Back & Neck Pain Relief, Treatments, Tips, Exercises, and Resources » Posture

Learning more about Inversion Therapy

Back & Neck Pain Resources — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:07:46 +0000

There are almost as many treatments for back pain as there are causes. There are pills, exercises, massages and even machines that all try to help in alleviating the pain that you feel in your back.

One thing that is gaining popularity is inversion therapy. Inversion therapy involves hanging a person upside down or at an inverted angle with the intention of bringing about therapeutic benefits all over the body, especially your back.

One of the best things about inversion therapy is that you can do it yourself at home, safely and privately with an Inversion Therapy Table.

While the idea may seem farfetched, there are plenty of people who swear by this method. They say that by doing inversion therapy they feel much better and live pain free lives. So before you throw out this seemingly crazy idea, it would be best to learn more about it.

How Do You Perform Inversion Therapy?

To do this form of therapy, you would usually need either a table, or the inversion boots. The equipment is used so that you would be able to hang upside down and apply gentle traction to your spine.

The inversion boots are an older style in which you wear them on your feet and hang upside down on a bar. There is now more advanced machinery that enables you to just lie on a table that turns to different angles.

After being strapped on the table (or on the inversion boots), inversion therapy happens by either being tilted for a set amount of time, or by performing some form of exercise while tilted.

What are the supposed benefits of Inversion Therapy?

People say that the main benefit that they get from inversion therapy is that they feel relief from their back and neck pains. But many are saying that there are plenty of other advantages from using this form of therapy.

Inversion therapy can improve blood circulation, maintain your height, relieve stress, heighten mental alertness, make you more flexible, improve your posture, and even realign your spine after doing strenuous physical activities.

Is it safe?

If you use a good and sturdy inversion therapy table then you have nothing to worry about.

However, there are some conditions where inversion therapy is not advised. You should not do this form of therapy if you are pregnant, are suffering from a hernia, retinal detachment, a recent stroke, or heart disorders.

As with all forms of therapy, you should check with your doctors first if doing so would be safe for you.

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Inversion Therapy: The Basics

Back & Neck Pain Resources — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:39:50 +0000

There are almost as many treatments for back pain as there are causes. There are pills, exercises, massages and even machines that all try to help in alleviating the pain that you feel in your back.

One of the best things about inversion therapy is that you can do it yourself at home, safely and privately with an Inversion Therapy Table.

How Do You Perform Inversion Therapy?

To do this form of therapy, you would usually need either a table, or the inversion boots. The equipment is used so that you would be able to hang upside down and apply gentle traction to your spine.

After being strapped on the table (or on the inversion boots), inversion therapy happens by either being tilted for a set amount of time, or by performing some form of exercise while tilted.

What are the supposed benefits of Inversion Therapy?

Is it safe?

If you use a good and sturdy inversion therapy table then you have nothing to worry about.

As with all forms of therapy, you should check with your doctors first if doing so would be safe for you.

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Is Poor Posture Causing You Neck and Back Pain?

Back & Neck Pain Resources — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:53:01 +0000

Neck and Back pain are usually associated with people who do athletic activities or those who are working in physically strenuous jobs. However, people should be aware that even if they do not participate in athletic activities, or even do the tiniest bit of exercise or training, they can still be quite susceptible to neck and back pain.

The fact is, even the way you sit or stand can already have an effect on your body. An improper posture while sitting, lying down, walking or even just standing up, can already lead to additional strain on your neck and back muscles, as well as the nerves. This excess and unnecessary strain can build up over time and give you the aches that you feel on your back and neck.

That is why it is important for you to know if you have a poor posture, and then correct it as soon as possible. Here are some things that you should know about your body’s proper posture:

Leaning your head forward:

Forward head posture is when your head is drifting and leaning forward. People would usually resort to this posture while they are working with a computer, reading a book, driving, or watching television or movies. When people are in this kind of position, they would usually strain the muscles at the back of their necks.

This is why people should eliminate this position as much as possible. They should start reading with their books propped up against a frame, take periodic breaks while working on the computer, or even while they are driving.

