Posts Tagged ‘back strengthening exercises’

Upper Back Strengthening Exercises For Women – Hit the Gym

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010

There are lots of women who not only want to be healthy but also want a very toned and slimmed look. Some exercises will help in doing so and upper back strengthening exercises are definitely one among them as it gives a curvy shape to their body.

To get (more…)

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Back Pain Equipment: Back Pain Products and Back Decompression Therapy to Lose the Back Pain

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Back Pain Equipment to Help You Lose the Back Pain

 


Back pain equipment and products include a wide variety of back pain relief products and back support like cushions, mattresses and pillows, stretching and back inversion therapy, strengthening, massage, exercise and fitness products, as well as media including books, dvds, etc.  

There are topical pain relief sprays, creams, etc. for temporary back pain relief, back pain equipment like back braces and core strengthening supports, posture corrective braces and orthopedic seat cushions.  There are electrical muscle stimulators like the TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator) unit, magnetic pain relief, body cleansing and detoxification products, pads and shoes for orthotics and orthopedics, as well as back support bras, back pain relief chairs and ergonomic kneel chairs, back inversion tables, back exercise equipment and other assistive back pain devices.  

Other back pain equipment and products include lumbar support pillows and other orthopedic back support products like adjustable beds and memory foam mattresses, as well as natural back pain relief herbs, nutritional supplements and vitamins.

Back Pain Products to Lose the Back Pain

Back pain products can help you with upper or lower back pain temporarily, assist you with stretching and back strengthening exercises to reduce back pain and increase muscle tone and fitness to eliminate back pain and reduce injury.  

You can lose the back pain by learning more about back pain causes and symptoms, muscle imbalances, and what you can do to strengthen your back and minimize damage and injuries, treating the symptoms, cause and condition.  There are good quality and reputable back pain products available to help you do this.

Back Decompression Therapy

Back decompression therapy helps as a bulging disc treatment, herniated disc treatment and spinal stenosis treatment, because it helps separate the vertebrae to relieve pressure, helps stretching to reduce back and neck pain, reverses the negative effects on your body from gravity including circulation, height loss, body functions and prolapsed organs.  It helps flexibility in the spine and joints and hydrates spinal discs, relaxes muscles, reduces tension and stress and improves ligament movement and overall health.  To learn more about back pain equipment available, feel free to visit my back pain relief products page.

There are a lot of options available in back pain equipment like back decompression therapy and other back pain products, but you want to make sure you know your back pain cause to make sure it will help rather than hurt, and will help relieve your back pain symptoms, whether temporarily or toward long-term lasting back pain relief to help you lose the back pain.

Please let me know if you have any questions.  I’d be happy to help you find what would be best for you.


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Upper Back Pain Causes: How to Get Upper Back Pain Relief from Upper Back Muscle Pain

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

Upper Back Pain Causes and How to Get Upper Back Pain Relief from Upper Back Muscle Pain


Upper back pain causes are much like lower back pain causes in that they can result from an injury like a trauma such as a fall, or poor posture or strain over a period of time.  In recent years, upper back muscle pain has been a common complaint, because so many of us work at desks and computers most of the day, don’t have proper posture, and don’t move around or stretch.  A lot of times, you’ll also have neck pain and/or shoulder pain with it.

Two of the main upper back pain causes that contribute to the majority of upper back pain are:

  • Irritation or inflammation of the muscles
  • Dysfunction of the joints or “myofascial pain”

A lot of the time upper back pain and muscular irritation is caused by a lack of fitness or muscle strength, or injuries from over-using the muscles, like Repetitive Motion Injury (RMI) or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  Muscular strain and irritation occurs from accidents, injuries, sports activities, etc.

How to Get Upper Back Pain Relief from Upper Back Muscle Pain

upper back muscle pain

For this type of upper back muscle pain, these are some manual types of treatments you can do to help get upper back pain relief:

  • Exercise, Activity and passive physical therapy
  • Massage therapy
  • Osteopathic or chiropractic manipulation
  • Acupuncture

Since upper back muscle pain relates to the large muscles in the shoulder areas, a lot of rehab programs include a lot of stretching and back strengthening exercises.

If you have a tender area, the source of the upper back muscle pain could be a “trigger point” for the pain.  Some upper back pain relief treatments for this are:

  • Massage therapy
  • Acupuncture or
  • Injections into the trigger point with a local anesthetic

Back pain medications are also helpful for temporary relief, and since upper back muscle pain commonly includes inflammation, anti-inflammatories like Ibuprophen, etc. can help reduce it.

I’ll be writing more about this, but hopefully this helps give you an idea of what the upper back pain causes are so you can treat upper back muscle pain yourself.  There are other more uncommon upper back pain causes, and I would suggest seeing your doctor if it continues more than a month or so, so you can be properly diagnosed and treated to get some upper back pain relief.

 

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Low Back Pain Treatment: Lower Back Pain Causes and Back Pain Relief Products for Lower Back Pain Relief

Friday, April 16th, 2010

Lower Back Pain Causes and Lower Back Pain Treatment for Lower Back Pain Relief

There’s a wide variety of lower back pain causes which I won’t go into in this post, because I’ve talked about it a lot.  I’m going to focus on some lower back pain treatment options so you get lower back pain relief.  There’s a wide range of options available to you, depending on your back pain causes and how long it lasts.  Most times you’ll find that your lower back pain will improve within a few weeks, and with some knowledge and self care, there’s a good chance that the pain will go away fairly quickly.

