Lower Back Pain When Waking Up

There are many people that experience lower back pain when waking up, and often this is just a short term problem that stems from the way that the person has slept or even the quality of the mattress that they are using to sleep on. If your back only hurts when you wake up rather than all the time then the cause is obviously going to be something that you are doing when you go to bed, such as the position that you are lying in or the mattress or bed you are sleeping on.

If the problem with your lower back is not something that occurs only in the morning, and it is pretty constant through the day, then there may be an underlying cause that needs to be checked out. Therefore, any pain in the lower back that continues and does not subside should be checked out by a doctor or healthcare professional so that any underlying cause can be pinpointed and dealt with. However, if the pain only occurs in the morning and then subsides until the next morning then the causes are likely to be very simple and pretty easily dealt with.

Causes and solutions of lower back pain upon waking

There are only a couple of potential causes that you need to consider if you are experiencing lower back pain when waking up. These are generally causes that are external rather than being internal causes, and therefore can be rectified quickly and easily.

One of the causes of this type of pain when you wake up is the way in which you sleep in terms of your position. People lie in different ways when they sleep, and spending all night in one somewhat awkward position can easily result in pain being experienced upon waking. People that lie on their side when sleeping often experience morning pains in regions of their back, and this is because the way in which they lie can cause their lower back and pelvic region to twist. Often this is because the top leg is moved in front of the bottom leg, and then drops down because there is nothing to support it. Putting a pillow in front of the bottom leg can provide something to support your top leg when you move it forward.

Another problem that may be causing your aches is your mattress. If you have an old mattress that is worn or a low quality mattress this can cause real aches and pains even if it does not feel particularly uncomfortable to you. Experts recommend turning your mattress regularly to maintain the quality for longer. If your mattress is already worn then you need to look at buying a new mattress to ease the back problems - a memory foam mattress is a good option, as it conforms to your shape and moulds to your body, thus providing increased support.

Stretch your lower back to ease the discomfort

Whilst the causes of discomfort and pain in the lower back in the morning can be simple the problem can still be annoying for sufferers. Stretching your muscles and your lower back region can help to ease this discomfort and pain, and just performing some simple stretching exercises can help to improve your flexibility and movement as well as easing the pain and tightness of your muscles. This sort of pain can cause a lot of discomfort for some people, and stretching in the morning when you get out of bed is a good way of alleviating lower back pain when waking up.

Amazing Exercises for Sciatic Nerve Pain Relief - Fast Ways to Heal Low Back Pain

Do you know any good Exercises for Sciatic Nerve Relief?

Trying to find ways for lower back pain relief can be hard. In fact, it can seem almost impossible. Sometimes it seems like sciatica nerve pain relief is just not in the cards for you, like you will be suffering with this horrible back and leg pain forever.

But there is good news, you can find real sciatica pain relief by using simple sciatic nerve exercises that are fast, safe, and easy.

The Best Exercises for Sciatic Nerve Pain

You know when that low back pain hits, the last thing you want to do is stand up, let alone think about exercising. There are great exercises that you can do while you are lying down. These not only give you fast sciatica nerve pain relief, but they are also safe.

1. Hamstring Stretch:

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  Lie on your back
  


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  Hold the back of your thigh
  


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  Lift your knee to a 90 degree angle above the ground and straighten it until you feel a small stretch on the back of the thigh
  

Quick Tip - this stretch does not only stretch your muscles, it also increases your flexibility

2. Psoas Stretch:

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  Lie on your back
  


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  Bend the knee close to your chest
  


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  Clasp your hands just below your knee
  


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  Hold for 30 seconds
  

3. Pelvic Stretch

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  Lie on your back
  


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  Fold your arms and bend your knees and soles towards the floor, when you finish, they should be resting on the floor
  


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  Lift your buttocks off of the floor and bring it back down.
  

Quick Tip - if you are in severe pain, you can use your hands for support, but it will not be as effective in low back pain relief.

These are just a few of the simple exercises for sciatic nerve pain that you can use when you are in pain. For best results, do these sciatica nerve exercises every day as part of your sciatica nerve pain relief treatment plan.

Exercises For Lower Back Pain - Exercise Your Back Whilst Working

Many people feel that lower back pain is a curse that they have to live with. However, this does not have to be the case. There are many small things you can change in your everyday life to improve the health and happiness of your lower back. One of these is to make your life less comfortable in the short term for improved health in the long term. By making changes to your desk or chair, you can introduce unconscious exercise.

Use a Pilates Ball Instead of a Chair
To exercise your back whilst sitting, you can replace your comfortable office chair with a large pilates ball. The ball should be large enough so that you sit at the same height as when you are sitting in your normal office chair.

Once you have found the right sized ball, you want to ease in to the habit of sitting on it. Start by switching to the ball for short periods, 10-15 minutes is enough in the beginning. If you find your back getting sore or exhausted, stop using the ball for a period. Then, when your back is better, slowly start using the ball again. Over time, your muscles will build up and you will feel more comfortable using the ball. Your core area will also become stronger, which will reduce the pain in your lower back.

How Does a Pilates Ball Exercise Your Back
Since the ball is not stable, all the little stabilizing muscles around your core area will be working hard to keep you upright. This type of training will build up strength in the muscles that keep your spine balanced, especially around your lower back. A spine that is out of balance can become aggravated and even inflamed. By targeting the stabilizing muscles in your exercise, you get more relief from pain than if you were doing exercises such as sit-ups.

Introduce Small Movements to Increase Blood Flow
To make this method even more effective, you can move your pelvis to the sides every now and then. Or use the elasticity of the ball to bounce up and down. A few centimeters to an inch is enough to increase the blood flow in your lower back and at least temporarily reduce the pressure on your discs. All of these exercises will help to make your lower back healthier and happier.

What Are the Causes of Pain in Lower Right Back?

Back pain is a complaint doctors hear about frequently. People want information on backaches. They want doctors to treat pain in the back. Many want to know the causes of pain in the lower right back.

Information about the Lower Right Back

It is important to understand the structure of the lower right back if we are to understand what causes pain there.

Your back, with its spinal column of vertebrae, connecting ligaments, tendons, large muscles, and nerves, is designed to be incredibly strong and flexible. Yet things can go wrong with this awesome structure.

* Muscles can be strained

* Ligaments can be torn

* Joints can be injured

* Bones can be fractured

* Nerves can be irritated

* Discs can be herniated

* Stress can tighten back structure

The lower back seems especially susceptible to injury, since it bears the weight of the torso, and makes more movement than the upper back. Its constant work can cause parts to break down and wear out over the years.

The lower right back has soft tissues that can be involved in pain. Those large, complex muscle groups that support your spine and help you move can be strained by improper lifting or posture. In fact, muscle strain is the most common cause of lower back pain. Twisting or pulling one of the following muscles can produce pain in the lower right back.

* Extensor muscles: These paired muscles in the lower back and gluteus help support your spine. If the one on the lower right back is injured, it will be painful.

* Flexor muscles: Attached to the spine's front, these muscles help you flex, bend forward, and lift things. Again, injury to the right flexor muscle can cause lower right back pain.

* Oblique muscles: This muscle group is attached to the sides of the spine. The oblique muscles help your spine rotate, and give you good posture.

In addition to simple muscle strain, injury to ligaments, joints, and bones can also cause muscle pain. If one of these structures is injured or inflamed, back muscles can go into spasm, drastically limiting your movement and cause pain in the lower right back.

Stress is a common cause of pain in the lower right back. Stress will make your back muscles tighten. This happens to every muscle in the body, as we move into a "fight or flight" response. Muscles that are tightened lack the energy they need to support the spine. If the stress is frequent, and measures are not taken immediately to relieve it, lower right back pain can easily develop.

Information on Chronic Lower Right Back Pain

If lower right back pain lasts more than two weeks, you are likely to stop using the aching muscles in order to protect yourself from that pain. With disuse, the muscles can waste (atrophy) and weaken. This will increase the pain, since your muscles are less able to support your spine. If you increase your protection, and continue to avoid using the muscles, the cycle will continue, with the pain worsening at each turn. Chronic lower right back pain will result. This is why doctors urge patients with lower right back pain to exercise daily.

Information about Lower Right Back Pain Symptoms

You need to understand the symptoms of your pain as well. It is difficult to treat pain without knowing clearly what and where the symptoms are. You will want to gain a sense of exactly where your lower right back hurts. Is the pain focused in one small area, or does it spread throughout the lower right back? Is it confined to the lower right back or does it radiate into other parts of the body? Here are two major kinds of pain in the lower right back.

Lower Right Back Pain Symptom #1

Is yours a deep, aching, dull, or burning pain? Does it travel down your leg? If so, your lower right back pain may be chronic back pain.

Lower Right Back Pain Symptom #2

Perhaps yours is a very sharp pain, deep in the lower right back. This symptom may be the result of a back injury.

Information on Relieving Lower Right Back Pain

My personal physician assures me that the best relief for lower right back pain is usually exercise. Gentle exercises, performed daily with warm-up and cool-down, will strengthen the core muscles around the lower back area, relieving the pain and making them less susceptible to future injury.

CAUTION: Pain in the lower right back may also be caused by kidney stones or other non-muscular problems. Be sure to ask your health care provider for advice on any back pain.

Pregnancy and Lower Back Pain, What Every Pregnant Woman Should Know

Back pain and pregnancy, tips on what you can do to make your pregnancy and lower back pain a little easier to deal with.

Normal weight gain in pregnancy is about 35 pounds, but lots of women I have met over my twenty-year midwifery career gained 35 pounds to 70 pounds during pregnancy. The stress of sudden weight gain during the short cycle of pregnancy can cause back pain and pregnancy misery.