Slouching:

While it may seem more comfortable to slouch, it would actually lead to more pain if you continue doing it over time. This is because slouching, whether while standing or sitting down on a chair, actually causes unnecessary strain on the back nerves and muscles, thus causing back pain.

If you’re prone to slouching while at your computer, you should consider getting an ergonomic support, such as the Back Joy Core. The Back Joy Core will correct your posture while you sit, and it “floats” your spine and pelvis for ultimate comfort.

To correct this, you should always try to keep a straight back while you are standing. When sitting down, you should always try to sit up straight as well, and try to lean your back parallel with the chair.

Carrying items:

One of the things that affect our posture is the way we carry items. Heavy backpacks, or even briefcases and purses can force us to adjust our posture to lean to one side. This would again strain the nerves in our backs and necks which would ultimately cause pain.

That is why it is important to avoid having to carry a heavy luggage as well as a bag that is simply worn over one shoulder. This is because it can place too much weight on one side of the body. As much as possible, you should try to find a bag that would help in distributing the weight evenly between your back and shoulders, such as the Healthy Back Bag.

If you find yourself doing the examples mentioned above, then you should try to follow the tips about correcting them. However, you should remember that just as bad posture is caused by repetitive bad positions, correcting them can also take some time. You should work through them, so that your neck and back pain would eventually be lessened.

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Understanding the Alexander Technique

Back & Neck Pain Resources — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:42:15 +0000

Millions of people all over the world suffer from back pain. Unfortunately, most of them simply try to mask that pain with medication. The problem with this is that if used too frequently, medications can negatively affect organs like your liver and kidneys.

Luckily, there are other ways to relieve and eliminate back pain. One of the safest and most successful of these ways is the Alexander Technique.

What is the Alexander Technique?

The Alexander Technique is a method that teaches people to move in a more comfortable and relaxed manner. These kinds of movements are done to correct bad habits and posture that put strain on the muscles. The eventual goal of the Alexander Technique is a pain free body.

Benefits:

The benefits of using the Alexander technique come in two forms, the short and the long term. The first is that it helps alleviate some of the pain that you’re already feeling. This is because your movements now take into consideration the things that add stress (and consequently pain) to your back.

The long term solution is that you are able to rid yourself of the bad habits that caused this pain to begin with

Why Choose the Alexander Technique?

You should choose the Alexander technique if you want to regain the freedom of movement that you used to have in your joints and muscles, without resorting to ingesting pills.

It’s a great technique that promotes physical awareness which helps you to adjust your body when you do strenuous activities. Through this kind of treatment you are able to do away with the bad habits that lead to pain in the body.

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Pain Today, Gone Tomorrow

Back & Neck Pain Resources — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:17:22 +0000

Did you ever wonder why your back pain levels differ from day to day? Why did you hurt so badly yesterday, but today feel somewhat better? Many back pain sufferers note fluctuating daily symptoms. In other words, they have their good days and bad days. The problem is that most people have no idea why this occurs or how to ensure that they experience more good days than bad. So, what can you do to make certain you experience relief from your back pain?

In order to find back pain relief, we must first identify the things that exacerbate our back pain in the first place. Because our routines typically vary, to some degree, with each passing day, it stands to reason that our aches and pains will vary as well. Let’s take a look at some factors that will greatly impact the severity of back pain.

Firstly, posture. Poor posture is a major cause for fluctuating back pain symptoms. For example, if you sit slumped over a computer for 8 hours on Monday after resting all weekend, your back will likely hurt worse on Tuesday that it did the day before. The same goes for driving. If you spent a lot of time slouching in traffic on Friday, it’s very possible you’ll note more tension and pain on Saturday. Even poor sleeping positions (i.e. sleeping on your stomach) can trigger daily pain fluctuations.

