Simple and Easy Sacroiliac Joint Exercises for Quick Relief

Your SI joint, or sacroiliac joint, is found in your pelvis. It connects your upper body and back to your hips and legs. Pain in this part of your body can be often be felt down to your buttocks or at the back of the thigh.

When there is injury or inflammation in this area, it can really affect the movement because this is a joint that can transfer the upper body weight to your lower body. Kind of important, right?

Activities as simple as walking up stairs to reaching things on your high shelves in your closet suddenly become a huge struggle. There are many treatments for sacroiliac dysfunction ranging from simple at-home exercises (what we're talking about here) to invasive surgery.

Now of course you can get a surgery, but that's dangerous and expensive. Plus, did you know that only about half of the people that undergo this kind of operation really get rid of the pain for good?

That's a pretty big gamble to take with your body and your health. Here I want to share some simple home exercises that can help to fix SI joint pain. But first you need to neutralize your spine to prevent injury while doing the exercises.

How to Neutralize Your Back to Prepare for the Exercises

Important: Don't skip this. If you do the below exercise without doing this first, you will risk further injury to your sacroiliac joint by only making any misalignments worse than before. So make sure you do this!

To do this preparation exercise, you start from a standing position. The first thing to do is placing the shoulder blades and the buttocks and against a wall so that you can check the position of the lower back. Make sure there is an arch between the lower back and the wall (which is where it is a normal position). In order to neutralize the spine, it is important to stay in the same position that pushes the center of your back toward the wall.

The Best SI Joint Exercise

Simple exercises such as wall squats can be used for sacroiliac (SI) joint pain. The first and basic position is that to stand in neutral while learning on the wall and placing the feet at a distance with a thigh length.

The knees should be bending at an angle with no less than 90 degrees, and that means that the body weight should be keep evenly on both heels. The kneecaps have to be lined to the 2nd toe on each of the foot.

Keep in mind that the shoulder blades, buttocks, middle back and the shoulder blades need to be kept flat on the wall at all times while there is bending and lifting. Repeat about 8 to 12 times, three times a week.

This will probably hurt quite a bit and make your upper thighs very sore. Back when I was in school, my gym teacher actually used to make us do this exercises to punish us for misbehavior.

Try out this exercise to help relieve your SI joint pain. It might take a few days of doing it to really see the results. Don't expect a magic pill here. Just keep doing it and you can expect to see improvement after several days.

Stretch to Strengthen Your Back and Eliminate Back Pain

Have you ever noticed a house cat, dog or one of the great cats at a zoo stretch? They wake up from a nap and stretch every muscle, tendon, ligament and joint in their bodies. The results of all this stretching is a strong and supple body. Here are some things we can learn from these animals and apply to our own lives.

I am always fascinated by my little house cat. He will stretch and stretch his little body after awakening from a snooze and after his exercises is ready to play, jump, run and pounce with amazing quickness. I'm not sure whether these animals suffer from back pain, but I have not seen a cat or dog with a back brace. I believe we can learn a lot from these animals and have found in my own situation that proper stretching can relieve my back pain and strengthen my back muscles so that I stay pain free.

So what happens when an animal or human stretches and what can we learn from our furry friends that will help us to be fit and pain free? Stretching does have three major benefits.

1. Stretching increases circulation: The movements involved in a good stretch squeeze our blood vessels pumping blood to the parts of the body being stretched. This is important for anyone suffering from back pain. Increase blood flow helps to relieve inflammation and pain.


2. Stretching is a great way to relieve muscle tension and muscle tension and tightness cause back pain.


3. Stretching makes you more flexible, stronger and limber, increasing your range of movement.

There are many more benefits to stretching, but the above are especially important to anyone suffering back pain.

We all naturally know how to stretch and like a cat do it all through the day most of the time without thinking. The key to eliminating back pain and aches is to do specific stretches design to address the causes of our back pain and strengthen the muscles supporting our back.

This is where we need help. I recently read an article which claimed that most of us do not perform stretches properly or the stretches we do are not the right ones. Because they are so many different causes of back pain it is important to perform the right movements to address your specific situation.

One way I have found to be most beneficial is first to analyze your posture and look for muscle imbalances. Muscle imbalances put undue pressure on you back and many times is the root cause of your backache. Once your body has been analyzed then the proper exercises can be designed for you and proper instructions can be given.

My daily routine always involves proper stretches design for my specific body imbalance and back problem. Even though I have eliminated my back pain and enjoy a very active life which includes rigorous body weight exercises, I make sure to include my stretching routine as part of my workout.

Like my cat daily stretching has resulted in a strong and pain free back. The routine I do has given me the added benefit of strengthen my entire body, making me limber, flexible and strong without most of the aches and pains many people my age suffer. I encourage anyone experiencing back pain to try stretching and like the great cats of Africa you too can be limber and strong. Just make sure you identify the correct stretching movements for your back condition.

The Psoas Muscles and Abdominal Exercises For Back Pain

Common opinion notwithstanding, the proper purpose of abdominal exercises is to awaken control of the abdominal muscles so they coordinate better with the other muscles of the trunk and legs (which include the psoas muscles). It is that better coordination that improves alignment, and not merely higher tone or strength. When the psoas muscles achieve their proper length, tone (tonus) and responsiveness, they stabilize the lumbar spine in movement as well as when standing, giving the feeling of better support and "strength". Mutual coordination of the psoas and other muscles causes/allows the spine and abdomen to fall back, giving the appearance of "strong" abdominal muscles -- but it is not the strength of abdominal muscles, alone, but the coordination of all the involved muscles that gives that appearance.

To improve psoas functioning, a different approach to abdominal exercises than the one commonly practiced is necessary. Instead of "strengthening," the emphasis must be on awareness, control, balancing and coordination of the involved muscles - the purview of somatic education. I will say more...

... but first: A discussion of the methods and techniques of somatic education is beyond the scope of this paper, which confines itself to a discussion of the relation of the psoas muscles, abdominal exercises, and back pain. For that, see the links at the bottom of this article.

The Relationship of Psoas, Abdominal Muscles and Back Pain

The psoas muscles and the abdominal muscles function as agonist and antagonist (opponents) as well as synergists (mutual helpers); a free interplay between the two is appropriate. The psoas muscles lie behind the abdominal contents, running from the lumbar spine to the inner thighs near the hip joints (lesser trochanters); the abdominal muscles lie in front of the abdominal contents, running from the lower borders of the ribs (with the rectus muscles as high as the nipples) to the frontal lines of the pelvis.

Take a moment to contemplate each of these relationships until you can feel or visualize them

• In the standing position, contracted psoas muscles (which ride over the pubic crests) move the pubis backward; the abdominal muscles move the pubis forward. (antagonists)


• In walking, the ilio-psoas muscles of one side initiate movement of that leg forward, while the abdominals bring the same-side hip and pubis forward. (synergists)


• The psoas major muscles pull the lumbar spine forward; the abdominal muscles push the lumbar spine back (via pressure on abdominal contents and change of pelvic position). (antagonists)


• The psoas minor muscles pull the fronts of attached vertebrae (at the level of the diaphragm), down and back; the abdominals push the same area back. (synergists)


• Unilateral contraction of the psoas muscles causes rotation of the torso away from the side of contraction and sidebending toward the side of contraction (as if leaning to one side and looking over ones raised shoulder); abdominals assist that movement.

Now, if this all sounds complicated, it is -- to the mind. But if you have good use and coordination of those muscles, it's simple -- you move well.

Words on Abdominal Exercises

Exercises that attempt to flatten the belly (e.g., crunches) generally produce a set pattern in which the abdominal muscles merely overpower psoas and spinal extensor muscles that are already set at too high a level of tension.

High abdominal muscle tone from abdominal crunches interferes with the ability to stand fully erect, as the contracted abdominal muscles drag the front of the ribs down. Numerous consequences follow:
(1) breathing is impaired,
(2) compression of abdominal contents results, impeding circulation,
(3) deprived of the pumping effect of motion on fluid circulation, the lumbar plexus, which is embedded in the psoas, becomes less functional (slowed circulation slows tissue nutrition and removal of metabolic waste; nerve plexus metabolism slows; chronic constipation often results),
(4) displacement of the centers of gravity of the body's segments from a vertical arrangement (standing or sitting) deprives them of support; gravity then drags them down and further in the direction of displacement; muscular involvement (at the back of the body) then becomes necessary to counteract what is, in effect, a movement toward collapse. This muscular effort
(a) taxes the body's vital resources,
(b) introduces strain in the involved musculature (e.g., the extensors of the back), and
(c) sets the stage for back pain and back injury.

The psoas has often been portrayed as the villain in back pain, and exercise is often intended to overpower the psoas muscles by pushing the spine and abdomen back. However, it is obvious from the foregoing that "inconvenient" consequences result from that strategy. A more fitting approach is to balance the interaction of the psoas and abdominal muscles.

When the psoas and the abdominal muscles counterbalance each other, the psoas muscles contract and relax, shorten and lengthen appropriately in movement. The lumbar curve, rather than increasing, decreases; the back flattens and the abdominal contents move back into the abdominal cavity, where they are supported instead of hanging forward.

It should be noted that the pelvic orientation, and thus the spinal curves, is also largely determined by the musculature and connective tissue of the legs, which connect the legs with the pelvis and torso. If the legs are not directly beneath the pelvis, but are somewhat behind (or more rarely, ahead of the pelvis), stresses are introduced through muscles and connective tissue that displace the pelvis. Rotation of the pelvis, hip height asymmetry, and/or excessive lordosis (or, more rarely, kyphosis) follow, all of which affect the psoas/abdominal interplay.

Where movement, visceral (organ) function, and freedom from back pain are concerned, proper support from the legs is as important as the free, reciprocal interplay of the psoas and abdominal muscles.

More on the Psoas and Walking

Dr. Ida P. Rolf described the psoas as the initiator of walking:

Let us be clear about this: the legs do not originate movement in the walk of a balanced body; the legs support and follow. Movement is initiated in the trunk and transmitted to the legs through the medium of the psoas.
(Rolf, 1977: Rolfing, the Integration of Human Structures, pg. 118).

A casual interpretation of this description might be that the psoas initiates hip flexion by bringing the thigh forward. It's not quite as simple as that.

By its location, the psoas is also a rotator of the thigh. It passes down and forward from the lumbar spine, over the pubic crest, before its tendon passes back to its insertion at the lesser trochanter of the thigh. Shortening of the psoas pulls upon that tendon, which pulls the medial aspect of the thigh forward, inducing rotation, knee outward.

In healthy functioning, two actions regulate that tendency to knee-outward turning: (1) the same side of the pelvis rotates forward by action involving the iliacus muscle, the internal oblique (which is functionally continuous with the iliacus by its common insertion at the iliac crest) and the external oblique of the other side and (2) the gluteus minimus, which passes backward from below the iliac crest to the greater trochanter, assists the psoas in bringing the thigh forward, while counter-balancing its tendency to rotate the thigh outward. The glutei minimi are internal rotators, as well as flexors, of the thigh at the hip joint. They function synergistically with the psoas.