Pregnancy posture change:

Pregnancy and lower back pain happens because of pregnancy weight gain and the automatic adjustments your body makes in posture to accommodate the growing womb. This change in posture is called pregnancy lordosis. Upper and lower back pain and pregnancy lordosis go hand in hand because your spine becomes super curved, elongated, and your breast and buttocks stick out pulling and stretching your back muscles.

Pregnancy hormones:

On top of this, back pain and pregnancy go hand in hand because of the higher levels of pregnancy hormones you produce. Pregnancy hormones have a relaxing effect on many of the muscles in your body to accommodate the muscle stretching that is required during pregnancy. Relaxed muscles are not as supportive to the spine and abdominal muscles, therefore many women complain of back pain and pregnancy shoulder stress.

Pregnancy pelvic changes:

The female pelvis is made up of many different bones. When you get towards the end of your pregnancy, a baby cannot fit to a normal-sized woman's pelvis without the pelvis opening and expanding. The pelvis has two major joints; one towards the right and one towards the left of your lower back along with a hinge joint at the very tail end of your spine.

Back pain and pregnancy ligament pulling and stretching is a direct result of your pelvis opening, which will allow your baby's head to engage or enter into the cavity of your pelvis. Pregnancy and lower back pain is also caused by the excess pressure felt deep within your pelvis as your baby sits and waits for labor to commence.

All of these factors taken together, it is not unusual for pregnant women to get backache. So if you get a backache straight away start doing things to prevent your backache from getting worse or getting out of control.

How to help minimize symptoms associated with pregnancy and lower back pain:

I definitely recommend having nice warm bath soaks, putting nice warm compresses on your back, or even better still having back massages to help with your pregnancy and lower back pain.

I would absolutely recommend that every pregnant woman go to see a chiropractor during pregnancy. A lot of traditional obstetrician, gynecologist and midwives are a little afraid of sending the women to a chiropractor because they are just not informed as to what chiropractors actually do. A chiropractor can help your spine accommodate easier to all the posture changes that happens during your pregnancy and relieve pain associated to pulled and stressed muscles associated to pregnancy and lower back pain

Apart from that, let us look at what things can you do to your own body to help minimize back pain and pregnancy. Wearing a good supporting bra during your pregnancy will support the increased breast weight and uplift your breasts so they do not feel so heavy. This will alleviate a lot of the upper back stress associated with pregnancy and lower back pain.

There are also a lot of pregnancy stomach binders that have been created to help support the weight of your growing womb which can help relieve back pain and pregnancy ligament discomfort.

Many women are focused on fashionable shoes and wear ridiculous footwear during pregnancies that do not support their posture and feet. I cannot believe how many pregnant women out there are wearing ridiculously high shoes or low shoes. Remember, as you become more and more pregnant all the bones and muscles within your feet are stressed.

Take a good look at the shoes you are wearing during your pregnancy and ask yourself these questions to evaluate the importance of your feet:

Do your shoes have a good supportive arch in them?

Are your shoes nice and wide to accommodate the increasing growth and widening of my foot associated to extra blood volume and swelling that occurs during pregnancy?

Can your foot easily slip out of your shoe? If so you could trip and fall and injure yourself or your baby.

The more informed you are about pregnancy the better choices you will make. Better choices mean a happier healthier mom and baby. Pregnancy can be an extraordinary experience for a woman. It is far more than growing a baby and understanding pregnancy and lower back pain.

Pregnancy has a huge emotional, mental, spiritual, and energetic side to it. The more you understand these aspects, the easier and less symptomatic your pregnancy will be. Learning how to connect with the emotions of your unborn child will allow you to enhance your pregnancy experience and surrender to its normal physiological process of pregnancy and lower back pain.

Back Pain - How To Overcome The Sleepless Nights

These days back pain has become a common problem amongst most people. Every second person experiences backache at some point in their lives. Sedentary and stressful lifestyles, unhealthy eating habits and non-uniform work patterns are major contributors to the causes of backache or lumbago.

Backaches can be categorized into acute spinal ache and chronic spinal ache. Acute spinal ache is when you have pain that persists for less than six months. Back pain is considered a chronic problem when it continues for more than twelve weeks.

Backache is often a radiating kind of pain and can affect other parts of the body like neck, legs and buttocks. This backache can be the result of muscle, ligament or tendon strain. Sometimes spinal ache can also be a sign of some other illness such as heart attack, kidney problems and gall stones. Hence it is advisable to pay attention to the pain and consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Chronic back pain can be treated by a variety of methods. The options include surgery, yoga, pillages and homeopathic treatments. While surgery is an option in extreme cases, alternative methods can help in less severe cases. Chronic backache can also be eased by physical therapy. An experienced physical therapist can make a huge difference in easing the persistent pain.

Physical therapy includes one or a combination of exercises such as low impact aerobics, biking, swimming, walking, strength training exercises on the lumbar extension, regular flexibility exercises, contraction callisthenics that retrains back muscles and yoga, tai chi or Pilates exercise. Apart from this there are many home remedies that can provide relief from lumbago.

These remedies have been tried and tested and are as old as time:

1. Garlic: Garlic is also known magic herb. Two to three cloves every morning can make a huge difference. Back massage from garlic oil can provide a lot of relief

2. A daily intake of fish oil can work wonders in alleviating backache

3. Another home remedy for providing relief from back ache is to drink a mixture of powdered dried ginger, eating soda and salt in hot milk or hot water

4. Turmeric can also be applied to ease back problems.

Apart from these remedies there are other ways of providing relief from chronic back pain which include:

1. It's advisable to sleep on a firm mattress. Try sleeping on your back or side and avoid the face down position

2. Temporary relief can also be sought with the application of heat or infrared lamp to the affected area.

Spinal ache can rob you of your sleep; hence it is important to pay attention to it before it turns chronic. It is also advisable to watch your weight and diet. A light exercise regimen can goes a long way in preventing aches and pains. Regular intake of anti-oxidants like citrus fruits such as oranges and dry fruits like almonds also help in preventing it.

Simple Back Pain Relief Tips For Pregnant Women

Pregnancy back pain is not a unique event. If you are in need of some relief for back pain due to pregnancy, know that you are not alone. In fact, more than half of pregnancies involve bouts of back pain.

It is only natural for rapidly added weight toward the front of your body to pull on your back until your muscles and joints hurt. Your whole center of gravity is moved. You either hunch forward or lean backward. Either way, the various parts of your back is put under a lot of strain. If you are fortunate, other types of back pain or back pain associated with urinary tract infections won't also strike at the same time.

Have A Talk With The Doc

The first thing you need to do is talk to your doctor. In particular, the medications you would normally take for pain relief should not be taken during pregnancy. Thus, you need your doctor to advise you on what you can do to safely treat your pain.

Take A Walk

Some women are able to get immediate relief for the pain they are feeling on their back by taking a walk. In addition, most women would benefit from back strengthening exercises under professional guidance before getting pregnant, but if you are already pregnant you will have to undertake a more measured approach to maintaining your back muscles.

Posture, Posture

Posture is a key component of all back pain treatments. However, it is much harder to learn posture once you are pregnant and out of balance. Still, you can do some simple things to promote good posture, such as sitting in chairs that promote good posture and not wearing high heels. Likewise, you should avoid all constrictive clothing that might alter your posture.

If you get your doctor's approval, you can try to use some posture support devices such as maternity belts and lumbar support pillows. The latter are especially helpful if you have a desk job and you have to sit for several hours at a time. You may also be able to do some pelvic and back exercises and stretches to build muscular support for maintaining proper posture. Maintaining strong, flexible muscles is the simplest pregnancy back pain relief method.

Take A Swim

Did you regularly go to the gym before you got pregnant? If your gym has an indoor pool, try doing water exercises. Many women find swimming and water exercises effective in relieving the pain in their back. Check if your gym offers prenatal water aerobics classes. It may be just what you need. Aside from getting relief from the pain, you will be working out your body without much risk to you and your baby.

Walking, Stretching, Swimming - The Best Back Pain Exercises

If you are looking out for back pain exercises that could help in alleviating the problem with your back, there can be an array of options to choose from. However, if you want to get effective results, it is very important for you to schedule sensible exercise program. Besides that, like with any thing associated with health and medicine, you are strongly recommended to consult your doctor before you go ahead with a specific physical activity - be it swimming, walking, running, weight lifting or other such things.

Start Slowly
The best way is to start slowly and then keep increasing the difficulty level based on the suggestions of your health care provider. For example, you can start by exercising on alternate days. Don't do too much too quickly, as it may worsen your problem instead of curing the same.

Walking
Walking is undoubtedly one of the best back pain exercises. In particular, taking a scenic walk can be a great therapy because it will provide you stress relief too. In the beginning, you should keep the distance short. When you start getting comfortable and feel better, you can lengthen the distance as well as the time.

Stretching
Stretching is a proven exercise solution to relieve backache problems. It mainly helps in keeping the spine flexible. However, there are a couple of things that is very important for you to keep in mind regarding the various stretches that you may be planning to perform. For example, stretch only to a poi that gives the muscles and tissues surrounding your spine mild tension. Do not hold the stretch for longer than 10-15 seconds because your muscles needs to relax also. In order to get the best results from such back pain exercises, you should practice the same for at least 3-5 times a day.

Swimming
Swimming can also produce great results when it comes to curing backache through exercising. Most recommends it as the best therapy for back-related problems. Swimming helps in enhancing your body balance and alignment, as water helps to supports your body while you swim. Warm water can make things much better because it does not only help to limber up the back but it also aids in muscle relaxation. In the first instance, you may find it a very easy solution, but you must also exercise some caution as well while performing this physical activity. For example, it is important for you to understand that you may find it easy to move in the water, but there is still some resistance. Therefore, start slowly and increase the length of time gradually, as you feel better.

