Back pain is no joke. Regardless of whether someone has a highly active lifestyle or is completely lazy, every one of us risks damaging our spine through our everday activities. Here are a few simple, but very effective exercises which should assist with alleviating back pain you might experience.
Exercise 1
Lie on your back. Bend your right leg at the knee. Stretch out your left leg above your head. Grasp it with both hands under the knee, and pull it towards your torso. Hold this pulling motion for 30 seconds. Repeat this exercise twice for both legs. |
Exercise 2
Lie on your back and bend both legs at the knee. Grasp your left leg with both hands at the knee and pull it towards your torso. Hold the position for 20 seconds. Repeat the exercise twice for both legs. |
Exercise 3
Lie on your back. Stretch your right arm out to the side, at a right angle to your body. Stretch your left leg out so that it is straight. Try to stretch your right knee towards your left side, so that it almost touches your left hand. Hold this position for 20 seconds. Repeat the exercise twice for both knees. |
Exercise 4
Lie on your back and bend your left leg at the knee. Place the lower half of your right leg crosswise over your left thigh, with your knee pointing out sideways at a right angle. Carefully pull your left leg towards your head. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Switch the position of your legs and repeat. |
Exercise 5 Lean on the floor on your using your right knee and stretch out your leg behind you. Your left leg should be bent at the knee. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise with the position of your legs changed. |
Exercise 6
Lie on your right side. Bend your left leg at the knee, grasping your ankle with your left hand. Carefully pull on your ankle with your hand, thereby tensing the muscles in your left thigh. Your spine should not be bent to any great extent. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Then lie on your left side and repeat the exercise. |
Exercise 7
Stand arms’ length from a table. Bend your upper body forward, slightly bending your legs at the knees, to the point where you can touch the edge of the table with both hands. Your arms should be stretched out and your head at the level of your shoulders. Hold this position for ten seconds. Then stand up straight and bend your body to each side, one after the other. |
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There are three main causes of backache or back pain – namely disease related causes, inter-vertebral disc problems and mechanical problems.
When experiencing any of these problems it extremely important to consult with a health care professional who is adequately qualified and registered to diagnose, treat and manage back conditions. If the problem persists after repeated treatment consider further investigation and perhaps a second opinion.
Spine Align simply attempts to offer a range of products that may assist with good spinal maintenance and posture as well alleviating the related pain.
Memory foam is made from polyurethane with additional ingredients that add to its
viscosity level, thereby increasing the density of the foam. It is often referred to as visco-
elastic polyurethane foam. Depending on the chemicals used and the overall density of
the foam, it can be firmer in cooler temperatures and softer in warmer environments.
Higher density memory foam will react with body heat and allow it to mold itself to the
shape of a warm body within a few minutes. However, a lower density memory foam
is pressure-sensitive and will mold more quickly to the shape of the body. The example
often used for a demonstration of its properties, is a hand pressed into the foam and
then removed, leaving a clear impression of the hand in the foam.
Memory foam was originally developed by NASA to ease the pressure of extreme G-
force during space shuttle take off. While memory foam was never used in the space
program, it was subsequently used in medical applications, for example when a patient
suffered from pressure sores or had to be bed-bound for a long period.
Memory foam was initially too expensive to own by the general public, but in recent
years it has become cheaper to produce and is now widely available. Its most common
domestic applications are mattresses, pillows and mattress toppers (also known as
mattress pads). It remains useful in medical-related uses, such as wheelchair seat
cushions, hospital bed pillows, and padding for persons suffering long-term pain or
postural problems; for example, a memory foam cervical pillow may alleviate chronic
neck pain. Its heat-retaining properties are also helpful to some pain sufferers, who find
the added warmth also helps alleviate pain.
A memory foam mattress is usually denser than an ordinary foam mattress. This makes
it more supportive – but also heavier. It is often seen as a good compromise between
the comfort of a soft mattress and the supportiveness of a firm one. Memory foam
mattresses often sell for more than traditional mattresses but last longer.
When new, memory foam often gives off a distinct chemical odor which many people
find unpleasant. This fades with airing; however, some people remain sensitive to it.
The hardness or softness of memory foam plays an important role in ensuring comfort.
Memory foam firmness is determined by its IFD rating. Indentation Force Deflection
measures the amount of force, in pounds, required to indent a 50″ inch disc into a
15″x15″x4″ viscoelastic foam sample and make a 1″ indentation. This is commonly
known as IFD @ 25% compression. Unlike other types of polyurethane foam, memory
foam has the ability to change firmness with temperature (it becomes firmer when
colder and softer when warmer).
Chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health. Chiropractic care is used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs, and headaches.
Doctors of Chiropractic – often referred to as chiropractors or chiropractic physicians – practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to health care that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. Chiropractors have broad diagnostic skills and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counselling.
The most common therapeutic procedure performed by doctors of chiropractic is known as “spinal manipulation,” also called “chiropractic adjustment.” The purpose of manipulation is to restore joint mobility by manually applying a controlled force into joints that have become hypomobile – or restricted in their movement – as a result of a tissue injury. Tissue injury can be caused by a single traumatic event, such as improper lifting of a heavy object, or through repetitive stresses, such as sitting in an awkward position with poor spinal posture for an extended period of time. In either case, injured tissues undergo physical and chemical changes that can cause inflammation, pain, and diminished function for the sufferer. Manipulation, or adjustment of the affected joint and tissues, restores mobility, thereby alleviating pain and muscle tightness, and allowing tissues to heal.
Chiropractic adjustment rarely causes discomfort. However, patients may sometimes experience mild soreness or aching following treatment (as with some forms of exercise) that usually resolves within 12 to 48 hours.
In many cases, such as lower back pain, chiropractic care may be the primary method of treatment. When other medical conditions exist, chiropractic care may complement or support medical treatment by relieving the musculoskeletal aspects associated with the condition.
Doctors of chiropractic may assess patients through clinical examination, laboratory testing, diagnostic imaging and other diagnostic interventions to determine when chiropractic treatment is appropriate or when it is not appropriate. Chiropractors will readily refer patients to the appropriate health care provider when chiropractic care is not suitable for the patient’s condition, or the condition warrants co-management in conjunction with other members of the health care team.