Some of the main things you need to keep in mind when considering a lower back pain treatment are:

  1. If you’ve developed low back pain, stay active and consider taking some over the counter back pain medicines like Acetaminophen (i.e., Tylenol) or NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) and Naproxen (Naprosyn or Aleve).  Most of us stiffen up and keep our backs rigid in a position to avoid pain, but if you rest too much, it’s actually worse for you, can make your pain worse, and cause other problems like muscle weakness and stiff joints.
  2. Research shows that those who understand their low back pain know better how to treat it, and are more satisfied with the results.  If you have questions, ask your doctor or physical therapist your back pain symptoms, how to manage your lower back pain, and things you can or should not do.
  3. If your back pain’s lasted more than three months, you may need to look at more indepth treatment.   There are programs that combine back stretching exercises and back strengthening exercises with activities and learning more about it.  This can help you manage your lower back pain causes better, helps manage your pain and increase function.  This is the most effective way to get long lasting lower back pain relief.
  4. As I’ve said before, surgery’s rarely need for lower back pain, including herniated discs or nerve damage.
  5. Once you’ve had low back pain, it’s likely that it will come back.  To avoid more problems, you need to keep your back and stomach muscles strong, keep good posture, learn how to manage stress, and the safest ways to lift heavy, bulky or awkward items.

Back Pain Relief Products for Lower Back Pain Relief

As there are a lot of lower back pain causes and low back pain treatments, there are a lot of back pain relief products to choose from for lower back pain relief:

Bad Back Store - Innovative, Top Selling Back And Joint Pain Products

  • Temporary back pain relief products like topical pain relief sprays, creams, etc., which can also be good for sciatica pain relief.
  • Back braces for posture and core strengthening supports to help hold your stomach in and support your spine (i.e., posture corrective braces and orthopedic seat cushions)
  • Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators (TENS units)
  • Body detoxification (body cleansing) that helps removes waste and toxins which cause back pain and pressure
  • Back pain relief books, educational materials to help you learn what causes back pain and how to eliminate or reduce it
  • Orthotics and orthopedics shoes and pads
  • Back support bras and undergarments
  • Back pain relief chairs, ergonomic chairs, massage chairs and back support chairs like the kneel-sit chairs, ergonomic kneel chairs
  • Back inversion tables which help straighten and stretch your spine
  • Back exercise equipment and home fitness exercise equipment that helps stabilize and strengthen your muscles and spine
  • Back pain assistive devices like portable shower grips, car and travel devices, etc.
  • Magnetic pain relief and magnetic therapy products
  • Orthopedic back support products like lumbar support pillows, adjustable beds and memory foam mattresses
  • Natural back pain relief products like nutritional supplements, vitamins and herbs
  • Chiropractic and alternative back pain treatments

You need to know your lower back pain causes to find the best low back pain treatment
 or back pain relief products so you can get the lower back pain relief you need.  Back stretching exercises and back strengthening exercises are Very Important in helping you strengthen your back and stomach muscles to avoid future problems or additional problems.  If you’ve had chronic lower back pain for more than three months, you should see your doctor.

 

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Sciatic Nerve Pain Relief: Sciatic Nerve Pain Treatment, Low Back Pain Relief and Chronic Back Pain Relief

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

Sciatic Nerve Pain Symptoms and How to Get Sciatic Nerve Pain Relief

sciatic nerve pain treatment

 

If you’re not familiar with “Sciatica”, it’s symptoms of low back pain and leg pain that may include tingling, numbness or weakness originating in the lower back.  Sciatica nerve pain travels from the back through the buttocks and down the sciatic nerve in the back of your leg.  Most people that have sciatica get better within a few weeks or months, and can find pain relief with non surgical sciatica treatment.  This doesn’t work for some, and it can be severe and debilitating.

Sciatica back pain symptoms can include:

  • Pain in one leg or side of your buttocks that gets worse when you sit
  • Tingling or “burning” down the leg
  • Numbness, weakness or trouble moving your leg or foot
  • A constant pain on one side of your buttocks
  • A sharp pain that may make it hard to stand or walk

Clinically, Sciatica means that a disc has moved out from its normal position and is putting pressure on the nerve root in your lower back.  It’s a symptom of another lower back problem like a herniated disc or spinal stenosis.  These irritate or compress the nerve roots.  Sciatica usually occurs more commonly in people between 30 and 50 years old.  General wear and tear on the the lower spine and structures usually cause Sciatica.  There are different things you can do to get sciatic nerve pain relief.

Sciatic Nerve Pain Treatments

Different types of sciatic nerve pain treatment include:

  • Non surgical sciatica treatments which can include one or more medical and alternative treatments including lower back pain exercises and back stretching exercises, heat and/or ice packs applied for about 30 minutes, repeating every two hours.  Alternate starting with the one that feels best initially.
  • Over the counter back pain medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen, Naproxen or oral steroids can help reduce inflammation which contributes to sciatic nerve pain.
  • If you have sever sciatic nerve pain, you can get an epidural steroid injection to reduce inflammation.  It can help from one week to a year, and doesn’t work for everyone.  It can help for acute sciatic pain, and help you move forward with a lower back pain exercise program.
  • Other alternative Sciatic nerve pain treatments include acupuncture, chiropractic manipulation and massage therapy.
  • Sciatica surgery removes the part of the disc causing the problem.  It helps relieve the pressure and inflammation, but should only be used if other methods have not worked.