Overall, if you follow the above back pain exercises the way it is recommended, there is no reason why you should not get relief from your backache problem.

Sciatica - Back, Leg and Calf Pain

If you are feeling pain in your back, leg and calf, the chances are you are suffering with sciatica. Before I go any further however, it is important I stress that sciatica is a descriptive term and not a diagnostic one. Anyone who is feeling pain anywhere from there back, through their buttock and down the back of their leg could be said to be suffering with sciatica.

However, the most important thing to establish is not that you are suffering with sciatica, but rather what is causing your sciatica. Two or three different people could be presenting with the same signs & symptoms, yet each of their causes may be different.

The sciatic nerve is formed from the nerve roots L4-S3 which leave the lower part of the back. It then passes through the buttock region, down the back of the leg and then, via its branches, to the tips of the toes. If the sciatic nerve is being aggravated, either from its origin in the lower back or as it passes through the buttock and down the back of the leg, it has the potential to cause pain (as well as other signs & symptoms such as pins & needles, numbness and weakness).

The causes of sciatica can be numerous as I mentioned above. Nevertheless, the main culprits tend to be:

1) A prolapsed disc: A prolapsed disc will tend to pinch on the nerve roots which form the sciatic nerve as they leave the spine itself. If this 'pinching' begins to aggravate and inflame the nerve, pain will result. This pain could be felt anywhere from the low back itself, down your leg to the tips of your toes.

2) Facet Joint Irritation: As the nerve roots leave the spine, they can also be pinched or aggravated by the facet joints of the lower back. If a facet joint in the lower back is aggravating the nerve roots, once again pain may be felt anywhere from the low back itself, down your leg to the tips of your toes.

NB. It is important I note here that although a prolapsed disc and facet joint irritation may aggravate the same nerve roots which form the sciatica nerve, as well as produce very similar (in some cases identical) signs and symptoms, the treatment given would almost be opposite to each other. Therefore it is imperative the correct diagnosis is obtained.

3) Muscle Imbalance: This is where tight and/or weak muscles allow too much stress to be placed across the sciatica nerve. A more specific stretching and strengthening exercise programme would need to be prescribed for this problem. If your pain is starting in the buttock region, there is a fair chance muscle imbalance is the main cause. A tight piriformis muscle is a very common cause of sciatica which starts in the buttock region.

The good news is that sciatica can nearly always be treated conservatively with an appropriate advice and exercise programme, whichever of the above 3 may be causing your pain. If treated correctly sciatica can be treated and resolved 100% without any need for surgery. It is just knowing what to do and when to do it which is the critical factor.

For further information on how to treat sciatica, so my article How Do you treat sciatica?

Lower Back Exercises for Men

This is a topic not well covered and many are confused about what to do. As a Physiotherapist and a back pain sufferer I have knowledge in the management of lower back pain and have experienced it myself for many years.

The lower back exercises given to men need to focus on improving joint movement and flexibility but always must include core stability exercises. Core strength exercises for men must focus on the stabilization of the spinal joints. Men are usually more stable in the spine than women due to the shape and alignment of their lower back. Men tend to be naturally stiffer than women. This is often mistaken for stability by gym instructors and therefore the focus on core strengthening exercises for men is overlooked. Stiffness is not stability. Men tend not to be as sway backed as women are, they are flatter through the lower back and the pelvis is narrower as well. All of these points and the assumption for natural stability often lead to a lack of emphasis on training the core stability muscles in men.

In real life core strength and lower back exercises for men needs to be assessed on an individual basis. However there are some basic generic exercises men need to do to achieve a better stable flexible lower back. Flexibility is achieved with stretching the muscles and the joint capsule of the area exercised. The spinal lower back joints respond well to lumbar rotation as an exercise on the floor. This is a very effective exercise for both men and women to do to gain mobility in the lower back. Back bending in lying and in standing is another good mobility exercise and easily done. Stretching the hamstrings is one of the most important lower back exercises for men. The hamstrings control the tilt of the pelvis. If they are tight the pelvis will tilt backwards and cause pain and stiffness. Pain is an inhibitor of core stability function. Hence pain will decrease core strength over time. This is not known or understood by gym trainers or personal fitness coaches. It is known by Physiotherapists. Men tend to have tighter hamstring s than women therefore an emphasis on stretching the hamstrings for a man is needed.

Core strength exercises for men are the same as for women; however men can push further into loading the abdominals because men require greater core strength for lifting heavier objects. Testing the core strength is simple and the same for both genders.

Testing Core Strength

Lay on your back on the floor with knees bents and feet flat on the floor. Put your hands on your hips bones and slowly lift one leg, only,off the floor.

Your hip bone and your pelvis should not move at all. If it does then you core strength is lacking and needs training. Training the core needs to be taught properly by a Physiotherapist. Once a person has knowledge in the function and use of the core stability muscle they can exercise in any way to the max.

I train deep core stability muscles from nothing to full strength using the concept of Pure Pilates. For men the emphasis is on stability to gain strength in the long rectus muscle. This will give a man a good strong stable lower back and in conjunction with appropriate stretching a good pain free flexible lower back.

For more Information visit the link below.

3 Amazing Exercises for Sciatic Nerve Pain Treatment - End Lower Back Pain Today

Are you ready for sciatic nerve relief? If you have been dealing with lower back pain and sciatica nerve pain for even the smallest period of time, you know just how excruciating it can be.

Your goal is to find easy ways for pain management, but the question is which nerve pain treatment is right for you?

How to Use Exercises for Lower Back Pain Relief

The fastest way for pain management is to do these sciatica exercises every day. The best sciatica pain relief comes when you take just a few minutes a day to focus on your pain relief. In as little as 10 minutes every day you can see huge results.

1. Forward Bend - start by standing straight up with feet at a wide stands just under your shoulders. Bend at the waist and hang there. This stretches all of the muscles in the back, and it can be very relaxing.  

2. The Butterfly Pose, (an easy way for sciatic nerve pain treatment) - this is a great way for back pain management. Try sitting this way for 10 minutes at a time, and you will feel a dramatic change in your lower back pain. One of the best ways for sciatica pain treatment.

3. Bridge - start by lying on your back keeping your arms at your side. Have your knees bent, and ankles directly under knees while the knees are bent. Exhale and curve your buttocks upward so that most of your weight is in your shoulders and feet. Inhale and slowly curve your spine back to the floor.

These are just a few ways to use exercises as sciatic nerve pain treatment. Doing these every day will give you fast sciatica pain relief.

Would you like to know more about sciatic nerve pain management?

How to Fix Back Pain Naturally

To fix back and neck pain naturally, you need to know the cause so you can work at reversing the process naturally.

One of the main causes of Back and neck pain is bad posture.

Forward head posture and forward pelvic tilt are terms used by health professionals to explain incorrect body alignment or bad posture.

Forward head posture simply means that your head is sitting forward from your body which causes extra stress on the muscles in your neck, shoulders and running down your upper back. This can cause headaches and upper back pain so check next time you pass a mirror or window and see if your head sits forward or if you notice your chin jutting out when you become tense, especially when driving.

Forward pelvic tilt means that your pelvis is tilted forwards which causes your lower back to arch. This puts extra stress on the mid and lower back muscles and can cause back pain. Do you notice that your lower back pain is worse when you stand for a long time?

The reason we have gotten into such bad shape is that we spend a lot of time sitting in cars, sitting at computers and sitting at desks... when you sit for long periods of time your shoulders and head hunch forwards and your hip flexors (the muscles in front of your hips) shorten. Sitting is one of the main causes of forward pelvic tilt and forward head posture.

So how do you fix it?

There are a few simple exercises you can do in your own home to return your body to correct working function in a few weeks...

Middle Back Pain - Causes, Treatment And Prevention

Middle back pain is something that is common to many men and women around the world. Both young and old suffer from middle back discomfort thanks to the variety of hobbies and sports they take part in and the work tasks that they must perform every day. The good thing about middle back dis-ease relief is that the solution to your problems is fairly easy.

12 vertebra form the middle back, also known as the thoracic (mid back) section of your spine. There is cartilage between the different vertebra, which are designed to protect the sensitive spinal cord that runs from your brain down to the rest of your body.

Causes
Wear and tear on the discs and cartilage can be among the causes of mid back pain as well as injury or actual medical issues such as degenerative disc disease, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica, scoliosis and quite a few other disorders.

This list is not meant to scare you, it is just meant to drive home the point that there are a lot of causes of middle back problems and you should see a physician for a diagnosis before undertaking any sort of treatments for severe back pain relief. This way, you can be sure that your therapy is working to help your mid back pain issues and not making them worse.

If your mid back pain causes are muscular in nature and not a problem with your discs or cartilage, a daily regimen of middle back pain exercises can stretch and strengthen your muscles enough to avoid injury.

Middle back injury can often be caused by a sudden motion of the back that twists one of the vertebra out of place. This out of place vertebra pinches the spinal cord and sends pain signals up the nerve to register in your brain.

One of the most frequent causes of middle back injury is simply bending or twisting to reach something. If you do it at the wrong angle, you'll feel a sudden pain in your middle back. It's surprising how severe this pain can be!

When this kind of back problem happens, you are often feeling a pinched nerve. The muscles then swell up to protect the vertebra around them.

The swelling of the muscle is the most common type of back pain, and many people who exercise and work out a lot find themselves suffering from thoracic (mid back) pain. The pain can range from a mild ache in the muscles to a pinched nerve to an acute, chronic pain that is very disconcerting.

Another common cause of is a herniated disk, and this type of back pain is also very common. The herniated disc is a disc that is overworked to the point that a bulge forms between the discs in the spine. This can be very painful, as the bulge pushes the vertebra against the spinal cord.