If you’re serious about experiencing back pain relief, you have to be serious about improving your posture. Make sure you have an ergonomically correct chair, a well-placed keyboard, and an eye-level monitor when spending time at the computer. Sit up as straight as you can and try not to slouch. This goes for driving as well. If you need a lumbar support pillow, get one. Try not to hunch over the steering wheel and adjust your seat to provide the best possible support. While leaning back may look “cool”, it’s not going to feel “cool”.

Secondly, nutrition. Another contributing factor to chronic, yet fluctuating, back and neck pain is nutrition. If you have a severe back problem that leaves you suffering with fluctuating symptoms, you should consider examining your diet.

Some foods can actually contribute to inflammation thusly increasing pain. The list of foods that can increase the severity of your back pain include hydrogenated oils, as well as foods that are acidic (remember, foods that taste acidic don’t always increase acidity in your body). Some mild research will reveal which specific foods can trigger back pain and which foods can promote healing of your pain. A healthy diet is key for having a healthy body.

Thirdly, stress and other sorts of negative emotions. Stress is a major contributor to back problems. Stress can manifest itself as pain in the upper, middle, and lower back, as well as the neck and shoulders and it doesn’t stop there! Stress and tension can exacerbate a large number of illnesses and diseases. If one day proves more stressful than the next, your symptoms, and your back pain may very well fluctuate. Learning to manage stress successfully is vital for securing back pain relief.

Do your best to find an activity that helps you relieve stress and tension. Take a walk, take a bath, listen to calming music, go for a run. Practicing any stress-relieving activity will help you avoid common stress related back pains.

Remember, your life changes daily, therefore it only makes sense that the pain caused by living will change daily as well. The good news is that you can prevent back pain and provide some relief for yourself by following a few simple, and proven successful, tips.

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Improve Your Posture for Neck and Back Pain Relief

Back & Neck Pain Resources — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:11:52 +0000

Although it’s common knowledge that correct posture is a good way to avoid pains and aches in the back and neck, most people don’t realize how important the connection really is. In fact, improving posture doesn’t just correct minor problems in the back and neck but often drastically reduces or even provides complete neck and back pain relief.

Poor posture can cause many problems.

It strains muscles, puts too much stress on the spine, and over time can change the anatomical structure of the spine leading to constricted blood vessels and nerves, as well as muscle problems and issues with the discs and joints. All these factors have the potential to contribute to neck and back pain, which is why establishing correct posture is so important.

What is correct posture?

Correct posture involves keeping each part of the body in alignment with all its parts, so that everything is properly balanced and supported. If you have good posture you should be able to draw a straight line from the earlobe through the shoulder, hip, knee, and middle of the ankle (while standing).

In addition, it’s a good idea to ensure good posture in all positions, including sitting, bending, and lying down.

How to improve posture…

The first step in correcting bad posture is to identify what aspects of your posture need improvement. Examine your posture at various times of day – sitting in a chair, carrying items, and standing. This will help you figure out when and where your posture is at its worst.

You can also ask someone else to pay attention for you. Some common signs of bad posture include:

Slouching with shoulders hunched forward
Lordosis or “swayback,” which involves a large inward curve in the lower back
Head held either too high or too low
Slumping forward (this is most common when sitting in an office chair)
Sliding forward on an office chair

Once you’ve identified that you have poor posture, it’s time to change daily habits and implement certain exercises for posture improvement. This will take time and effort, but if you want back pain relief and neck pain relief it will be necessary to make some changes.

Poor posture can be a result of bad habits, depression, muscle tension, illness/disease or muscle atrophy due to a sedentary lifestyle.

For posture related to bad habits, muscle tension and muscle atrophy due to a sedentary lifestyle – neck and back pain exercises are a viable solution.

Most exercise can be an effective way to improve posture and help you achieve back pain relief and neck pain relief. Forms of meditation and mental relaxation can help relieve tense muscles and make it easier to undertake the posture-correcting exercises. Yoga and Pilates work for some people as a way to relax, stretch, and strengthen the muscles in better positions.

That said, it’s important to note that the most effective neck and back pain exercises are those that are custom designed to work with your own postural deficiencies due to the uniqueness of every person and cause.

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