Inversion Table Therapy - The Best Solution for Back Pain

One of the best solutions for reducing back and neck pain is inversion table therapy. This unique non-invasive method is quite convenient since it can be done at any time of the day in whatever clothing you have on. This technique was created around 400B.C. when the-father-of-medicine Hippocrates saw a patient being heaved upside-down on top of a ladder for his dose of spinal-traction. This treatment uses gravity to help relieve pressure from the lower back and the spine.

The cause of the pain

During the day your disc tends to lose height and weight as they lose fluid. Various forms of stress like muscle imbalances and gravity can squeeze fluid out of your discs resulting in compressed spinal vertebrae. This can result in disc herniation, which is characterized by various discs pressing against the roots of your sciatic nerve. This pressing can result in serious back-pain, and inversion therapy can help reduce this problem.

The principle behind this treatment

With your own weight suspended from your lower body, instead of from your hands like the other forms of therapy, the force-of-gravity helps by decompressing your joints from below their anchors. Hanging upside down exerts an equal & opposite force on each bone in your body and helps relieves pain. Inversion table therapy helps reduce the stress level, improve circulation, and loosen all the bound muscles in your body.

How to use inversion tables

Although it may look like a scary therapy, hanging upside down is completely safe unless you have high-blood-pressure or heart problems - so make sure you consult your doctor before trying this therapy. At the beginning make sure that you have a spotter. As much as inverting your body is quite simple; a spotter will guarantee your safety.

While tilting back make sure you do it slowly, but be ready for a blood-rush to your head which will definitely need some getting used to. So make sure your move slowly at around ten degrees per 10 seconds until your body is completely inverted and hang while upside-down for about five minutes before returning to your original position. To avoid being light-headed and dizzy, make sure that you come up slowly.

Health risks associated with inversion table therapy

Pregnant women and Individuals with glaucoma, heart diseases and high blood pressure among other illnesses are at a higher risk of danger related to this therapy. While inverted, your blood pressure tends to increase while your heart beat reduces. This therapy also elevates the pressure inside your eyeballs.

Other health risks

If you are experiencing some acid reflux, then inversion should be approached carefully, as it may not be right for you. Since when in an inverted manner small amounts of acids can escape into your esophagus. While in the standing position Gravity tends to maintain the acid inside your stomach, but when you are inverted, gravity does not help and a combination of acid reflux & inversion table can be nauseating and quite painful among other potential dangerous symptoms.

It is safe?

With the current technology, this therapy is quite safe, comfortable and effective. Before inverting your entire body make sure that you secure your ankles. This therapy uses your own weight to eliminate tension from your back thus allowing you to control the angle of inversion. Inversion tables all include a strap or bars that stop the table tilting back further that you are comfortable with, and this together with the ankle claming systems make inversion quite safe to perform.

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Discover Gravity Inversion Tables

Inversion therapy can be defined as a therapeutic approach to eradicating back pain. With this therapy, a patient is required to stay in an inverted position against the force of gravity i.e. your legs should face upwards and your head downwards. Though some medics tend to disregard this method in the treatment of back pain, the truth of the matter is that it has numerous benefits for athletes and people suffering from back pain.

To perform this form of exercise therapy at home, you need to buy a good quality inversion table. There are various options available in the market with brands such as Teeter Hang Ups, Ironman, and Health Mark. A good table should give you the opportunity to fully invert your body in a comfortable manner, with ankle clasps that are well padded. When your body is in an inverted position the different sections of your body naturally apply the correct amount of traction to each section of your spinal column. This force helps in decompressing your neck and back muscles, removing pressure from your discs - thus alleviating back pain.

Benefits of using Gravity Inversion Tables

There are many benefits of using inversion therapy - key among them are:

• Improved Blood Circulation thus rejuvenating your body. This can also help increase your mental alertness and sense of wellbeing


• Decompression of the spinal cord, and rehydration of the intervertebral discs


• This form of therapy can also help improve your stability and balance. Usually the force of gravity makes you shorter daily by compressing your spinal cord over many years. Inversion therapy decompresses and elongates the spine thus making you slightly taller (for a little while anyway!)


• Inversion table exercises strengthen your core muscles, help clean your lymphatic system and helps get rid of toxic substances in the body


• These tables also allow you to perform inverted squats and stretches. They can also help reduce problems that arise from prolapsed organs

Tips for Buying a Good Inversion Table

There are many places where you can find gravity inversion tables for your home including retail stores and online. It is always advisable to gather as much information as possible before choosing a particular inversion table. Here are a few tips to help you out.

• Always base your decision after doing a thorough visual inspection of these tables.


• Another important factor to consider is the usability of these tables. A good inversion table must be able to accommodate your height and weight safely. Never compromise on this factor even if the price shoots beyond your budget.


• A good inversion machine must also have properly installed safety features. Check for the safety features such as a strap to prevent over-rotation, and a good ankle holding system.


• When buying a second-hand inversion table, always do a thorough check to verify if it's working reliably and smoothly.

In summary, inversion therapy is very effective when it comes to alleviating back pain. Whether you're an athlete or a regular person who wants to say goodbye to back pains, a gravity inversion table may be the right solution for you.

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Watch Out for Early Signs Related to Cervical Spondylosis

Early signs of Cervical Spondylosis do not really get much attention from those suffering from it. Most of the time, the pain associated with the condition is just ignored. Most of us do not really give importance to these symptoms, which is already pointing out to an illness that needs medical attention.

Cervical Spondylosis is one among the many age-related conditions that people face. Men are mostly affected by this condition rather than women. In some rare cases, the disease is already observed in an earlier age group, particularly at age twenty. Its early development only proves that old age and also genetics are not the only factors contributing to the prognosis of the condition.

The earliest sign of Cervical Spondylosis that you need to watch out is a persistent neck pain which is mostly described as a sharp, stabbing pain or sometimes as a dull pain. It is mostly felt when in a slouched position and when performing activities that entail pressure to the neck and back area. You might also be uncomfortable with rotating your neck during the early hours of the morning as you often wake up with a stiff neck.

Another notable sign of Cervical Spondylosis are headaches which are usually felt in the posterior portion of the head. The pain has the tendency to radiate all the way from your neck to your shoulders and arms. The headache returns once in 10 days and is relieved momentarily by over-the-counter drugs (OTC's).

Based on initial assessments, those suffering from Cervical Spondylosis often complain of a burning sensation that is felt in the eyes. When the eyes are strain, blurred visions often occurs. The blurred vision, however, can also point to an underlying development of tinnitus.

With the progression of Cervical Spondylosis, it is best to take note if feelings of weakness starting to manifest in your lower extremities. In severe cases of the disease, pain is felt while walking along with balance loss when standing. There is also a risk for falls as the symptoms progresses.