Those with poor posture often suffer from middle back pain, as the poor posture of their body pulls and puts strain on the already tired back muscles. When you have bad posture, you are causing your middle back to work overly hard and you can cause serious back pain. this is a time when back exercises will strengthen your muscles and help you maintain a better posture.

Arthritis is another cause of middle back pain, though that is mainly for people that are advancing in years. Younger men and women CAN suffer from arthritis in their spinal cord, though it is far less common than arthritis in older people.

The good news is that for the most part, medical treatments won't require surgery and don't need to be long, drawn out affairs. Often doing something as simple as taking an over-the-counter anti inflammatory back pain medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen - and rest - is all that is necessary to restore your upper and middle back to it's original, healthy state.

Treatment
Rest is usually the first thing prescribed by doctors and therapists treat your center back injury. Since the most frequent cause is tired, inflamed muscles, the best solution is to rest and allow the muscles to recuperate from their exertions.

If you are trying to avoid or recover from middle back injury, it is important that you rest and not do anything that would irritate the already tired muscles. No lifting, carrying, bending or twisting. Remember, a pain warning is your body's way of telling you to stop doing something.

Prevention
Then, start a long term back stretching and strengthening exercise program. A few minutes a day is all it takes and it'll help not only your mid back but your upper and lower back areas as well.

It is important to take care of your back if you feel middle back pain, and you need to do your part to ensure that your back has time to return to normal health by resting and letting the muscles recover from their exertions.

Upper Back Pain Relief - 4 Simple Steps to Relieve Your Back Pain

Are you seeking for upper back pain relief? Do you want it to happen now and wish that the pain will disappear in a second? Well, it can be. A relief from such pain is possible to achieve, provided that you are going to do your part in performing necessary treatment as advised. Most of all, make sure you are responsible enough to correct the causes of the upper back pain.

Do you hate that upper back pain that seems to control your life these days? Does the pain make yourself unproductive, leaving you sedentary and irritable? True, upper back pain can affect your day to day activities. Usually, when it happens to you, the pain is mostly felt in the bottom part of the neck up to the middle portion of the back, which is why the other term for upper back pain, is "middle back pain". The pain can make you miserable, such that you will not be able to perform household chores well, such as dish washing, laundry, mapping, gardening, etc. you see, even on simple things are affected with it. Your upper back pain could also be the reason of your missed workdays at the office.

Moreover, how people respond to upper back pain depends on how they perceived the pain and how they treat it. Mostly, the common mistake of people when dealing with the pain is that they consider it as the BEST indication for treatment. Pain is an unclear sign because it doesn't give you clear definition as where the pain originates, when it will last and how much is the pain. Remember, pain is but a subjective sign, it varies from person to person, so it is not a good basis for treatment. The best way to know how upper back pain is treated, is through knowing its causes. There are a lot of factors what causes upper back pain, and the main causes are

• Imbalance of your muscles and joints brought about by improper posture and exhausting daily works and household chores.


• Weak muscles due to aging and laborious work.


• As one ages, the spine may undergo a wear and tear stage, thus causing the spine to degenerate and becomes weak.


• Unused joints due to sedentary lifestyle.


• The lower back can even caused upper back pain since the spine works as one system, so, when the lower back is twisted or damaged, the upper back is affected anyway.

Again, the biggest mistake a person can make in dealing with upper back pain is relying too much of the pain alone as the basis for treatment. It must be noted that the best way to approach a relief for upper back pain is by knowing the causes, and by knowing it, a long and effective relief is possible.

Upper back pain relief...

The different causes mentioned above can be approached with the following:

1) When you suddenly feel the pain on the upper back, give value to REST. When the pain happens when the time you are doing heavy works or sitting and standing for a long period, your body calls for a rest. When you at the home, you can lie down for a while to relax your back muscles. When you are at work, take some time to sit from long standing, and stand from long sitting. Do not overwork your back muscles, as this can cause strain and injury to the back. However, rest must not be done for more than 3 days, because our back may get weak when over rested. Our back needs to be active slightly, enough to strengthen the bone.

2) If the pain is less than 48 hours, hot and cold treatment can be done alternately:

• Cold application always comes first than hot. This application can be in a form of ice pack which makes use crushed ice wrapped in a towel. This is then applied directly to the painful area for 15-20 minutes. This works by reducing pain and inflammation.


• Hot treatment is done next. Then the pain already subsides, this is then applied to relax the area and increase the flow blood to the area, thus causing wound healing. With the use of hot bottle wrapped in a towel, apply to the injured area for 15-20 minutes.


• Application should not exceed for more than 20 minutes as this may cause some bad effects to the body.

3) Anti-inflammatory drugs.

• Ibuprofen is the most common anti-inflammatory drug used to relieve swelling and pain on the injured area, because of its lesser side effects.


• The frequency, duration and dosage of the drug should be advised by your health care provider.

4) Upper back pain exercises

These exercises can correct all those causes mentioned above. When the spine is weak, we can strengthen it. When the spine is immobile because of sedentary lifestyle, we can work it out though exercises. When the spine is out of balance because of improper posture, we can align it and correct those bad postures. All those and more can be covered by upper back pain exercises.

Exercise One: Stand straight. Keep your lower back against the wall with your hands on your sides. Allow your palms to face outwards. Now, those arms on your side must take a slide up and down against the wall for about 15 to 20 counts. This will stretch both your back and arm muscles.

Exercise Two: Sit straight on the floor and stretch your legs in front of you. As you do this, hold your thighs with your hands and lower down your head going towards your chest. Hold in such position as long as you can, and go back to the starting position and repeat 5 times. By doing so, it can help relax the upper back muscles.

Exercise Three: Stand straight and feet apart. Slowly stretch your hands making it parallel to the ground. Slowly turn to your left gently moving your upper body and waist; go back to the starting position and do it again on the other side. You can do this exercise, 10 times. These are great stretches for upper back pain relief.

Low Back Pain Physical Therapy - Solutions For Aches and Pains

Physical therapy is a very useful tool for many different situations. With so many millions of people experiencing low back pain every single year, it's often nice to know that there are more effective solutions than medical procedures, harsh medications, and just waiting it out. While many people assume that injury to their back requires rest and keeping still, this is actually detrimental in many cases. Low back pain physical therapy is a much better alternative and can help speed the healing process along if done properly. Of course, you should be able to rest the area to give it time to heal, but you can't lie around and do nothing for any extended period of time or the muscles will get stiff and create more problems for you. Consider low back pain physical therapy if you want an effective solution that doesn't involve serious treatments or procedures.

Physical therapy routines can be prescribed by a doctor, physical therapist, or even a chiropractor. While many people will discount the credibility of chiropractors as a source of medical advice, they are trained in the physiology of the body and know what they are talking about. They can offer treatment plans for your low back pain that include physical therapy along with other procedures such as electrical therapy, heat/ice therapy, and massage. Make sure that you discuss all of your symptoms with whatever doctor you visit to ensure that you get the best treatment program for your needs without putting yourself in more danger than it's worth. The great thing about getting professional therapy for back pain is that you can often experience better results than if you tried to do things yourself.

There are many different types of low back pain physical therapy that people can take on, depending on their exact injuries and what they're capable of doing. For example, if an older person with limited mobility has lower back pain, they can still find many effective exercises that will help to alleviate or even completely eliminate their back pain if they work with a physical therapist or their family doctor. All that you need to do is to take the time to make sure that you get the right medical treatment and that you fully disclose everything to the doctor or therapist so that you don't put yourself in more danger than it is worth when it comes to working out back problems with physical therapy.

Low back pain physical therapy isn't for everyone. However, it can be an effective solution for many people who are looking for something simple and less invasive or serious than medical procedures and prescription medication. Usually, if you are prescribed some type of therapy routine, it will involve stretching and strength training exercises combined, which will help to loosen the sore muscles in the lower back and make the other muscles around them stronger so that the back isn't under as much stress and is able to function better in the future. Of course, everyone is different and so is every treatment that is prescribed, so you will just have to talk to your doctor to see what they think is best for your needs.

If you are looking for a permanent solution to pain relief, you should talk to your doctor about low back pain physical therapy treatments. In many cases, the exercises that you do in physical therapy will help to make the body healthier and stronger so that you can avoid future injuries and pain in the back because your body is not strong enough or healthy enough to handle the stress that is put on your back. However, if you have a chronic condition, physical therapy might just offer a simple pain management program that allows you to make the pain less severe and more sporadic than it might have been without the therapy. No matter how you use it or what you get out of physical therapy for low back pain, it can be an effective solution for just about anyone that is suffering from low back pain. If you want a natural treatment that is effective, you need to learn about physical therapy for back pain.

Four Exercises for Core Strength

Back pain treatment and prevention both require the development of a strong core. The core consists of muscles in the stomach, pelvis, buttocks and lower back. These muscles are meant to work together to support the upper body's weight and stabilize the spine. Unfortunately, many people today either have weak or imbalanced cores.

When the core is weak, posture suffers. Most often, stomach and gluteal (buttock) muscles are weak, whereas muscles in the lower back and hips are tight from compensating for the others. This creates strain throughout the body's core, pulling the pelvis out of alignment. Since the spine rises from the pelvis, any distortion of pelvic position will be reflected in the spine's alignment.

Some people who exercise don't realize the importance of a balanced core workout; they work on their outermost layer of abdominal muscles in pursuit of the famed 6-pack, all the while neglecting the muscles of the lower back. The tight, shortened abdominals can pull up on the pelvis and down on the muscles of the chest, creating a hunched posture since no counter-tension is offered by the slack lower back muscles.

