BACK BE BETTER

Back, neck and shoulder pain relief with advice,
products and exercises that help in relieving back pain,
sciatica, fibromyalgia, muscle spasms and strains and stress

This blog has serious advice

that can help your back, neck

and shoulders feel better through

exercises and information as to how

to handle and prevent pain.

Note: you may click on photo to see full screen image



Relief from Neck and Shoulder Pain
--- My Top 5 Favorite Ways

by: Wendy Young

When you are experiencing neck and shoulder pain at your computer, there are simple actions you can take to help you feel better.

It is very important to understand how your body reacts with the design of your computer work area. Of equal concern is choosing products to help you, rather than create additional pain. It can be just as simple as adjusting or rearranging your equipment and furniture.

Monitor Height Placement

If you bend your neck back to see the monitor, it is too high. If you bend your neck down, your monitor is too low.

Let your head rest naturally and it will tilt slightly forward. You have left the office too many times with sore muscles!

When looking straight ahead, your line of sight is the imaginary horizontal line from your eyes to the screen. Your eyes naturally gaze down 15 – 20 degrees below your line of sight. Adjust the height to easily view the information on the screen where your eyes naturally gaze.

Center Keyboard with Monitor

If your keyboard is placed directly in front of your body and your monitor is situated to the right or left, you will be forced to twist your neck to view the screen. Ouch! This twist will tense the muscles in your neck.

The longer you work with your muscles tensed, the higher risk of developing neck and shoulder pain.

Adjust Your Chair Armrest Height

How often do you feel as if your neck is almost touching your shoulder? Too often, right!

Let's not make it easy to tense your shoulders. If your armrests are too high, you will be raising (and tensing!) your shoulders up and creating pain.

Because of the tendency to lean to the side with armrests too low, you may also create pain in the elbows and ulnar nerve. The ulnar nerve is the one you feel all the way down into your pinkie finger when hitting your elbow. Watch this one!

Adjust your armrests so that your shoulders are completely relaxed and elbows rest comfortably on armrests.

Eliminate Your Chair Armrests Altogether

Do your armrests prevent you from getting close to your keyboard because they hit the edge of your desk? This is a source of mental stress many of us have experienced.

You will also create tense neck and shoulder muscles due to the straight arm reach to the keyboard and mouse.

So in this case, remove the armrests.

Move Mouse Closer To Your Body

Moving and clicking your mouse frequently, when it is too far away, can create shoulder pain. Use a shorter footprint, ergonomic keyboard without the right hand numeric keypad or a mouse that is placed at the center of the body.

You may also try a keyboard with the numeric keypad on the left; your keyboard and monitor will be balanced more easily.

As always, REST, REST and MORE REST every 10 minutes for 10 seconds and every hour for five (5) minutes.

Stand up and stretch often, as this will relax your mind and body, improve circulation and create more productivity.

What's Causing My Lower Back Pain And How Can I Get Rid Of It?

by: Dan Farrell



Lower back pain is one of the most common ailments people suffer from
and approximately 8 out of 10 people will deal with back pain at some
point in their life. That's a lot of people… are you one of them?

• Out of all of the various forms of back pain, lower back pain is by far the
• most common and there's a good explanation for this.
• Any idea why?
• It's
• not car accidents, it's not work-related injuries, and it's not a lack
• of prescription medications either.
• Lack of movement and use is the
• number one cause of lower back pain!

I bet your orthopedic specialist or chiropractor didn't tell you that, did they? It's the lack of
movement in various muscles over years that leads to muscle imbalances
and uneven wear and tear on your body, especially the spine. For
example, how many times a day are you bending, leaning, or twisting?
Here's what the typical person's day is like:

* Wake up
* Eat breakfast (hopefully)
* Drive or ride to work
* Sit at desk
* Eat lunch
* Sit at desk some more
* Drive or ride home
* Eat dinner
* Sit on couch and watch television
* Go to bed

Notice the trend here? That's an awful lot of sitting and not moving.
Well, this is what leads to serious muscle imbalances and so what do we
do, we go to the gym and perform exercises that only make the imbalances worse!