It is best that you consult your physician as soon as some of these initial signs related to Cervical Spondylosis are observed. Never rely on your gut-feeling that the symptoms are only a minority of priorities in your overall health. To avoid the condition beforehand, a daily dose of exercise can do the trick of relieving neck sprains. In order to direct negative emotions out of your system, you can go to yoga classes which decrease signs of anxiety and depression. Prevention is always the topmost priority for achieving a healthy lifestyle.

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4 Excellent Exercises to Strengthen the Lower Back

Based on research by the Centers for Disease Control and many other studies, the leading cause of disability in the U.S. is low back pain.

If we go beyond the statistics and into reality of why you never want to have acute or chronic back problems, the answer is 'pain.'

If you have ever had your low back 'go out' on your then you should have enough motivation to take the necessary steps to prevent it from occurring again. If you have never had your low back truly 'go out' on you, then consider yourself very lucky and decide that right now is the time to take the steps to avoid it.

Now, while in this article I am focusing on strengthening the low back, stretching is of course a super important part of good back health.

For the sake of simplicity, I have narrowed it down to just four important low back strengthening exercises.

Most experts agree that one of the best ways to stabilize the low back is by strengthening the front in addition to the back muscles. When you do any exercise that involves the use of your muscles in your back and in your front in a coordinated fashion, it is considered a core exercise. So for all practical purposes, when you are working to strengthen the front and back of your trunk, you are in effect strengthening your core.

Check out these four exercises below and get on the road to your healthier core. You can do these at the fitness center, home or even at work. None of these exercises require weights or specialized exercise equipment.

Core Bridges

This exercise is definitely a standard in the world of core strengthening. To do this important exercise, lie down in a supine (on your back) position and bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor.

With you low back relaxed so that it is not flattened and not arched, contract your abs but avoid tilting your hips. Elevate your hips off the floor until your body is in a straight line from knees to head. Hold the position for a minimum of 10 seconds and as long as 30 seconds if you are able. Now lower back to the floor slowly. Repeat this 15 more times.

Knee Rotation (Bilateral)

Lie on the floor or a mat in a supine position. Place your arms out to the side. Bring both hips and knees each to an angle of ninety degrees. Your shins should be parallel to the mat or floor. Tighten the abdominal muscles and then slowly rotate your legs and torso to the right all the way down to the floor. Now bring the knees back towards the center and continue all the way over to the left side. Repeat this for 20 repetitions (so 10 to each side).

Single Leg Raises

Lie onto your back. Bend your right leg so the foot is on the floor while keeping the left leg straight. Tighten your abs, and slowly lift the extended leg off the floor about 10 inches. Hold this for 5 to 10 seconds and then lower the leg slowly. Repeat this while lifting the opposite leg. Repeat 15 times for each leg.

Cross Crawl on All Fours

Get on your hands and knees with your hands about shoulder width apart. Now contract your read and stomach muscles to create a nice tight core bridge. Elevate left leg and right arm to where they are in line with your back. Don't forget to keep the contraction in the back and abdominal muscles.

Try not to let either unsupported hip or shoulder drop. Back to starting position and now raise the left arm and right leg. With each repetition, hold the raised arm and leg up for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat this 15 times per side or at least work your way up to it.

With all of these exercises, remember that you can work your way up to holding it for as long or doing as many repetitions as I recommended. The key here is do not force it and end up injuring yourself.

When showing my clients how to do these exercises in my Keller chiropractic center, I always remind them that they should feel a little pull and burn as the muscles begin to fatigue. If it feels like more than that then stop and consult your local chiropractor or other provider immediately.

The Perfect Diet for Cervical Spondylosis

As people age, they encounter a handful of medical conditions related to ageing. One of these age-related diseases that are mostly common in 85% of people with the age of seventy (70) is Cervical Spondylosis.

Also known as Cervical Osteoarthritis or neck arthritis, cervical spondylosis is one of those degenerative diseases that affect men more than women. The condition appears in old age as a defense against the body's natural mechanism of wear and tear. Although some people are already suffering from this condition, it is not clearly diagnosed unless a thorough neck x-ray is performed. Those who are positive with the disease often complain recurrent neck stiffness accompanied with pain.

When you are diagnosed with Cervical Spondylosis, your physician will usually advise that you should adhere to a strict diet to decrease the pain intensity in your neck area. You will be required to avoid specific food preparations along with certain condiments that has the ability to worsen the pain associated with the disease. On the other hand, there are also specific fruits and vegetables that can help alleviate the neck pain caused by the degenerative condition.

If you are suffering from Cervical Spondylosis, what then are the foods you need to avoid?

One of the many contraindications of Cervical Spondylosis is fried and salty foods along with those that had been cooked with hot spices. You also need to avoid ingestion of sour food, most especially curd. Tea and coffee are included among the strictly need to avoid list.

Your "to avoid" list should also include acid-building foods such as red meat, citrus fruits and even white potatoes. Accumulation of acid in your body can signal joint inflammation and worsen Cervical Spondylosis.

It is advisable to eat wheat instead of rice. Soup along with vegetable juices is a must in your diet. To fight free radicals in your body, it is beneficial to consume foods rich in Vitamins A & C. Free radicals are sometimes the root cause of neck swelling and inflammation.

There are a lot of food selections you can choose from for an effective relief from Cervical Spondylosis. Turmeric, which is one of the primary ingredients in Indian cuisine, has the ability to block inflammation processes in the body, including joint inflammation. Include this in your diet along with apples, ginger and garlic. Foods with abundant supply of Omega 3 and Vitamin E such as oil seeds, nuts and fish can also help combat joint inflammation.

Take note that if you have Cervical Spondylosis, you should be eating four healthy meals a day. Each of your meals should include ample amounts of calcium, phosphorous and protein.

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Computer Posture - How To Improve Your Posture At Work

If you work for long periods of sitting down at a computer, over the course of the day you tend to get so absorbed into your work you slouch and forget to focus on your posture which creates unnecessary tension in your body. As a yoga teacher a lot of my students complain about back pain and neck tension caused by sitting incorrectly at their desk. In today's post, I share good computer sitting tips to relieve the pressure on your back and neck muscles.

In the USA, back pain is believed to be the number one cause of disability in workers under the age of 45. And in the UK, back pain is one of the leading causes of work-related absences.

Aches and pains and discomfort is the body's way of telling you something is wrong. Constantly ignoring your pain, hoping it will go away often leads to more serious injury. Everyone has their own "pain threshold", so the more body aware you are, the easier it becomes for you to spot and identity soreness and pain in your body.

There are many causes of back pain and pain can occur in the lower, middle or upper back, for example you can have a prolapsed disc, collapsed vertebrae, osteoporosis, muscle strain and disc protrusion, spondylolysis, spinal arthritis, sciatica, rheumatoid arthritis or scoliosis, all of these conditions require proper medical diagnosis and treatment which is outside the scope of this eBook.

