Lower back pain is a very common pain that is experienced by about 80 per cent of adults. The pain could be chronic or acute, depending on the underlying causes that trigger the pain. Poor posture, prolonged sitting, incorrect lifting techniques, poor lifestyle habits, and a person’s weight can cause lower back pain. Alternatively, more severe conditions like sciatica, fibromyalgia, herniated disc, arthritis, and more can lead to chronic back pain.
In some cases, acute lower back pain, or the type that persists for a few days to a few weeks, can be managed through medication, light exercises, and massage. That’s why many people buy massage chairs to alleviate back pain at its onslaught. If you suffer from bouts of lower back pain and are thinking of managing it without the intervention of a doctor, you could purchase a massage chair of your own. However, it would be a good idea if you read the reviews posted on Massage Chair Land, which aim to guide you as you decide on the best brand available in the market today.
If the back pain is persistent and messaging doesn’t work anymore, it might be time to explore other solutions. Solutions can be corrective in terms of lifestyle change, invasive surgeries, use of pain relievers, and physical therapies. Almost always, one of the biggest and most common reasons for lower back pains is the presence of weak muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. Strengthening of these is important in order to achieve lower back pain relief.
Lower back pain relief can be achieved in many ways. Whatever is the pain treatment and management program, the best is to tie this up with strengthening exercises. One of the most highly commended exercises is yoga. In fact, a study revealed that a yoga program is more effective in treating low back pain than other exercises (Annals of Internal Medicine, 2005). The American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society (2007) similarly recommended therapies and amongst which is Viniyoga, which is a slow, gentle yoga.
Yoga originated in India more than 5000 years ago. It is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline that promotes greater personal freedom, health, and long life. The yoga poses promote dexterity and strength of muscles which is important to prevent lower back pain. The power of the mind is developed through the Pranayama (breathing) while meditation helps in the modulation of the pain. Yoga stretches ligaments, tendons, and muscles.
To attain lower back relief, why not do some yoga exercises? Make sure to warm up first before doing the yoga poses. Move slowly to the point of the challenge, but without overdoing it. Hold each pose for about five deep breaths. Some of the poses that will help improve lower back muscles and offer lower back pain relief are the following:
- Warrior II which strengthens the lower body while increasing the stamina.
- Side angle pose stretches the sides of the body while also strengthening lower-body.
- Downward-facing dog is a full-body stretching and strengthening and is good for a total body workout.
There are other yoga poses that can offer lower back pain relief. If there is anything worth learning about yoga is that there is always a higher level to aspire for. With yoga, lower back pain relief may have just found its match.