Whether you're an athlete or an office worker, core strength is important. You need your core when you sit, stand and move. It is your center, the source of your movement and power. The following four exercises can easily be fit into a busy schedule.

The Crunch

The crunch is one of the best stomach exercises, and despite its popularity, many people still don't know how to perform them properly. With every exercise, proper form is essential to avoiding injury and building strength. Watch the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK1eTLViYXI to see proper crunch technique. This exercise will strengthen the muscles in the abdomen, especially the rectus abdominus, the muscles of the 6-pack. If you are just beginning your exercise routine, start with 10 crunches 3 days a week and increase to two repetitions after a few weeks.

The Bridge

When performed correctly, the bridge strengthens the gluteal, pelvic, lower back and deep abdominal muscles. It is an important exercise for anyone who does crunches, because it balances them nicely. To do the bridge, lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor. With your deep abdominal muscles engaged, raise your buttocks until a straight line is formed from your head to your knees. Be sure not to bend your back on your way up. You should feel that muscles in your thighs and buttocks are activated during the bridge. Do as many bridges as you do crunches for balance.

The Back Extension

This back strengthening exercise focuses on the lower back muscles. It is performed by lying on the stomach and lifting both the feet and the head off the ground while keeping the pelvis anchored. See the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw9YuQTTc58 to view proper form during this exercise.

The Side Plank

This exercise requires all of the core muscles to stabilize the pelvis and hold the body up. Lying on your side, put the foot of the top leg in front of the other. Prop yourself up on your forearm. Engage your abdominal muscles by drawing them in and lift your body up off the floor, making a straight line from foot to head. Try holding this position for 30 seconds at first, and gradually increase your time.

Developing core strength is a great form of back pain management. That said, if you have severe or chronic back pain caused by a degenerated disc, sciatica, sacroiliac joint dysfunction or other condition, certain exercises could worsen your pain. Consult a physical therapist before embarking on an exercise routine if you have serious back problems. For many of us, back pain can be prevented and treated with an hour a week of conditioning the core muscles.

Four Back Pain Relief Tips For Motorcyclists

Every June sees the start of the Isle of Man TT races, to which thousands of bikers will converge to watch the road action, which was first run in 1905 (as a result of a blanket 20mph speed limit being imposed on UK roads in 1903).

Quite a few of these bikers will experience back aches and pains as a "necessary evil" of their recreation, but this need not be the case, although there is a causal link between motor bike riding and pain in the lower back.

Often, dedicated motorcyclists will experience backache or pain, either in the lower back or upper back, or maybe across the shoulders and neck. The most likely factors contributing to the pain will be posture, due to the bikers prolonged crouched, leaning posture, and WBV (Whole Body Vibration), associated with being seated literally on top of the vibrating engine. Remaining in what is fundamentally, an ergonomically unsound position for extended periods, will often lead to muscle strains, back aches and lumbar pain.

In order to get back pain relief, it is a good idea for motorcyclists to develop a simple regime to combat the causes of back pain, both on and away from the bike:-

Equipment

It goes without saying or maybe this is a bit like bolting the stable door but make sure that when you are selecting your bike or a new bike that it is the right size for you. Too small could leave you riding in a cramped style, too large and you could be over reaching. Either could lead to unnecessary strains and back pain down the line.

Exercise

A simple regime will help to strengthen the back and abdominal muscles. Building up muscle and flexibility will help the back to cope with the unnatural riding position and stave off the aches and pains.

Posture

Benefit may be gained by consciously considering whether your posture (on and off the bike) may contribute to any lumbar pain. Away from the bike, think about, and become aware of your posture, for example, try to avoid slouching when seated, say at a desk. Ideally its best to be upright with your head vertically above your lumbar and hips.

On the bike, is it possible to reduce the need to hunch forward towards the controls? Can your back pain be reduced by not leaning so far forwards? (We're not talking TT racers here!) Making small adjustments to keep your back as upright as possible could help the risk of pain in the back.

Take a break

Where practical, try to punctuate long journeys with short breaks, get off the bike, walk around, loosen up your back, and ease stiffness by carrying out some simple stretching exercises to mobilise your back. Make sure to have frequent drinks to keep your body hydrated to help ward off muscle strains and backache.

If your motorcycling back pain becomes worse, or more frequent over time, then it's a good idea to seek professional back pain relief advice from your GP or healthcare professional.

Want to Eliminate Lower Back Pain - 3 Essential Ingredients

Lower back pain is both common and debilitating. You try to enjoy life, get out and exercise, play with the kids... but your low back pain stops you. You can't even lie in bed in the morning and relax. You have to get up and get going to try and ease your lower back pain.

By now, even a few of you reading this may have to get out of your chair to try and ease the stiffness or pain in your lower back.

What can you do? Are there some simple things you can do right now to ease your lower back pain? To remove your lower back pain you need to address 3 essential ingredients. Fail to do this and lower back pain will not disappear completely or it will return again soon. And then you are back to suffering from that horrible, frustrating lower back pain.

What you need to do is...

Strengthen your Abdominals - the abdominal muscle group supports the lower back. If they weaken your lower back will increase in its' curvature. This places extra strain on the joints and muscles of the lower back and leads to low back pain. To increase the strength of the abdominals, it is pointless doing sit-ups, crunches or other exercises if the nerve or blood supply is not 100%. The first stage in increasing the abdominal strength is to stimulate reflexes relating to improving the nerve and blood supply. Fail to do this and your abdominal will not gain the strength they need to support your lower back.

Stretch your Hip Flexors - the hip flexor muscle attaches into the front of your spine and then travels to the top of your femur (where your leg meets the pelvis). If it is tight it also allows the curve of your lower back to increase. This places strain on the lower back leading to lower back pain. Stretching the hip flexors along with increasing abdominal strength is the main muscular component to remove lower back pain. Stretching the hip flexors is important, knowing how and when to stretch is the essential ingredient though. If you stretch 3 times in the day, especially just prior to going to bed, flexibility will increase quicker and maintain easier.

Re-Align your Pelvis - the pelvis is like a foundation to your house. If it is solid, balanced and strong, then your house will be also. The pelvis if out of alignment, if it is unbalanced allows lower back pain to occur. To permanently remove lower back pain, the pelvis must be working well and then the abdominals and hip flexors will be easier to re-balance also.

There is not enough scope in this article to teach you to re-balance your pelvis. It can be done easily and simply with painless, gentle self help techniques. Combine this with stretches and strengthening techniques and lower back pain can disappear quickly and best of all ... permanently!

The Most Effective Lower Back Exercises To Relieve Back Pain

Despite what you might think, rarely is the cause of lower back pain at the site where it hurts. Most people and their therapists think it is. That's why they want to heat, rub, crunch, vibrate and slice the spot where it is most painful.

In fact you can tell how good a therapist is by watching where they go in the search for the cause of the pain. Just attacking the spot where it hurts sends out a big amber light.

Surprisingly, lower back pain is a merely a symptom that some of the bones in your lower back are out of alignment. Your immediate task is to get them back in alignment. Do that and there's a good chance the pain will go away.

When the vertebrae move out of alignment, ligaments, tendons and muscles are stretched beyond their pain threshold. The nucleus of discs is squeezed out and the disc collapses. Often the nucleus hits the spinal cord. That's when the pain really starts. You can't sneeze or cough without it feeling like there's a red hot poker being jammed into your back. You can't bend over the basin to brush your teeth. You can't bend down to put your socks on.

So what causes the vertebrae in your lower back to move out of alignment?

Answer! If the pelvis has moved out of alignment, it's highly likely the bones above it have moved out of alignment as well.

Treat the pelvis as the foundation for the bones that are above it and consider this analogy. If the foundation of your house moves then the walls will crack. You can patch up or paper over the cracks, but you'll probably have to continue to keep patching and papering until kingdom come. The solution is to underpin (and square up) the foundation so it can't move.

So the precondition for a spinal column that's in alignment is a pelvis that's in alignment.

So what causes the pelvis to move out of alignment?

Answer! Tight calf, hamstring, buttock and hip flexor muscles.

Which brings us back to the question of what are the best exercises to relieve lower back pain?

Answer! Flexibility exercises that impact on the alignment of the pelvis, particularly exercises that loosen off tight calf, hamstring, buttock and hip flexor muscles.

But that's not the full story. You also need to strengthen the whole musculo-skeletal ecosystem by regularly going to the gym and working out - or if you're averse to lifting weights start on a regular and systematic strength training program at home that includes situps, pressups, squats and the Superman back arch.

It makes sense to have a body strong enough to keep the bones of your spinal column in correct alignment.

Interestingly one of the best predictors of risk of lower back pain is the ability to do pressups. While you're doing pressups the muscles of your trunk are all being strengthened, front, back and core.

If you're looking for targets for situps, pressups and squats, 20 of each is good, 30 is better and 40 is best. Build the Superman back arch up to a couple of minutes of gentle ups and downs without your chest or legs touching the floor.

The last piece of the lower back exercise jigsaw is some relaxing exercises to settle the spinal column down, exercises where you lie on your back with both legs bent at 90 degrees and the lower legs supported by an ottoman. This is known in the trade as the static back exercise and lying in this position for 20 minutes will bring temporary relief from back pain, and over the weeks and months assist the vertebrae to gradually get back into better alignment.

Another relaxing posture using the ottoman is lying on the floor with one leg on the ottoman and the other outstretched on the flood for 20 minutes - then change legs. This is the supine groin stretch. Over 20 minutes the hip flexor muscles will gradually relax and over the weeks and months allow your vertebrae to move back into better alignment.

If you're diligent you'll spend a couple of hours on the floor each evening while you watch TV, read a book or just drift off with the faeries doing the flexibility exercises and the relaxation exercises.

The strength exercises you can do after you've been for a walk, shuffle, jog, swim, cycle... in the morning.