What Is "Good Posture?"

Good posture is posture that allows you to move freely, with ease and smooth co-ordination, poise and balance. Your movements become fluid and strange as it seems, the less effort you place on your body to move, the easier it is for you to sit upright in a comfortable and relaxed manner, which places less stress on your back, shoulders and neck muscles.

Often, when I ask students to sit correctly they instantly stiffen their backs, hold their breath and tighten their neck muscles. Office workers, who sit all day at a desk hunched over a computer keyboard are at risk of back pain. Notice how you sit next time you answer the phone or stand at the printer or coffee machine.

If you tend to over-arch your lower back when sitting down at work, or slouch or slump in your chair when you sit at your desk, chances are by the end of the day you'll feel discomfort, soreness and even pain in your lower, middle and upper back. You may even experience neck ache and eye strain caused by the way you sit and twist your body at your desk to answer the phone or work on multiple screens at the same time.

Good Posture Tip:

Whether standing or sitting, aim to be aware of your posture. Think back care and look at ways to support and protect your back, neck and shoulders to prevent tension and stress building up in your body.

· Be aware of the positioning of your back and head. Keep your neck in line with your back

· Think about increasing the length of your neck, allow your shoulders to relax, broaden your chest and adjust your body so your back, shoulders and neck are in alignment.

· When bending, bend at your hips and knees, squat or kneel to pick things up, keep your knees in line with your feet and keep your back upright.

· Keep both feet flat on the floor, toes pointing forward, weight evenly distributed on the balls of your feet and heels.

· Avoid twisting and overstretching to reach things. Always position yourself in front of the object you wish to lift. Use your legs to lift, not your back

· Breathe!

Sitting At A Computer Posture Tip:

If you work for a conscientious and health aware organization, then your workstation will be ergonomically designed to accommodate your height and individual needs. Even if your monitor, keyboard, desk and chair are set up correctly, it is still necessary for you to be aware of how you sit.

· Make sure your elbows are in line with or above your wrist as you type, you may need to adjust your chair height to facilitate this or use a support to keep your hands and wrists aligned.

· Rest your feet on a foot rest or keep them flat on the floor, toes pointing forward.

· Bring your chair to an upright position and avoid leaning backwards and sagging in your chair.

· Support your lower back, allow your neck to lengthen and feel balanced on top of your spine.

· Raise your screen to eye level, an arm's length away. If the screen is too low or far away you have to lean forward and hunch to hunch to read the screen which leads to tension in your neck and tightness in your shoulder blades.

· With the screen at eye level place the keyboard below. You should be able to quickly glance between your screen and keyboards only using your eyes.

· Type mindfully, be gentle as you touch the keys.

· Take frequent breaks and remember to breathe!

In this article we have looked at various things you can safely do to protect your back and neck from extra tension and strain.

Action Points:

The key points I would like you to be aware of are:

· Be aware of the positioning of your back and head.

· Keep your head in line with your back

· Bend at the hips, squat or kneel and keep your back straight when bending.

· Avoid twisting your torso when bending over to move things or pick up heavy objects.

· Breathe.

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Shoulder Muscle Causes Pain In Your Upper Back And Neck - Get Rid Of Shoulder Blade Pain Naturally

Did you know that muscles are the biggest cause of neck and shoulder pain? You have a lot of muscles in your upper body that are capable of causing pain around your neck and shoulder. Here's one:

The levator scapulae muscle is also called the 'shoulder hiker.' It lifts or hikes your shoulder blade. As all muscles do, when it gets unhappy it causes pain. Here's more information.

Trigger points are hyper-irritable areas of muscle that cause pain elsewhere. Sometimes the pain is at a great distance from the trigger point. Trigger points can develop in the shoulder hiker muscle and when they do they cause pain in the neck, upper back and shoulder blade.

If trigger points develop in the levator scapulae here is where it will cause pain:

• Where the muscle is.
• Along the spine side of your shoulder blade (which is also called the scapula) down to the bottom of the scapula.
• At the top back of your arm.

If it always feels like your shoulders are creeping up to your ears, this muscle is the culprit. It may have become shortened because you held your shoulders hiked and the muscle got used to being in that position.

It may also have developed trigger points that need to be released. If you do not release the trigger points you will continue to have pain in your upper back and neck.

How can you help your shoulder hiker muscle relax?

1. You can press into the levator scapulae muscle with your fingers or a massage pressure tool. Press at the crook of your neck where your neck meets your shoulder. Look for very tender areas. The tender areas are where you want to apply pressure. Hold the pressure for about 12 seconds. Also, press where the muscle meets the top of the shoulder blade. Those are the two areas where trigger points are.

2. You can go to a professional massage therapist who can warm and relax the muscle (and others around it) with manual pressure and massage. He or she will work the length of the muscle to help it stretch and settle it down. A trigger point therapist can get rid of the triggers that are causing the pain in your neck and upper back.

3. You can lift your shoulders to your ears. Hike them way up and hold for twenty seconds or so. This will tire the shoulder hiker muscle so it will start to relax. You can do this several times. (But use good sense. Too many times can make the muscles ache from overuse just as any new exercise program can.)

What made your levator scapulae unhappy in the first place?

• Poor posture causes muscle strain in the shoulder hiker muscle and will cause it to complain. The pain that you feel is actually a complaint; your body is telling you to stop doing something.
• Over-exercising (hiking your shoulders when lifting) or rotating your neck too much from side to side (watching a tennis match) can also cause neck and shoulder pain.
• A car accident can activate trigger points in the levator scapulae and so can walking with a cane that is too tall.
• Carrying a purse or bag with your shoulder hiked up also causes pain in your upper back and neck.

I have heard so many women say, "That feels so much better!" after their neck muscles were treated. Then they hiked their shoulder up to hold their purse. That was exactly the movement that caused their upper back and neck pain in the first place!

Scoliosis can also cause pain in the crook of the neck but that's a different issue. The whole body needs to be addressed in that case to figure out the cause of the scoliosis.

So here, in a nutshell, are the two steps to get rid of the pain in your upper back and neck naturally:

1. Relax the shoulder-hiking levator scapulae muscle with massage or pressure.
2. Change or stop doing whatever is causing your shoulder hiker muscle(s) to be unhappy.

That is how you can get rid of pain in your neck and upper back when it is caused by the shoulder hiker muscle.

How Do I Stop Throwing Out My Back?

We've probably all heard the term "I've thrown out my back" at some point in our lives. Throwing out the back is actually a slang term that has been used and passed down for generations. Commonly, this term actually refers to an episode where the person is experiencing a feeling of being tight, crooked or even in extreme pain or discomfort.

