Okay, so it's morning time and the sound of the alarm is blaring in your ears. And as if that's not bad enough, you go to reach for the wretched clock that shook you from your dreams and found that old familiar ache and pain in your lower back. Another morning and it's the same old thing. Back pain is there to greet you with a grimace again. You've found yourself once more desperate for some low back pain relief. Does this scenario sound familiar? Are you ready to change the routine? Are you ready from some relief of the pain in your lower back pain? While it's true that some causes of low back pain are due to things that require medical treatment, there is a vast majority of sufferers that simply need to make some minor changes in their daily habits that will help them to get the relief they are looking for. Implementing these changes in your routine can give you that same relief as well.
1. Focus on posture: you may not realize it but your posture plays a huge roll in how your back feels. You probably already know that any awkward twisting or turning can cause a kink in your spine and you've probably grimaced a time or two as a result.
Did you know that your posture even plays a role when you're sleeping? Alignment of your back and hips are involved in the posture game as well. One way to do that when you're sleeping is when you lay on your side. Do so making sure your hips are stacked one on top of another. In addition, place a pillow between your knees to keep your hips in alignment.
2. Stretching: stretching out your back muscles is important in order to keep the flexibility in your back. Lack of flexibility causes shortened tight muscles that can pull on vertebra. Muscle opposite of the shortened tight muscle group end up becoming stretched out and weak. The result is a weakened muscle that can not support the vertebra in your back.
One simple stretch that can be done is to lie on your left side on the ground. Stretch out your right leg in front of you until it's fully extended and grab your toe with your left hand. Stretch your left leg behind you and bend at the knee grabbing your left toe with your right hand. Use each hand and pull on each foot you're holding onto while still laying on your side. Hold stretch for 20 seconds and then release. Repeat the stretch 3 times on each side.
3. Exercise to strengthen the back: One of the best things you can do for your body overall is to exercise and strengthen muscle groups. This holds true for your core and back muscles as well. Your core muscles are your back, abdominals and sides, otherwise known as the obliques. Strong muscles, as indicated above, help to support the spine. In addition, they protect the back from injury during activity such as lifting heavy items. While it's important to use proper lifting techniques, strong core muscles give additional support during that kind of movement.
One excellent exercise for strengthening the back is the Romanian (straight leg) deadlift. Make sure you keep your back straight when lifting and lowering the weight.
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