Address Forward Head Posture
A Forward Head Posture is where the position of the head is in front of the mid line of the torso.
Since the head is relatively heavy, the further forward it is positioned, the more pressure it places on the base of the neck.
I have listed a few exercises below to address this specific postural issue, but it is strongly recommended that you check out the FULL blog post as linked below:
Here are some exercises to get you started
a) Sternocleidomastoid release
Instructions:
- Locate the Sternocleidomastoid
- You should be able to feel a prominent band of muscle on each side of the neck.
b)Sub-occipital
Instructions:
- Place one hand at the front of your chin and the other at the back of your head.
- Apply a force to the front of your chin as to gently glide the chin backwards.
- Whilst maintaining this pressure, proceed to pull your head forward/down.
- Aim to feel a stretch at the back of your neck.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- Gently tuck your chin in.
d)Chin Tuck
- Whilst sitting upright, gently tuck your chin in.
- Make a double chin.
Back Exercises And Stretches
Simple back exercises and stretches can often help reduce back pain. These can be done at home as often as you need to.
For information about exercises and stretches that can help, see:
A GP may be able to provide information about back exercises if you’re unsure what to try, or you may want to consider seeing a physiotherapist for advice. Read about how to get access to physiotherapy.
Doing regular exercise alongside these stretches can also help keep your back strong and healthy. Activities such as walking, swimming, yoga and pilates are popular choices.
How To Treat A Pulled Back Muscle In 8 Steps
A pulled back muscle can begin as a sudden, sharp pain when lifting or bending. Or it may appear gradually, getting progressively worse over several days. This common injury ranges from a minor inconvenience to an intense source of pain. It can take several weeks, and in some cases a few months, to heal.1
A pulled muscle is the common term for a strained muscle.2 A strain is a muscle or tendon injury that happens when the tissue stretches or tears. When a ligament stretches or tears, its called a sprain. Back pain, often due to a pulled muscle, is one of the most common issues health professionals treat.2 In most cases, you can manage and treat symptoms at home. But if the pain is unbearable or makes it difficult to move, see a doctor.
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How Is Lumbar Strain Diagnosed
In addition to a complete medical history and physical exam, diagnostic procedures for low back pain may include the following. However, during many initial assessments and exams, specialized tests aren’t usually recommended.
- X-ray. A diagnostic test that produces images of internal tissues, bones, and organs onto film.
- Computed tomography scan . This is an imaging test that uses X-rays and a computer to make detailed images of the body. A CT scan shows details of the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. A CT scan shows detailed images of bones, muscles, fat, and organs.
- Magnetic resonance imaging . A diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body.
- Radionuclide bone scan. A nuclear imaging technique that uses a very small amount of radioactive material, which is injected into the bloodstream to be detected by a scanner. This test shows blood flow to the bone and cell activity within the bone.
- Electromyogram . A test to evaluate nerve and muscle function.
Your Back Isnt The Problem
Heres the irony: In most cases, lower back pain isnt actually coming from the low back but an entirely different muscle.
But which one? Is it your abdominal core muscle, hamstring muscles, or tight muscles in general?
To be sure, the first thing we need to do is identify what is truly causing your low back pain. Im going to teach you how below.
But for my money, Im willing to bet that the gluteus medius could be the real cause of your back pain.
The glute medius is sandwiched between the glute maximus and minimus Its actually underneath the glute maximus.
It attaches on the inside of the bony area that is called the posterior superior iliac spine, or PSIS. This attachment point is going to make your job of pinpointing the pain a hell of a lot easier. More on this below.
The glute medius has two main functions:
The first is hip abduction, which means lifting your hip up, and out to the side.
The other thing thats even more important is that it keeps your pelvis level.
You can see this in action every time you lift one leg. Naturally, when you lift the leg, the entire body wants to fall in that direction.
But when your gluteus medius is working right and doing its job, the position of your pelvis level will stay stable.
When you have a weak or underactive gluteus medius, you can develop a postural gait called the Trendelenburg Gait.
This posture is when your hips drop on every step. You dont want that to happen!
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How To Get Rid Of Back Pain After A Workout
Experiencing back pain after a workout is one of the most common complaints people experience post-workout. Back pain after working out can be caused by a number of reasons and it can vary from person to person. If your back is always hurting and feeling sore after a workout, it can be hard to keep up that routine because you get tired of feeling the aches and pains that just dont feel quite right. But the good news is, there are. Few things you can do that can get rid of back pain after a workout so working out makes you feel your best, not your worst. In this post, we will discuss the most common cause for back pain after a workout and some of the types of ways to help combat back pain when you finish your daily workout.
Lying Position With Foot On The Side
How to do it: Lie on your stomach and stretch out in one long line. Your legs should be straightened at the knees with your arms placed alongside the body. Leave one leg in place, bend the other at the knee at a 90° angle, and move it to the side. Press your feet firmly on the surface and do not twist your body. Place your arms, bent at the elbows, on either side of your head in a comfortable way. Relax, feel a gentle stretch in your upper and lower back. Do this for 30 seconds on each side.Benefits: Relief of painful bursts, spasms, or cramps of the muscles of the spine, posture straightening, relaxation. It removes fatigue in the back, legs, and arms. The position is not active, so there is time to engage in thoughts and to establish a connection between the body and the spirit.
