Why does your back hurt?
A large number of people in society today suffer from back pain and initially ignore it till it starts affecting their daily life and work. The causes range from minor to major. Primary root causes could be muscle strain due to heavy weight lifting, incorrect posture leading to tension in the back-ligaments and other tissues or prolapse discs of the spine. Since most millennials spend majority time behind the screen of a phone or a computer, the posture in which they sit becomes extremely critical as the position of the spine determines the chances of future aches and pains.
There can be more serious reasons which might need a surgeon or a neuro-physician intervention like osteoporosis, fracture spine, stenosis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, PIVD, cancer, etc.
Whatever may be the cause of backache, posture correction, and back stretches mostly help in relieving the discomfort. Sometimes, these causes become remedial tools which if complemented by muscle strengthening workout can totally alleviate the pain.
How to improve your posture and reduce back pain?
According to a study done by Harvard Medical School, it is proven that a few easy stretching exercises can help you improve your posture by bringing your vertebrae in line and reduce back pain!
- Imagery- Think of a straight line passing through your body from ceiling to floor, your ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles should be even and line up vertically. Now imagine that a strong cord attached to the top of your head is pulling you upward, making you taller. Hold your pelvis level and stand on your toes.
- Shoulder blade squeeze- Sit up straight in a chair with your hands resting on your thighs. Keep your shoulders down, and your chin leveled. Slowly draw your shoulders back and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Upper-body stretch- Stand facing a corner with your arms raised, hands flat against the walls, elbows at shoulder height. Place one foot ahead of the other. Bending your forward knee, exhale as you lean your body towards the corner.
- Arm-across-chest stretch- Bring your right arm across your chest. Place it within the crease of your left elbow or use your left arm to support your right arm. Hold this position for up to 1 minute. Repeat on the other side.
Did you know?
In India, 45% of the people in Pune, Bangalore, Delhi, and Mumbai, neglect their back pain for more than 7 weeks which leads to delayed treatment & increases the risk of surgery.
Home Remedies for Back Pain
1. Child’s Pose:
Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Separate your knees hip-width apart and exhale as you sit your glutes back towards your heels. Fold your torso over your thighs and reach your arms straight out in front of you or resting along the sides of your body.
2. Cat and Cow Pose:
Come up to a tabletop position with a neutral spine. On an inhale, arch your spine, drawing your belly to the floor, your head and tailbone up to the ceiling. As you exhale, pull your stomach in as you round your back upward, tucking your head and tailbone down and inward.
3. Downward Dog:
Transition from tabletop into Downward Dog with your hands shoulder-distance apart as you raise your tailbone to the ceiling. Spread your fingers wide and lay your palms flat. Maintain a straight back and legs, lifting your tailbone and pressing your heels down, encouraging spinal lengthening.
4. Pigeon Pose:
Draw your right knee in behind your right wrist with your lower leg diagonal towards your left hip. The closer your right root is to the top of your mat, the harder this position will be. Keep your left leg straight with your hips squared towards the ground as you slowly lower your chest down to rest on your right leg.
5. Forward Fold:
Standing hip-width apart, exhale down and reach for your toes. Make sure to fold at your hips, not your waist. As you inhale, lift and lengthen your torso; and as you exhale, release further into the bend.
Following these back pain remedies regularly will ease your pain and struggle substantially!