5 movements to relax your muscles and relieve pain
Having lower back pain again? You are not alone, according to research statistics about 80% of people have experienced lower back pain, especially sedentary office workers. In fact, most of the lower back pain is related to the patient’s own posture, the habit of sitting or standing for a long time, or the need for long-term weight-bearing work, over time, the lower back pain will naturally sneak up on you.
The lower back is the area from the edge of the rib cage to the hip crease, which is the part of the spine that carries the most weight, mainly the lumbar spine. Lower back pain occurs with the surrounding structures of the lumbar spine, such as discs, joints, ligaments, muscles and nerves, because rotating the body, bending and other movements require these structures to cooperate with each other.
If we classify lower back pain, it can be roughly divided into
Mechanical lower back pain: It is more common. It may be caused by muscle strain due to trauma or fatigue, herniated discs due to trauma or degeneration, stenosis and compression of small joints and discs due to degeneration, or fractures due to osteoporosis.
Non-mechanical lower back pain: Non-mechanical lower back pain is often caused by rheumatic arthrosis, spinal infection, tumor invasion or abdominal organ pain.
For office workers who spend a lot of time using computers, the upper body is bent forward from the shoulders, thoracic spine to the lumbar spine, and there is often a lack of exercise, which can easily lead to an imbalance in the strength of the abdominal and dorsal muscles of the core muscle groups and induce pain. Pain caused by poor posture, you can do more aerobic exercise, stretching and relaxation of muscles to relieve pain.
Five strokes to relieve/prevent lower back pain
1. Spinal twist
Step 1: Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent toward your chest. This is the starting position.
Step 2: Straighten one leg and bring the knee of the other leg over the body, while making sure the shoulder blades are close to the floor. Straighten one arm in the opposite direction of the body rotation, with the head looking toward the arm. Hold the knee with the other hand. Pause for a minute and return to the starting position, switch sides and repeat the same movement.
Note: When the lower body is rotating, the upper body “shoulders” should not leave the ground, and the “shoulders” should not leave the ground as the premise to turn your lower body.
2. Cat Pose
Step 1: Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
Step 2: Exhale and tuck your belly button in the direction of your spine, support the ground with your hands and knees, and arch your back like an angry cat. Maintain this position and take at least three deep breaths.
Note: If your knees are sensitive, please put a blanket under your knees when performing this exercise. This position is not recommended for those with uncomfortable knees.
3. Cow Pose
Step 1: Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
Step 2: Take a breath, turn your shoulders away from your ears, look up and arch your back. Maintain this position and take at least three deep breaths.
Note: If your knees are sensitive, place a blanket under your knees while performing this movement. This position is not recommended for those with uncomfortable knees.
4. Superman Pose
Step 1: Lie face down with your abdomen on the floor and your feet and toes flat on the floor.
Step 2: Extend your arms forward, straighten your elbows and knees, and tighten your abdomen and tailbone inward. The arms and legs are about the same width as the shoulders and hips.
Step 3: Take a deep breath and let your chest, arms and legs leave the floor, and relax your face naturally. Keep your shoulders away from your ears and do not shrug. Focus not on the height of the arms and legs off the ground, but on the extension of the limbs and the force applied to the core.
Step 4: Keep breathing and repeat the exercise 5 to 10 times. 5.
5. Cobra Pose
Step 1: Lie on the mat with your palms on either side of your chest to prepare.
Step 2: Support your hands on the ground to help lift your upper body off the ground.
Step 3: Return your body to the preparatory pose and repeat three to five times.
Note: Many people will push their elbows to the bottom and raise their shoulders high. This pushing up of the body will squeeze the lumbar spine, which is a very difficult movement for the back. The main purpose of cobra pose is to stretch the lumbar spine and strengthen the muscles of the upper back, so it is important to progress gradually and not to push the body up at once.