This synergy causes forward movement of the thigh, aided by the forward movement of the same side of the pelvis. The movement functionally originates from the somatic center, through which the psoas passes on its way to the lumbar spine. Thus, Dr. Rolf's observation of the role of the psoas in initiating walking is explained.

Interestingly, the abdominals aid walking by assisting the pelvic rotational movement described, by means of their attachments along the anterior border of the pelvis. Thus, the interplay of psoas and abdominals is explained.

When the psoas fails to lengthen properly, the same side of the pelvis is restricted in its ability to move backward (and to permit its other side to move forward). Co-contracted glutei minimi frequently accompany the contracted psoas of the same side, as does chronic constipation (for reasons described earlier). The co-contraction drags the front of the pelvis down. The lumbar spine is bent forward, tending toward a forward-leaning posture, which the extensors of the lumbar spine counter to keep the person upright; as the spinal extensors contract, they suffer muscle fatigue and soreness. Thus, the correlation of tight psoas and back pain is explained.

As explained before, to tighten the abdominal muscles as a solution for this stressful situation is a misguided effort. What is needed is to improve the responsiveness of the psoas and glutei minimi, which includes their ability to relax.

A final interesting note brings the center (psoas) into relation with the periphery (feet). In healthy, well-integrated walking, the feet assist the psoas and glutei minimi in bringing the thigh forward. The phenomenon is known as "spring in the step."

Here's the description: When the thigh is farthest back, in walking, the ankle is most dorsi-flexed. That means that the calf muscles and hip flexors are at their fullest stretch and primed for the stretch (myotatic) reflex. This is what happens in well-integrated walking: assisted by the stretch reflex, the plantar flexors of the feet put spring in the step, which assists the flexors of the hip joints in bringing the thigh forward.

Here's what makes it particularly interesting: when the plantar flexors fail to respond in a lively fashion, the burden of bringing the thigh forward falls heavily upon the psoas and other hip joint flexors, which become conditioned to maintain a heightened state of tension, and there we are: tight psoas and back pain. (Note that ineffective dorsi-flexors of the feet prevent adequate foot clearance of the ground, when walking; the hip flexors must compensate by lifting the knee higher, leading to a similar problem.)

Thus, it appears that the responsibility for problems with the psoas falls (in part, if not largely) upon the feet. No resolution of psoas problems can be expected without proper functioning of the lower legs and feet.

SUMMARY

The psoas, iliacus, abdominals, spinal extensors, hip joint flexors and extensors, and flexors of the ankles/feet are all inter-related in walking movements. Interference with their interplay (generally through over-contraction or non-responsiveness of one or more of these "players") leads to dysfunction and to back pain. The strategy of strengthening the abdominal muscles has been shown to be a misguided effort to correct problems that usually lie elsewhere - which explains why, even though abdominal strengthening exercises are so popular, back pain is still so common. Sensory-motor training (somatic education) provides a more pertinent and effective approach to the problem of back pain than abdominal strengthening exercises.

How To Avoid That Dreaded Lower Back Pain in Early Pregnancy

One of the most common complaints from pregnant women is lower back pain in early pregnancy. During pregnancy, your abdomen is expanding and pulling forward and hormones are relaxing joints and muscles throughout your body. This will put a strain on your back and cause pain. This article will give you some good tips for dealing with lower back pain in pregnancy.

The most important thing you can do to prevent lower back pain is maintain a good posture. Sit and stand straight, with shoulders back. Try not to let your abdomen pull your lower back forward which can cause a lot of strain. If you sit a lot, choose a chair that offers good lower back support and try to keep from crossing your legs. Sit with your feet slightly elevated and change positions often. Get up and stretch frequently and take a walk if possible.

When sleeping, don't lie on your back. It is best to lie on your side. A body pillow is a good idea because you can place it between your knees and under your abdomen for full support. This will keep you body in good alignment and reduce pressure on your back.

Follow your doctor's recommendation for weight gain and try not to gain an excessive amount of weight. A lot of women will think that being pregnant is an excuse to eat what they want. Excessive weight gain can be harmful to you and your baby. Eat a healthy, well balanced diet and try to keep your weight under control. You can exercise while pregnant provided that it is okay with your doctor.

Wear low heeled comfortable shoes while pregnant. Your center of gravity is way off while pregnant and wearing high heels not only puts an added strain on your back, but it also increases your risk of falling.

If the back pain is unbearable you might try massage or chiropractic care. Massaging the painful area with heated oils can help. Some chiropractic methods may relieve the pain also. Just make sure that you let your doctor know that you are considering these treatments. You may take acetaminophen for pain while pregnant; however NSAIDS such as Motrin, Advil and other forms of ibuprofen are not safe to take during pregnancy.

When lifting anything, make sure to lift the proper way. Bend at the knees, keep your back straight and lift with your legs. Do not bend over at the waist to lift something. Be careful when lifting things above your head. Never lift very heavy objects while pregnant. Your doctor can give you information on what is safe to lift while pregnant.

Always make your doctor aware of any back pain you may be having. Sometimes back pain is a sign of premature labor and needs to be addressed quickly. Pregnancy is not without its aches and pains; however it will be worth it in the end. Just remember to take care of your back and know how to relieve lower back pain in pregnancy.

How To Treat a Pinched Nerve in Your Lower Back

A pinched nerve in your lower back is also called nerve entrapment, or nerve compression. In layman terms, it is a sore part of the body. A pinched nerve in the lower back may cause anywhere from mild pain and minor discomfort to severe soreness that makes any type of movement excruciatingly painful. Anyone who has experienced the ordeal knows that you would want it to go away, as soon as possible.

Factors Affecting Pinched Nerve

A pinched nerve in the body may be caused by a number of factors. Poor posture where weight is unevenly distributed may result in lower back pain as muscles tend to compensate for the imbalance. Same goes with wearing shoes that do not offer good arch support as the pressure of your body weight is transferred from the arches of the feet to your lower back. Stress is also a known cause of lower back pain. Other factors include obesity, Morton's toe and foot misalignment, uneven leg lengths, prolonged sitting, and in more extreme cases by slipped vertebrae or a concussion on the spinal cord.

Chronic vs Acute Pain

To treat a pinched nerve in your lower back, first you have to know whether it falls under the acute or the chronic categories. Acute pain is pain that lasts for less than 3 months. These cases may be treated with back pain home remedies. Meanwhile, chronic pain is pain that is longer than 3 months. This usually requires a more intensive treatment preferably by a nerve doctor or a rehabilitation therapist.

Chronic lower back pain can be treated by either pressing heat or ice pack (never both, for your sake) over the affected area, or taking mild pain relievers. A gentle back rub using mild liniment may also alleviate the pain. Note that bed rest is never recommended, it will aggravate the situation. If you suspect that your condition is caused by stress, do gentle movement side to side, sit back and take plenty of me-time.

Treatment for Pinched Nerve in Lower Back

Once you have recovered, it is important that you do not suffer a relapse. Study how you can acquire the correct posture so you can evenly distribute your body weight. Engage in back pain relief exercises such as pilates exercises. Use a pair of shoes that has arch support that hugs your feet's shape. Avoid sitting or standing in the same position too long. Take time to understand how you got your pinched nerve so you can give it proper solution.

Foot Fitness Tips: A Simple Point and Flex Exercise for Healthy, Pain-Free Feet

Are you walking with sore feet? Running with weak ankles? Dancing with tired toes? Cycling with stiff calves? Find yourself stuck all day sitting behind a desk with knee or back pain? Discover easy ways to start alleviating all these little aches and pains with a few quick and easy foot-care stretching and strengthening exercises.

The different ways we use, or misuse, our feet can create annoying foot and ankle problems and be a contributing factor other aches, pains, and injuries. If you're dealing with an acute injury, be sure to get things checked out and consult with your doctor, and orthopedic specialist, or podiatrist as a precaution before you do anything.

If you've been cleared to exercise, it may be time to find new strategies and solutions to keep you healthy and keep your poor tired, achy feet out of trouble. Perhaps it may be time to pay a little more attention to your ankles, arches and toes on a regular basis during your workouts. With even a short 5-10 minutes of dedicated foot fitness training there is a lot you can do to start helping your feet feel better.

Tendons, ligaments, fascia, muscle and bone are all connected. This network of support for our structure has to be in balance for us to enjoy healthy, pain-free movement. Ligaments connect bone to bone, tendons connect muscle to bone, fascia is the supportive matrix for muscle and muscles move bones.

What Happens When You Have Stiff, Tight, Inflexible Ankles, Arches, and Toes

When the foot and calf muscles are too tight, movement is restricted and more stress is placed on muscle, fascia and tendons which can contribute to Achilles tendon problems, heel pain and plantar fasciitis, just to name a few annoying foot problems.

The result of not enough stretching and poor flexibility... Restricted mobility. Muscles that are too tight may one day "accidentally" get stretched farther than they can comfortably go and - rip, tear, strain and voil? an injury!

The Challenges of Dealing with Weak Feet and Ankles

If muscles are weak, especially along the soles of the feet, there is a good chance that as soon as we start to contract a foot muscle it will cramp or lock up in a spasm! Muscle cramps prevent us from wanting to engage our muscles, so we avoid movement with the ankle, foot or toes that might cause the muscles to cramp. The result of never contracting a muscle... It will get weaker and weaker, and will cramp quicker and more severely if you do anything that requires its use!

How can you balance the work of the muscles along the soles of the feet with an effective stretch to keep the calves, arches, heels and ankles happy?

Here is a very simple point and flex foot and ankle exercise that can help you enjoy healthy feet and improve both strength and flexibility! Use these helpful tips to effectively stretch the calves to keep your calves, heels, and plantar fascia happy AND strengthen the soles of the feet to keep your arches lifted and reduce or eliminate foot cramps.

Foot Fitness for Healthy Feet - Point & Flex Exercise

You can practice pointing and flexing your feet in any position, seated, lying down, both legs at the same time, one leg at a time or with the help of a Yoga strap or theraband. There are lots of options for variety and to help challenge and target all the muscles of your feet, ankles, and legs.

To start, I recommend doing a Seated Point & Flex exercise.

• Start in an L-Sit position. (If you're hips and hamstrings are tight sit up on a box or phone book to be able to achieve a tall back position. You can even sit on a box with your back supported against a wall!)


• Keeping the legs straight, but not locked, reach both heels out away from your body to "Flex" or "hinge" the ankles. Try to avoid pulling the toes back to flex the foot. Keep the toes relaxed and lead from the heel to hinge the foot into the flexed position.


• Hold the flexed foot position and breathe. Take 3-5 breaths and see if on every exhale you can reach farther out through the heel to deepen the flex (and get a better stretch).


• To transition to the pointed position, begin by moving from the ankle to hinge the foot as far as possible in the other direction.