There is no true 100% failsafe way to prevent this from happening. A person's general conditioning, core strength and proper biomechanics all play a role in whether or not they experience back problems. With proper conditioning and correct posture, as well as using the correct technique when bending or lifting, you will drastically minimize the risk of throwing your back out.

What Are The Symptoms of a Pain in the Back?

There are many different symptoms of back pain that you might experience including muscle aches, pain that radiates down your leg, stabbing pain, shooting pain, limited flexibility, limited range of motion and even problems standing up straight. Back pain can last a few minutes, a few hours, a few days or even a few weeks. This is considered to be acute back pain.

Chronic back pain lasts for three months or longer. It can be caused from a number of different conditions including arthritis, chronic muscle strain or a herniated disc.

It's important to note that you should see a medical professional if your back pain doesn't go away using home treatments such as alternating hot packs and cold packs, and taking anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen. If you can't get your back pain to subside within 72 hours, or if it seems to be getting worse, you need to see your doctor.

What Causes Back Pain?

Back pain most commonly occurs after straining muscles or ligaments. This can be due to lifting something that was too heavy or just using the improper technique to lift it. You may move suddenly in an awkward way and actually strain your back. Sometimes, it can be something as simple as a muscle spasm that can bring you to your knees.

Of course, there are also structural issues that can cause back pain. This includes things such as sciatica, irregularities in your skeletal system, arthritis, bulging discs, ruptured discs and even osteoporosis.

A trained pain specialist is able to do some high-tech testing using equipment that many doctors don't have. These tests will allow the specialist to find the exact source of your pain so that they can treat it specifically. This is a much better approach than throwing treatment methods and medications at the symptoms while not knowing what the exact cause is.

Your doctor will do range of motion testing as well as other tests to determine the source of the pain so that they can create a treatment program that will pinpoint that area with precision accuracy.

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The Functional Body in Crisis

Defining the Problem-

While almost everyone acknowledges and understands the benefits of proper exercise and diet. Few understand the importance of good posture and muscle balance which is defined as the relative equality of muscle length or strength between opposing muscles surrounding a joint; this balance is necessary for normal movement and function. Muscle imbalance often begins after injury or with functional pathology leading to pain and inflammation. Muscle imbalance in today's society is compounded by stress, fatigue and insufficient movement through regular physical activity as well as a lack of variety of movement. Lack of variety contributes greatly to imbalance and repetitive movement disorders.

In the United States alone, musculoskeletal conditions account for approximately $254 billion a year in associated healthcare costs, lost productivity and medical research (United States Bone and Joint Decade 2002). This means that human dysfunction, misalignment and associated pain cost the U.S. more than $695 million per day. Certainly these conditions weigh heavily on the economy, but-more importantly-their profound and dramatic effects are causing many people to suffer.

Some Background-

The human body is a wondrous thing, the product of millions of years of evolutionary selection and adaptation to change. Witness any professional athlete performing his or her sport and behold the wonder of its capabilities. Precision, power, grace, endurance, strength, and creativity are just a few of the many things that it can do. Now think about this: our ancient ancestor's struggles to survive. They constantly had to move to survive: walking, running, climbing, digging, hunting, gathering, running from predators, or chasing prey and surviving the elements could all be a part of a days work. This was the crucible from which our bodies were molded!

As wondrous, rugged and adaptable as the human body is why today does it seem so fragile and prone to joint related break downs, degenerative disease and pain? Why are joint related surgeries and joint replacement surgeries dramatically on the rise? How has such a rugged structure become so frail and problematic in seemingly just a few generations of time? How have millions of years of natural selection and evolutionary development, that helped shape such a wondrous and adaptable body, one that science and technology even at it's very best can only crudely replicate, have gone so a rye? If you don't believe me just take a good look around you. Watch those around you move and listen to them speak about their bodily aches and pains. In some conversations its all people talk about.

So what's going on here?

Most people in our society are becoming increasingly sedentary due to automation and technology. It took millions of years for humans to stand upright and only about the last 50 to spend most of the day hunched over again at a computer, driving or watching television; leading our bodies not only toward obesity, but also to muscular weakness and imbalance and with it compensation and movement dysfunction, which is something we rarely hear about. Just think about this! As recently as the turn of the last century for example (c. 1900) one person in a household spent a full day just doing laundry! We no longer have to move to survive. As we human beings have become smarter and more efficient at using tools, we move less and our specially adapted bodies are doing much less of what they were designed to do. Those that are active today often repeat the same movement patterns i.e., biking, running, swimming, etc., subjecting them to repetitive overuse injuries and muscle imbalances. Compared to our ancestors our bodies are not getting the regular physical activity, and more importantly the diversity of movement stimulus needed to stay balanced and functional.

My experience as a strength coach, posture, movement correction specialist, and observer of human movement have clearly showed me that almost everyone suffers from some sort of musculoskeletal imbalance that affects his or her ability to move optimally. In fact, it was through the observation of my clients and members and their struggles with imbalance, pain, and movement while exercising and my own imbalances that have motivated me to study and research this area exhaustively. Muscle imbalance can be defined as opposing muscle groups being imbalanced in length or strength creating restriction and abnormal joint function. The process of muscle balance and movement is thought to be directed by a sensorimotor program that regulates function throughout the body and is interconnected. Think of this regulation as a sort of orchestrated intra-muscular coordination. During movement balanced muscle contractions about a joint are necessary to aid the connective tissue in providing joint stability and equalize pressure distribution at the joint surface(s). Our sedentary lifestyles, pain, injury and chronic stress can cause communication deficits within this sensorimotor system which delays the protective muscular responses of reflexive joint stabilization, affecting alignment and balance that are critical for proper joint function, overall body posture and the long term health of the joint(s). Over time, this imbalance becomes centralized in the Central Nervous System (CNS) as a new motor pattern, thus continuing a cycle of pain and dysfunction.

So what does this mean for you?

Left unchecked these changes get worse with time and lead to increasingly inefficient movement, excessive wear and tear to the joint and joint surfaces at best and at worst excessive, painful joint surface erosion leading many to have joint replacement surgery. These surgeries are a very poor substitute to replace what we were born with. Ultimately surgery does nothing to correct the real problem 'the imbalance'. If the uncorrected imbalances remain, in time the joint above and or below the replaced joint, could and often do follow suit. The problem is the pain is only a symptom of the problem and not the cause. Therefore joint replacements don't resolve the problem only the symptom. This can easily be avoided if the proper movement and postural assessment, testing and corrective therapies are applied early on.

What can you do about it?

The bad news is that this problem is not correctable with regular exercise and stretching. In addition, the imbalances are rarely taken seriously; until they are fairly advanced because they are difficult to detect by the individual as the changes happen slowly and gradually over time.

The good news is these imbalances are correctable but they require time and work to correct. For correction to take place and to minimize permanent soft tissue damage the imbalances need to be identified early and corrected by a trained professional, otherwise they will only be reinforced and exacerbated with continued exercise and training.