The key to eliminating lower back pain (nearly any
ache, pain, or injury for that matter) is to identify the muscle
imbalances that are pulling the spine, bones, and joints out of place
and then stretch the tight muscles while strengthening the weak
muscles.

How do I know this? Well, as certified personal fitness trainer and
post-rehabilitation specialist, I have worked with hundreds of
individuals with back pain and the conditions that ranged from sciatic
pain, to bulging discs, to spinal fusion, and others. In working with
these individuals I discovered some startling facts.

1. Many people who seek professional help are often mis-diagnosed and
end up following a treatment plan that fails to eliminate the cause of
their back pain.

2. Nearly all of the individuals I worked with were able to eliminate
their back pain, or significantly improve their condition even though
all of the traditional treatments failed them (physically therapy,
chiropractic care, cortisone injections, anti-inflammatory medications,
back surgery, etc).

Even more amazing is the fact that most of these individuals were able
to eliminate their back pain in a matter or days or weeks simply by
performing a handful of exercises and stretches! These weren't your
basic exercises or the standard back stretches and stomach exercises
most "experts" recommend - these were specific exercises and stretches
prescribed based on the individual. Many of these people had suffered
for years and years with aches, pains, and stiffness and lived inactive
lives because of their back pain.

3. Most back pain treatments offered for lower back pain only address
the symptoms and don't address the cause, which usually delivers just
temporary relief for the individual. In addition to helping hundreds of
others eliminate lower back pain, I also have had personal experiences
with back pain and other various conditions such as sciatic pain,
tendonitis, muscle strains and sprains, and more. In every single
situation the traditional treatments did nothing but treat the symptoms
(often times not successfully) and the only approach that gave lasting
improvements and relief was targeted stretches and exercises.

Have you tried traditional treatments and found little relief? I am
not saying these treatments are not effective at temporarily reducing
the pain or inflammation, but I am saying nearly all fail to get rid of
the underlying cause of the problem.

• So how do you identify these muscle imbalances?
• Well, it isn't easy
• but with a basic understanding of how your body works you can at least
• start looking at your situation and find out which muscles are over
• worked and too strong and/or tight and which ones are too weak and
• stretched out.
• It also helps if you can find a qualified health
• professional who specializes in identifying muscle imbalances.

Unfortunately, there are still few professionals who use what I call
the "common sense approach." However, your best bet is to look for a
personal fitness trainer that is trained and certified in
post-rehabilitation, a manual physical therapist, or an osteopath.

Also, don't be afraid to ask questions... you need to take charge of
your health care and be sure to quiz them to find out what type of an
approach they take in treating back pain.

BACK BE BETTER

Back, neck and shoulder pain relief with advice,
products and exercises that help in relieving back pain,
sciatica, fibromyalgia, muscle spasms and strains and stress

This blog has serious advice

that can help your back, neck

and shoulders feel better through

exercises and information as to how

to handle and prevent pain.

WHY YOUR BACK IS BETTER WITH VISCO ELASTIC

Lower back pain and upper back pain or discomfort can be diminished or exacerbated depending on
what kind of mattress you're sleeping on.
Your back is better, and this has been proven in hospital tests, when you sleep on a mattress made
from visco elastic material rather than old-fashioned coil spring mattresses. Visco elatic material is
sometimes referred to as memory foam.

Coil spring mattresses are the reason you toss and turn so much at night. Pressure points are actually
created by coil spring mattresses, and such points inhibit circulation and cause discomfort in your back,
especially those areas where you have either lower back pain or upper back pain. Sometimes, people
are not even aware of these pressure points, but they know they toss and turn a lot and then awaken
without really feeling rested.

Visco elastic material conforms to the body and eliminates these pressure points. Mattresses made of
coli springs or air pockets just don't measure up or provide the same comfort. When you stretch out on
a visco elastic mattress, you are immediately aware of support and a feeling of ease and comfort under
your lumbar region, the upper back and shoulders, the hips and the legs.