• Once the ankle has reached its endpoint, use the muscles along the sole of the foot to point the toes. (Like a ballerina.) Inhale to continue lengthening out through the top of the foot, exhale to deepen the contraction under the sole of the foot to point the toes more. Take 3-5 breaths.


• Release the toes, and begin reaching out through the heel to hinge the ankle into the flexed position and repeat the exercise.


• Continue to alternate between the flex and the point for 5-10 repetitions.

Use this Point & Flex exercise as a warm-up, or after a workout as a cool-down stretch. You can also apply this Healthy Movement Habits™ strategy anytime you are doing exercises that involve flexing and pointing the foot.

Helpful Healthy Movement Habit Hints for Flexing the Foot:

• There is a difference between flexing the foot by leading with the toes pulling back, and flexing the foot by reaching out through the heel. Be sure to hinge by leading with the heel to lengthen and stretch the calf, Achilles and arch of the foot.


• The less the toes pull back, and the less the front of the ankle "grips" the freer the hinge will be and the better stretch you'll achieve.


• Watch your foot alignment; be sure the big and little toe sides of your foot pull back evenly for good ankle alignment while you are moving.

Helpful Healthy Movement Habit Hints for Pointing the Foot:

• When you point, strive to lead by lengthening the top of the arch and foot out and away from the body. Avoid pointing by pulling the heel back towards you.


• When you point the toes, feel the muscles under the front of the arch move the toes, and continue to limit the amount of "pulling" to point that you feel with the heel.


• Maintain proper foot alignment; be sure from the toes to the ankle, to the knee that everything is lined up correctly to ensure you are using the right muscles to do the work.

While it may seem like an incredibly simple exercise to just point and flex the foot, paying attention to the fine-tuning your muscle firing habits and the finer points of good movement habits will ensure you are getting all the benefits you need from this easy, but effective foot fitness exercise.

And if you happen to be practicing your point and flex foot fitness exercise and are getting a calf stretch but also can feel a stretch along the back of your thigh (this would be the Hamstring muscles) it is even more important to be doubling up your efforts to practice this foot and ankle exercise daily to help improve your flexibility to keep your feet, legs, hips, and back healthy.

Stiff ankles, and tight calves can lead to lower back problems. Incorporating pointing and flexing exercises for your feet into your weekly workouts is a great way to help your feet feel better, help you enjoy better health for your lower back, and keep you feeling fit with better posture all the way up to the top of your head!

By training good functional movement of the foot and avoiding "bad" habits to point and flex, you can reduce the risk of foot and ankle injuries, alleviate chronic foot pain problems, and ensure that you are properly stretching and strengthening ankle, heel and arches to keep your feet and whole body 100% healthy.

Build Core Strength and Ease Low Back Pain With Pilates

The core or center of the body, is essential when practicing Pilates. The core consists of the deep abdominal muscles, and the muscles closest to the spine. More specifically, the transversus abdominus, pelvic floor, multifidus, and diaphragm. These muscles make up the inner unit of the torso and provide proper support to the joints of the back and pelvis. This is why Pilates is a popular choice for individuals experiencing low back pain. With proper cueing and exercise alignment, Pilates can be highly effective at decreasing low back pain and increasing quality of life.

The deep core muscles work differently than the superficial abdominal muscles (oblique muscles, rectus abdominis, and long back muscles). Research has shown that it is the timing of co-contraction of the core muscles that is effected by back or pelvic pain or by the fear of back pain. With Pilates, and core training exercises you focus on restoring the timing and sequencing of your deep core muscles to improve the health of your low back. In addition, the proper deep core contraction provides the stability you need to create mobility through the body and limbs. Once you can internally feel the contraction of the deep core muscles, core strength and core strengthening exercises begin to increase.

With Pilates, the core is challenged as movements involve overcoming resistance either from gravity, personal body weight, props, or springs. Such resistance places an increased load on the deep core muscles and increases core strength. Furthermore, core strength is not only increased for the deep core muscles, but it is also increased for the superficial core muscles as well. Thus providing an overall abs workout that is challenging and all encompassing.

Whether you are from a surrounding village or live in the core of Cambridge, Juice Pilates aims to help all of its clients achieve freedom from low back pain and achieve superb inner strength. Pilates helps build long, lean muscles and is also an excellent tool for rehabilitation or physical therapy. The Reformer equipment in Pilates helps focus on certain areas of the body with the added benefit of resistance. Reformer Pilates is becoming widely popular in England.

The Three Worst Exercises For Low Back Pain

Three of the most common exercises purported to reduce back pain actually can cause more harm than good. In fact, some of these exercises are downright dangerous. Given the frequency with which these harmful exercises are prescribed, it is not surprising that most people experience back pain at some point in their life and typical medical treatment is not effective for reducing the pain.

The first harmful exercise is the "Superman", which involves laying down on your stomach and lifting up your arms and legs. This causes a strong contraction in the lower back.

The primary reason that this exercise is dangerous is that any time you hyper-extend your spine, the facet joints (one of the joints between adjacent vertebrae) are compressed in a compromising position. The facet joints are incredibly sensitive and often the site of many people's back pain.

Adding a muscular contraction in this position can result in forces in excess of 6000 Newtons (a Newton is a unit of force). To get an idea of what this type of force means, the NIOSH, which is a safety organization run by the American government, states that the maximum allowable force in the workplace is 6700 Newtons.

The "Superman" exercise approaches the maximum safe level of force spinal compression in a hyper-extended (compromised) position, making this exercise a true spine destroyer.

The deceptive thing about this exercise is that usually motion (of any kind) provides relief at first, so this exercise might temporarily reduce pain. However, given the damage it can cause to the facet joints, this exercise is bound to increase back pain levels over time.

The second harmful exercise is the crunch or sit-up. It does not matter whether or not this exercise is performed with the knees bent, straight, as a full sit-up, just a crunch, or on a Swiss ball; this exercise will inevitably cause damage to the spine.

This is counter-intuitive as the popular belief is that increasing "core" strength will reduce back pain. The truth is that increasing abdominal strength is not associated with back pain at all (however, muscular endurance does protect against back pain).

The problem with the crunch is that lab research has discovered that the easiest way to herniate a disc is to repetitively perform flexion (flexing) to extension (straightening back to normal) movements (a crunch involves flexing then extending the spine repeatedly).

As a result, performing crunches can increase disc wear and tear in addition to ultimately creating or worsening herniated discs.

The final exercise is the side-crunch. This exercise for the obliques involves holding a dumbbell or weight in the hand and then bending down to the side and back up. This is bad for the back for the same reasons that a crunch is: repeatedly flexing and extending (straightening) the spine is liable to herniate a disc.

How to Get Rid of Lower Back Fat - Burn Off Lower Back Fat and Love Handles

If you are one of the many people around the world hoping to figure out how to get rid of lower back fat there is help. But, help might not be in the manner you expect. When your goal is to get rid of unsightly lower back fat there is one thing that is more effective than any other thing you can attempt.

Secret Weapon for Getting Rid of Lower Back Fat

Developing muscle in the lumbar region is your secret weapon against fat deposits on your back. The erector muscles are vital muscles to strengthen for any and all weight loss efforts but they are critically important to tone and make stronger if your goal is to remove back fat.

But why is this so important? It is important because muscles burn fat. The benefits of developing strong back muscles go well beyond simply burning off the fat for a better looking back though. A strong back will aid you in all your efforts to lose stubborn belly fat, developing greater endurance, and help reduce back pain (over time and with proper conditioning).

Exercises to Develop Back Muscles

Now that you know why it's important to develop your back muscles in your efforts for how to get rid of lower back fat it's time to learn which exercises will help you do this. The good news is that you don't need to purchase fancy gym memberships or expensive equipment in order to develop those essential lumbar muscles. Here are a few exercises you'll want to include in your daily routine:

• dead-lifts,
• hyperextensions,
• good mornings,
• and bent over barbell rows.

This is one exercise regimen where quality outstrips quantity. Because your back is such a sensitive region you don't want to repeat these exercises daily. This is especially true when you're growing accustomed to the exercises. You'll want to start by doing them once a week. Once you've experienced these benefits of lower back fat exercises you'll be able to add more reps throughout the week for even better results. Start slow though and work your way up.

How to Get Rid of Lower Back Fat on Remaining 6 Days

You can't really just take a break from exercises for the remaining 6 days of the week. During the other days you want to include a nice mix of cardio exercises with core strengthening exercises. Your regimen may look like this:

Day 1: Lower Back Strengthening Exercises

Day 2: Cardio

Day 3: Core Strengthening

Day 4: Cardio

Day 5: Core Strengthening

Day 6: Cardio

Day 7: Core Strengthening

Then you can begin all over again with your next set of back strengthening exercises. This will prevent you from overdoing things with regard to your back and efforts how to get rid of lower back fat while also improving your overall fitness and fat burning potential.

Three Miracle Exercises For Middle Upper Back Pain

You are stressed overworked and have constant middle or upper back pain. Your doctor has recommended exercise, but when do you get the time to do it?

If this is you then these three quick, simple and effective exercises are perfect for relieving your middle upper back pain. What's more they can be done anywhere in a matter of minutes.

Back pain is something that affects virtually everyone. Constant bending and twisting can really hurt your back. That is why it is imperative to make sure you are bending and twisting properly. It is also imperative that you are aware of the many different kinds of exercises out there that can help relieve middle upper back pain. By doing these exercises your back should be feeling better in no time. I do advise that you see a doctor for severe pain, and do not do any exercises unless you have an OK from a doctor.

The first exercise that can help relieve middle upper back pain are hamstring stretches. It may be hard to believe, but stretching your hamstrings can help make your back feel better. The reason for this is because everyone is pretty much connected to something else in the body. A tight hamstring can result in a tight back, and a tight back could lead to back pain. A simple way to stretch your hamstrings is to stand up, bend your knees slightly, and bend over to try and touch your toes. You will more than likely not be able to touch your toes, but try to reach farther each time you do it.

The next exercise I recommend for middle upper back pain relief is what is called the cat stretch. This stretch actually stretches your back. Start by getting on the floor on all fours. Then, keeping your hands and knees in place, lean back. It should look similar to a cat or dog when it stretches. This stretch will help stretch your back muscles. This will result in a looser back.

Other than stretching, there are strength exercises that can help strengthen your back. Often times back problems are either because of a tight back or a weak back. The lower back is usually where people have the most back problems. Try what is called a superman. You start by lying flat on the floor with your face down. Then, simultaneously lift your back legs and arms up while keeping them straight. Hold the position for a second, then slowly lower your legs and arms back down. This, and many other exercises, can help middle upper back pain go away.

If you follow these simple but highly effective exercises there is no reason why you should not begin to feel the benefits right away. In time that horrible nagging middle upper back pain could be a thing of the past, and you could be enjoying that quality of life that you crave.

