Strengthening your core will help your lower back and here we look at ways to get the best of both worlds offering strength and flexibility without spending hours and hours in the gym.

Now it is true that the abdominal muscles help to support the lower back, but guess what. The lower back muscles are just as important if not more important! Before we get into it, let me say that lower back pain is complex, and you should see a licensed health professional before beginning any exercise program.

When it comes to performance or just maintaining a good quality of life, the strength of the muscles that surround and support your torso and back health - is key

Okay, let us talk about how strong lower back muscles help to support the lower back. There have been numerous studies on lower back pain, but it is pretty well documented that people with chronic lower back pain show a wasting away (atrophy) of the deep lower back muscles.

In addition to atrophied lower back muscles, people with chronic lower back pain also have weakness in the lower back muscles. This seems pretty straight forward. People with chronic back pain have smaller and weaker lower back muscles, so one potential solution is to build up and strengthen the lower back muscles.

Here are 2 main ways having a strong lower back support and protect the spine.

First, having strong lower back muscles helps to support good posture. In this day of computers and cubicles, so many people sit all day long. When you are sedentary or sit for prolonged periods of time your spine tends to curve and fall forwards.

If you have seen older adults hunched over, then you might understand what age and gravity does to our spines. Some of the changes come from the vertebrae, cartilage and discs, but some of it also comes from the muscles.

The back muscles help to keep your spine erect and straight. When the lower back muscles are weak, the spine will have a tendency to move out of alignment more easily. Strong lower back muscles help to maintain good posture, and this takes pressure off the joints.

Secondly, having strong lower muscles can protect the lower back from muscle strains. Muscle strains are a common lower back injury. Generally, muscles strains occur when people lift heavy or awkward objects or when things are lifted with incorrect technique.

Core exercises are just as important as the name implies - they workout the core of your body, which benefits the rest of your body as well. Your core area are the muscles around your trunk and pelvis. Good core stability means that the muscles in your pelvis, lower back, hips, and abdomen are all working together, which in turn makes it much easier to do a lot of things.

For example, when you have good core strength, you will find it easier to play golf or tennis and even to tie your shoes! You will have better posture, and you greatly reduce your risks for lower back pains or injuring your muscles. Sadly, however, most people think they just need to do a few sit ups or crunches to work out their core, and by doing so, they severely neglect that muscle group. Fortunately, there are a lot of easy core exercises you can do - right from the comfort of your own home, if you like - to strengthen your core area.