You move wrong, sit wrong, sleep wrong and your back hurts. Now it’s time for some specific activities to make your back feel better. Most people whose backs’ hurt, start with their core, because they know that their core is weak and strengthening it will help their back. I am suggesting a different start.
First, I want you to exercise and stretch your hamstrings and hips so they become more flexible. Why? Think about a chain. Your back is now weak and your core is weak and we will get to strengthening them soon. First, if your hips are tight and your hamstrings are tight, where does your body try to bend when you reach, lift, push or pull? YOUR BACK!
So let’s losen those hamstrings and hips so that the strain of moving, reaching, lifting, turning and sitting is transferred there rather than to your back. And, don’t worry, even if you are very tightly strung in the hips and hamstrings, it is very possible to make this area more flexible, if you are willing to spend ten minutes a day.
Exercises and stretches: I am not going to spell out exactly how to do these exercises because there are literally hundreds of pictures on the web and many videos on youtube that will show you exactly how to do them.
HINT: Hold all stretches for at least thirty seconds
ANOTHER HINT: Be gentle on yourself. If you are new to stretching and exercising don’t try to do all of these stretches the first time and don’t push to the point of pain-simply the point of slight discomfort.
ANOTHER HINT: Never stretch cold. Warm up with a nice easy dynamic warm up, a brisk walk, a little time on a bike, whatever works for you. A warm up takes between five and ten minutes and it’s easy to figure out if you’ve done a PROPER warmup. Are you starting to break a sweat? If you are, you are warmed up. If not, you might not be warmed up.
Cat and Cow Yoga Stretch
Cobra Yoga Stretch
Wide Childs Pose
Wide Squat Stretch -Here I am going to give you a little help. The wider the better and the lower the better, as long as you are back on your heals with your toes spread wide and you do not feel ANY pain in your knees
Wide Legged forward bend
Seated Spinal Twist
Seated Wide Legged Straddle
Next Blog on Your Back Will Feel Better in 30 Days-back exercises, starting with the clench.