Back Pain Exercises - Effective Stretching Exercises to Relieve Backache

The root of back pain, especially lower back pain is the weak muscles. The muscles of the back, buttocks and the abdomen are known as the core muscles and they also support the spine. Some exercises are advisable as it can reduce, prevent and even eliminate backache. Strong abdominal muscles support the lower back and also prevent the lower back pain. While lifting, strong quadriceps which is the front of thigh muscles is very important to prevent injuries. Shortened muscles can also cause back pain as it throw the spine out of alignment. With the help of stretching exercises, shortened muscles are lengthened and thus help in relieving the backache. Alignment of the spine is affected by tight back muscle, tight buttocks muscles, tight muscles in the front of the hip and even tight quadriceps or tight hamstrings (back of thigh muscles). It is advisable to stretch your back with the help of stretching exercises as it increases the mobility of the joints of the spine.

Back Stretching Exercises

You can do stretching daily but even every second day is also enough. For those people suffering from sciatica or other types of back pain or stiffness, specific stretches are often recommended at least twice daily. It is necessary to consult a physician or physiotherapist, if someone is experiencing back pain. They will prescribe the exercises according to the cause of pain.

Before doing stretching, it is necessary to warm up. You can do five minutes of walking, or exercise bike, elliptical trainer, or even marching on the spot is enough. Before doing stretching exercises, warming up is necessary otherwise it will result in back injuries because warm muscles are more flexible than cold muscles which are less likely to tear.

If you are facing with the problem of back then before doing exercises, especially which involves twisting or arching the back you must consult your physician.

Some of the important back exercises

1. Pelvic Tilt: It is associated with lower back stretching exercises and abs strengthening exercise.

2. Basic Twist: It is related with lower back stretching exercise.

3. The Cat: This exercise is associated with back stretching exercise.

4. The Cobra: This exercise is related with abdominal, lower back and chest stretching.

5. Chest Stretch: It is related with chest exercise.

The other important stretch exercises are shoulder, back, arms stretch, knee to chest, side, waist stretch, piriformis stretch, hamstring stretch etc. All these exercises performed under the supervision of physiotherapist are very effective in relieving the back pain.

Back Pain - How to Deal With a Bulging Disc

Bulging spinal discs which are more usually known as a herniated spinal disc are extremely painful. If you ever suffer from a bulging spinal disc what happens is that the outer layer known as the annulus becomes corrupted and the protective jelly like substance in the middle of the spinal disc begins to shift and exposes a much weaker and more sensitive element of the disc.

What occurs is what you would describe as a bulge in the spinal disc wall and that is why it is commonly known as a bulging or herniated disc. The pressure that occurs as a result of the bulge is exerted upon the spinal nerves and this in itself is what results in severe and acute pain.

A slipped disc can cause discomfort and disability in various parts of the body. About 92% of slipped discs happen around the lower back region or lower spine areas of the spinal column. Symptoms of a bulging disc depend very much on the location of the affected disc in the spine.

Some people may experience pain in their legs and hips if the lower back is affected. While others may feel pain in the arms if the problem is in the shoulder region in the upper back. Only a proper medical examination can determine the presence of a bulging disc. This will include X-rays. MRI or CT scans.

So what can you do about a bulging disc in your back? Firstly, the treatment you receive will depend on the severity of the pain you have from a herniated disc.Your doctor will assess your needs best and recommend the best course of treatment. Rest plays an important role in the recovery of a protruding disc. This helps to relieve the pressure and stress on your spine.

A good mattress combined with a pillow under your knees in bed can help to alleviate the pain. A word of caution though. Too much rest is not advised after the initial onset of pain, as it can make the muscles become weaker and aggravate the condition.

Minor exercise is normally advised and you could end up being referred to a physical massage therapist. Under their instructions they will give you the right exercises to boost as well as strengthen your back muscle groups, reducing irritation and pain.

Also you can be shown ways to enhance your good posture to provide maximum relaxation and much less stress to your spinal column. In the management of pain reduction, health professionals frequently prescribe anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin. However, in the event the soreness is more extreme, you could be offered a powerful epidural steroid injection. As well as alleviating soreness they act as a powerful anti-inflammatory too.

In the event the pain is really so extreme that it is affecting your total well-being and flexibility, medical procedures might be advised. This can be used as a last resort due to the prospects for lasting neural harm. Surgical procedure is normally taken into consideration in situations when the protrusion of the disc is more in the vertebral channel. The surgery will be targeted at relieving the pain as well as decreasing extra deterioration.A protruding disc is usually quite uncomfortable, so it is important to understand which actions you need to steer clear of so they won't worsen the problem. It is best to safeguard your lumbar region while lifting, discovering the correct techniques. Using a good position whenever being seated or standing. The right seat and bed mattress which support your lower back are essential.

The discs that make up your spine are extremely important as they are like the shock absorbers in a car and keep separate each vertebrae in your back. The shock is absorbed when you start to move which has the effect of protecting your bones from injury.

Every single vertebrae disc contains two elements. The first one is a robust outside cover known as the annulus. The second is a very soft glutinous centre called the nucleus. The spinal nerves are situated after every disc in the spine. This is where the pain emanates from when you experience a protruding disc. The pressure put upon the nerves is caused by the change that is taking place due to the compression of the disc.

Keeping a healthy weight can make an impact in managing the pain of a slipped disc. Less weight will mean less stress on your backbone. Regular exercise is critical to keep the lumbar region versatile and also healthy. It's also sensible to know that age is an additional risk component for slipped discs. Vertebrae can get weaker and less flexible with time. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done in regards to the aging process, but looking after yourself can help in controlling the impacts of a bulging disc.

Tips for Using Kettlebell Exercises to Strengthen Your Back

It is said that kettle bell exercises are good for strengthening backs, thigh, improve posture as well as cardio vascular fitness. This is a fitness equipment perfectly done for athletes or even for those having a therapy for their back pain and neck pains. There are many different workouts that therapeutics use for those who are suffering from back pain.

Some of the training is proven to reduce pain and injuries through the lifting techniques. It is highly recommended to use kettle bells for strengthening the abs and enhancing the flexibility of the hips.

Some tips using kettle bells to strengthen the back

With, the workout for middle backs you can gain strength to protect the back by:

• Placing two kettle bells in front. Bend those knees slowly and try to push the butt out. After bending over grab those kettle bells by their handles.


• Then hold the other kettle bell while the other one is on the floor. Flexing those elbow while it draws toward the stomach with the kettle bells.


• Repeat the workout with the use other arm.

Some exercises that are good that can strengthen your back:

• Single Arm Kettlebell Row - It is done by placing the kettle bells on the floor or just in chair. It is done with the used of knees which is slightly bend. Waist should be nearly parallel to the floor. Performing this exercise will help strengthening the back.


• Kettlebell Swing - This is the type of exercise where it can be done fully for whole body. It provides strengthening of spine, erector and muscles group.


• Upright rows - It is preformed without the help of the legs and back. It is done only with the used of the arms.

Of course you have to avoid the postures that can hurt your back, it's better to start with light equipment at the beginning. Usually, for a beginner, the weight is 8 kg for a woman and 12 kg for a man.

The back side of the muscle is capable of good posture and the lower back is also called the Erector spinae. Therefore, it's important that the lower back perform some exercises. Some of these exercises are:

• Kettlebell swing


• Kettlebell snatch


• Kettlebell dead lift

There are several things to remember when you practise your exercises. First take care not flexing the lower back forward. You have to maintain natural curve in the lower back. If you have any dolor, consult a professional that can help you.

If you are suffering from osteoporosis, spinal stenos or mechanical malfunction, it's better to visit a doctor.

Exercises to Stop Back Pain Now

Your back hurts. It hurts a lot. You ask, "What are the exercises to stop the back pain now?" or you plead, "Give me information on back pain exercise!"

Surprisingly, too much rest during an encounter of back pain will often make the condition worse. A day or two of rest should be followed by specific back pain exercise for complete recovery.

How Can Exercise Stop Back Pain?

Careful, thoughtful back pain exercise will help distribute nutrients up and down your spinal column, feeding your muscles, ligaments, nerves, and joints. Specific back pain exercise will stretch you back, making it supple. Other back pain exercise will strengthen your back, and make it strong. Weakness and stiffness, increased by rest, can be overcome by back pain exercise.

Exercises to stop the back pain now will also prevent future back pain, since you will be increasing your back's ability to handle extra stress or injury.

CHOOSE EXERCISE, NOT REST, TO STOP BACK PAIN NOW

Before you begin back pain exercise, check with your health care provider. Not every back pain exercise will be right for you. If your injury is sever, a spine care specialist will recommend specific exercise techniques to meet your need. Your back pain exercise program should work the entire body, even though your primary target is the back.

What Are the Exercises to Stop Back Pain Now?

Once you decide that back pain exercise is essential, you will want to choose appropriate exercises. We recommend a doctor's advice, and suggest that you show your doctor these possibilities.

1. Back Pain Exercises - Stretching

Stretching muscles, ligaments and tendons is essential for back health. Whether or not you are currently experiencing back pain, regular stretching of the back will give strength to overcome or prevent injury and trauma to the back. If yours is chronic back pain, plan on regular, daily stretching for as much as six months to give your back the flexibility and strength it needs. You may want to schedule more than one stretching session per day, but work carefully. Eventually, you will find that back pain exercise keeps back pain from recurring.

Set goals (expectations with due dates) for each muscle group. Decide a date by which you want each of these muscle groups to be strong. Write down each date, and determine to meet it.

Warm Up First for Safe, Efficient Back Pain Exercise!!
If there is any pain, stop or take it more slowly.
Cool down after your back pain exercise.

* Gluteus muscles. The muscles in your buttocks support flexibility in your hips as well as your pelvis. Back pain exercise should include these muscles daily.

The gluteus stretch. Sit in a straight back or folding chair. Move your bottom only forward several inches from the chair back. In that position, lightly press your feet against the floor. Now squeeze your gluteus muscles together, and hold for 5 minutes. This stretch allows you to get back pain exercise while watching TV.

* Hamstrings. Located in the back of each leg, your hamstrings help give you correct posture.

The hamstring stretch. Place one foot on a chair, keeping the other leg straight. Bend over until your chest touches the knee of the foot on the chair. Keep your chest on the elevated leg as you slowly back the other leg away from the chair. Hold your stretch for 20 to 30 seconds. This stretch gives good back pain exercise without equipment.

* Piriformis. The piriformis syndrome is caused by the piriformis muscle irritating the sciatic nerve. You feel pain in the buttocks, and referred pain from the back of your thigh to the base of the spine. Many people call this lower back pain "sciatica".

The piriformis stretch. Lie on your back, right hip and knee flexed. Grasp your right knee with your left hand, and pull the knee towards your left shoulder. In this position, grasp just above the right ankle with the right hand, and rotate the ankle outwards. Repeat with your left side. You might want to do this back pain exercise with gentle music.

* Psoas Major. Lower back mobility can be greatly limited by a tight Psoas Major. This muscle often causes back pain that makes it difficult to kneel on both knees, or to stand for extended periods.

