Correcting Bad Posture With Posture Exercises Will Assist With Pain In The Lower Back And Neck

Pain in the lower back is a common problem, affecting a huge percentage of the population at some point in their life. Back pain is not caused by any one disease but is usually a symptom that may occur from a variety of different reasons. In up to 85% of people with low back pain even a thorough medical examination will reveal no specific reason for the pain.

I have tried to investigate the causes of back pain and provide advice on correcting bad posture but should your pain persist, please be sure to discuss your symptoms with your health practitioner to decide what treatment is best for you.

Common causes of back pain are disease or injury to the muscles, bones and nerves of the spine. Pain arising from abnormalities of organs within the abdomen, pelvis, or chest such as appendicitis, aneurysm, kidney disease, bladder infection, pelvic infection and ovarian problems can also be felt in the back.

Correcting bad posture involves training yourself to stand, walk, sit and lie in positions where you place the least strain on supporting muscles and ligaments when you move or carry out weight-bearing activities. You will then find that:

•Your muscles are used properly as your bones and joints are in correct alignment

•You will be less likely to suffer from arthritis as there will be less wear and tear on the joints

•You will have less stress on the ligaments that hold the joints of the spine together

•You will suffer less fatigue because you will have improved muscle tone

•You will walk tall and feel better as you will look good

When correcting bad posture you need to maintain the two natural curves that your spine has. These are called the 'double C' or 'S' curves, and are found from the base of your head to your shoulders and from the upper back to the base of the spine. When you stand, make sure that your weight is evenly distributed which may make you feel as if you are leaning forward.

You can imagine that a string is coming from the top of your head and is pulling you up gently so that you don’t slouch. You can also try the old idea of imagining that you have a book balancing on your head. Practicing with a book might also help you.

There is evidence that resistance exercise is effective at any age. And the biological changes that occur in the muscle when you lift weights ought to convince you that this type of activity is beneficial for a lifetime.

We are programmed to get stronger no matter how old we are or how sedentary we've been. I encourage you to stick with muscle-building exercise if you're already doing it, and get started if you're not. Enjoy your workouts!

When correcting bad posture it is important that you remember to concentrate on doing stretching exercises as well. I feel that you should stretch before exercise as well as after, in order to:

•Increase flexibility

•Prevent injury

•Prevent muscle soreness

•Improve performance

•Improve circulation

Stretching can help if you have a sore back or neck as it assists with releasing tension.

Tilt (stretch) your head in all four directions over your shoulders (forward, back, left, right), and, thereafter, gently massage your neck. Avoid rolling in a circle, as it may cause further strain.

Yoga is an excellent form of exercise to improve posture, release muscle tension and improve your frame of mind. If you are feeling relaxed and good about the future it will be easier to walk with the correct body alignment.

One Yoga exercise that is easy to do is The Cat

•Start on your hands and knees in a "tabletop" position

•Make sure your knees are set directly below your hips and your wrists, elbows and shoulders are in line and perpendicular to the floor

•Center your head in a neutral position, eyes looking at the floor

•As you exhale, round your spine toward the ceiling, making sure to keep your shoulders and knees in position

•Release your head toward the floor, but don't force your chin to your chest

•Inhale, coming back to neutral "tabletop" position on your hands and knees

If you find the instructions difficult to follow you can get a FREE stretching handbook which will help you tremendously with correcting bad posture.

Do exercises that strengthen the muscles across your upper back and shoulders. These do not have to be strenuous but it is best to use light hand weights. A couple of cans of tinned food would suffice:

•Align your ears over your shoulders. Raise both arms straight up, alongside your ears. Bend forearms toward shoulders to touch your shoulder blades. Do 10 repetitions with both arms, then alternate 10 repetitions with each arm.

•Align ears over your shoulders. Raise both arms out to sides at shoulder height. Hold for a slow count of ten. Slowly lower arms to sides, counting ten as you lower. Slowly raise arms back to shoulder height, counting to ten as you raise arms. Do ten repetitions, constantly checking your alignment! If ten reps are too many to start, do as many as you can. You should at least feel a slight fatigue in the shoulder muscles.

•Place elbows at your side, and touch your shoulders with your hands. Keeping your hands on your shoulders and your ears aligned, raise both elbows (count one, two) and lower them back to your waist (count one, two). Do as many repetitions as you like. You'll be surprised how much tension is release from your shoulders and how much this helps with correcting bad posture. Wearing the wrong bra can affect your posture so do have a look at these pages to find out how to correctly fit a bra, and find wonderful underwear.

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