Low Back Pain Relief and Chronic Back Pain Relief

low back pain reliefIf you suffer from sciatic nerve pain or other lower back pain causes, back strengthening exercises and stretches for sciatica, chronic lower back pain exercises or lower back stretches help the majority of back pain causes.  Chronic back pain relief products can include back support cushions, back support braces and other forms of back pain therapy that can help alleviate your back pain symptoms, giving your back support and helping to speed healing for low back pain relief.  You can lose the back pain if you stretch and strengthen your back.

Other back pain solutions include comfort walking shoes, comfortable dress shoes or comfortable work shoes.  You want the best shoes for walking or standing that give you support and cushion, and help strengthen your back.  I’d recommend 

There are also lumbar support cushions, back support belts and back support pillows like lumbar support pillows, memory foam seat cushions, bed wedge pillows, office chair back support or office chair cushions, car back support and inflatable travel pillows, orthopedic seat cushions, and many more back pain relief products for sciatic nerve pain relief available.  Make sure to talk to your doctor to diagnose your back pain cause and symptoms to find the best low back pain relief or chronic back pain relief for you.  This includes sciatic nerve pain relief and sciatic nerve pain treatment.

 

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Lower Back Pain Remedy: Treating Lower Back Pain and Causes of Muscle Spasms

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

Lower Back Pain Remedy

Those of us with chronic lower back pain know how debilitating it can be.  It affects our quality of life, activities, sitting, standing, sleeping, everything we do in our daily lives.  I’m going to briefly review some of the back pain causes, causes of muscle spasms and treating lower back pain with a simple lower back pain remedy.

80% of the population has chronic lower back pain.  The causes of back pain can vary greatly based on the individual, history, genetics, trauma or injuries, etc.  Some of the most prevalent reasons today in our society and the convenience of modern technology is stress, our hectic lives and lack of time to properly take care of our bodies. 

And what’s one thing all of us do the most in our day to day lives?  We sit.  We sit at home watching tv, playing games, eating, etc.  We sit in our cars commuting and traveling, and we sit at work.   This tightens the muscles and causes tension, straining our lower back.  I’ll list some simple things you can do that will alleviate the pain, stretch and strengthen the back, and help get your back on track.

Causes of Muscle Spasms

There are many causes of muscle spasms, from lifting or turning awkwardly to overexertion, weak stomach muscles, lack of activity, being overweight, or an accident or fall.  It may be a herniated disk, sciatica, or a pinched nerve.  You need to take care of your body, and particularly your back, as it supports your entire body and movement.  When you abuse or neglect your back, you jeopardize your future health and lifestyle.  I’ll review some simple things you can do to improve or maintain a strong, stabile back, reduce or eliminate lower back pain and increase your quality of life.

Bad Back Store - Innovative, Top Selling Back And Joint Pain Products

Treating Lower Back Pain

Some simple things you can do in treating lower back pain are:

  • Drink a lot of water to help keep your body and muscles hydrated, making them more flexible and preventing them from cramping or constricting
  • Lower back stretching exercises so it’s more pliable and ready for activity
  • Lower back strengthening exercises to help strengthen your core and back to reduce or eliminate your back pain symptom.  Some will also strengthen your stomach muscles which we all need, because they support our spine
  • Breathing during these exercises or breathing techniques help by bringing oxygen to our muscles and relieving stress
  • Believe it or not, your Diet affects your lower back health.  The American College of Cardiology did a study that shows a high saturated fat meal causes inflammation and weakens your body’s ability to fight inflammation naturally.  So, try to reduce high fat food items, remove fat and skin from meats and reduce frying.  Bake, broil or grill instead
  • Take vitamin and mineral supplements consistently 
  • Try some natural alternative herbal remedies that are effective and safe:
  • Bryonia is useful for back pain for injury or backaches
  • Arnica helps relieve pain in soft tissue and muscles
  • Nux Vomica helps muscles cramps in the back
  • Rhus Toxic helps pain in shoulder, neck and lower back
  • Calcarea Carbonica helps if you’re overweight, or in poor physical condition and easily tire
  • Cut a 2 inch ginger root into slices and add 1 quarter cup boiling water.  Put on low heat for half an hour, strain, cool and drink.  You can add honey or other natural sweetener to it for taste
  • Massage therapy, yoga or pilates is very helpful
  • Other alternative treatments or techniques include chiropractic care or accupuncture among others explained at my Back Pain Remedy page and other posts
  • Take an epsom salt bath

There are many things you can do to help treat lower back pain and the causes of muscle spasms.  The best lower back pain remedy is to take care of your body and back by doing some of the basic things above.  Of course, there are many back pain relief products that will help relieve lower back pain, stretch and strengthen your back, and improve it’s health to help get you back to living without these restrictions.

back pain product

If you’re involved in activities that strain your back, you need to be well conditioned and have tools to support it including back supports and braces, massage and heat devices, etc.  If you have problems sitting, laying or traveling because of your back pain, or you need help to strengthen and stabilize your back, there are educational and back fitness products that will help improve your quality of life.

