It’s good, of course, to keep all your muscles strong and limber. But the strength of the body’s core — the muscles in your belly and mid- and lower back — is one of the keys to long term health and stability as you grow older.

Among the core muscles are ones with names like multifidus, interspinalis and intertransversi. They are part of a network of tendons, ligaments and muscles that weave from the thighs to the chest and support the spine. In addition to controlling all full-body motion, the core muscles also have a major impact on posture. They help keep the spine, ribs and pelvic region in alignment. And if you have any athletic interest, core muscles are especially important.

There are a number of simple exercises you can do to strengthen your core. Probably the simplest is the crunch. The traditional situp has fallen out of favor with experts; they feel it can be more harmful than beneficial because of the way it can compress the lower spine and cause unnecessary stress in the neck.

To perform crunches, roll up a small towel and place it under the small of the back to maintain the natural curve of the spine. With your arms folded across your chest, a proper crunch uses abdominal muscles to raise the head and trunk just slightly off the floor, and you should try to keep your eyes focused on the same spot on the ceiling as you raise your upper body up and down.

Increasing strength is not the only goal of this and other core-related exercises. Flexible hips are also important to keep the back from over working. Yoga and Pilates are excellent ways to keep hips flexible. Talk with your chiropractor for more ways to care for your core.

Presented as a service to the community by: Union County Chiropractic Clinic, 110 Skyline Drive, Maynardville, TN (865) 992-7000 www.unioncountychiropractic.com