Another upside of this issue is that musculoskeletal pain issues are firmly and squarely in the spotlight. Consequently, more and more qualified professionals are entering the corrective-exercise and fitness arena developing new and more effective ways of assessing and correcting imbalance. World-renowned physical therapists, exercise physiologists, doctors and biomechanics specialists are bringing quality research to the fitness and wellness industry-and as a result, business is booming.

In closing, if you have any further questions or concerns about this topic or just want to improve your quality of movement please come see me. I specialize in designing customized programs to correct postural alignment and musculo-skeletal imbalances to minimize injury and maximize performance. In my work, I combine posture and movement corrective modalities with an extensive strength and conditioning background to provide my clients with an optimally functioning body that is balanced, strong and pain free.

Ergonomic Chairs Can Change Your Life

Have you ever suffered from fatigue or back pain? Have you come home from work stiff and having little energy left in you to enjoy your life and children? I think it may be time you consider upgrading your office chair to a fully ergonomic chair. I have spent a considerable amount of time of this very subject and I would like to share some of the information that I have uncovered with you. My thirty years of experience in the office furniture world has finally paid some dividends!

An ergonomic task chair is the basis for a comfortable, productive workstation. Ergonomic means that the chair has the necessary adjustable functions and standard qualities that make it suitable for the majority of the population. I have listed below some of the unique characteristics of a good quality ergonomic chair.

Seat Height - Adjustability is a must; your feet should rest comfortably on the floor without pressure on the back of the thighs. The angle between the thigh and torso should not be less than 90°.

Seat Depth - The seat should have a waterfall edge and be the right depth. Too short, and pressure will result on the back of the thighs, too long and the seat edge will press into the back of the knee. A seat slider is a good option to provide adjustable depth.

Seat pan Angle - Should allow the user to keep the feet flat on floor and should move proportionally to backrest angle.

Lumbar support - The backrest curve should follow the natural curve of the spine, so when purchasing, always look for an adjustable lumbar support.

Backrest Height - The backrest needs to adequately support the back. Mid-back chairs are most popular since they allow for upper torso movement, while high-back chairs support the shoulder blades as well. Low-back chairs (<45 cm tall) are not recommended.

Backrest Angle - A great adjustable feature to allow for the recommended 93°-113° torso-to-thigh angle, plus provide a changing posture throughout the day.

Armrests - Should be height adjustable between 19-24 cm and should naturally support the arms at the elbow and forearm with a padded surface, without the user leaning or elevating the shoulder. They should not interfere with computer work or positioning of the chair, so should be set back from the front edge of the chair 15 cm.

I know that your body will benefit from the correct chair for you. Go to a local office supplies company who specializes in quality office furniture and test drive all the wonderful chairs available. Good Luck!!

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Is Cracking Your Back And Neck Safe?

Many people are concerned that cracking their backs and necks will lead to painful conditions like arthritis. Others consider cracking a normal part of maintenance; after all, chiropractors help people with back pain by cracking their backs with manipulation techniques. Is it safe to crack your back and neck?

The answer to this depends on the method and frequency of cracking. First, consider what happens when you crack a joint. The bones of the joint move apart, which creates a temporary vacuum (since more volume equals less pressure). Gases that have dissolved in the joint's protective fluids undergo a reconstitution of sorts when volume decreases; the dissolved gases now form into bubbles. The pop you hear is the sound of these bubbles popping as pressure drops even lower.

Cracking the back and neck often feels good because it involves stretching joints, ligaments and muscles. If you hear your joints crack when you stretch, this is generally nothing to be concerned about. When cracking becomes excessive, such as when a person habitually and forcibly cracks his or her back and neck multiple times a day, hypermobility becomes a concern.

Hypermobility occurs when the ligaments surrounding a joint become overstretched. The ligaments fail to support the joint and the joint is susceptible to excess range of motion. Though cracking knuckles doesn't cause arthritis, the extra wear and tear hypermobile spinal joints are subjected to can likely increase your risk of non-rheumatoid arthritis if you crack your spine habitually. Joints that crack regularly without much prompting may be a symptom of hypermobility.

Another problem that occurs with hypermobility is tight muscles. Muscles surrounding lax ligaments tense up to protect and support the area, compensating for the ligaments. This muscular tension increases your perceived need to crack your back and neck, and so the cycle continues.

Neck cracking comes with a unique risk: stroke. The vertebrobasiliar artery runs the length of the cervical spine and is most vulnerable at the top of the spine, where it loops into and out of the vertebra (C1). This artery provides nutrients and oxygen to parts of the brain that facilitate many functions, including vision, balance and consciousness. Cracking the neck forcibly changes the position of the vertebra and can condense the artery enough to cause a tear. Blood clots can pass along to the brain or block the flow of blood to it resulting in possible stroke and death. The risk is present for both self adjustments and chiropractic manipulations. See http://www.webmd.com/stroke/news/20030512/neck-cracking-raises-stroke-risk for more on this.

Is cracking your back and neck safe? Cracking that occurs when stretching is often safe, but if it happens with very little effort it may be a sign of hypermobility. Excessive intentional cracking may cause hypermobility of ligaments and joints coupled with tense muscles. Joint wear can accelerate if you crack your spine constantly. Finally, cracking your neck comes with a rare but serious risk of stroke. If you experience pain when cracking a joint, this could be the sign of a joint problem and deserves medical attention.

There are many myths surrounding back cracking. Keeping yourself informed will help you know which actions are healthy and which are harmful.

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Chronic Back Pain And Its Non-Invasive Treatments

Chronic back pain is not a new condition among people who are prone to this kind of problem. This condition ranges from full soreness to persisting sharp inflammation. Back pain patients frequently experience stiffness in the morning, while others, undergo pain in the lumbar area (lower back). Though the pain is certainly distressing, more people complain about the disruption that it causes their daily life.

This is the reason why the sufferer must seek a treatment or relief that best suits his/her needs, as soon as possible. There are lots of treatments provided for chronic back pain. Some of these are home remedies, invasive, and non-invasive therapy. Home remedies can provide quick but temporary relief for the condition. Invasive therapies can cause you a lot of money and a possibility to encounter some side effects in the long run. On the other hand, non-invasive therapies are considered to be safe and effective for treating chronic lower back pain, as well.

What are Non-Invasive Treatments?

Non-Invasive Treatments are preferred if you are suffering from pain in the back without really having the necessity of going through drastic medical procedures. These treatments are generally those that provide somewhat conservative procedures, which don't require any kind of incisions made to the body or any elimination of tissue.

A treatment combination of non-invasive procedures such as physical therapy, chiropractic manipulation and heat therapy. These procedures are usually prescribed over a period of time depending on the level of treatment required. Non-invasive treatments are necessary if a patient needs to cope with the pain.