There are two back pain relief product providers I would recommend that are high quality and reasonably priced.  One focuses on back specific products, is a leader in the industry, and has great guarantees and customer service.  The other also has good guarantees and customer service, and focuses on natural organic and eco-friendly products.  They both have a full range of support products that help eliminate back pain including wellness and fitness above and media products.

Contour Living:  Back specific. Also has “as seen on tv ads” back pain products

Gaiam for green living, yoga, fitness and organic products

 

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Back Strengthening Exercises

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009


Back Strengthening Exercises: Low Back Pain Exercises and Exercises to Strengthen Lower Back

strengthening spine

You can stretch and strengthen your lower back in as little as 5-10 minutes a day.

When I was younger, I didn’t have to worry about exercises to strengthen my back, because I was very active, into sports, hiking, etc.  But… getting older, being less active, and having to work from home has caused me some real back pain problems. 

My back got weaker because of less physical activity, sitting in a chair most of the day, and the wonderful process of getting older!  I haven’t kept my stomach strong because of this, which supports my spine.  I’ve had disc problems, pelvic disalignment, and a lot of lower back pain.  For those of you that have suffered from bad backs, you know how debilitating this can be.

So, I found some quick and easy back toning exercises to not only help strengthen my back, but increase resilience and lower back flexibility.

So, once you know you just need to strengthen your back, you can start a routine of quick exercises that will get and keep your back in good condition.  These excercises will help stretch and strengthen your back while making it more resilient, so you can be more active without worrying so much about twisting and turning, lifting, odd angles, etc.  There are proper ways to do these things, as well, but you can read more about that in my back pain cause post.

Low Back Pain Exercises

This routine is simple, and easy to do if you do what you can as you can.  If you have a hard time laying on your back without additional support when you do these exercises, put your hands under your back for support, and push your back against them while doing it.  This helps make it easier to raise your body, arms and legs up without problems or pain.  Remember to hold your stomach in as best you can while doing these back toning exercises, as your stomach muscles help strengthen your back.

 

Stretches for Lower Back

#1 – Stretching/Loosening:
(Very important before doing other exercises)

  • Lay on the floor (or other firm, flat surface) on your back
  • Bring both legs to your chest gently with your hands, and exhale.
  • Hold this position for a count of 5-10, depending on your comfort level. 

Do this once or twice, depending on how good it feels to you.  This is very helpful in ‘stretching’ those muscles out, limbering them up, and preparing your back for the back strengthening exercises or any physical activity.

#2 – Stretching:

  • Laying on your back, gently pull one knee to your chest with your hands, and hold for 5-10 seconds, depending on your comfort level.  Breathe normally while you’re doing this.
  • Do the same with your other leg, and repeat this process with both legs.

Exercises to Strengthen Lower Back

Back Muscle Exercise

#3 (also stretches the hamstrings):

  • Lay on your back, and lift one leg up in the air.  Do your best to keep it straight, but only do what you can, and increase it next time.
  • Clasp your hands behind your knee, and pull your leg gently to you. 
  • Do this with your other leg, and repeat the process again with both legs.

As with all of these exercises, Don’t Strain Yourself. Do the other leg and then repeat.

Relax The Back 125x125

Back Strength Exercises

#4 – Back Strength Exercise:

  • Lay on the floor on your back.
  • Bend your knees and cross your legs.
  • Keeping your legs crossed, let them slowly fall to one side so you’re laying on your side.
  • Gently put your higher arm to the opposite direction of the way you’re laying. Again, do not force it.
  • Bring your legs back to the center, cross the other way, and let your legs slowly fall down to the other side. 
  • Bring your other arm across, away from your body.  (Some people will hear a little ‘snap’ in their spine when doing this.  Generally, this exercise is excellent for aligning your back, so you shouldn’t have to worry about this.  However, that’s another reason to stress Stretching and limbering up beforehand.

Low Back Exercise

#5 – Lower Back Strengthening Exercises

  • Lift one arm and stretch it above and to your side.
  • At the same time, lift your opposite leg up and as straight as possible, keeping both raised off of the floor.
  • Hold this position for a count of 5-10, depending on your initial comfort level
  • Do the same with the opposite arm and leg, holding for a count of 5-10, and repeat for both sides.

You might not be able to lift your arms and legs far off the floor in the beginning.  Don’t worry about that.  The most important thing is that you don’t strain yourself.  As you do this, you will get stronger and more agile.  Increase your count and sets as this gets more comfortable.

#6 (Sit-ups w/Knees Bent):  Strengthening your stomach helps a lot in supporting and strengthening your back and spine.

  • Lay on the floor with your knees bent
  • Do a couple sets of sit-ups in sets of 5 or 10, depending on the shape you’re in.   Be your own best judge in determining the number of sit-ups, and times to repeat this process.  Just make sure as you’re mastering one level, you increase them.  Increasing your sets, and increasing sit-ups by 5 is a good general guide. 
  • Rest a few seconds, and repeat the process 5-10 times if you can; again, depending on your comfort level.

Next time increase the sit-ups and/or sets, and go from there.  BUT, again, don’t over-strain yourself!