Sometimes people say, it's almost like floating. Visco elastic mattresses actually offer firmness where you
need it and softness where you want it to feel more comforting. They conform to your body because of the
pressure and body heat sensing visco elastic material whether you sleep on your back or your side.

You should sleep more deeply and waken better rested and with more energy if your sleep with pressure
points eliminated or substantially lessened. You'll love the feeling of waking feeling so much better and your
back will be better for that kind of rest, because it has been able to heal somewhat from daily stresses and
discomfort that we all put on our backs.

Visco elastic mattresses are available in stores all over the U.S. and in many places abroad. Make your back
be better and go try stretching out on a visco elastic mattress. You'll be so happy you did.

BACK BE BETTER

Back, neck and shoulder pain relief with advice,
products and exercises that help in relieving back pain,
sciatica, fibromyalgia, muscle spasms and strains and stress

This blog has serious advice

that can help your back, neck

and shoulders feel better through

exercises and information as to how

to handle and prevent pain.

BACK PAIN RELIEF WITH YOGA

BY: RAV DAVIS

A good, regular yoga practice will go far in relieving the stress and tension that sometimes cause mild back pain, and in fact, studies have shown that yoga is the number one most effective exercise for relieving back pain.

However, not all yoga poses relieve back pain, and some can in fact aggravate existing pain, so it is important to know which poses will be most helpful in relieving back pain. It is best to do these exercises under the supervision of a certified yoga instructor, and if you encounter any problems with these poses, you should consult an expert.

Even just one or two sessions with a yoga instructor can help, an instructor will help you with your form and posture during poses. Here are some of the best yoga poses for relieving back pain. Each pose should be held from five to ten seconds, depending upon your level of comfort, and should be done on a mat or other soft, supportive surface.

CAT STRETCH: Start out on your hands and knees with a flat back.

Your hands should be directly under your shoulders with fingers spread. Knees should be directly under the hips. Head is held loosely so that you are looking at the floor between your hands. Inhale, and as you exhale, arch your back toward the ceiling, tuck your chin in to your chest so that you are looking at your navel, and tuck your tailbone underneath. Hold, then release back into your original position.

WIND RELEASING POLE: Lie flat on your back as in Corpse pose.

As you inhale, bend your knee, place your hands right below the knee, and draw your leg towards your chest. Your left leg should remain flat on the floor. Exhale and bring your forehead up to touch your knee. Inhale, and then as you exhale, return to your original position. Repeat with the other leg.

SAGE TWIST: Warning for this pose—it involves twisting your back, so you should take particular care not to twist too far or you risk aggravating any existing back pain.

This should be a gentle stretch; twist just as far as is comfortable. Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you. Bend your right knee, lift your right leg over your left, and place your right foot on the floor next to your left knee.

Sitting with spine straight, place your left elbow on the right side of your right knee. Bend your left arm so that your left fingertips are touching your right hip, while at the same time, twisting to look over your right shoulder. This is where you need to be careful not to twist too far. Hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat on the opposite side.

PALM TREE: Stand with feet facing forward, arms at your sides, weight distributed evenly on both feet.

Raise both arms over your head, interlock your fingers, and turn your hands so that your palms are facing upward. Next, place your palms on your head and turn your head so that you are looking slightly upward. Stretch your arms upwards, and at the same time, come up onto your toes if you can do so without pain. Stretch your entire body upward and hold, if you can. Some people have difficulty balancing during this pose, so just do the stretching parts if you need to.

FISH POSE: Lie on your back with knees bent and arms at your side.

Arch your back as far as you comfortably can and raise it off the ground by pushing the floor with your elbows. If you can, tilt your head backwards and rest the crown of your head on the floor. Breathe deeply from the diaphragm and hold pose for one minute if you can.

LOCUST: Lie face down with arms at the side, palms down, and elbows slightly bent with fingers pointing towards the feet.

Raise your legs and thighs as high off the ground as possible without causing your back any pain. Hold for one second and repeat up to twelve times. This can be a vigorous exercise so you must take care to strain already injured muscles.