“You are only as old as your back feels” Joseph Pilates
You work hard, you don’t want back pain to slow you down during your free time.
There are ways to manage and maybe even prevent back pain.
It’s rare to come across anyone these days who hasn’t suffered from back ache. According to an NHS study, 1 in 10 people will suffer from back pain at some stage in their lives with the chances increasing with age,naturally enough. Low back pain is the most common complaint, with shoulder issues coming in a close second.
With more than 50% of people relating their back problems to spending 8 + hours working at a desk. Some other causes include bad posture, poor diet, improper foot wear, worn out matress and smoking.
I suffer from back pain caused primarily by an imbalance in my body, I am right hand dominant and for too long I ignored the strain that my left side was taking by compensating for that difference. The pain for me is definitely emphasised when I spend long hours in front of a computer screen.
The following are six things I do to help re-balance and conteract the effects of sitting to ease back ache, I hope these can help you too.
*Yoga– A regular yoga practice helps you develop more mobility and stability in the body. Specific postures can help to lengthen shortened hip flexors, improve tight hamstrings .
Always incorporate some twists and side flexion and extension for a supple spine. Seek out a style of class that supports you and your body’s needs.
*Massage therapy– We all know the benefits of massage when it comes to relaxing muscles and easing tension in the body. But did you know that massage also has a profound physiological effect on the nervous system.
Stress causes cortisol levels to rise in the body, cortisol is the stress hormone, it’s not a bad thing (we need it) but when we continually release it into the body it can cause tension to become our default mode. Massage can help reduce cortisol in the body helping the body return to a more natural state.
*Breathing– Concentrate on your breath, but not in the kind of way you would concentrate on a dfficult math problem. Concentrate with a sense of ease, without expectation and giving it your full attention.
See if you can feel the breath expand in all directions, through the side body, back body and to fill the entire abdomen. Restrictions in the muscles of respiration can cause tension and restriction in the spine.
*Exercise Exercise releases endorphines as we all know endorphines are the happy hormone which help to release tension in the entire body. Walk, run, cycle, dance do what you love, but try to do it at least 4-5 times a week.
*Heat pack Using a heat pack, hot water bottle or hot water in a glass bottle wrapped in a towel and placed on the area where you are experienceing soreness in the back can help ease some tension by drawing more blood and bringing soothing warmth to the area.
*Magnesium is necessary in order for muscles to relax properly low magnesium may cause cramps to occur. Magnesium is important for flexibility in the muscles without it lactic acid builds up which can cause pain and tightness.
You can ingest it, you can take an epsom salt bath or you can simply rub it into tired and sore back muscles.
If you have any questions or suggestions on how you manage back ache I would love to hear from you.
Need a massage? Contact me awaytolivewell@gmail.com