It won’t take you long to do these exercises, and using both the stretches and back strengthening exercises will do wonders for your back strength, resiliency, and flexibility.  But, you’ll also ‘feel’ better!  You’ll notice if you do this consistently, as that’s the key, you will have more energy and stamina, as well.  But, most importantly, you’ll notice a huge difference in your back (and stomach) strength, etc.

Doing these quick and simple back strengthening excercises just 5-10 minutes a day (or longer if you wish – just don’t overdo it!) is all it will take to stretch and strengthen your lower back in a short amount of time at home.

For more on back stretch exercise or back strength exercise, please see the related videos.

*NOTE:  I always encourage you to see your doctor about any physical issues, because there may be more going on than meets the eye with your back and/or spine.  This is very important.  However, if you just have general back/spine weakness, etc., the back strengthening exercise will help greatly.


 

To learn more about a variety of natural  high quality back pain relief products to help soothe, relax, stretch and strengthen your back, go here: Back Pain Relief Products


 

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Back Pain Symptoms: Relieve Back Pain Symptoms Now

Monday, April 13th, 2009

Back Pain Symptoms

This article reviews the most common back pain symptoms, and how to get rid of back pain.  Some of the primary causes of acute lower back pain are mis-using or straining your back, poor physical condition, lack of exercise or back strengthening exercises, dehydration, and poor posture.  There are many symptoms of muscular back pain including a sudden back pain, burning back pain, chest back pain, thoracic back pain, sharp back pain, referred back pain, back hip pain, back shoulder pain, sciatic back pain, lower back and leg pain, lumbar back pain, back leg pain and lower back muscle spasms, herniated discs, bulging discs, degenerated discs, and ruptured discs. The various suggested treatments include: physical therapy, cox lumbar distraction, conventional chiropractic care, to vertebral axial decompression or VAX-D. 

Over 80% of Americans will develop lower back pain at some point in their lives. A sizeable percentage of those people will have disc problems that cause the back pain. Some low back pain causes are due to sprains and strains which involve overstretching and/or tearing of the muscles, tendons and ligaments that connect into the spine. Ligaments connect bone to bone over a joint. Tendons connect muscles to bone. When they get overstretched or torn, the pain can be excruciating. Rest and physical therapy modalities such as ice, heat, ultrasound, diathermy, and electrical muscle stimulation can enhance the healing process.

Causes of Back Pain can be Complex
There are many causes of low back pain and very often a patient may be suffering from multiple causes. In other words, two or more causes may be superimposed resulting in pain either in full or in part. Perhaps a mechanical spinal problem causes lower back pain while disc pathology causes the pain in the buttock and leg. Or two problems cause similar overlapping pain in the same patient.

Subluxations: One of the most common causes of back pain is subluxations of the spinal vertebrae. This is a condition where the vertebrae move out of place and become locked in the misaligned position. Once this occurs, it places great stress on the spinal joints, the discs and the nerves. Treatment consists of chiropractic adjustments to correct the misalignments and relieve the stress on the joints, discs and nerves.

Facet syndrome is directly related to subluxations. The articular joints that are between the vertebrae are called facet joints. When facet joints are under stress, they can misalign and the vertebra can tip backwards, placing great pressure on the nerves. The joints can degenerate and the body reacts by developing bone spurs or osteophytes. This is called facet hypertrophy and arthrosis and is a permanent condition.

Degenerated disc usually develops as a result of stress on the spine. The discs cannot handle the stress and they gradually wear away. As the discs thin out, the vertebrae get closer together and the nerves can become compressed or irritated. The discs also have very small sinu vertebral nerves in them and when they become irritated, they can also cause pain.

Herniated discs can be compared to jelly donuts. There is a gel in the middle of the disc surrounded by annular ligaments. The gel can push out the annular fibers causing direct pressure to the nerves. This will cause pain along the course of the spinal nerves. If the irritated nerve travels down the buttock to the thigh and leg, then the symptoms will be in those areas. When nerves are irritated, symptoms can range from pain alone to pain, tingling, numbness and weakness in the leg. This is commonly referred to as sciatica. This simply means pain along the course of the sciatic nerve. This can be a very debilitating condition and if the weakness gets severe enough, it can result in what is known as "foot drop". The patient has difficulty lifting his toes and foot upward so the foot drags on the floor as he walks. As the condition worsens, he may require an assistive device and eventually, a wheel chair. Surgery may or may not be effective with foot drop, depending on the severity of nerve damage. This is determined with multiple tests called electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies.

A Ruptured Disc is a herniated disc where the gel (nucleus pulposus) has broken through the annular ligaments and presses on the nerve.

Sacroiliac Syndrome involves a slippage of the sacroiliac joint (SI). When the ilium or hip bone subluxates, it rotates and slips against the articular surface of the sacrum. The joint becomes inflamed and this can cause low back pain.

Stenosis is a condition where a protruding, herniated or ruptured disc and/or ligament hypertrophy (enlargement of the ligaments surrounding the spinal cord and vertebrae), facet arthrosis and osteophytes narrow the spinal canal and place pressure on the spinal cord and/or spinal nerves. In most cases, the patient will get relief sitting or standing and bending forwards because it slightly opens the space where the spinal cord and nerves are located.

Lower back pain requires a very extensive examination, consisting of a multitude of orthopedic, neurological and structural tests to help isolate the cause(s) of the pain. Sometimes xrays are necessary to further evaluate the condition. An MRI is valuable because it takes "minute cuts" of the spine in different directions in order to better visualize the joints and the discs.

