treadmills “fine for walking”, and second for treadmills for avid runners.  For more information, I recommend the articles.  Or, Email me with your questions and concerns.  "Dr. Bob" at Robert@fitpursuit.com.