6 Tips to Ease Back Pain

Did you know Back pain is the top reason Americans seek health care today? In fact, according to most orthopedic doctors, a whopping 80% of Americans will suffer back pain at least once in their life, and from this figure, one in four will experience back pain every three months. What's more, back pain is not afflicted on 60 year-olds only, 18-year-olds can be just as affected, as they lead a more active lifestyle that may cause back injury as well. Thankfully, more often than not, back pain isn't that serious and usually, Ibuprofen, ice and some bed rest will do the trick. Still, prevention is better than a cure. So, here are six essential life changes you need to make that will ensure you have a really stable spine.

1. Move around more

Start with the little things, such as taking phone calls standing up. Sitting puts three times the pressure on your disks as standing. To clearly explain this, physical therapists illustrate back pain as follows: Push one of your fingers back as far as is comfortable. Now hold it there for a minute. That ache is what happens when your spine stays in the wrong position for too long. 

2. Stretch your hamstrings

Retired back surgeon in Wisconsin, Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., M.D., suffered 10 years of intermittent back pain. Now, he's been painless for more than 15 years since he began stretching his hamstrings twice per day, morning and night. “If hamstrings are tight, it locks the pelvis in a position and doesn’t allow it to rotate - move back and forth,” he says. “All the motion of daily living goes through the bottom disks. If you get them loosened up, it reverses that process. We don’t see anyone for surgery who has nice loose hamstrings.”

3. Stay in shape and don’t smoke

Staying in shape will allow your back and abdominal muscles to be in reasonable shape and get the oxygen they need to stay healthy. Smoking isn't recommended as it may impede the blood flow your spine needs. Working on your cardiovascular system will increase the amount of oxygen that goes into your muscles, keeping them from bunching up or causing you pain. Make sure to work your back muscles directly as well. A strong back will not complain as much.

4. Maintain the natural inward curve of your lower back

If sitting, ensure that your office chair supports your lower back, or use a pillow for support. You can also use a pillow behind you when sitting on the couch, or in cars or planes. When picking up something heavy, it's not just about bending your knees. You need to stick your butt out and keep your back in the correct neutral position, with the lower back curved.

5. Go biking

Opt for a hybrid bike of half mountain, half road. This will allow you to sit upright and maintain the neutral curve of your back. You will get in shape and build your glute muscles. As we said before, this will get more oxygen into these muscles and allow less pressure to be put directly on your back muscles, winning you a reprieve from pain.

6. Do crunches or sit-ups in the afternoon or evening

Your body is at its most vulnerable in the morning. At this time, your disks are full of fluid, making your risk of injury higher. Added pressure from an early morning sit-up can cause more damage than doing the same exercise in the afternoon. So, best save your sit-ups for a later time in the day. If you must exercise in the morning, make sure to perform lots of stretching and some other exercises before continuing to the back ones.  

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

6 Tips to Ease Back Pain

 Did you know Back pain is the top reason Americans seek health care today? In fact, according to most orthopedic doctors, a whopping 80% of Americans will suffer back pain at least once in their life, and from this figure, one in four will experience back pain every three months. What's more, back pain is not afflicted on 60 year-olds only, 18-year-olds can be just as affected, as they lead a more active lifestyle that may cause back injury as well. Thankfully, more often than not, back pain isn't that serious and usually, Ibuprofen, ice and some bed rest will do the trick. Still, prevention is better than a cure. So, here are six essential life changes you need to make that will ensure you have a really stable spine.

1. Move around more
Start with the little things, such as taking phone calls standing up. Sitting puts three times the pressure on your disks as standing. To clearly explain this, physical therapists illustrate back pain as follows: Push one of your fingers back as far as is comfortable. Now hold it there for a minute. That ache is what happens when your spine stays in the wrong position for too long. 

2. Stretch your hamstrings
Retired back surgeon in Wisconsin, Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., M.D., suffered 10 years of intermittent back pain. Now, he's been painless for more than 15 years since he began stretching his hamstrings twice per day, morning and night. “If hamstrings are tight, it locks the pelvis in a position and doesn’t allow it to rotate - move back and forth,” he says. “All the motion of daily living goes through the bottom disks. If you get them loosened up, it reverses that process. We don’t see anyone for surgery who has nice loose hamstrings.”

3. Stay in shape and don’t smoke
Staying in shape will allow your back and abdominal muscles to be in reasonable shape and get the oxygen they need to stay healthy. Smoking isn't recommended as it may impede the blood flow your spine needs. Working on your cardiovascular system will increase the amount of oxygen that goes into your muscles, keeping them from bunching up or causing you pain. Make sure to work your back muscles directly as well. A strong back will not complain as much.
 
