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Exercises To Free You From Back Pain
Photo credit: bigstock.com
Back pain is one of the most common forms of health complaints in the developed world. Some might think this is the result of hard physical labor, and yes, this can lead to injury. But the most common reason for back pain is not too much physical activity- but the failure to get enough.
Before discussing which exercises will solve the problem, let’s talk about what the biggest contributor to the back pain epidemic is: a sedentary life style.
People spend entirely too much time sitting down, whether it’s in front of the computer at work, stuck in traffic on the commute home, or on the couch watching TV, Sitting has become the default “activity” most people do during the day.
The problems with being sedentary
Most people would be surprised to learn that sitting can actually be tough on your spine. Studies have shown that sitting compresses the spine more than standing, putting up to 40% more pressure on the spine than when standing upright.
Prolonged sitting can, over time, lead to muscle atrophy in key areas of the body. The iliacus, quadratus lumborum and psoas muscles can become shortened from too much sitting. These muscles connect to the lumbar region (where the back meets the pelvis) and when they are too short, it creates a muscle imbalance. When you stand up the weakened muscles cannot support your weight properly, and the backbone is pulled forward, which creates back pain.
Another issue may be the chair you’re spending so much time in. If the chair does not offer proper back support, or if you’re slouching and sitting improperly, it will contribute to persistent, chronic back pain.
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Anto
Jul 4, 2016 at 8:31 pm
I was going to make a snide remark on “moving meditation”, until I came across “Just going for a walk can help, as long as it gets you off your feet.”
Most entertaining 🙂