Treatment Options
If the problems stems from soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, tendons, joint capsules), then physical therapy is the most likely the best treatment. The extent of treatment depends on the damage to the soft tissues. If it involves an overstretching of the muscles, a few weeks of treatment should be sufficient. If there is tearing involved, then more treatment will be necessary to elicit the healing process. However, in most of these cases, due to spasms and or weakness in muscles, the vertebrae can subluxate, thereby complicating the problem.

If the disc is damaged and this is determined to be the cause of the back and/or leg pain, then there are two conservative treatments that may help. (The reason I say that the disc is determined to be the cause, is that 31% of all adults who do not have low back pain, have herniated discs according to MRI studies. The first is Cox lumber/cervical Distraction, which is a manual, painless, safe procedure performed by a chiropractor to remove the pressure and stress to the discs and nerves.

The second disc treatment for the more problematic patients is Vertebral Axial Decompression or VAX-D. VAX-D decompresses the lumbar spine and discs to remove the pressure on the discs and nerves, not only relieving pain and other related symptoms, but elicits retraction of the nucleus pulposus, commonly called the "gel". The challenge is trying to get the "toothpaste back into the tube" and VAX-D has a 71% success rate. Be aware of simple traction devices that are promoted as "decompression". They are not equal by any means. Take your time to compare the research. VAX-D is performed by various types of doctors, including some neurologists and some chiropractors.

In my experience, physical therapy does not get great results with disc problems because it does not address the disc specifically. The goal of physical therapy is to reduce inflammation and pain with the modalities such as heat, ice, ultrasound and electrical muscle stimulation and then strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine. This approach just does not help the discs.

Acupuncture helps to assist the body in healing itself by harmonizing the energy patterns throughout the body. Some people claim it numbs the nerves. If it helps a patient, I encourage him to continue because it is not going to hurt him, except in one case, where there is nerve damage and the acupuncture delays treatment of the disc and allows it to get worse. The same can be said for physical therapy.

Subluxations and facet syndrome can be treated with chiropractic adjustments, which are gentle procedures performed with the chiropractor’s hands to move the subluxated vertebrae back into their normal functional positions. This takes the stress off of the nerves, joints and discs. Usually, a patient has to go for his adjustments several times per week for a few weeks to stabilize his condition.

VAX-D can help some cases of stenosis if the discs are involved. If VAX-D is not successful or not indicated, the only other option is surgery. There are several types of surgeries such as a discectomy, a laminectomy, natural fusion and prosthetic fusion. The various surgeries depend on the extent of the disc damage. I am not a surgeon and therefore these types of surgeries are beyond my scope and I prefer not to get into great detail about them. Suffice to say that a discectomy is the milder, least invasive surgery and fusion using hardware is the most invasive. The long term benefits are limited and should be carefully weighed when considering any form of surgery. However if cauda equina syndrome is present, usually immediate surgery is necessary because this causes bowel and/or urinary bladder dysfunction.

If you are suffering with constant low back pain or occasional low back pain, you should be examined by a specialist to determine the cause and the extent of your problem before it is too late! The earlier spinal problems are taken care of, the better chance for a successful outcome. Patients need to understand the potential causes and why certain testing may be necessary. Unfortunately, in these days of managed care, many insurance carriers insist on treatment without appropriate diagnostic testing.

This presents a challenge for both the patient and the doctor since a decision needs to be made as to whether guesswork should be used to care for the patient. If a diagnosis is wrong because the appropriate tests were not performed, then the correct problem will not be addressed and therefore a delay in the proper treatment for that condition will ensue. Patient education is in important component of this process.

Low Back Pain: The Real Scoop
Site for low back and neck pain caused by a herniated disc

By Jay Schwartz
Published: 3/10/2009
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Back Strengthening Exercises

Thursday, February 26th, 2009

strengthening spine

Back Strengthening | Lower Back Exercises Blog

Correctly performed, back strengthening exercises, is one of the best measures you can take t…   Read more…

Back Strengthening Exercises

You can stretch and strengthen your lower back in as little as 5-10 minutes a day.

When I was younger, I didn’t have to worry about exercises to strengthen my back, because I was very active, into sports, hiking, etc.  But… getting older, being less active, and working from home has caused me some real back pain problems. 

My back got weaker because of less physical activity, sitting in a chair most of the day, and the wonderful process of getting older!  I haven’t kept my stomach strong because of this, which supports my spine.  I’ve had disc problems, pelvic disalignment, and a lot of lower back pain.  For those of you that have suffered from bad backs, you know how debilitating this can be.

So, I found some quick and easy back toning exercises to not only help strengthen my back, but increase resilience and lower back flexibility.

So, once you know you just need to strengthen your back, you can start a routine of quick exercises that will get and keep your back in good condition.  These excercises will help stretch and strengthen your back while making it more resilient, so you can be more active without worrying so much about twisting and turning, lifting, odd angles, etc.  There are proper ways to do these things, as well, but that’s in my back pain cause post!