The Psoas Major stretch. Kneel on your right knee, left foot flat on the floor, left knee bent. Rotate the right leg outward. Place your hand on the right gluteus muscle and tighten the muscle. Lean forward through your hip, careful not to bend the lower spine. You should feel the stretch in the front of your right hip. Hold for about 30 seconds. Repeat with your left leg. If you have young children, include them in your back pain exercise.

2. Back Pain Exercises - Strengthening

Back pain can be stopped now, and greatly avoided in the future, by decreasing lower back stress. These exercises develop critical muscles in the abdomen, lower back, and gluteus. Both of these back pain exercises are learned better when working with a trained physical therapist, but if you are careful, you can learn them alone. Although you may do daily stretching back pain exercises, it is important to take a few days off each week from strengthening back pain exercises.

Lower Back strengthening. Begin by lying flat on your back on the floor. Do not push your back down on the floor. Bend both knees. Pull your navel (belly button) in toward your back while keeping your back relaxed. As you breathe out, stretch your arms upward as though you are reaching for an overhead chandelier. Gradually raise head and shoulders from the floor until your shoulder blades are barely touching the floor. Hold the position one to two seconds. Repeat 8 to 12 times. If you feel pain with this back pain exercise, stop or try to do it more gently and slowly.

3. Back and Leg strengthening. This is one of the McKenzie Exercises, named after a New Zealand physical therapist. Lie on your stomach, and push up off the floor with both hands, raising only your chest. Keep your pelvis flat on the floor. Raise your back to a comfortable stretch and hold for 8 to 10 seconds. Repeat 8 to 12 times. You should feel no pain with this back pain exercise, only a pulling up of the spine.

It is strongly suggested that any back pain exercise be done only after seeking professional medical advice.

3 Quick Tips For Lower Back Pain Relief

Lower back pain ranks as one of the most disabling pains in society today and almost everyone is looking for back pain relief in some form or another. You have massage chairs, foam rollers and other gadgets that all promise lower back pain relief but manage to only fix one piece of the puzzle. Lower back pain is a typically a warning sign to more serious back pain or hip issues down the road.

The first area that you have to address is the hips. I know that this seems basic but the basics are what people usually skip. Sitting down and working at a computer all day is the number one cause of tight and dysfunctional hips. Sitting tightens our hip flexors, which attach to our back and cause back pain. So to get any type of back pain relief we must stretch the hip flexors and hamstrings during the day.

With tight hip flexors and hamstrings our glutes will become weak and not function to protect our back. Increasing glute strength through bridges and bent knee clams and other glute strengthening techniques featured in The Physique Formula Bulletproof Body program will increase our lower back pain relief efforts. Most people overuse their hamstrings and tight hip flexors and never really know how to use their glutes. You can do squats and lunges but even those movements don't directly hit your glutes the way that you need them to in order to stop your lower back pain.

The third thing that you have to do is increase your core strength. Not only is a strong core vital to maintaining healthy posture but it also provides relief by keeping the back stable during dynamic activities. Core strength has become over hyped in recent years with the fancy balls and balance devices but direct ab workout, cable chops and planks will be all of the core work you need for your lower back pain.

Herniated Discs - Do You Know What Exercise Makes Most Discs Worse?

Herniated discs are a common problem. People seek many different types of therapy for this problem. It may range from physical therapy (physiotherapy), chiropractic treatment, osteopathy, massage, acupuncture or even surgery as a last resort.

Often a few simple exercises and importantly avoiding some movements which aggravate the problem often go a long way in helping the individual to recover.

Most herniated discs bulge or displace in a posterior or backward direction; this means that exercises that encourage the disc to move in that direction should be avoided. Exercises that place stress on the herniated disc in that direction are movements such as hugging your knees to your chest, either both legs together or one leg at a time. A pelvis tilt which flattens the hollow or curve in the back also encourages the disc to move in a backward direction.

Unfortunately, theses exercises are often performed by many people who are suffering with pain in their back or leg from a herniated disc. The key thing to keep in mind is that flexion, stooping or bending movements encourages that posterior direction of the disc material. Just by stopping these movements and focusing on keeping the hollow in the curve of your back, many people suffering from pain from a herniated disc would recover quickly.

The McKenzie Method of Physiotherapy is a worldwide system used for the treatment of musculoskeletal pain including herniated discs. Therapists who are trained in this system understand the mechanics of the herniated discs and apply an individualized assessment to every patient they see in order to identify the exercise that takes the pressure off the disc herniation and allow it to recover. The therapist is also able to establish what exercises or movements that needs to be avoided while the disc is recovering.

The basic premise of the McKenzie Method is to help a patient get rid of their pain and teach the patient how to stop the pain from coming back. Empowering the patient gives them a sense of control and stops the huge strain that is placed on the medical systems around the world.

Most Beneficial Exercises for Lower Back Pain

People who usually experience mid back pain need to include mild exercise as part of their regular routine. Most sufferers would certainly argue that workout Isn't an alternative as a slight movement is adequate to induce pain, and a lot a lot more when stretching. Bear in mind that lack of exercise is usually the biggest cause of this pain, because sitting or standing too long will generate a lot of tension upon your muscle tissues of the lower back. Continual weighty lifting is also the cause of low back problems.

Remember to consult a physician in the event of constant back pain issues. Also, exercise really should be moderated and also foreseen through a physical therapist to focus on the particular ailment much more accurately. Prior to the begin of a quality exercising system, bear in mind to warm up for a minimum of five minutes to stop further back injuries. A short jog or walk is adequate to ease the muscle tissue and prepare the low back for additional stretching. A brief run in the treadmill machine or elliptical machine can also generate a lot benefit.

A simple workout you could do at home would be to lie low back on the ground along with your knees up. Lie straight as well as regular while lifting your buttocks off the flooring. Make use of your own abdominal muscles to lift yourself as opposed to pushing the feet to the floor. Lift and hold for five repetitions until the low back is totally stretched. Perform this at least almost daily.

Lumbar pain exercise ought to be pain-free. If the symptom of discomfort is obvious even in the course of warm up, visit a medical doctor or therapist to diagnose the actual cause of the soreness. It could also provide you with a far better idea on what type of exercising and drugs to take to quickly target and treat the problem area. There are various unique exercises that may perhaps assist you along with your pain and offer you several pain relief. Your just will need to discover which workout routines work ideal for you.

Make certain to carry out one thing right now to support ease your suffering and to also enhance your low back thus upcoming issues are avoided.

Back Pain When Breathing

Back pain when breathing is usually the result of a muscular problem in the upper back. Back muscles are situated very close to the lungs; when we inhale, the lungs expand, forcing the muscles in the upper back and chest to move. A muscle strain in the upper back can cause this movement to result in sharp pain or aching.

The muscles of the upper back - the latissimus dorsi, stretching from the mid-back to beneath the armpit, the rhomboids, stretching from the shoulder blade to just below the neck, and the trapezius, stretching from mid-spine to the shoulder and neck - can cause pain while breathing when they are strained. These muscles become strained either by injury or prolonged poor posture.

Rigorous sports or poor body mechanics can leave you with an injured upper back muscle. These muscles, used mostly in pushing and pulling efforts, may become strained if the work you are attempting to do outweighs your muscles' strength.

To correct back pain when breathing caused by an injury, you must allow the injured muscle to repair itself by avoiding activities that stress the muscle. Once the muscle is healed, you can gradually recondition your upper back to be strong and capable.

Poor posture is likely a more widespread cause of back pain when breathing than back injury. Slouching, that classic example of poor posture, causes the pectoral muscles in the chest and the teres minor muscle in the armpit to shorten in length, since the upper back is hunched over and the shoulders are stooped in this position. These muscles become chronically tense, exerting a pull on the shoulders and back. As the upper back muscles are overstretched and strained, they grow weaker.

Strained muscles cause pain when we attempt to use them. With every breath, back muscles are being moved. This constant employment of weak muscles can lead to chronic upper back pain, noticeably triggered by every breath.

The situation worsens when back muscles begin to spasm. To begin with, strained muscles have a difficult time receiving a healthy amount of fresh blood flow. Blood is pumped in and out of muscles during a relaxation/contraction cycle. Since strained muscles cannot properly relax or contract, they are not receiving the proper amount of nutrients and oxygen from blood. Oxygen-deprived muscles go into spasms, or forced contraction; this is the body's way of trying to end pain and protect the muscle by limiting motion. Yet upper back muscles must move in order for us to breathe; when they are in spasm, the motion can cause severe pain. The risk of back spasm in this situation is increased by the fact that the hunched posture constricts the lungs and limits the amount of oxygen circulating through the body.

If poor posture is the cause of your pain, then retraining your body to improve posture will be necessary for treatment. First, the tight muscles in the chest must be restored to their natural length. This is best done with the use of a foam roller in a technique called self-myofascial reslease. Once the muscles of the chest have been elongated, the upper back muscles can be conditioned to hold the head upright. Refer to http://www.everydayhealth.com/back-pain/upper-back-exercises.aspx for a list of exercises anyone can do to strengthen their upper backs.

Practicing proper posture is about more than having enough strength; since your body has learned the old pattern, it will take focus and possibly the assistance of ergonomic accessories like lumbar supports, cushions and foot rests to encourage proper posture. If the damage done by your previous posture is severe, you may need a physical therapist or other professional to guide you through exercises and stretches for many of your body's muscles.

Back pain when breathing is rarely the sign of a serious condition affecting your lungs. If you have chest pain with back pain, it is wise to see a doctor. Otherwise, your pain is likely a sign that your back muscles are unhealthy and need attention. Breathing shouldn't be a pain; begin your back pain management plan sooner rather than later.

Weak Hamstrings: Cause Of Lower Back Pain

Tight, inflexible hamstrings get a lot of attention as a cause of lower back pain, but weak hamstrings may also be the source. The hamstring is actually a set of three muscles that run from the pelvis to the knee in the back of the thigh. These muscles are used to facilitate the bending of the knee behind the midline of the body while the hip is extended, such as when running or walking. The group also helps to keep the knee aligned.

Tight quadriceps and weak hamstrings are a common muscle imbalance. We tend to use our quads more in everyday life, and many popular exercises at the gym emphasize the isolated development of quads. There are two main ways in which weak hamstrings can cause back pain.

1. Biomechanical

Hamstrings work with the quadriceps to stabilize movements of the knee and pelvis. This requires that the muscles are equal in strength, length and flexibility. If the hamstrings are weaker than the quadriceps, then the pulley system formed by the muscles is disrupted. The tighter, shorter quadriceps will pull downward on the pelvis in front and upward on the knee, since the hamstrings are too weak to exert a counterbalancing pull.

When the pelvis is pulled down in front, the lower back arches inward. This is called hyper-extension of the lumbar spine. Tight hip flexors and erector spinae muscles in the lower back often accompany weak hamstrings because of this postural change. As vertebral angles change in the spine, there is an increase of pressure placed on the back side of spinal discs, which can lead to premature disc wear, bulging or herniation. These disc changes can cause sciatica.