Physical Therapy

When a patient experiences a series of back pain that lasts between 2 to 6 weeks, or if there is a recurrent persistent back pain, then it is reasonable to try physical therapy or workouts. Generally, the goals of chronic back pain exercises and physical therapy are to lessen back pain, enhance function, and give education on a maintenance program to stop further recurrences.

There are lots of different types of physical therapy. The therapist may concentrate on reducing the pain by means of passive physical therapy, also called as modalities. These are considered passive therapies since they are completed to the patient. Some modalities include heat/ice packs, TENS units and ultrasound.

Other kind of physical therapies include active physical therapy or exercise. Exercise is important for patients who want to rehabilitate the spine. In general, the person's back exercise program must encompass a combination of stretching as well as strengthening for back pain exercise, and low-impact aerobic conditioning.

Chiropractic Manipulation

Chiropractic or spinal manipulation involves moving a joint beyond its normal range of motion. You frequently hear a cracking or popping noise during chiropractic adjustment while the joint is manipulated. The objective of chiropractic manipulation is to ease the pain and enhance the physical function of a person's body.

Chiropractic manipulation is done with a chiropractic doctor. In the meantime, spinal manipulations are performed by physical therapist or osteopathic doctor.

Heat Therapy

Since heat and warmth are always associated with relaxation and comfort, heat therapy is one of the best ways to reduce back pain. Heat therapy provides more benefits than what patients of back pain usually know. Moreover, heat therapy for chronic back pain in the form of heat wraps, heating pad, warm gel packs, hot baths, are affordable and simple to do.

Heat therapy can dilate blood vessels of the muscles that surround the lumbar spine. This method increases the flow of oxygen, including nutrients to the muscles, helping to cure the damaged tissue. In addition, heat can stimulate the sensory receptors within the skin, which means that using heat to the lower back will moderately relieve the discomfort brought by chronic back pain.

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Causes of Sciatica and Sciatic Nerve Pain

The first step towards solving a problem is identifying the cause. You cannot solve a problem that you do not know the source. This would involve a situation of trial and error. Trial and error is applicable on some cases especially those that do not involve living organisms. Trying trial and error in living organisms would be disastrous. With sciatica, a condition that brings about Sciatic nerve pain, it is no different. To cure it or avoid it, one should start by trying to understand its causes. With the causes, you, as an individual, can actively avoid causes that are avoidable. As a medical practitioner, you are able to administer the right medication on the patient suffering this condition.

There are different forms of sciatica and thus Sciatic nerve pain, which means that there are varying causes of the condition. Learning the most common causes will go a great step toward helping you fight or avoid the condition. Although, different forms may be caused by the same cause, the severity of exposure to the cause is what brings about the whole difference. Although similar, the causes must be related to the spinal cord, whether from within or external. The most common are external which stimulate the internal environment. For instance, some exercise, which is an external factor, may cause the lumber disc, which is an internal organ, to react causing the condition.

The most common cause of sciatica and Sciatic nerve pain is the lumbar disc directly pressing on sciatica nerve. Anything that causes irritation and inflammation on the nerve is likely to bring about sciatica. The irritation of the sciatica nerve is referred to radiculopathy. Irritation of this nerve could be caused by tumors, irritation by the bone adjacent to it, pinched nerve, internal bleeding, injury and infections. The sciatica can also be irritated during pregnancy due to the physiological changes women go through when pregnant.

Another cause of sciatica and the related Sciatic nerve pain is trauma. The trauma could have been brought about by vehicle accidents, or falling during football sports. This is an external factor that influences the lumbar causing sciatica. The impact from the accident or the fall could have an impact on the spinal cord and related nerves, which may, in effect, bring about sciatica.

Another common cause is the Piriformis syndrome, named after the Piriformis muscle. The pain occurs when the sciatic nerve is irritated by this muscle.

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More on Back Pain

The biggest cause in most cases of non specific back pain - pain not due to damage from accident and injury or birth defect - and, in fact, most physical ailments lie in what sufferers have been consuming since birth. (Not entirely their fault as they have bought the lies put out by advertising companies).

Thanks to the processors of foods, poisoners of insects, industrial waste - the list goes on.

Of course the doctors 'junk medicines' are hugely to blame, slowly poisoning their victims from birth. Just read some of the side affects on the pamphlets supplied with the stuff.

So.. to get back to the point in question. The answer is so simple that it gets overlooked. To get down to basics; Muscles go into spasm and the ligaments slip over the vertebral spines, pulling the vertebra out of alignment, pinching nerves etc etc. But, that's not basic to the problem. Why does this continue to happen? Well, the muscles and ligaments are made of cells and tissue. If these are damaged or diseased, the muscles can't operate correctly and the whole shooting match goes out.

Processed foods

Processed foods and bad diets make the body acidic. I'm not talking about acidity in the stomach i.e. hart burn, I'm talking about the condition in the body. A simple urine test will indicate acidity - or alkalinity - levels in the body.

Acid is the no 1 enemy of cells and tissue. The cells and tissue then cant do their work efficiently.

This cause goes back to before birth. What was the mother eating - what was the condition of her body? If her body was acidic, so was her unborn child's.

Many people started this life with this problem and didn't even know it.

Although cells regenerate, they can only regenerate at a certain pace and we tend to damage them faster than they are regenerating. Witness people who drink a lot and eat plentifully on rich foods and red meats etc., how their health degenerates faster than the average persons. And compare them also to non smoking, non drinking healthy eaters. Unhealthy people aren't unlucky in some mysterious way; they made their bodies that way.

Stretch and Manipulative Exercises can help relieve the problem quickly and relatively successfully, but only temporarily and won't cure the condition.

The pain you feel is a symptom. It can only be handled successfully by going beyond the back pain.

The three steps to handling the problem terminatedly:

1. Clean out the diseased and damaged cells and tissue.

2. Assist the regeneration of the cells and tissue so the energy can flow freely.

3. Eat healthily to keep it from recurring - Nobody's a saint but try to eat plenty of fresh ORGANIC fruit, vegetables - especially green leafy veggies, nuts,eat fish or chicken and cut down on the red meat. Very importantly, don't mix carbohydrates and proteins in the same meal. This causes the carbs to ferment and the proteins to putrefy and constipation ensues, creating poisons and giving off gas. This is absorbed into the blood stream which in turn causes the body to become acidic.

The rule of thumb is- DON'T BECOME CONSTIPATED - DON'T ALLOW YOUR BODY TO BECOME ACIDIC

How These Everyday Natural Sources Can Ease Your Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain relief can just be round the corner. Did you know simple vitamins can help your pain without complications?

Some of these natural relievers can be found in ever day foods and drinks yet in some cases we go out of our way to make these natural pain reducers ineffective.

So what are these natural pain fighters?

