Back pain is a serious and common complaint. The pain can range from mild and annoying to severe and debilitating. The good news is that you are not alone, approximately 1.8 million Australians are currently living with back problems and an impressive 18 million Australians are likely to have back problems at some point during their life.
The good news is that many of the issues can be resolved with the right steps, and many others can be resolved with the help of a good spine surgeon.
Understanding Back Compression
The spine is an impressive part of your body. It consists of 33 vertebrae that have discs between them. The vertebra gives strength and allows a great deal of movement and flexibility. The discs cushion the vertebrae.
Unfortunately, lack of exercise and movement, or lifting things that are too heavy, places additional stress n the vertebrae. It actually shortens the gap between vertebrae, effectively increasing the pressure on your discs.
Left untreated the excess pressure will cause the discs to degenerate. This leads to movement issues, pain, and a variety of other potential problems, including deformity of the spine.
You can reverse all this by decompressing your spine.
Yoga Cat
The cat, or camel as it is sometimes called, is an established yoga exercise that works. The cat is simply getting on your knees with your hands flat on the floor and arms straight with a slight bend in the elbow, and an upward arch on your back. Hold the pose for thirty seconds daily to help release the pain and decompress the spine.
Dead Hang
If you’re suffering from excess pain or do a lot of lifting you’ll want a more strenuous way to decompress the spine. The dead hang is the perfect exercise.
Simply find a bar that will take your weight, such as a chin-up bar, and hang from it for as long as you can. Gravity will guide your spine apart in the right way. You can add weights to your waist to magnify the effect.
In addition, try squeezing the bars as hard as you can for 5 seconds then relax for five seconds. The great thing about this approach is that gravity does all the work for you.
The Middle Back
If you want to focus on the middle of your back you’ll need a roll of toilet paper. Lie on the floor on your back and place the toilet roll in the mid part of your back. You can then gently lean back further, using the toilet roll as a fulcrum.
It’s possible to intensify the effect by bringing your arms to your head and even stretching your hands away from your head.
You can also flip over, lie on your front and place your hand’s shoulder-width apart just in front of your shoulders. Then, push your body upward, keeping your waist on the floor as you get your arms straight.
While all these exercises are beneficial, it is advisable to chat with your doctor before you start doing them.