2. Fatigue

Weak hamstrings can quickly turn into tight hamstrings. Weak muscles tire quickly due to their lack of strength, and tired muscles go into contraction to protect themselves from further use. This forcible tightening of the muscle sets up a ripe situation for strain; the quadriceps fire into action before the hamstring has recovered and lengthened. A pulled, strained or torn hamstring can result.

When the hamstring is injured, the body will naturally compensate for it by employing other nearby muscles to do the work the hamstrings normally do. Lower back muscles may be called into action when the leg is moved, though this action is beyond its scope of natural duties. The muscles in the back and hips that compensate for hamstrings can become sore and strained.

Signs Of Hamstring Weakness

There are a few symptoms that point to hamstrings as the cause of back pain. If your hamstrings are weaker than your quadriceps, you may notice that your bottom sticks out and that you have an exaggerated lumbar arch.

If you have localized pain in the hamstring and pain in the lower back, then a strained hamstring is indicated.

Another sign of a quadricep/hamstring imbalance is clicking or cracking of the knee when it is bent or straightened.

Prevention and Treatment

Hamstring weakness and injury can be prevented by pursuing an exercise regimen that includes both strengthening and stretching of the muscle group, balanced with strengthening and stretching of the quadriceps. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGTcgPVexrI for a number of hamstring exercises. See 4 hamstring stretches at http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/flexibilityexercises/a/hamstingstretch.htm.

Treating a well-established muscle imbalances requires a combination of myofascial release and targeted exercise. If your quads have been chronically tight, they will need to be forced to relax and re-lengthen. Foam rolling at home or myofascial release performed by a practitioner can accomplish this. Once the quadriceps have regained elasticity, the hamstrings can be developed.

A pulled hamstring can usually be resolved with a brief period of rest and ice. The above steps will need to be taken in addition to rest and ice to prevent re-injury if a muscle imbalance is responsible for the strain.

It is important to understand that weak hamstrings may be at the source of back pain and hamstring strain. Keeping your body in balance will help to resolve lower back pain.

Discover Back Pain Relief Using Lower Back Stretches

If you've got any sort of musculo-skeletal pain, chances are your body is out of alignment. Your quest is to find out why it's out of alignment.

Here are two analogies that might help explain what's going one.

Firstly, you're out camping and someone slackens off one of the guy ropes of your tent. Likely as not, it won't take long for the whole tent to collapse.

Chances are that if you're in pain, the 'tent' is leaning over and a few of the 'guy ropes' need adjusting.

Secondly, imagine that one of the front tyres on your car is wearing unevenly. You take it to your mechanic and he recommends you replace the tyre. You know, and I know, that if all you do is replace the tyre the same thing is going to happen again.

You need to have your wheels re-aligned and the tyres balanced. It's not a five minute job.

Taking it back to the human body, in most cases when bones are out of alignment, the secret to getting them back into alignment is to do the opposite to what you'd do to straighten up your tent. You need to loosen off the muscles that have pulled bones out of alignment.

Very few people understand that this is the principle reason why they need to embark on a flexibility training program.

If you want clues as to the underlying cause of your back pain take these tests

1. Are the muscles on the back side of your body flexible enough to allow you to put your socks on while standing on one leg?


2. If they're not, you've definitely tightened up - calf, hamstring, buttock and back muscles. Crunching your lower back bones or taking a pill to mask the pain isn't going to improve your flexibility.


3. Can you sit against a wall with your legs straight out in front of you and your bottom close in to the wall? If you can't, you've got tight hamstrings - which are high on the list of suspects for lower back, neck and shoulder pain.


4. Are your buttock muscles too tight? Can you sit up straight with your legs crossed and your hands clasped behind your back? If you can't, your buttock muscles are too tight. Tight buttock muscles are also high on the list of suspects for back, neck and shoulder pain.


5. Can you do 20 pressups, men on their toes and women on the front of their thighs? Research shows that the best predictor of risk of lower back pain is your ability to do pressups. The reason is that while you're doing a pressup the muscles of your trunk - front, back, sides and core need to keep your trunk as stiff as a board. In fact, if you think about it, while you're doing pressups, you're also doing the 'plank' exercise, a highly recommended exercise for strengthening all the muscles that hold your back in good alignment.


6. Can you do 20 good situps? I do mine with my knees bent, feet under a rail and fingers behind my ears. If you can't to 20 situps the muscles on the front side of your body aren't strong enough to keep your spinal column in good alignment.


7. Are you more than 20Kg (that's a bit over 40 pounds) over weight? If you are, the risk of coming down with back pain are very high. It's not a matter of if, it's when.


8. Lastly do you have a regular and systematic strength and flexibility training program, either at home or in the gym? My research shows that people who make a point of keeping themselves strong and flexible dramatically lower their risk of back pain.

In a nutshell, if you're weak, tight, fat and you don't have a strength and flexibility training program, your back pain is definitely not due to a lack of rubbing, crunching, heating, vibrating or Voltarin.

Rushing off to the doctor isn't going to make matters any better because for most people back pain is a fitness problem, not a medical problem; and you can't solve a fitness problem with a medical solution. A lot of people tried and things only got worse. Neither Voltarin not Celebrex strengthen weak muscles or loosen tight muscles. Neither for that matter does rubbing, crunching, heating or vibrating.

The first three tests above will provide you with clues as to which stretches you need to do. The main stretches will involve muscles that are attached to your pelvis, front, back and sides, the reason being that if the pelvis is out of alignment then everything above it will be out of alignment.

In the mean time stay tuned, highly tuned, and move heaven and earth to get your body back in better alignment and strong enough to do every day tasks in comfort.

John Miller

Relieve Your Back Pain Like a Rock Star

They are rock stars that have been sidelined in recent years with severe back pain. Back problems have caused them to cancel lucrative performing opportunities. Jimmy Page had to cancel the second half of his tour with the Black Crows a few years back. Toni Iommi had to cancel a number of shows with Heaven and Hell and Mark Knopfler was recently seen performing with an ergonomically designed swivel stool in response to his back pain.

Due to the asymmetrical nature of guitar playing, many guitarists will have a habitual rotation in their torso. A right-handed player will have a left rotated torso and a left handed player will have a right rotation. These rotations can lead to problems such as persistent back pain.

Physical therapy is often the most effective way to address habitual postural issues that cause low back pain. There are many therapeutic stretches and exercise that can be used to counter bad postural habits. One of the stretches commonly taught to patients by physical therapists for self-treatment of such conditions is:

For a right handed guitarist (left rotated torso):

- Lie on your back with your arms straight out to the side
- Keep your feet on the ground with your knees bent
- Cross your left knee over your right thigh
- Let both knees and hips roll to the left keeping your upper back flat on the floor
- Your low back should twist to the left with your hips
- Hold for 1-2 minutes

This rotation stretch creates a relative right torso rotation that counters the habitual left rotation that is acquired from years of guitar playing.

This is just one of many effective stretches and exercises used by physical therapists to reverse the effects of postural muscles imbalances. In addition to stretches for postural correction there are numerous core-strengthening exercises that are important for correcting postural problems.

Most of us don't get paid like rock stars, but nobody likes to miss a gig because of a bad back. If you are a musician with back pain, finding a licensed physical therapist to evaluate your condition and prescribe a stretching and exercise routine is a good first step.

Addressing back problems when they are mild to moderate before they get out of hand is always a good idea. Just ask U2.

Lower Back Pain

When it comes to lower back pain there's a trap for young players and it is that with lower back pain you've got to keep in mind that the cause of the pain is probably not at the site of the pain.

Most people just want to stretch and heat up the spot where it hurts. If they can get someone else to rub it, then so much the better.

Most likely your doctor will only recommend one stretch; lie on your bed and bring your knees up to your chest. This is a useful exercise and may bring some pain relief, but it doesn't do much for the muscles that are contributing more to your back pain than tight back muscles.

A lot of therapists will give out exercises to stretch back muscles - like doing the cat and dog exercise. These are useful exercises but still don't get to the cause of the problem. The therapist will also want to give you the heat treatment and a rub down but doing that at the spot where it hurts doesn't get to the cause of the problem either. You just come away with a warm feeling under your singlet.

If you've got lower back pain you've got to start doing back pain stretches that loosen off your hamstring and buttock muscles. When these muscles get tight they tilt the pelvis back, turning the natural 'S' shaped curve of the spine into a C' shape. You sit at your desk in the slump dog position. You can't sit up straight when sitting on the floor.

Coupled with that it's frequently the case that muscles on one side are tighter than those on the other side, so the pelvis rotates as well.

The effect of this misalignment of the pelvis is to take the bones of the spinal column out of alignment too. When this happens, muscles, tendons and ligaments in your back are stretched beyond their pain threshold.

The vertebrae start to rub on each other producing bone inflammation - arthritis. The nucleus of the disc gets squeezed out. It may even herniate. If that happens, every time you sneeze and cough it feels someone is ramming a red hot poker into your back.

The X-ray will tell you what's happened, but it won't tell you what's caused what's happened. You can draw cold comfort from the recommendations of the experts. They think back pain happens out of the blue, or by lifting the shopping onto the back seat of your car.

At work they'll say the chair did it.

What you've got is a personally-generated, lifestyle related musculo-skeletal dysfunction caused by weak and tight muscles. You don't get that from the chair or the groceries.

You need both a general and a specific strength and flexibility training program.

As far as back pain stretches go you've got to loosen off hamstring and buttock muscles, in fact all the muscles that tilt and rotate your pelvis. Square up your pelvis and the bones above it will start to go back into alignment. The pain will go away.

There are three key lower back stretches that I recommend. If you click on the Lower Back Stretches tag at the Global Back Care website you can get the free eBook in which these exercises are outlined. Of course there are a lot more than three that I'd advise you to do, but these are must-do exercises.

Start doing them while watching TV. You could get some relief in a few days. Based on my experience there's a good chance that if you have a systematic lower back stretching program you could be feeling one heck of a lot better within 6 - 8 weeks.

But it all stands to reason. Treat the cause of the problem and the pain will take care of itself.

In the meantime stay tuned, highly tuned and remember, it's a big ask expecting to get better by having someone do something to you; sooner or later you have to do something to yourself.

John Miller

Lower Back Pain When Lying Down - Tips

If you experience lower back pain when lying down you are not alone. Pain can strike in different parts of the back and can affect different activities and functions. Lying down when you have this sort of pain can be uncomfortable and painful, as can walking, sitting, and standing. The big problem with getting this type of pain when you lie down is that it makes it impossible to get any rest, which puts you in a catch 22 situation. This is because you need rest in order to help alleviate the condition causing your back pain but the fact that you have this pain means you cannot get any rest.

There are a number of reasons why you may be getting this pain when you are lying down. The root cause of the condition can vary. Remember, the lower region of the back, also known as the lumbar region, is particularly susceptible to problems. Pain in this part of the back can strike at different times, such as when you sit, stand, walk, or lie down. If you experience the discomfort for more than a few days you may need to see your doctor to find out the cause of the problem. However, often the root cause of the condition can be simpler than you think.