This routine is simple, and easy to do if you do what you can as you can.  If you have a hard time laying on your back without additional support when you do these exercises, put your hands under your back for support, and push your back against them while doing it.  This helps make it easier to raise your body, arms and legs up without problems or pain.  Remember to hold your stomach in as best you can while doing these back toning exercises, as your stomach muscles help strengthen your back.

back stretching exercise

Stretches for Lower Back

#1 – Stretching/Loosening:
(Very important before doing other exercises):

  • Lay on the floor (or other firm, flat surface) on your back
  • Bring both legs to your chest gently with your hands, and exhale.
  • Hold this position for a count of 5-10, depending on your comfort level. 

Do this once or twice, depending on how good it feels to you.  This is very helpful in ‘stretching’ those muscles out, limbering them up, and preparing your back for the back strengthening exercises or any physical activity.

#2 – Stretching:

  • Laying on your back, gently pull one knee to your chest with your hands, and hold for 5-10 seconds, depending on your comfort level.  Breathe normally while you’re doing this.
  • Do the same with your other leg, and repeat this process with both legs.

 Exercises to Strengthen Lower Back

Back Muscle Exercise

#3 (also stretches the hamstrings):

  • Lay on your back, and lift one leg up in the air.  Do your best to keep it straight, but only do what you can, and increase it next time.
  • Clasp your hands behind your knee, and pull your leg gently to you. 
  • Do this with your other leg, and repeat the process again with both legs.

As with all of these exercises, Don’t Strain Yourself. Do the other leg and then repeat.

Include Ab Exercises And Lower Back Strengthening Exercises In

If you want to create the best core workout, you need both ab and back exercises. When most p…   Read more…


Back Strength Exercises

#4 – Back Strength Exercise

  • Lay on the floor on your back.
  • Bend your knees and cross your legs.
  • Keeping your legs crossed, let them slowly fall to one side so you’re laying on your side.
  • Gently put your higher arm to the opposite direction of the way you’re laying. Again, do not force it.
  • Bring your legs back to the center, cross the other way, and let your legs slowly fall down to the other side. 
  • Bring your other arm across, away from your body.  (Some people will hear a little ‘snap’ in their spine when doing this.  Generally, this exercise is excellent for aligning your back, so you shouldn’t have to worry about this.  However, that’s another reason to stress stretching and limbering up beforehand.

Low Back Exercise

#5 – Lower Back Strengthening Exercises

  • Lift one arm and stretch it above and to your side.
  • At the same time, lift your opposite leg up and as straight as possible, keeping both raised off of the floor.
  • Hold this position for a count of 5-10, depending on your initial comfort level
  • Do the same with the opposite arm and leg, holding for a count of 5-10, and repeat for both sides.

You might not be able to lift your arms and legs far off the floor in the beginning.  Don’t worry about that.  The most important thing is that you don’t strain yourself.  As you do this, you will get stronger and more agile.  Increase your count and sets as this gets more comfortable.

#6 (Sit-ups w/Knees Bent):  Strengthening your stomach helps a lot in supporting and strengthening your back and spine.

  • Lay on the floor with your knees bent
  • Do a couple sets of sit-ups in sets of 5 or 10, depending on the shape you’re in.   Be your own best judge in determining the number of sit-ups, and times to repeat this process.  Just make sure as you’re mastering one level, you increase them.  Increasing your sets, and increasing sit-ups by 5 is a good general guide. 
  • Rest a few seconds, and repeat the process 5-10 times if you can; again, depending on your comfort level.

Next time increase the sit-ups and/or sets, and go from there.  BUT, again, don’t over-strain yourself!

Three Easy Rules to Avoid Back Injury

More On This Topic:. Back Exercises and Abdominal Exercise Recommendations Exerci…   Read more…

It won’t take you long to do these exercises, and using both the stretches and back strengthening exercises will do wonders for your back strength, resiliency, and flexibility.  But, you’ll also ‘feel’ better!  You’ll notice if you do this consistently, as that’s the key, you will have more energy and stamina, as well.  But, most importantly, you’ll notice a huge difference in your back (and stomach) strength, etc.

Doing these quick and simple back strengthening excercises just 5-10 minutes a day (or longer if you wish – just don’t overdo it!) is all it will take to stretch and strengthen your lower back in a short amount of time at home.

For more on back stretch exercise or back strength exercise, please see the related videos.

*NOTE:  I always encourage you to see your doctor about any physical issues, because there may be more going on than meets the eye with your back and/or spine.  However, if you just have general back/spine weakness, etc., the back strengthening exercise will help greatly.

 

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Stop Back Pain Cause Now

Thursday, February 26th, 2009

Stop Your Back Pain Cause Now!

back pain causesEveryone experiences occasional back pain at some point in their lives. But, for those who suffer from acute lower back pain or lower back muscle spasms, it can be very debilitating, and greatly affects the quality of life. Muscular back pain or a lumbar back pain may be caused by an injury, sciatica symptoms, or muscle spasms. Or, it can be a result of a more general condition like arthritis. It can range in intensity from infrequent aches and pains to burning back pain, sharp back pain, or chronic, disabling pain. Lower back muscle pain and back pain symptoms are linked to physical exertion, misuse, overuse, or injury. Your back pain cause could include herniated disks, sciatica symptoms, and other serious back problems. Tension can also result in muscular back pain.

