Your lower back contains numerous muscles. One group, called the erector spinae, attaches to your spinal column at different points along your back, allowing you to bend it forward and backward and from side to side. Toning these muscles helps prevent back pain, and it also tightens and firms your entire lower back.

Moves that build powerful core muscles (abs, back, hips, and pelvis) help support your spine, so you stand straighter. They also improve your balance, which starts to deteriorate in your 40s as these stabilizing muscles weaken.

Prolonged sitting can cause stiffness in your lower back.

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