I have a lower back that is the envy of 80-year-olds the world over.

I got my first herniated disc (between L5 and S1) in Grade 10 gym class during the weightlifting portion. I blame a combination of poor supervision/instruction, and the fact that I was trying to show off. The second herniated disc came in 2003, when I was suffering from a terrible flu and had a coughing fit while hoisting a basket full of laundry. For that one I ended up going to the emergency room and getting IV morphine, and a prescription for Percocet (which make Tylenol 3s seem like Smarties) to get the pain and spasm under control.

I don't let bulging discs slow me down, however, because I've strengthened my core muscles enough that I can handle pretty extreme activities, including doing things on skis that make my wife cringe.

Nevertheless, I do have one foe, and that foe is ice.

I hate ice, because slipping on it while running happens so suddenly that it is possible to wrench my back before my core muscles have a chance to engage and prevent it from happening. Stupid, stupid ice.

Stupid me, actually, because there is a product available that will prevent slips and I've been reluctant to purchase it. Until now, that is...

A short time ago I wrote an article about cold-weather running gear that mentioned these products and that I didn't own a pair. This is no longer true. I now own a pair. I now own a pair because I wiped out. Just FYI, when your last name is "Fell" you try really hard not to. It makes people point and laugh, especially in junior high school. Anyway, I wiped out on a bad patch of ice, and I hurt my back.

Quoth the Homer: "D'oh."

Because of the pain, I had to walk the last kilometer back to my daughter's karate class. She asked me why I was late picking her up and I grumbled about needing to make a stop at the running store on the way home.

I always get my running gear at a specialized store because these people know their stuff, so we pulled into the TechShop in Calgary and the staff member said that Yaktrax Pro were popular, so I chose those over the competing brand.

By the time I got home my back was starting to spasm, so I popped some pain pills and went to lie down for a while. Afterward, I did some cobra stretches to push the disc goo back where it belongs. That was my Saturday afternoon.

Sunday morning I was feeling 90 percent better. I had already hit my running quota for the week and Sunday is almost always a day off, plus I had the excuse of some lingering back pain, but I was anxious to give the Yaktrax a try. I'd been reluctant to buy them before because they looked uncomfortable and I didn't like the idea of having these wire-y things on the bottom of my shoes while running. It took a nasty fall to get me to finally give in and purchase a pair.

I noticed that one was labelled "L" and automatically assumed this stood for "Left." It took a moment to figure out that I had purchased "Large" to cover my gigantic Sasquatch shoes. Here's a tip: To make sure you get them on the proper feet, have the Yaktrax logo on the strap facing away from you, so that those across from you can read it and be marketed to.

Upon heading out the door the first thing I discovered was that walking on a clean surface sucked. It just felt wrong. Then I made my way over to a patch of ice and stepped on it. I tried to slip on it and couldn't. These things definitely did what they were designed to do. I picked a patch of clear asphalt and started running. Like walking, it felt really wrong and I didn't like it.

Then I moved over to a section of hard packed snow that was not as bad as ice, but still pretty slippery. The difference was incredible. Running without Yaktrax on this type of surface isn't all that pleasant. There isn't a lot of risk of falling, but you can feel your feet slip with every push off, and you have to take it easy on the corners. With the YakTrax, it was much better. Sure, it feels nicer to run on clear pavement in just shoes, but Yaktrax on packed snow was much more comfortable than being on it without the gripping covers. It also makes going over sections of sheer ice far safer. The one bit of advice I would give in their use is adopting an 'all or none' mentality. Don't wear them for the odd slippery sections if most of your run is clear. Only use them if the majority of the course is snow and ice.

I've only tried them a few times, so I can't comment about durability. Checking online reviews, I've found a few complaints about the product breaking, but the majority of reviewers raved. Yaktrax have a 90 day warranty, by which time all this snow and ice better be gone.

James S. Fell is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a middle-aged family man with a desk job and not much free time, yet he's able to keep in shape because he loves exercise and doesn't mind eating healthy. He is the author of Body for Wife: The Family Guy's Guide to Getting in Shape. His column for That's Fit.ca focuses on weightlifting, running and exercise motivation.