4. Maintain the natural inward curve of your lower back
If sitting, ensure that your office chair supports your lower back, or use a pillow for support. You can also use a pillow behind you when sitting on the couch, or in cars or planes. When picking up something heavy, it's not just about bending your knees. You need to stick your butt out and keep your back in the correct neutral position, with the lower back curved.

5. Go biking
Opt for a hybrid bike of half mountain, half road. This will allow you to sit upright and maintain the neutral curve of your back. You will get in shape and build your glute muscles. As we said before, this will get more oxygen into these muscles and allow less pressure to be put directly on your back muscles, winning you a reprieve from pain.

6. Do crunches or sit-ups in the afternoon or evening
Your body is at its most vulnerable in the morning. At this time, your disks are full of fluid, making your risk of injury higher. Added pressure from an early morning sit-up can cause more damage than doing the same exercise in the afternoon. So, best save your sit-ups for a later time in the day. If you must exercise in the morning, make sure to perform lots of stretching and some other exercises before continuing to the back ones.  

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

Are sit-ups bad for you?

Most weight watchers are constantly trying to get strong, flat abs. They try weight loss pills, quick fix surgeries, costly gym equipment, and long exercise routines which often include crunches and sit-ups. For years, healthcare experts have been discouraging people from taking short cuts to get flat, toned abs. The answer according to them is to get off the couch, exercise and work off those extra kilos as you mind what you eat. Is this the ideal solution to get rid of the flab around your tum? Not entirely true say experts.

Sit-ups can hurt your spine
According to a Prof.,  his studies have demonstrated that repeated bending of the spine, when we do crunches, can damage spinal discs over time. Also, expensive gym equipment are nothing but unnecessary fads. and adds, “Exercises on a wobbly ball and similar devices won’t target the right range of muscles effectively.” Recent research suggests that many devices that claim to work your core muscles fall well short of their promise. In one recent study, researchers measured the degree to which core muscles were activated using a variety of equipment. The results showed that some, including sliding ‘core boards’ (which slide from side to side or back and forth to target the midriff) offered no greater benefit than traditional crunches and sit-ups. In fact some common core exercises, even those not involving equipment, are downright risky, adds  saying, “Instructors who tell people to ‘engage their core’ before they perform exercises are asking for trouble.”

He adds, “There was this theory that by ‘engaging’ the core you would target the deeply embedded transversus abdominus muscle, a thin band that holds the guts in. We now know that the practice leads to people squeezing their abdominal muscles, leaving the back unstable. It’s completely wrong and the reason so many people get hurt when they exercise.” Old-fashioned crunches and sit-ups are also not the recommended route to a stronger middle. “If these are all you do, the results are not only likely to be superficial but can overload the spine in a dangerous way,”.

Pros and cons of using gym accessories “Gym equipment helps increase intensity and gives you variety and variation, however, you can workout on your core muscles without them.”   “Gym accessories provide assistance and improve the range of stretch and contraction. However, they can give you bad spasms in your back if done in the wrong angle and can even cause a lower lumber injury.”

Most weight watchers are constantly trying to get strong, flat abs. They try weight loss pills, quick fix surgeries, costly gym equipment, and long exercise routines which often include crunches and sit-ups. For years, healthcare experts have been discouraging people from taking short cuts to get flat, toned abs. The answer according to them is to get off the couch, exercise and work off those extra kilos as you mind what you eat. Is this the ideal solution to get rid of the flab around your tum? Not entirely true say experts.

Try this at home
Yoga expert  recommends these asanas to help you tuck that tummy in.

Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana (revolved head to knee pose): Sit with legs stretched out in front. Fold the left leg at the knee, keeping the right leg stretched out. Reach out your right hand to grasp the right big towards the right knee, lifting the left hand overhead, to pass it over the left ear and reaching for the right hand. Hold for 10-15 seconds, with normal breathing.

Release  to repeat for the opposite side. Benefits: It tones the spinal nerves, relieving stress. It’s used in therapy for  depression. Also, removes love handles, and abdominal fat. Tones inner  arms, hips and legs.

Setubandhasana (bound bridge pose): Lie on your back and fold legs at the knees. Keep feet flat, close to the hips. Stretch arms to hold your ankles. If that is not possible, then place hands flat on the ground as close to your ankles as possible. Inhale and exhale. Inhaling, raise your hips up ensuring your chin is firmly locked between the collarbones. Hold for a count of five to 10 initially. Exhale, dropping hips gently back to ground. Repeat thrice.