What causes this pain when you lie down?

A number of problems can cause this sort of discomfort when you lie down. There are some conditions that may require medical assistance to address them. However, this problem can be caused by a number of simple things too. By identifying the cause of the pain you can then look at the options available to rectify it. Some of the things that may be causing this discomfort include:

• An underlying condition: Pain in the back region can be caused by many different things. If your pain persists and you cannot pinpoint the reason for it you should visit your doctor so that tests can be carried out. It is then possible for the doctor to determine the cause of your pain.


• Your bedding: The time when most people lie down is at night when they go to bed. You may therefore find that it is your bed, or more specifically your mattress, that is causing the problem. A change of mattress could prove to be a huge help.


• The way in which you sleep: Your sleeping position could also be affecting your comfort levels when lying down. If you sleep in a way that is awkward and causes twisting you could experience discomfort when you are lying down.

Stretching to ease your pain

Anyone that is experiencing this pain in the back when lying down may be able to ease the symptoms through stretching and exercise. This can help to ease stiffness and increase flexibility. It can also improve the strength of the spine and stretch the muscles. For those in pain with their backs this type of self help therapy can prove really helpful and can help to ease lower back pain when lying down.

Get A Perfect Office Chair To Avoid Lower Back Pain!

Of the many reasons which are held accountable for lower back pain office chair that you use is one. The majority of us spend the larger part of our day on these office chairs. So, an incorrect office chair may put you in trouble like muscle tension and sprain of the lower back region whereas a good one can provide the perfect support to the spine. So, getting the right chair for yourself in the office becomes significant.

While you go on to acquire the perfect chair for your self there are some things that you must give a thought about. The 1st thing is usually to make sure that your chair is not too hard to sit on. Hard surfaces could cause muscle strain leading to severe pain in the back. So opt for a chair with a soft seat.

Soft does not suggest too soft. You must know that an extremely soft chair is not good either. It is too comfortable to sit on these chairs which might coerce you to sit in other comfortable postures. Sitting in a bending or a drooping posture is also not good for you. It also causes strains in the lower back muscles leading to pain.

Along with the sitting base of the chair, the back support of the chair ought to be moderately soft too. A hard back support can cause sciatica. It should offer your back enough support. Ensure that the back of the chair is flexible so that you can recline whenever you want to.

The height of the chair ought to be taken into consideration too. If your chair is stationed extremely low, then you'd have to stretch your back to reach the table. On the contrary, if your chair has a height higher than the table, then you are certain to slump. Either way, you are going to irritate the muscles and nerves around the spine including the sciatic nerve. So, it is suggested that you decide on a chair which has a height slightly lesser than that of your table. Go for an adjustable chair so that you can adjust its height as per your personal requirements.

It is suggested that you look for ergonomic chairs to keep back pain at bay. These chairs provide lumbar support and also ensure better pose while you're sitting. These chairs also offer scope for proper elbow and calf placement, which again reduces the chances of lower back pain.

Office chair as stated before has the potential to give you immense back pains in case you have a wrong one. So, in case you want to prevent sciatica, opt for the perfect chair because the chair rules!

Exercises for Relieving Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain can be caused by a wide variety of things and can likewise be treated with a wide variety of treatments. Among the best methods of treating and preventing lower back pain are to regularly do exercises aimed at preventing and treating pain in that area.

In general, the place to start when you have lower back pain is with your physician. Unless your physician finds something serious, you'll probably go on a regimen of exercises, pain relievers, and natural treatments for your back pain. The goal is to do the least amount of damage possible to your body while improving your back's condition as you try to manage your pain and achieve a higher level of health.

Exercises for relieving pain in the lower part of the back are often a primary response tactic. These exercises can be used as a treatment, but they can also be used to prevent future lower back pain. The main thing is to be careful and consistent with your exercises, not pushing yourself to a greater risk or degree of injury.

You might not think of lunges as a back pain treatment, but surprisingly some people are recommending them. Your goal is to increase your hip and lower back musculature and flexibility. You should start lunges off lightly and slowly in order to prevent aggravating any current back condition.

While doing static stretching may be good in the middle or near the end of your workout routine, doing exercises that emphasize fluid motion are a much better way to get your back loosened up and to train it to be more flexible without risking further injury. Having flexible muscles will help prevent muscle spasms, pulls, and tears in your lower back that can all result in a lot of back pain, often for protracted time frames for those who have rigid or insufficient musculature.

It is important that you learn all of your workouts and exercises from a trained and licensed physical trainer or therapist. Your doctor should be able to recommend someone if you're not sure how to get started. Doing any kind of exercises incorrectly, particularly those exercise that involve the back, can do more harm than good. On the other hand, one of the additional benefits of learning exercises for relieving pain in the lower back from a trained professional is that you'll learn proper techniques for a wide variety of exercises, giving you a more complete exercise treatment program.

Why Does Pregnancy Cause Low Back Pain?

Lower back pain can be a terrible halt in day-to-day events for a pregnant woman. If you have ever seen a pregnant woman you will have noticed her often rubbing her painful back. Along with rubbing her belly, which stands out more than ever before, putting a hand to her sore back is a natural motion while pregnant. The obvious cause of lower back pain is the biomechanical stress being placed on the mother by the added weight of her baby. As the baby gains weight, the mother is pulled forward.

Why Is The Back More Likely To Hurt During Pregnancy?

There are numerous reasons for increased lower back pain during pregnancy. First, the body produces hormones in different amounts than usual during pregnancy. One of the major hormones the body makes is called relaxin. Yes, it really is called that. It is the hormone that helps the ligaments and pelvic joints to ease up and allow the baby to get through the birth canal. But it doesn't just relax things at the end of the pregnancy, but relaxes them throughout the pregnancy resulting in the funny waddle that pregnant women tend to do when they walk.

Also, with the uterus getting bigger, it changes the womans balance. She has to be more cautious when she exercises, even when walking, and get used to balancing differently. While she goes about her usual day, the ligaments holding her uterus are relaxing and pulling on her spine and muscles. These muscles are not designed to carry the extra weight of the uterus, so the spine and back muscles help with the weight. Hence, lower back pain during pregnancy! Getting moderate exercise while pregnant can help protect her from lower back muscle pain and make her more comfortable overall. Pelvic tilts, a standard exercise suggested during pregnancy, helps eliminate lower back pain, whether done while standing or while on all fours.

The woman can also avoid lower back pain while pregnant by having good posture. Obviously, having the bowling ball or watermelon out front changes her balance, but she can still stand up straight, with her shoulders back. It's fine to have her belly sticking out in front while she smiles and walks with pride!

If she already has a child or two, she must be extra vigilant about not picking them up using her back. She should not bend at her waist , but use her legs to lift herself down and back up instead. Same thing goes for when she picks things up off the floor (if she can not get someone else to do it), she should squat to reach them and use her legs to get back up. This will preserve her back and protect her from lower back pain during pregnancy.

Bulging Disc - Lower Back Treatments That Are Easy and Enjoyable

Bulging discs are really inter-vertebral plates which have been torn and have bulged into the vertebral column causing friction with the nerves and symptoms of pain in the lower back and upper legs. These conditions are mostly temporary, rarely ever requiring extended medication or surgical operations to cure them. Most of the time the right kind of exercise can help the body clean up the mess in the spinal column.

The purpose of all the exercises for bulging disc treatment is to flush out the substances that are clogging up the nerve canal and irritating the nerves. The majority of these exercises will involve stretching the spine. Here are a few of them:

1. Lying with your back flat on the floor, fold in your knees without raising your feet off the floor, until your pelvis arches upwards and your back completely flattens. Hold in that position while counting to 5. Return to the starting position. Now stretch out the knees by putting pressure on your feet. This should arch the pelvis downwards. Count to five and return to the original positions. Repeat the cycle.


2. With the "bulging" side of your spine facing the room, lean against a wall sideways with your shoulder and upper arm. Then slowly swing the pelvis towards the wall. This squeezes the side of your body with the bulge and helps to remove the clogged material on that side of the spine. The farther away the hip is from the wall, the more squeeze you will be giving it.


3. Get a big ball made of durable plastic and inflate it just enough for you to be able to sit on it. Then gently bounce your buttocks on the ball for 2 minutes. This routine also helps in flushing out harmful debris from within your spine and it affects the entire spine, not just the lower back.

The right kind of exercise can cure you of your bulging disk because nature just needs some help to do that herself.

Lower Back Pain Strategies by a Musculoskeletal Therapist

Mobility - the ability of the musculoskeletal structures or segments of the body to move or be moved to allow the presence of range of notion for functional activities. The ability of an individual to initiate, control or sustain active movements of the body to perform simple to complex motor skills.

Hypomobility - caused by adaptive shortening of soft tissues and can occur as the result of many disorders or situations.

Factors -

• prolonged immobilization of a body segment


• sedentary lifestyle postural mal-alignment and muscle imbalances


• impaired muscle performance (weakness) associated with an array of musculoskeletal or neuromuscular disorders


• tissue trauma resulting in inflammation and


• pain congenital or acquired deformities.

All these impairments can lead to functional limitations and an increase in injury risk. Remedial massage treatment especially stretching can improve impaired muscle performance or prevent injury as they become an integral component of individualized intervention.

Contracture - is defined as the adaptive shortening of the muscle-tendon unit and other soft tissues that cross or surround a joint, which results in significant resistance to passive or active stretch and limitation of ROM.

Types of contractures

Myostatic Contracture - no specific muscle pathology present. Reduced number but not length of sarcomeres. Can be resolved in a relatively short time with stretching exercises.

1. Pseudomyostatic Contracture - a constant state of contraction giving excessive resistance to passive stretch. Associated with hypertonicity of spastic or rigid nature - a central nervous system lesion such as CVA, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury. Muscle spasm or guarding and pain may cause a pseudomyostatic contracture. Inhibition procedures to temporarily relax the spasm or tonicity will allow full, passive elongation of the muscle to occur.


2. Arthrogenic and Periarticular Contractures - intra-articular pathology including adhesion, synovial proliferation, joint effusion, irregularities in articular cartilage, or osteophyte formation. Connective tissues that cross or attach to a joint or it's capsule become stiff, this reduces normal arthrokinematic motion.


3. Fibrotic Contracture and Irreversible Contracture - these can cause adhesions and development of fibrotic contractures. It is possible to stretch fibrotic contractures and eventually increase ROM, it is very difficult to re-establish optimal tissue length.

Stretching is a general term used to describe any therapeutic manoeuvre designed to increase mobility of soft tissue and subsequently improve ROM by elongating structures that have adaptively shortened and have become hypomobile over time.

Physiology of the Stretch Reflex

It is a monosynaptic reflex arc, two types of neurons are involved (sensory and motor). The reflex occurs when a sudden contraction of a muscle occurs. Slight stretching of a muscle stimulates receptors in the muscle - muscle spindles - these spindles monitor changes in muscle length. The stretch reflex operates as a feedback mechanism to control muscle length by causing muscle contraction.