Now just as Rome wasn't built in a day, your lower back pain wasn't caused in a day. For most people it happens over decades, due to a poor sitting posture and lack of strength and flexibility exercises. Being 20 or more Kg over weight doesn't help matters.

Neither will back pain be cured in a day. Depending on how far out of alignment your pelvis and the bones above it are, it may take a couple of months for you to experience real relief and up to a year before you can say, 'I no longer have lower back pain.'

But the good news is that if you start doing something now, there's an 80% chance for 80% of people that they will get themselves back to 80% of good nick within a year. If you've got back pain them's good odds.

In the meantime stay tuned, highly tuned and make an immediate start on a serious strength and flexibility training program.

My Lower Back Hurts When I Walk, Jog or Run - Help Control The Pain Without Surgery - Real Methods

Do you have pain in your back when you run?

Is it there before and after the run as well?

1.) A Common Back Problem

Lower back pain is fairly common in most individuals at some point in their life. It seems to be a common ailment that changes the way people live, when you have it. However, if you have felt this pain when they are running or exercising the cause may be more serious. If you ever wondered how or why you lower back hurts when you run there could be several important reasons why. This article can not diagnose your pain, but it can help you to know valuable treatment options that can help you reduce and control the pain. Read on for more information that can really help you.

2.) Haulting Your Exercise Routine - Back Pain

If having lower back pain has stopped your daily exercise or routine, than you can find out how to get back on track and start enjoying your workout again. If you are experience lower back issues when you run, the important thing is not necessarily to stop exercising, but find a way where you can enjoy jogging and not have lower back issues (obviously, it is a good idea to make sure your doctor is fine with you exercising first).

One of the reasons that individuals' lower back hurts when they run is not stretching before going for a run or jog. The most important muscles to stretch before exercising are your neck, the core of your body, and your knees and legs. By stretching your whole body by touching your toes, you will help prevent soreness in your lower back (unless you have a fracture or herniated disc).

3.) Some Common Sense Ideas When Running

Using padded insoles for your shoes have known to prevent some back issues. Investing in good running shoes can be a wise move. Different running shoes are made for different surfaces; meaning if you are running on pavement track, or even grass you might want to try a different shoe brand that is meant for running on that particular surface. One simple issue that could be the reason is that you are pushing yourself too much in your run. Try running about half as long as you did when your lower back pain started flaring up and seeing if this makes a difference. If after trying all these methods and your pain does not decrease, you may wish to consult a doctor.

4.) Back Support

Chances are that your back does not just start hurting as a result of running every time. You may have this pain before and after a run as well. If this is the case, then you will want to consider using a lower back support in many of your daily activities. Why? You may have thought, I will never where one of those things! However, you will be shocked at how they can help to provide support, remain hidden to others if you wear a t-shirt, and can help reduce your pain rather quickly. They can also help facilitate the healing process for you because they will remind you not to make movements that will hurt you, or further your injury level. This is key and a back brace can be a great asset to you, in this way alone!

Note: When getting a back support make sure to visit your local, licensed orthotist. These individuals are brace specialists and can bill your insurance for the brace as well. They are the ones that should provide you with medical advice on bracing.

How Exercise Can Help With Lower Back Pain

When dealing with lower back pain one of the last things you want to do is exercise but that may be exactly what is needed. Lower back pain sometimes is caused by a weaken core that can no longer support your body to keep it stable and sturdy. We provide some exercise routines to help rid you of lower back pain once and for all.

**Please remember to warm up and stretch properly before doing any physical activity.

Examples of Exercises to Work Your Lower Back and Abdominals

Prim and Proper With Perfect Posture

Do you remember your parents always telling you to sit up straight? Well, that is exactly what I am telling you to do now. Sit up straight and tense your abdominal muscles you should almost immediately feel some relief in your back. Slouching over actually puts a lot of pressure on your back and over time can cause you great pain. It sounds dumb but sitting up straight might be the best exercise for improving your lower back strength.

Work Your Abs

There are tons of abs routines that range from just squeezing your muscles to doing sit-ups with weights. I suggest doing calm and slowly repeated abs without much jerking or pouncing. Find a few abs exercises that you like and do them at least a few times a week.

Having strong abs will help support your back muscles. In fact, back muscles and your abdominal muscles are closely linked. If you have strong abs you likely have a strong back.

Dead Lifts or Weightless Toe Touches

Either with weight or without stand tall with your feet about shoulder with apart. Slowly bend at the waist looking straight the whole time and attempt to touch the floor and then slowly recoil back up. Do this for 10 to 20 reps.

Back Sit Up

These are similar to sit ups but in reverse. For a person with back problems I suggest doing the beginner version which is lay on your stomach with your hands behind your head and raise your head up bending backwards and then slowly coming back down. Do this for 10 to 20 reps.

The more advanced version is to hang off a bench or your bed at your waist while someone holds your feet and you bend at the waist to the floor and back up again. This is likely way too much for a person with back pain to handle.

Walking or Jogging

The Pounding of jogging may not be ideal but jogging does a great job of strengthening ones back. If jogging is not possible then a steady walk or an up tempo walk will suffice. Basically, any sport is good for lower back strength because they all work your belly in different ways.

Lower Back Pain Relief - Looking For a Natural Solution?

Millions of people around the world are crying out for lower back pain relief. A high proportion of them are suffering from a personally-generated, musculo-skeletal system dysfunction. That being the case, getting better by having someone do something to them is drawing a long bow. They have to do something to themselves. Once they grasp that concept, many - though not all - will start getting better.

For many of these people, rubbing, crunching, heating and vibrating the spot where it hurts isn't providing the relief they are craving.

If it is, it's only because they keep going back for more treatment.

The only thing that relieves the pain is an anti-inflammatory drug, but they know that's not restoring poor function to good. They also know that under the pharmaceutical regime the condition is getting worse.

Most therapists overlook the underlying cause of the problem because their attention is intuitively focused on the spot where it hurts.

The X-rays show that there are bones in the lower back that are out of alignment. The therapeutic urge is usually to try and push them back into alignment.

However, unless the cause of the movement of the bones is found and treated, the body in its wisdom will pull the bones back out of alignment, just in time for the next visit.

So what is the likely cause of the problem?

For a high proportion of people the problem stems from a pelvis that is out of alignment. When that happens the bones about it are automatically drawn out of alignment to keep the body in some semblance of balance. It's a bit like a house. When the foundation moves the bricks above it move, the walls crack.

The aim of treatment for lower back pain relief is to get the foundation - in this case the pelvis - squared up. When that happens there's a good chance the bones above the pelvis will be drawn back into better alignment. Pain is relieved.

Having got this far the next question is, 'What is it that causes the pelvis to move out of alignment?' The short answer is tight muscles attached to it, usually the hamstring, buttock and muscles in the groin area.

The next question is, 'What causes those muscles to tighten up?'

The short answer to that question is sitting down for years on end without a regular and systematic flexibility training program.

Sitting down looks easy, yet subtly, nanometre by nanometre muscles shorten. Muscles on one side of the body usually become shorter than muscles on the other side. Couple that with muscles throughout the body becoming weaker, it's almost inevitable that the pelvis and the bones above it will move out of alignment.

How do you know which muscles are tight?

If you can't sit up straight, with an 'S' shaped curve in your spine, bottom close in against a wall, legs straight out and pain free, your hamstrings are too tight.

If you can't sit up straight with your legs crossed and your hands clasped behind your back, your buttock muscles are too tight.

If you're lying face down on the floor with knees wide apart, your legs in the frog position and soles of the feet together, and you can't get your abdomen and toes to rest comfortably on the floor, the muscles in your groin area are too tight.

It is not a tough assignment for anyone to work out which muscles are too tight.

Tight muscles are not caused by a lack of rubbing, crunching, heating, vibrating or paracetamol, so using those therapeutic modalities to gain lower back pain relief is not the best way to treat the cause of the problem.

So what is the best way to get lower back pain relief? The simple answer is to start doing the exercises that loosen off the tight muscles around the pelvis and strengthen weak muscles throughout the body.

There are a number of flexibility exercises that you can do at home on the floor while you watch TV. For best effect it will take an hour or two each night for these muscles to gradually start loosening off. If it's taken 60,000 hours for these muscles to tighten up, would you be prepared to spend 100 hours over the next a couple of months to loosen them off?

Getting your body back into better alignment is not a particularly quick fix, but there again, it's a big ask expecting to fix in a few minutes something that has taken years to develop.

Nevertheless, in a few days you may feel some relief. In a few weeks you'll feel much better. In a few months you'll be able to feel a real difference. You'll be able sit up straighter. In fact the straighter you can sit, with an 'S' shaped curve in your lower spine, the higher the likelihood you'll have lower back pain relief.

There are four great body strengthening exercises you can do at home - situps, pressups, squats and back arches. At the most, all up, they'll take you less than four minutes every second day. If you want to get better, just find the time. When you can do 20 situps, pressups and squats and a minute's worth of Superman back arches you'll probably be feeling better.

There are many strength exercises you can do in the gym. It's a known fact that the stronger people are the lower the risk of lower back pain.

The other enemy of the lower back is obesity. Once you weight more than 20Kg over your ideal weight, the chances of lower back pain increase exponentially.

In the meantime stay tuned, highly tuned and the more time you can spend loosening tight muscles and strengthening weak muscles the sooner you'll experience lower back pain relief. Don't ask what your therapist can do for you, ask what you can do for yourself.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis - Topic Overview For Low Back Pain - Brace Support Can Help! - Special Report

Do you have low back pain that just won't go away?

Do you have lower back problems and you think it might be lumbar spinal stenosis?

