CLINIC
Lumbar spine Lower back strength and stability is crucial for runners, as a healthy lumbar spine helps improve posture and gives us vital shock-absorption
Your Expert
Michael Fatica is lead consultant osteopath at The Mayfair Clinic in London. Visit themayfairclinic.com
The lumbar spine is one of those parts of the body everyone takes for granted. You give it no thought until it’s unhappy, and then you really know about it.
The lumbar spine is vital for core strength, non-running posture and correct running form and it’s important to understand how to keep it in good health.
What is the lumbar spine?
It’s the part of your skeleton located in your lower back, consisting of five vertebra, separated by spinal discs. Together these bones and discs protect the spinal cord and give your back flexibility. A normal, healthy lumbar spine should form a small arch in your lower back. If you lie on a flat surface, this natural arch would form a slight gap between your back and the surface, referred to as a lordosis.