Physiology of the Tendon Reflex

The tendon reflex operates as a feedback mechanism to control muscle tension by causing muscle relaxation. It protects tendons and their associated muscles from excessive tension. Receptors called Golgi tendon organs detect and respond to changes in muscle tension caused by passive stretch or muscular contraction. When tension is applied to the organ nerve impulses are generated along a sensory neuron, this synapses with and inhibits a motor neuron that innervates the muscle associated with the tendon organ. As tension increases, and the inhibitory impulses increase, the inhibition of the motor neurons to the muscle creates excess tension and causes relaxation of the muscle. It is a protective mechanism to reduce muscle damage due to excessive tension.

Indications for Use of Stretching

• When ROM is limited because ST have lost their extensibility as the result of adhesions, contractures, and scar tissue formation, causing functional limitations or disabilities.


• When restricted motion may lead to structural deformities otherwise preventable


• When there is muscle weakness and shortening of opposing tissue


• As part of a total fitness program designed to prevent musculoskeletal injuries


• Prior to and after vigorous exercise to potentially minimize post-exercise muscle soreness.

Contraindications to Stretching

• When a bony block limits joint motion


• After a recent fracture before union is complete


• Whenever there is evidence of an acute inflammatory or infectious process (heat & swelling) or when soft tissue healing could be disrupted in the tight tissues and surrounding region


• Whenever a haematoma or other indication of tissue trauma is observed


• When hypermobility already exists


• When contractures or shortened soft tissues are providing increased joint stability in lieu of normal structural stability or neuromuscular control


• When contractures or shortened soft tissues are the basis for increased functional abilities, particularly in patients with paralysis or severs muscle weakness.

Types of stretching

1. Passive or assisted - sustained or intermittent external, end-range stretch force applied with overpressure elongates a shortened muscle-tendon unit and periarticular connective tissues by moving a restricted joint just past the available ROM. If patient relaxed it is Passive stretching. If the patient assists in moving the joint through a greater range it is assisted.


2. Self-stretching - (aka active stretching, flexibility exercises) independent stretching carried out after instruction and supervision


3. Neuromuscular Inhibition Techniques - ( aka PNF or facilitated stretching) reflexively relax tension in shortened muscles prior to or during stretching. MET used to stretch muscles and fascia and mobilize joints


4. Joint mobilization/manipulation - stretching techniques specifically applied to joint structures and used to stretch capsular restrictions or reposition a subluxed or dislocated joint.


5. Soft Tissue Mobilization and Manipulation - friction massage, myofascial release, acupressure and TP Therapy. Mobilize and manipulate connective tissue that binds down soft tissues


6. Neural Tissue mobilization - the Neural pathway is mobilized to release adhesions or scar tissue form around meninges, nerve roots, plexus or peripheral nerves.

Elements of stretching

Include alignment and stabilization. Intensity, speed, duration, frequency and mode of stretch; and the integration of neuromuscular inhibition and functional activities into stretching procedures.

Effect of poor Postural Support from Trunk Muscles - with total relaxation of the dynamic stabilizer muscles - the multifidus, rotatores, TA, internal obliques, and QL, the spinal curves become exaggerated and passive structural support is called on to maintain the posture. When there is continued end-range loading supporting tissues become more vulnerable to injury. Continued exaggeration of the curves leads to impaired muscle strength and flexibility. Muscles habitually kept in stretch tend to test weaker because of a shift in the length-tension curve - stretch weakness. Muscles kept in a habitually shortened position tend to lose their elasticity, they are strong only in the shortened position but become weak as they are lengthened - tight weakness.

Lateral shift correction

If the patient has lateral shifting of the spine, it should be corrected prior to flexion extension treatment for lower back pain.

Lateral shift correction when extension relieves discomfort -

standing on the side of the thoracic shift with the therapists hands clasped around the contralateral iliac crest and the shoulder against the patients elbow. Simultaneously pull the pelvis towards you while pushing the patient's thorax away. Continue with the lateral shifting if the curvature is reduced until normal curve is present.

Lateral shift correction when flexion relieves discomfort -

self-correction - standing whit the leg opposite the shift on a chair so the hip is in about 90 degrees of flexion. The leg on the side of the lateral shift is kept extended. Have the patient then flex the trunk onto the raised thigh and apply pressure by pulling on the ankle. Recheck the alignment and continue till pain reduction is greatest.

Exercise techniques and stretches to increase flexibility and ROM

Muscle strength or flexibility imbalance in the hip can lead to abnormal lumbopelvic and hip mechanics, which predisposes the patient to or perpetuates low back, sacroiliac or hip pain..

• To increase hip extension - prone press ups; Thomas test stretch; modified fencer stretch


• To increase hip flexion - bilateral knee to chest; unilateral knee to chest; Quadruped stretch; Chair (airline) stretch


• To increase hip abduction - V lying against wall knees extended butt against wall


• To increase hip abd & external rotation - sitting with soles of feet together hands on inner surface of the knees.

Lumbar stretching techniques

Increase lumbar flexion

Assisted stretching - cross-sitting. Patient lace the hands behind the neck, adduct the scapulae, and extend the thoracic spine. This locks the thoracic vertebrae. Have the patient then lean the thorax forward onto the pelvis, flexing only at the lumbar spine. Stabilize the pelvis by pulling back on the anterior-superior iliac spines.

Increase lumbar extension

Prone press-up (Self-stretching) - Prone, with hands placed under the shoulders. Patient to extend to elbows and lift the thorax up off the mat keeping the pelvis down. To increase the stretch force, the pelvis can be strapped to the treatment table, this exercise also stretches the hip flexor muscles and soft tissue anterior to the hip.

Increase Lateral Flexibility in the Spine

Used when there is asymmetric flexibility in side bending as well as in the management of scoliosis. They are used to regain flexibility in the frontal plane when muscle or fascial tightness is present with postural dysfunctions, designed to stretch hypomobile structures on the concave side of the lateral curvature. When stretching the trunk, it is necessary to stabilize the spine either above or below the curve.

Prone-Lumbar curve -

have the patient stabilize the upper trunk by holding onto the edge of the mat table with the arms. Therapist lifts the hips and legs and laterally bends the trunk away for the concavity.

Heel-sitting - Patient leans forward so the abdomen rests on the anterior thighs. The arms are stretched overhead bilaterally, and the hands are flat on the table. Then have the patient laterally bend the trunk away from the concavity by walking the hands to the convex side of the curve.

Neural Tension Impairments

If positive nerve tension signs are described by the patient while providing the history and positive signs are detected with testing maneuvers, techniques that are reported to mobilize components of the nervous system may be used to diminish the patient's symptoms.

Straight Leg Raise with Ankle Dorsiflexion -

• Once the position that places tension on the involved neurologic tissue is found, maintain the stretch position, and then move one of the joints a few degrees in and out of the stretch position, such as ankle plantar and dorsiflexion, or knee flexion and extension.


• Ankle dorsiflexion with eversion places more tension on the tibial tract


• Ankle dorsiflexion with inversion places tension on the sural nerve


• Ankle plantarflexion with inversion places tension on the common peroneal tract


• Adduction of the hip while doing SLR places further tension on the nervous system because the sciatic nerve is lateral to the ischial tuberosity; medial rotation of the hip while doing SLR also increases tension on the sciatic nerve


• Passive neck flexion while doing SLR pulls the spinal cord cranially and places the entire nervous system on a stretch.

Slump-sitting Stretch -

dorsiflex the ankle just to the point of tissue resistance and symptom reproduction. Increase and release the stretch force by moving one joint in the chain a few degrees, such as knee flexion and extension, or ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion.

Prone Knee Bend Stretch -

Prone neutral spine, pillow under treatment knee, and hips extended to 0 degrees. Flex knee to the point of resistance and symptom reproduction. Pain in the low back or neurological signs are considered positive for upper lumbar nerve roots and femoral nerve tension. Thigh pain could be rectus femoris tightness. It is important not to hyperextend the spine to avoid confusion with facet or compression pain. Flex and extend the knee a few degrees to apply and release tension.

Duration of stretch

• Despite extensive research there continues to be a lack of agreement on how long a single cycle of stretch should be held or how many cycles of stretch should be applied to achieve the most effective, efficient, and sustained stretch-induced gains in ROM.


• Duration most often refers to how long a single cycle of stretch is applied


• More than one repetition of stretch is referred as a stretch cycle and the cumulative time of all the stretch cycles is considered as aspect of duration.


• Long-duration referred to as static, sustained, maintained, prolonged


• Short term referred as cyclic, intermittent or ballistic.

Types of stretches

1. Static - most common term used to describe soft tissue lengthening. The duration 15 sec to several minutes when manual stretch or self-stretching employed.


2. Research shows static stretching is approx half that created during ballistic stretching.


3. Static Progressive stretching - Static stretch held until a degree of relaxation is felt by the therapist then lengthened further until a news end-range is felt. This capitalizes on the stress-relaxation properties of soft tissue.


4. Cyclic Stretching - short duration stretch forces that are repeatedly but gradually applied, released and then re-applied. Multiple stretches in a single treatment session. Held for 5-10 seconds but with no consensus on the optimum number of cycles in the treatment. Based on clinical experience, some therapists hold the opinion that end-range cyclic stretching is as effective and more comfortable for a patient than a static stretch.

Frequency of stretch -

• number of bouts per day or per week. Dependant upon -underlying cause


• Quality and level of healing


• The chronicity and severity of contracture


• Patients age


• Use of corticosteroids


• Previous response to stretch

Usually form two to five sessions for tissue healing and to minimize postexercise soreness. Ultimately dependent upon the clinical discretion of the therapist. Whatever frequency is decided upon the patient must utilize the new end-of-range into everyday tasks otherwise the connective tissue will return to the pre-stretched position.

Neuromuscular Inhibition and Muscle Elongation

Inhibition techniques increase muscle length by relaxing and elongating the contractile components of muscle. The sarcomere give will occur more easily when the muscle is relaxed, with less active resistance in the muscle as it is elongated. An advantage to the use of inhibition techniques prior to or during stretching is that muscle elongation is more comfortable for the patient.

Types -

1. Hold-relax or contract relax


2. Agonist contraction


3. Hold-relax with agonist contraction.

Stretch isolated muscles in their anatomic planes or opposite the line of pull of specific muscle groups rather than in combined diagonal patterns.

HR - prestretch, end-range, isometric contraction 10 sec followed by voluntary relaxation of the tight muscle. Then the limb is passively moved into its new range as the range limiting muscle is elongated.

AC - Deliberate and slow, concentric contraction of the muscle opposite the range limiting muscle. This causes reciprocal inhibition of the antagonist, and increases ROM.

HR with AC - use of a pre-stretch isometric contraction of the range limiting muscle in a lengthened position followed by a concentric contraction of the muscle opposite the range-limiting muscle.

For more information see http://www.yourmusculoskeletalspecialist.com