This free information can help teach you about lumbar spinal stenosis and ways to help treat the pain. One of the best ways for you to treat back pain is with the use of a well designed back support. There are many which you can buy, but we will not push a brand name here. First lets talk about what could be causing your back pain.

1.) What is Lumbar Spinal Stenosis?

The term lumbar spinal stenosis refers to a narrowing of the an individual's spinal canal. This happens when the growth of bone or other tissue (or possibly the combination of the two) reduces the size of the opening in the spinal bones. Unfortunately, when this occurs, a squeezing effect can happen and this will irritate the nerves associated with the spinal cord. This can result in pain, numbness, or even weakness which is usually located in the thighs, legs, feet or even the buttocks. It can also squeeze and irritate the spinal cord itself. This may cause pain, numbness, or weakness, most often in the legs, feet, and buttocks.

2.) What is the Cause of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis?

A.) Changes in the size and shape of the spinal canal due to age
B.) The connective tissues (ligaments) get thicker.
C.) Bony spurs can push on the spinal cord due to Osteoarthritis.
D.) Discs located between the vertebrae may migrate backward into the canal.

3.) How is Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Treated?

Surgery is reserved for severe cases. Many times mild to moderate symptoms can be treated conservatively with pain medications, exercise and the use of physical therapy (PT). Your physician may also give you a spinal shot of corticosteroids to help reduce inflammation.

4.) Back Braces For Pain Reduction & Increased Stability

The use of a well designed low back brace can really help to decrease pain and increase your stability levels. You can often times hide them quite easily under everyday clothing. Many of the people that we talk to indicated that their brace can almost instantly help to reduce their pain and make them feel much more stable as well. When you compare the price of a back brace to having surgery, or multiple sessions of physical therapy to get you pain relief, the answer becomes obvious that these braces should not be overlooked.

Corrective Fitness Solution For Low Back Pain

As a Corrective Exercise Specialist one of the most common complaints I hear from new clients is of low back pain. If you have ever suffered from low back pain then you know what I am talking about and why it is such a big complaint. Low back pain is the number one cause for sick leave than any other medical condition. (Office of Communications and Public Liaison, 2003) If you work in an office and spend most of your day sitting then this article is for you! If you are like me and have suffered or are currently suffering from things like herniated discs, compressed vertebrae or sciatic nerve pain I suggest you consult with your physician before beginning this or any exercise routine. The methods that I discuss here have helped me personally and many of my clients to alleviate low back pain and to care for it daily.

When a joint is moved into any position then one muscle is shortened (contracted) and the opposing muscle is lengthened (stretched). When these positions are held for long periods of time, the contracted muscles get tighter and stay like that, while the stretched muscle becomes weaker, thus keeping the joint in an altered position and out of neutral. Over time this can cause joint dysfunction, pain, altered movement patterns and could even lead to serious injury eventually.

The primary joint we will be discussing here is the pelvis because this is where your spine connects via muscles and connective tissues. In order to keep this as simple as possible just imagine the pelvis like a box suspended in air by four cables (representing muscles). There are a 4 major muscle groups involved in the positioning of your pelvis; the abdominal muscles and hip flexors in the front. The gluteus, hamstrings, and low back muscles in the rear. If the low back muscles and hip flexors are tightened then the pelvis shifts up in the rear. The opposite happens if the gluteus, hamstrings and abs are tightened. If all are even then the pelvis would be square.

Now that you understand how the joint and muscular systems work together, let's discuss a major contributor to low back pain. The majority of people who suffer from this problem that I've met all have one thing in common: jobs that involve hours of sitting at a desk. When sitting, the hip flexors and the low back muscles are in a shortened state. This creates a pulling of your pelvis down in the front and up in the rear, called an anterior pelvic tilt, tilting your pelvis in such a way that your butt sticks out. The lengthened muscles in this dysfunction are the abdominals, hamstrings, and gluteus. These muscles, primarily the glutes and abdominals, are constantly in a weakened state and these are the very core muscles needed to support the lower back.

The process of treating this is based on Corrective Exercise. The first step towards correcting this is to inhibit the over-active hip flexors through self-myofascial release (aka foam rolling). The second step is to lengthen them by doing a static hip flexor stretch. You can also stretch the low back by lying over a fitness ball, this is also a great way to decompress your spine after a long day of sitting.

Once you have lengthened the tight muscles, then you can begin isolated strengthening of the abdominals and glutes. Some great exercises to accomplish this are hip extensions (aka bridges), planks, and sit ups or crunches. Another great exercise for strengthening the transverse abdominals is the standing or kneeling draw-in. You should also strengthen your hamstring muscles as these contradict the pulling of the hip flexors. This last one may not seem to make sense because most people with low back pain feel like they suffer from tight hamstrings and this is true. However, the reason the hamstrings feel tight is that they are being overly stretched because of the position of the pelvis and they actually need to be strengthened to counteract the hip flexors.

By doing these exercises you can bring your pelvis back to neutral and eliminate the pressure brought upon the lower back by sitting all day. I have used these exercises on myself and many of my clients with extreme success. If you have joint pain or issues feel free to comment or email me your questions, I would love to help you live and move pain free.

Dave C Smith CES.

Low Back Pain Ayurvedic Herbal Remedies, Causes and Symptoms

Low back pain or pain in lumbar region affects nearly 80% of people once or many times in their lives. It is a pain caused due to musculoskeletal disorder and can cause acute, sub-acute or chronic pain. It is the area that supports most of the body weight of a human body, this structure makes all the movements of the body possible and provides flexibility to the body.

The lumbar area is made up of five vertebrae and between them are inter-vertebral discs which act as a cushion and also prevent the vertebrae to rub each other. These inter-vertebral discs also protect sciatica nerve which off shoots from the lumbar region. This whole structure is supported and held together by muscles and ligaments and muscles make the movement of the low back possible.

As it is evident that low back is the area which bears most of the weight of the body and is involved in most of the movements made by the body in day to day activities, this makes it prone to wear and tear and also to injuries. Any injury to the muscles or ligaments can cause pain in the back. With the growing age the lumbar area can have diminished or shrunk inter-vertebral discs which make the vertebra or facet joints rub each other causing pain and stiffness in the lower back area. With the age ligaments and muscles also loose the strength and elasticity which can make vertebra move more than they should, hindering the functioning and causing pain in the low back. Spinal stenosis, pinched sciatica nerve, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout arthritis, herniated spinal disc are some other problems which lead to chronic low back pain and need special treatment and attention for alleviation.

The initial symptoms of low back pain is mild pain in the lumbar area which may radiate down on the front side or back of the leg or may remain confined to the lumbar area. This pain increases with the movement like walking or standing and sometimes it may get aggravated at night while in resting position or in prolonged sitting position. Inability to standup on the toes or inability to raise big toe upwards signifies irritation of certain nerves. Numbness or tender points or lack of blood supply to any leg during sitting position also suggest low back pain.

NSAID, herbs for controlling pain and inflammation, creams, massages, therapies and exercises are helpful in treating low back pain. In the case of chronic pain due to arthritis or herniated disc, massages and exercises are recommended along with pain killing medicines. Since side effect of NSAID are not yet known completely so herbal treatment for pain control is recommended. Rumatone Gold capsules and oil is very good ayurvedic remedy in lowering back pain. Light exercises, weight control and healthy life style are helpful in preventing episodes of low back pain. Yoga poses and exercises are also extremely helpful in curing and avoiding the pain in low back area by keeping the weight under control and functioning of the joints smooth and proper.

Reasons For Lower Back Pain - Treatment Options For a Sore Back

How is your back doing lately?

1.) Introduction

Low back pain is the pain felt at the lower portion of the back, and the feeling may vary from one person to the next. Some may have a slower onset of symptoms, and some may have a sudden spike of pain at any given moment. The duration may be acute - which may last from a few days or for weeks on end! Often times back discomfort results from a mechanical injury, subacute - which may last from four to twelve weeks, or chronic - which may last longer than three months and may be progressive.

2.) Low Back Pain

Low back pain may affect the back on any portion just below the ribs and above the legs. Our lower back is the bridge between our upper and lower body, and it carries most of our body's weight. Because of this, the lower back is easily injured just doing daily activities. In fact, low back pain affects eighty percent of the total population at least once in their lives. Most low back pain however, will just go away in a short time with just a few basic self-care remedies. If your pain lasts for more than a few weeks on the other hand, you should then go and see your doctor for proper treatment.

3.) Causes of Pain

There are a lot of causes of low back pain. It may be from a muscle strain, or muscle spasm, after a long day at the gym, or after carrying heavy objects, or from overusing or overstretching, which is usually the most common cause. It can also be from aging. As we age, our bones and muscles also degenerate and lose strength which increases the chances of injury. Therefore elderly people may have more risks of having low back pain than younger people. Other causes of low back pain may also be from arthritis, osteoporosis, slipped or herniated disk, congenital spine problem, or even from vehicular or other accidents. Being stressed or depressed may often times make the low back pain become chronic and long-lasting.

4.) Prevention

There are some ways to prevent low back pain from returning, one of which is the use of proper body mechanics, with good posture upon sitting, standing and walking. Stretching prior to exercising may also help reduce incidence of low back pain. Regular and low-impact exercise may also help, such as walking, jogging, swimming or stationary biking. Watch your weight and eat calcium rich food and beverages. And most importantly, do not lift objects that are too heavy for you. Instead, bend your knees upon lifting and keep the object you are lifting close to your belly button.

5.) Back Braces For Support & Pain Relief

If you have low back pain then you should look into getting a back support to help reduce your pain and improve your stability. They can help promote stability and help to give you your life back again. Many are totally concealed by wearing a t-shirt over the brace and people will never know you are even wearing one, unless you tell them. These supports are useful because they can help limit those movements that will cause you pain and this can help promote healing of an injured lower back.

