Back Pain, Spine Strength, and Good Posture
Posted by Back Exerciser on August 22nd, 2009
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The spine is one of the most important parts of our bodies and also one of the least appreciated. Your spine supports you as you walk, sit, lift things and almost every other activity you may engage in over the course of your life. Enjoying a healthy life is only possible when you keep your spine in good shape. As one of the many millions of people worldwide who suffers from back pain, I’ve learned some ways to keep the pain under control and avoid it entirely in many cases.
Back pain can make many of the things we take for granted an ordeal. Even everyday tasks such as tying your shoes can become excruciating when you live with back pain. Thankfully, you don’t have to live like this. It all starts with knowing more about how the spine and the back work, so you can prevent doing things which cause back pain.
Our spines are made up of a series of small bones called the vertebrae which are lined up in a row. There are three natural curves in the spine: there is the lumbar curve in the lower back, the thoracic curve in the middle of the back and the cervical curve which appears in the neck.
The spine is cushioned by discs which are in between each vertebra which prevent them from rubbing directly on each other, something which is very painful. The vertebrae are attached to the muscles of your back.
So, as you can see, the back is a concert of muscle, bone and cushions all acting together. When you are at rest, a good posture is important to keep the spine in its natural position. A good posture is achieved by having the shoulders aligned with the hips. When sitting, the feet are flat to the floor, the knees at right angles. When standing, the feet should be no more than shoulder width.
By maintaining proper posture, you’ll be able to maintain the three natural curves in your spine, which is very important to preventing back pain and keeping your spine and back muscles in good shape. However, what should you do if you already suffer from back pain? If you have bad back pain, spine strength has already been compromised. What can you do?
Simple exercises are the ticket. These can help relieve pain that is already present as well as help avoid it altogether. Before any activity is undertaken, do some stretching and bending. This helps loosen the muscles and gets them ready for the coming activity. A basic warm up, like an athlete before an event.
Some of the best exercises for relieving back pain are leg lifts, side bends and back and forward bends. Make sure to keep your exercise moderate; you definitely don’t want to overdo it and make your back pain worse than it already is! If you feel any pain while you perform these exercises, stop immediately.
By warming up before exercise and maintaining good posture, you’ll usually be able to prevent back pain and even relive back pain that you’re already suffering. There are a lot of people who successfully manage to rid themselves of their back pain by simply training themselves to exhibit good posture.
If you’re good to your spine, then it will do the same for you, providing you with a lifetime of pain free, flexible mobility. Work to improve posture and your back will reward you.
Finally, whenever you’re lifting, make sure to do so with your legs instead of your back. Many serious back injuries are caused by improper lifting techniques. When you’re lifting, bend at the knee, grasp the object you want to lift and stand – this lets your legs do the lifting and protects your spine.
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