Watching TV? It's a Ball!

Here's a way to keep up with your favorite TV show and get healthy at the same time: Sit on an exercise ball while you watch the tube.

Research shows that lounging for long periods of time may actually switch off back muscles, setting people up for low-back pain down the road. But sitting on an exercise ball engages those muscles. Try it!

Muscle Meltdown
Couch potatoes beware: Prolonged sagging and slumping may be almost as bad for your back muscles as an injury. When muscles aren't used, they can actually waste away in much the same way as they do after a back pull or sprain. So make TV time toning time by plopping your butt on a ball. Bonus: It will help you stay awake, so you won't snooze through the cliffhanger ending.

3 More Easy Back Boosters
Keep your back in tip-top shape with these simple tips:

• Try the YOU2 Workout. It uses your own body weight to strengthen and tone your back, arms, shoulders, and legs. Walking and tai chi are other great options.
• If you've pulled a back muscle, don't stay in bed for more than 48 hours. Read this tip to find out why.
• Stand up straight. Here's why it's so good for backs.

Now, how's your balance? Find out with this quick test.

Magnetic resonance imaging assessment of trunk muscles during prolonged bed rest. Hides, J. A., Belavy, D. L., Stanton, W., Wilson, S. J., Rittweger, J., Felsenberg, D., Richardson, C. A., Spine 2007 Jul 1;32(15):1687-1692.