They are so simple and commonplace that you will actually think "Is he telling the truth?". I will give you some of the natural lower back pain vitamins and you can double check through research journals. They are scientifically proven, researched over many years and have been in use for hundreds of years... one has been in use since 700BC.

The B Complexes

Used within all the body systems from the Liver, Brain, nerves, muscle and skin... the B vitamins are highly needed within the human body.

The complexes are based upon vitamin B and come under specific names like Thiamin (B1), Naicin (B3), Riboflavin (B2), Pyridoxine (B6) and Cyanocobalamin (B12).

As a groups they work powerfully but separately they all have their own individual purpose and you will be amazed at what they do.

Did you know that a Japanese research group found that these complexes not only helped with nerve health but they also found that they helped in nerve damage repair. A German study found that these complexes were also powerful in nerve pain reduction.

Thiamin

Helps repair damaged nerve fibers and increases nerve impulses.

Riboflavin

Have with the repair and maintenance of the sheath around nerve fibers and reduces inflammation.

Naicin

Helps to regulate the whole of the nervous system- aiding repair, growth and transmission. It also increases the body's fuel supply so that tissues can be aided in repair.

Pyridoxine

This vitamin has been studied more than the rest and has been found to be one of the most important vitamins that you can have. It is involved in protein manufacture and in every cell reproduction. So it is vitally important in the immune system, the skin, nervous system and even pregnancy.

It also helps with reducing stress, anxiety and even depression and is even classed as the "anti-stress vitamin".

Cyanocobalamin

it is vital in the growth of new cells and with DNA replication- as well as blood, brain immune and nervous systems.

As you can see, the basic vitamins that we take for granted whose names we by-pass on cereal boxes have a huge health benefit to our system.

When we add other vitamins and natural products we can get a super-powerful natural lower back pain reducer.

What Are the Symptoms of Sciatica?

You wake up with a tingling pain down your leg. You think nothing of it, and carry on with your day. You have a similar pain later on after sitting for a length of time, like when you get up from your desk. There may be a feeling off numbness, or that strange pins and needles sensation along your leg or in your foot. Sharp pains may appear out of nowhere along the same leg. What is going on? You may be experiencing the symptoms of sciatica.

There are many symptoms that may indicate you are suffering from sciatica. While sciatic pain itself is not a medical disorder in and of itself, the term is used to describe a group of symptoms that arise from several different medical conditions, though the symptoms are all relatively similar.

What are these symptoms? Though there are varying causes of sciatica, the symptoms are usually quite similar. They usually occur in one leg only (the leg with the affected sciatic nerve) and can include several manifestations of pain or weakness. You may experience tingling or that "pins and needles" sensation in any part of your leg, including your buttock, thigh, calf or foot. An area may also feel numb, or lose feeling in a part of the leg. You may feel more of a perception of burning or a dull ache in any of these areas. The pain can often be sharp, or intense, and actually cause immobility in the affected limb for a time. There may even be several sensations felt at one time, like numbness in your hip while experiencing a sharp pain in your calf or foot. If these symptoms show up at some point, it may be time to go and see your general practitioner, as they are a symptom of a medical condition that may need attention.

Often, sciatica will go away on it's own, in about 6 weeks. However, if you are experiencing these symptoms for longer than that, another visit to your doctor is in order. In a lot of instances, after the initial diagnosis, the symptoms will usually dissipate on their own, usually without any special treatments beyond some mild painkillers and heat and/or ice. There are cases, however, where you may need blood tests, x-rays, or other imaging tests to determine the cause of your symptoms, and the condition may need to be treated with other remedies.

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Bulging Disc Back Pains - Why You Must Start Taking Care of Your Back

The confusion between bulging, slipped, herniated and ruptured discs, torn disc,collapsed disc, disc protrusion, disc disease, black disc.

There are many things that can happen when you get a back injury, back pains effect 80 percent of the population at some point in there lives, whether it be from a sports activity, maybe you were in a vehicle accident, or just your age has a lot to do with what happens in your back. What is a Bulging Disc? There are many types of bulging discs, such as Cervical Bulging, Lumbar, Bulging Disk in the Back, Bulging disk in the Neck, Thoracic, Mild, Posterior and Degenerative bulging. One of the main causes of a bulging disk is age, the older you get the harder the cartilage gets which allows it to crack easier.

A vertebrae disc is a pad between each of your vertebrae's, it is a harder cartilage that covers a softer cartilage, giving cushion to your vertebrae's, a bulging disk happens when the softer disc will push out on the harder cartilage, imagine a filled donut, you start to push down on it, as it gets flatter the sides start to bulge out, now picture your disc bulging and putting pressure on the nerves around the vertebrae's, this is when the back pains happen.

When it comes to a herniated disc, slipped, torn or ruptured disc they really are all the same thing,bulging discs are more common than herniated discs, but ruptured discs will usually cause more pain, What happens when you have a herniated disc is the outer hard cartilage cracks, allowing the softer inner cartilage to push out which in turn pushes harder on the nerves causing more back pains.

These discs are made to cushion your spine, so when damage happens and these vertebrae's are crushed together you see what happens, like with the filled donut, usually a bulging disc will take place, or if the damage is severe you end up with a ruptured or herniated disc, and at that point you are probably going to need surgery.

Stretching exercises and rest can help you with bulging discs, chiropractors and medication also helps, you definitely want to take care of any back pains right away, you do not want pressure on those disc until they rupture, Bulging disc symptoms are usually worse when you're active and gets better when you're resting or taking it easy. Bending forward, driving, coughing, sneezing, and sitting may make the back pains worse, take care of them quickly, you will be glad you did.

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Stay in Bed, or Get Out and Exercise? The Jury Is Out for Sciatica

You've likely heard advice for both approaches if you have had any form of sciatic pain; stay in bed, rest, and it will get better, or get up, go for a walk, do moderate stretching, and it will get better. No doubt every person you talk to will have different advice, as does each general practitioner you will see. Everyone thinks they have the best hints and tips for you to get rid of your sciatica, and everyone's advice is usually different.

There are two theories on the best way to act upon sciatic pain once you know that is what you have. A lot of people will be told to take it easy, take time off work, rest, relax, and the pain should dissipate when you are lying down. The common advice from your general practitioner would be to try and move as little as possible, and stay in bed, only moving when necessary for bathroom breaks or when you need to eat. The immobility would help take the strain off your nerve and help to relieve the pain of sciatica.

Just as often, however, the advice is to get some moderate exercise, light stretching, and return to work for light duties if they are able. Moderate exercises, some forms of physiotherapy, and targeted stretching may be advised in order to keep the muscles functioning and the affected areas from tightening up or even suffering light atrophy. The advice to continue to walk and remain active during your bout of sciatica is given as much or even more so in the last few years by general practitioners.

