Basic Back Care & Exercise
Taking Care Of Your Back
As we have said before, the muscles in your back are unlike most other muscles in your body. The difference is your back muscles are almost always in use because they have to hold the main part of your body in an upright position all day long.
Your back muscles have to get to work every time you pick something up, whether it’s a something small and light or or a heavy concrete block. They also support your posture while you are sitting and they work through the night when you sleep.
The design of your back is based around Three Curves.
These natural curves form an S-shape and when they are properly aligned, your ears, shoulders, and hips form a straight line. Your back needs support from strong, flexible muscles, otherwise it loses its three natural curves. Eventually, poor posture leads to pain - especially lower back pain - and is an indicator that more serious back injury is likely.
Maintain a Healthy Back with Exercise and Rest
It actually doesn’t take much time to improve the strength and flexibility of your back. In just 10 minutes a day, you can perform a few exercises, which can prevent a lifetime of low back pain! These principles and the exercises are explained in detail in the Better Back System
Partial Situps
This exercise strengthens your stomach muscles:
- Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- Slowly raise your head and shoulders off the floor, keeping your hands across your chest.
- Work up to 30 repetitions.
The Bridge
This exercise strengthens your lower back:
- Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- With arms lying at your sides, tighten stomach muscles, squeeze buttocks, and slowly raise your hips into the air.
- Hold for 5 seconds and and then slowly bring the buttocks back to the floor.
- Repeat 20 times.
The Wall Slide
This strengthens your back and leg muscles:
- Stand with your back against a wall and your feet slightly apart.
- Slide into a half-sit.
- Hold as long as you can; slide back up.
Repeat 5 times.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise also stretches and strengthens the muscles that support your low back, which combined with healthy eating can also help you maintain your ideal weight. If you’re overweight, the extra pounds add to the strain on your low back. Aerobic exercise like walking, can help you lose weight.
Proper Rest
The best position for resting the back muscles is lying on your back on your living room floor with a pillow under your knees and a rolled up towel under your neck. You can also lie on your side in the fetal position bend the knees to reduce strain on the low back and put a pillow between your knees, and under your head and neck to keep them level.
