Bend forward and try to touch your toes without bouncing. You don't have to reach them. What matters is whether the movement is smooth and pain-free. Sharp pain, numbness shooting down a leg, or a "catch" that won't release are early signs of disc trouble. Workers with daily lifting jobs should also notice morning stiffness that lasts more than 30 minutes, that's a flag worth raising with a doctor.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
