You might not be able to swing a professional ergonomic evaluation, but you can make simple changes to your desk environment to sit up a little bit straighter and avoid neck, wrist, and back strains. While ergonomics is about proper seating position, it also includes common habits you might be unaware of, like your line of sight toward a computer screen and how you type. Try out these adjustments Read more

Mat classes are the most affordable way to reap the benefits of Pilates. Taught across the country at gyms and private studios, group classes mean you don't have an instructor cuing and correcting your every move. Make the most of your time on the mat and be mindful of these common mistakes I've seen in classes over the years. Not Going Deep There are many benefits to Pilates, but getting in Read more

Whether you're new to running since Jan. 1 or just trying to find your fitness groove, running can be difficult to love 24/7. When my affection for running wanes, one thing that helps bring back the love is technique. When out for a run, I go through this simple list to check my form. It makes me a mindful runner, which helps not only avoid injury but also helps me find my stride once Read more

Do you find that you have back pain after spin class? FitSugar reader livingthin turns to an expert for an answer and posted it in our 10 Pounds DOWN! community group. According to a recent stat published in Women’s Health Magazine, 58 percent of professional cyclists experience lower back pain and experts think it may be even more common among casual riders who tend to sit too high or too far Read more

After running suicide sprints at the park, my running buddy complained that sprinting often leaves her lower back tight. I had a notion that her psoas might be tight. This muscle is a major hip flexor (it draws the thigh toward the abdomen) and attaches to the five lowest vertebrae, the lumbar spine. When the psoas shortens and tighten from activities like sprinting or biking, it can yank on the Read more

Coach Lark Says that flexible hips make for a happy back. Learn why. Mike Boyle said it best: "The key to hip mobility is to get the right muscles moving the hip joint, and to decrease the movement of the lumbar spine as a substitute for hip movement." In other words, if you want to make sure your low back — a problem spot for a very high percentage of people — stays pain free, you have to Read more