Group Fitness Instructor

Answer: A - A popular myth in the world of low back pain is the concept that flexion exercises are preferred to extension exercises. This is not the case. It is true that some conditions, for example, spinal stenosis - a condition characterized by narrowing of the foramen that the nerves of the back travel through - are exacerbated by extension. However, there are many conditions, for example, pain from disk herniation, for which extension is the actually the preferred exercise. The Group Fitness Instructor is not in a position to recommend one position over another for individual situations; such questions should be referred to a proper health care provider.