Do strong abdominal muscles support the back?
Strong abdominal muscles alone are insufficent to maintain the spine at full function and guard against spinal injury. A strong back depends far more upon strong spinal muscles, well-hydrated discs, and elastic ligaments than it does upon strong abdominal muscles. Since the L5-S1 joint is where the spinal column rests upon its sacral base, this joint is the most common joint to cause back problems. So, stabilizing the pelvis increases support for the L5-S1 joint. Should the L5-S1 joint be the principle pain generator in a particular case, exercises that strengthen the abdominal wall without risking further injury to the back may help diminish pain in the lower back by stabilizing the pelvic girdle.