It’s estimated that 4 out of every 5 adults suffer from back pain at least once during their life. It s also one of the main causes of absence from work. General muscle pain is the second highest reason for doctor visits, where an estimated 80% of Americans have muscle pain of some type. Too many times, we abuse our backs and muscles, pushing them to or beyond their limit. This is how so many of these issues begin. There are many exercises, therapies, and medicines that can provide back pain relief, but you must first determine the cause of the pain, the severity of the pain, and what you and your doctor determine as the best treatment for lower back pain.

There is good news - Lower back pain exercise will help if exercises consistently and correctly. Aside from targeted back pain exercises, if you just stretch regularly, particularly before strenuous activity, it will help greatly. There are also natural therapies and back pain medicine that will help.

Lower Back Pain Remedy

You can help improve the strength, resilience, and flexibility of your lower back and spine by remaining aware of these things:

Posture: Always be conscientious about your posture. Good posture is a key in helping your spine and strengthening your back (and stomach, which supports your spine).

Lifting, Turning, and Bending: Always crouch down and use your legs to lift things, rather than put that strain on your back. Be aware of your movements while carrying things, or turning, such as awkward angles and jerking when lifting or moving things. You can help prevent chronic back pain.

Nutrition: If you do not do this already, taking vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium, can play a big part in strengthening your back. Calcium, magnesium, and protein-based nutrition help strengthen your back, and magnesium and calcium supplements can also help leg cramps.

Footwear: You should always wear appropriate footwear, particularly if you have back problems, as high heels, narrow shoe heels, etc. are the worst things for your back.

Back Strengthening Exercises

If you want to increase the strength, flexibility, and resilience of your back, back strengthening exercises are necessary to keep your bones and muscles strong and flexible. As with any other type of exercise, exercises for low back pain should be done gradually to prevent injury or furthering a current injury. You must condition your back, as any other part of your body, to promote healing, health, and function.

Your doctor or physical therapist can prescribe targeted exercises, and there are physical therapy courses that help to educate you about the importance of using ergonomic tools such as proper desk, computer, and chair height, ergonomic computer keyboards, ergo chairs, etc. All of the ergonomic tools help to reduce all types of muscle strain. The therapist can also teach you the correct ways of sitting, standing (i.e., one leg cocked, which offsets your spine & pelvis), walking, lifting, and repetitive motion, which also causes a lot of injuries. All of these things will help prevent future problems from arising.

You should always stretch prior to doing any exercise or exertive physical activity, particularly if you are not very active, or in the best physical condition.

Lose the Back Pain

Besides lower back pain exercises, physical therapy treatments like massage, heat, ice, electrical stimulation (i.e., ultrasound), and other techniques can be used to help relieve muscle or back pain. Acupuncture, chiropractic care, and natural therapies can also help. There are physical aids available, such as back braces, to help support and strengthen your spine by holding your stomach in, and keeping your spine in the correct position. This also helps reduce back strain.

Body, back, and muscle therapy isvery useful in helping to providing pain relief and body function. Massage is regularly recommended, and used to relieve tension and pain. It helps increase circulation, which brings nutrients and oxygen to the affected muscles, and helps carry the toxins away. There are other body, muscle, and back pain therapies that are effective, such as Reflexology (pressure is applied to reflex points on the hands and feet), Shiatsu (pressure applied to the meridians of the body to improve circulation and ease pain), Rolfing (connective tissue and muscles are manipulated), and the Feldenkrais method (new ways of moving your body to relax tense or cramped muscles). However, these methods must be performed by trained practitioners.

lower back pain remedy

Aromatherapy uses essential oils from herbs and plants for muscle pain relief, and inflammation or muscle spasms associated with it. Some common essential oils for muscle pain include ginger, peppermint, marjoram, and thyme. These oils can be applied with gentle massages or compresses, and some can be added to a warm bath.

If the back pain does not go away in spite of exercise and other non-invasive treatments, surgery may be a necessary option. It is very important that you see a professional back pain doctor (orthopedic surgeon or other spinal/back specialist) to get expert advice and diagnosis of your back pain cause. This can help you understand different treatment options, and the amount of chronic back pain relief they can provide.

Back Pain Relief Products

The main focus of muscular back pain is to bring proper function and conditioning back to your spine, and eliminate worsening or future problems. For most people, back pain can be treated without surgery. Common back pain relief medicine may include over-the-counter (OTC) medicines such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or non-steriod anti-inflammatory durgs (NSAIDs), used for milder pain. Both acetaminophen and NSAIDs relieve pain caused by stiffness and muscle aches, but NSAIDs can also reduce inflammation. There are also topical pain relievers such as sprays, creams, and lotions that you can apply directly to the skin to relieve the pain. If these non-prescription, OTC medicines don t provide relief, treatment may have to include stronger medications like muscle relaxants, prescription NSAIDs, anti-anxiety drugs, or anti-depressants, among others.

There are a wide variety of back pain solutions at your disposal. Using correct posture, turning, lifting, and bending, proper nutrition, footwear, and back strengthening exercises are all things you have control of. Natural back pain remedies like massage, aromatherapy, yoga, and professional therapy will all help you lose the back pain!

*Always consult with your physician regarding lower back muscle pain, as you should with any physical condition.

 

Other articles related to back pain cause:

Are Back Pain Scans Reliable?

Scientific and medical studies… Read more…

Anti-Cholesterol Drug May Ease Back PainRead more…

The Information about the Common Causes of Back Pain Read more…

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