* This free health information should also not be used as a substitute for medical advice.

Why Does Lower Back Pain and Constipation Occur?

Lower back pain and constipation are often seen together. Once you understand how this happens you will then realize what you must do to make sure both ease quickly but also how to get long term relief. Read on to make sure you understand more on why these occur.

The low back is comprised of five vertebrae and if you include the sacrum (the wedge shaped bone at the base of your spine) then there are actually six. From the spine exits the nerves, these nerves supply the energy to your muscle sin the lower back and legs so you can move and perform the activities you wish.

However, from the spine also exits nerves that supply energy to the digestive system. The lower spine feeds this supply to the lower bowel. If you don't know, there are in fact two types of nervous systems.

The Two Types Of Nervous Systems

The first is your Skeletal Nervous System which supplies the nerve to the muscles and joints; it deals with both pain and movement. The second is the Autonomic Nervous System which supplies nerve to the organs and stimulates them to become active or to slow down.

Although somewhat independent of each other, if there is interference in the same location both systems can become affected.

This is why when your low back starts to falter; the skeletal and autonomic systems can both start to fail. You will develop pain in your muscles and joints, but also your bowel may become sluggish and hence constipation develops.

Lower Back Pain and Constipation

The problems don't just stop there either. Once the bowel has become sluggish, pressure also builds in the bowel which can increase the pressure on the spine. The spine is bathed in fluid and if pressure increases in the abdomen this pressure affects your spine.

So you may develop constipation from a lower back issue, but you can also develop lower back aches and pain from a bowel issue. Once you are constipated the low back will struggle to function correctly.

To add further misery, each muscle in your body has a corresponding muscle that can react if that organ is affected. The Large Intestine which is involved with constipation relates to the Hamstrings and Tensor Fascia Lata which are both pelvic stabilizers.

Lower back pain and constipation can occur easily and once present both can recreate the other. Whether your constipation arose due to the lower back or whether it is due to poor diet, dehydration or any other issue, once present it is involved in the cycle of pain.

The Solution to Both Lower Back Pain and Constipation

There are only ever three steps needed in all health problems. First you identify the cause; second you eliminate the symptoms and finally remove the cause.

The results for lower back pain relief are poor for the mere fact that most techniques only ever deal with the structural issues, and even then most only deal with muscles.

To get lasting lower back pain relief you must remove both the symptoms and the cause. The causes can be muscle joint and even organ related.

The same applies to constipation. Taking laxatives, eating certain foods, using supplements may make you regular. But if you stop using these and you return to a constipated situation then that underlying cause is still present.

And long term constipation can lead to more serious bowel issues as you age.

So no matter what caused your lower back ache and constipation, you need techniques that use a variety of approaches. Which is why in the X-Pain Method we teach structural techniques along with Acupressure to make sure both the structural and organ based causes are eliminated. That way you get lasting lower back pain relief as well as long term constipation relief.

Understanding why lower back pain and constipation occurs helps you to understand the process of removing them long term.

Exercises For Lower Back And Hip Pain

Upon asking, any sufferer of Back or Hip Pain will no doubt tell you how incredibly painful it can be.
Back pain can be something that comes and goes with some people, but many suffer from chronic back pain which of course is course for much more concern. Some people complain of a dull ache, but others get sharp pains or even burning sensations.

The unfortunate truth is, there isn't really a concrete cure for back pain at this stage. Professionals will will tell you daily exercise is a way to relieve pain, and this is no doubt one of the best ways to go about pain relief.

It's one thing knowing to exercise, but it's another thing altogether to knowing which exercise exactly to do. Doing the incorrect exercise can in fact lead to making your back or hip even worse. I've included a couple of exercises that I've found successful and are widely used in relieving pain:

Back Pain Exercise

Supine Lying Hamstring Stretch

This particular exercise may stretch your hamstrings, but tight hamstrings contribute in a large way to lower back pain. So this exercise is highly recommended to prevent your back pain in the future. This puts no strain on your back as if done correctly, your back should remain still.

To do the Supine Lying Hamstring Stretch:

1. Lie down on your back with one knee bent and one resting on the floor horizontally.

2. Without holding it, move your straight leg up in the air so it's eventually at right angles with your torso.

3. Place your hands behind your leg and slowly slide them up as close to your ankle as you can. This will result in your hamstring stretching further.

4. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on other leg.

Hip Pain

Hip pain is harder to target with an exercise. What is recommended you do is you learn how to walk properly to reduce strain on that hip. It may sound silly but a large majority of people simply do not know how to walk! Learning this will go a long way to relieving your pain.

The Most Fun And Best Water Exercise For Back Pain and General Fitness

FUN WATER EXERCISES

When I was pregnant with my first child, I had the worst case of sciatica that had bedridden me for the last 7 weeks of my pregnancy. I could not move a muscle and the pain was unbearable. During this time the doctors couldn't X-Ray to see what had happened nor give me any pain killers. After birth, I had an MRI scan to see exactly what was wrong.

It turned out that the pain I had, was not only from the sciatica but also from the fact that I had a completely bulged disk that caused my vertebra to rub on each other. The doctors were in a rush to operate on my back where the chances of a successful operation are 50/50. This meant that either I will be able to walk again or sit in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.

I believe in the power of will and nature so I decided to find a different solution to my back problem and if nothing worked, I would have had no choice but to operate. I turned to acupuncture and low impact exercises which eventually saved me from laying on the operating table.

the acupuncture completely dissolved the bulge disk in the body, therefore my pain slowly went away and the water exercises enabled me to strength the muscles in my lower back and eventually in my whole body.

I started walking and swimming up and down the lane in a swimming pool which didn't excite me, coupled with some other exercises that unmotivated me. I assume this is the reason why so many different methods of water exercises have been developed.

So I moved to Yoga in the water which was perfect for me at the time and a lot more interesting. As I became a bit stronger I moved to aqua-aerobics, deep water exercises etc... I enjoyed them all but still felt I was pushing myself to do them, they didn't completely grab me. I had to keep exercising, stopping was not an option if I wanted to do things with my new first baby (Needless to say that by then I was slowly getting better and already knew that I won't be having a back operation).

That's when I discovered cycling in the water with a Water Bike or Aqua Bike at the Des-Renford pool in Maroubra, Sydney.

It was the best thing for me because, not only I had found something totally different, I had also found something that is SO MUCH FUN. I couldn't get enough of it and I have become addicted to water bike classes. A short while after I started the Aqua bike lessons, I was able to roll on the floor with my 1 year old for the first time. The Aqua bike had pushed me to fitness levels I never thought was possible for me.

This is how it works: You sit on a stationary bike in the pool (Water waist high) and start peddling according to the fitness instructor. After warm-up, he adds the arm exercises which are also in the water. Some of the different varieties of exercises are very challenging, yet so much fun. It strengths all your major and small supporting muscles; legs, buttocks, abs, arms and chest.

Case study shows aquatic exercises are gentle on your joints and muscles as opposed to land based exercises due to the water properties. The "Aqua Bike" or "Water Bike" exercises are also well known as excellent exercises for cardiovascular fitness. This doesn't mean that land based exercises are not good for you, it just means that water based exercises are better for you whether you are a fit person trying to keep healthy and in shape or a weak muscle toned person trying to get fit and improve strength

It has been 6 years since I started the "Aqua bike" classes and I certainly believe that Low impact exercises are the safest way to exercise in order to lose weight, get fit and tone your muscles; with saying that, you need to have fun and be motivated while exercising. Thankfully, in my opinion I have found the most fun fitness program of all times (Land or Water).

It turns out that the "Aqua bike" and "Aqua treadmill" classes are also excellent for hydrotherapy. It certainly is more fun than walking up and down a swimming pool lane.

Here are other Aquatic Fitness Centres around Australia that have this wonderful program; I truly believe that if it's near you, you should try this.

Enjoy!

Lumbar Pillow - Prevent Lower Back Pain With Stretching and Lumbar Pillow

A lumbar pillow is inexpensive and it can help to support your lower back when you sit. There is really no reason why you should not be supporting your lumbar area to prevent lower back pain. If it is your job nature to be seated for a long time, your chances of getting lumbar pain is very high if you do not know how to take measures to prevent it from happening.

Lumbar pain can be serious if untreated. Serious lower back pain can cause difficulty in walking and in some cases; a person can be temporarily bedridden. Taking good care of one's back is simple, especially if you have developed them as your habits. For example, you can make it a point to have your lumbar pillow wherever you go so that your lower back has the firm support when you sit.

Apart from using pillow for support, you can also do some stretching once in a while to relax your muscles. Sitting in a certain position for an extended period of time can cause aches not only to your back but also the other part of the body. Pain can be caused by such tension and stretching can definitely ease it. Doing stretching is a simple movement of the body and you do not need specific time and place to do it. Although not all timing is good, you can do your stretching whenever you think appropriate. For instance, you can simply stand up and do some light stretching after a sometime you spent before the computer.

In order to prevent or eliminate back pain, you should always do some stretching in the morning before you actually get out of bed. One way to stretch effectively is to bend your knees so that you can hold on to your lower part of you're a leg like your shin area and tuck it close to your chest. Make sure you tuck your knee comfortably and do not hurt yourself by overstretching. You should hold on to that position for about one-third of a minute before you change your position by stretching with the other leg. Make sure you do the stretching for about three times for each leg before you complete with the exercise.

Having to deal with lower back pain is no joke. The pain can become so excruciating that a small movement from your body can be difficult. Taking good care of your back is not something difficult as long as you are willing to make certain changes like supporting your back with a lumbar pillow whenever you sit. Make sure you make it a habit to do stretching so as to ease the tension of your body to prevent lumbar pain.