So, which one works best?

The common advice for years was to take it easy, rest, stay off work, etc. The switch in the late 1990's to activity, stretching, and moderate exercise lead to more people recommending that approach.

What seems to work best for sciatica?

The unfortunate thing is, according to a review on what approach is better, neither seems to help or hinder the amount of pain or rate of healing any differently than the other. So while some of your best friends, dear family members, or even your GP are urging you to take time off work, stay in bed and take it easy, and the others are saying the opposite and suggesting exercise, stretching, an staying active, in the end you should do what you feel is most comfortable for your own recovery and well being.

My Secrets Revealed: How To Help Your Back Pain

Thousands upon thousands of people have some sort of a back problems, maybe it happened as a sports injury,car accident, lifting something wrong or just age, as we get older our bones get brittle and our discs in our backs start to dry up and get hard, there are many ways to injure your back and if you have done it you know what I mean.

I'm going to tell you some of the things I do to help with my back situation, but first a little bit about me, I injured my back in a car accident in 1978, long time ago,at that time I was young and in fairly good shape,was pretty sore for the next week but the aches and pains had finally gone away, I started having some back issues but did not think to much about it,as time went on I was having more and more issues, it got to the point where I could not tie my shoes in the morning, and I would have times where I would be walking and just fell to the ground, it was as if my legs had disappeared from under me,

Now at this time, I figured it was time I better go see a doctor, so I made an appointment to see a physician, at that time in 1982 they really did not know about back issues that much, they did some physical therapy, put me on a traction table and of course pain medication.

After about a year of this and it not helping me I decided to see a chiropractor, at this time many doctors did not believe in chiropractors and would not recommend them, so I made an appointment and it was the best thing I ever did, for awhile, what happened was I had let the bulging discs in my back the L4 and L5 Vertabrae go for so long without treatment, they were rubbing against my disc and because of that they had rubbed my disc so thin it finally tore, ruptured or herniated which caused more pressure on the nerves in my lower back, which increased the sciatica pain much more in my left buttock, I only had numbness and tingling down to my knees, some people it goes all the way to there feet.

At this point there was nothing the chiropractor could do for me, so at this point I needed surgery, which I had and what they did was go in and just trim the disc off around the vertebrae, I still had some of my disc left which was about paper thin, they decided not to fuse the two disc together because I still had some disc left, my surgery had taken place in 1993 so I did make it for about 10 years with help from the bone cracker, the first thing I do remember when waking up from surgery was that I could feel my legs that was awesome, they told me if the rest of my disc has a problem they would then fuse the two vertebrae together, this is where they scrape bone off your hip and use it to fuse the backbone together.

Of course I still have some issues but not to bad, I want to tell you what I do to help with my back, stretching and exercising daily, I do own a inversion table and if you do not know what that is, it is a machine that hangs you upside down, and it helps a lot, using ice helps, it seems to keep any swelling down, I also use swimming noodles, these are the foam things kids use in the water to float on, they are about three inches in diameter and three foot long, what I do is cut a piece off around 10 inches long, lay that piece on the floor then I lay on it on my back as it runs up my spine from between my shoulder blades down, I lay there and relax, the more you can relax the better, you can also use a rolled up towel but it won't hold it's shape very well, you can also use a tennis ball but that is a little harder and it hurts more, but works.

My favorite is a full body massage, I try to do this a couple times a year, I set up an appointment for a massage and either before or after the massage I see my chiropractor, I get an adjustment and then get a 1 hour body massage, you talk about feeling wore out, but in a day or so do I feel good.

Stretching, here are a couple stretching exercises that I do, sit in a chair, feet flat on the floor, lift left leg and put left ankle on top of right knee, breath out and lean forward, hold stretch for about 10 to 20 seconds, now switch and do other leg, 2. Sit in same chair, put your feet flat on the floor, spread them apart far enough so you can bend down in between your knees, breath out as you bend forward. 3. lay flat on your back on the floor, legs straight out, pull your left knee towards your chest, breath out and hold for 10 seconds, now the same knee pull slightly towards your right shoulder and hold, you should get a nice stretch in your lower back and left buttock, now do the other leg. You can get more back information here, what is a bulging disc, good luck and I hope this helps you.

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Swimming With Back Pain

Swimming is one of the greatest forms of exercise for people with back pain. Whether your pain is caused by a joint, soft tissue, spinal disc or bone injury, swimming can help you safely build muscular and cardiovascular health which promote healing. Water's density makes it an ideal workout environment; your weight is reduced in water causing less stress on your bodily structures and the density provides resistance against which your muscles work. Another plus is that warm water surrounding your body causes increased blood flow, which can help heal injured structures.

Reaping the benefits of water doesn't have to cost a lot of money. Many community centers, YMCAs and other similar organizations offer inexpensive or free access to indoor, year-round pools. While you could spring for a class, many people choose to enjoy water exercise in their own way and on their own time by swimming.

It's hard to think of a more perfect kind of workout for back pain than water exercise. As with any form of exercise, though, there is risk of injury. The best way to avoid harm when swimming is to know what can cause it. The following information will help you protect your back and neck from injury while swimming.

Form

There are various strokes used in swimming, and each has potential form difficulties. During the breaststroke, frog kick and crawl, for example, it may be easy for you to hyperextend your back, meaning that it arches inward too much. While water exercise is typically ideal for people with joint problems, a hyperextended back can cause further joint problems.

During any front or side stroke, proper form when taking breaths is imperative. If you're going fast and you need air, you may find yourself jerking your head up or far to the side for air rather frequently. Any jerking motions can cause an injury to the neck as well as the back. Make sure your head stays in line with the body when going up for air. Also, try to exhale evenly; this will decrease the amount of times you need to come up for air.

Though not necessarily a form problem, neck pain can result in beginners attempting the backstroke. This is because the muscles in the front of the neck work during this stroke to hold the head out of water. When they aren't used to being worked this hard, they can grow fatigued. Start slow with the backstroke.

When doing a flip turn underwater, it is important to keep your head tucked in close to the body. Holding it away from the body will cause the water to push it backward, straining the muscles, ligaments and joints.

See the image at http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/sports/olympics/sydney_00/bysport/swimming/strokes.html for more detail about the different types of strokes commonly used in swimming.

Different Strokes

If you have back pain, it may be best to rely on backstrokes and sidestrokes when swimming. These styles are less demanding of the back. Strokes that involve screwkicks, or rotation of the knees and ankles, should be avoided as they can strain the lower back and sacroiliac joints.

If your back pain starts or worsens when swimming, try to find a trained coach or physical therapist to watch you in action. He or she can identify form problems and help you find a pain-free style. If this doesn't help, take a break from swimming and seek further diagnosis.

Swimming is a great back pain exercise when done properly. Educating yourself about the risks will help you avoid them.

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