So your back hurts! Recent surveys indicate that you are among over 80% of the Americans with morning back pain.
This will be a good starting point to relieve some of the pain.
For some of you it will be difficult to do so go slowly.
These are natural ways to assist you in your management of back pains.
To achieve the success you would like, you will need to address several categories: stretching, strengthening and then maintaining an appropriate eating and drinking diet.
We are going to approach these activities with a focus on cost and how natural we can make these exercises.
Let's start with stretching: * Lie face down on an exercise ball and move your shoulders forward slightly.
When you are beginning to exercise do this 15 times and as you get more flexible, repeat the exercise 3 repetitions.
* Rest and relax for a few minutes.
Stand up and place your hands upon your lower back and then push your shoulders back and hips forward.
You are going to see the common theme of a number of times to do these exercises: 15 times building up your endurance allowing you to do it 3 sets of 15.
* Lay on the ground facing up, now pull one knee up toward your chest and then pull your other leg up to your chest.
While holding this position, twist the bottom half of your torso to your left and point your knees to the 10 o'clock position.
After holding this position for about 10 seconds, twist your torso the other direction to your right at the 2 o'clock position.
You will want to repeat this exercise 15 times building up to 3 sets of this exercise as well.
* Rest and relax for a few minutes.
While still lying on the ground face up, bend your legs at the knees and place your feet flat on the ground.
Slowly push up your hip area until you form a bridge.
Do this exercise 15 times building up to 3 sets.
Now that we have completed your stretching, some of you will be ready to stop.
Now is the time to determine which is better, breaking through the desire to quit or being prepared to live with back pain.
What we are going to address now is the strengthening exercises.
* To strengthen your lower back, do Hindu style squats.
This exercise is to help with the every day rigors of life.
Do 15 of these, as you get in better shape you should be doing 3 sets of these as well.
* When you are ready to go back to work, do 15 sit ups.
These exercises will strengthen your abs and takes some of the pressure off your back muscles.
* Next we should lie face down in the Superman position.
Keep your body on the mat but lift your head, arms and shoulders as well as your legs into a bowl position.
Hold this position for about 10 secs.
repeating it 15 times.
* Now we want to stand and lean from the waist forward to about 90 degrees.
Using a light weight (2.
5 or 5 lbs) in each hand, lift the arms from the floor to the arm position straight out from the shoulders.
Be careful to go slowly and not too far past the shoulders as you will be putting stress on your neck muscles which are not the intention at this time.
This exercise is known as the Reverse Fly.
* Finally you should get down on your hands and knees (all fours).
You will lift your right arm straight out from your body and then raise your left leg straight out from your hip, hold for about 10 seconds.
Now reverse your arm and leg and hold for 10 seconds.
If you are going to succeed at exercising and strengthening your system so you can achieve back pain relief, you need to address your eating and drinking habits as well.
* You have been told much of your life to drink lots of water.
It is critical to your healthy body to focus on about eight 8 oz.
glasses of water per day.
If you want to help your back recover, you need to give it the best opportunity to succeed.
* While carbonated drinks and other sugary foods taste good, you will now want to avoid them as they are empty calories.
* Eat foods which introduce vitamin B-12 into the system.
Vitamin B-12 is found in fish,liver, poultry, and dairy products.
* Critical to the back's well being is the amount of calcium levels in your body.
You can take in calcium by ingesting milk, cheese, and yogurt which will help maintain and increase calcium levels.
* While you are now eating and drinking better, you want to increase your magnesium intake by eating more green vegetables, nuts and whole grains.
Wow, now that you have completed all of these tasks, are you feeling better and in less pain.
Let's not forget that if you are going to sit for a long period of time, provide some lumbar support for your lower back.
Remember to sit or stand, maintain your back pushed toward your tummy and your shoulders pushed back.
Also if you can, when standing or sitting, prop a foot on a step stool or on something about 4-6 inches off the ground.
One of the biggest issues with back pain is the long periods of time sitting at the computer.
Raise your computer monitor so you do not have to look down.
With your head level, you will not be putting stress on your neck and back.
Also, if you do sit for long periods, lean to the right and left so as to keep adjusting your neck and back.
Additional items to incorporate into your regular activities are to walk more as walking helps to strengthen your back muscles.
Continue to stretch by bending down to touch your toes and move your back and neck around so you continue to strengthen those muscles.
You have completed these exercises so you should congratulate yourself.
You are your way to less pain and a much less stressful life.
You are now in the position to enjoy getting up in the morning and smiling all the way to the tasks at hand.