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Massage And Foam Rolling
If you can swing the cost of a professional massage or have a willing partner who will knead a sore area, massage therapy can certainly help decrease the pain brought on by DOMS. A 2017 review of studies published in Fronts in Physiology determined that massage therapy after intense exercise does wonders for getting rid of DOMS pain, as well as improving muscle performance in the future.
If an actual massage isn’t in the cards, the second-best scenario is self-myofascial release, which is the fancy term for giving yourself a massage. This is most easily done by foam rolling. Use the foam roller by positioning the targeted area over the roller and slowly but firmly pressing your body down, pushing on the sore spot for between 30 and 90 seconds. Release the pressure and repeat if necessary. You can also target the sore muscles, such as your calves, by rolling your body over the roller.
A study published in the Journal of Athletic Training in 2015 found that foam rolling for about 20 minutes immediately after exercise, as well as every 24 hours afterward, effectively reduces the symptoms of DOMS.
The stiff foam allows you to put a good amount of direct pressure on sore areas, which helps break down the tightness that can be causing some of the pain. If you have pain in a muscle that’s hard to get to with the long, cylindrical shape of a foam roller, use a tennis or lacrosse ball in the same manner to pinpoint the sore muscle.
Read more:Sore Muscles? 8 Tips to Ease the Pain
How To Test If You Have A Dowagers Hump
Note: It is normal to have slightly enlarged bones at the base of your neck area. Do not mistake this for having a Dowagers hump!
1.Take a side profile shot of yourself:
If you can see an obvious bump around the base of your neck, then you most likely have it!
2.Feel it:
Place your hand at the base of your neck. Can you feel a significant bump?
3. Get an X-ray:
If you really wanted to know the structural alignment of your neck, go to your general practitioner and request for an X-ray.
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Knee To Chest Lying On The Back
How to do it: Lie on your back, fully straighten and press your body to the floor, stretch your legs, place them close to each other, and place your arms alongside the body. Bend one leg at the knee joint, lift, pull the thigh to the chest, and clasp the lower leg with your hands. Keep your other leg straight. Feel the tension in your muscles. Try to pull your hip as much as the stretch allows. Do not lift your head, shoulder blades, lower back, or buttocks off the floor.Benefits: Stretching the spine, removing soreness or tightness from it, strengthening the muscles deep inside. Relieves fatigue in the back and legs. The hamstrings, quads, and glutes are gently stretched.
What do you usually do to relieve back pain when you spend a lot of time in the same pose while on your phone or computer?
Secret #: Make This 10 Healthy Lifestyle Choices
While most people try to eat healthily and get exercise, it doesnt appear that most of us are doing a very good job of it.
Of course, one of the biggest problems come from our modern-day lives, where we sit too much, eat too much, and stress out too much.
How to help fix a slipped disc? Want to prevent it from happening again? We will need to make some lifestyle changes.
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Crossing Legs From 2 Positions
How to do it: Variant 1 Sit down on the mat, straighten your legs, bring them out in front of you, lay them on the floor, and connect them together. Bend your right leg at the knee and throw it over your left thigh, then place it next to your left knee. Turn your body to the left and place your left palm behind your buttocks. Grasp the bent leg with your right hand . Make a small turn with your body and shoulder back toward your extended arm, slightly pull the hip of your bent leg toward you. Variant 2 Lie down on your back and straighten your body. Place your hands on the floor, stretching out to the sides. Bend one leg at the knee, twist in the opposite direction, place your foot, lower leg, and knee on the floor. Roll the pelvis and the other leg to the side, but do not move your shoulders or head.Benefits: Enriching spine discs and nerve bundles with blood, restoring flexibility and mobility of the spine, stretching the gluteal and back muscles. It also prevents curvature of the spine.
Secret #: Get Physical Therapy Modalities And Physical Rehabilitation
How to Heal a herniated disc with exercise? Get some physical therapy modalities when you visit your chiropractor. Discs tend to heal well with mild exercises, such as the type recommended by your therapist. These include walking, standing, and certain types of exercise, but not all types. If you want to know how to heal a herniated disc with exercise, youve come to the right place.
Certain exercises, such as walking, place the load on the back portion of the disc, which pushes the fluid and compounds inside forward. In other words, your physical therapist can show you which exercises will push your bulging disc back into its proper position.
You will need about 4-8 weeks of therapy to allow the disc to heal naturally. Doing the correct exercises and avoiding things like sitting for long periods, will allow the fluid to move away from the nerve and for scar tissues to form over the damaged areas.
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What If I Have Degenerative Disc Disease
If you suffer from a herniated or bulging disc due to degenerative disc disease, you might be wondering if there is help for you and your problem. How to cure degenerative disc disease naturally? Unfortunately, there is no cure for time and normal use, which is the cause of this disease.
You can, however, use all the secrets below, especially Secret #9, to help you manage your disease, find ways to relieve your pain, and learn how to avoid bulging or herniated discs as much as possible.
Secret #: Get Acupuncture Or Epidurals
Almost no one likes the thought of needles, but for those with chronic health problems that lead to bulging or herniated discs, such as spinal stenosis or degenerative disc disease, epidurals and acupuncture can be another means of controlling pain.
The majority of people can heal naturally with non-invasive treatments from their chiropractor, but when healing isnt possible, other methods might need to be employed.
Epidural steroid injections to areas where herniated discs are causing intense pain can not only provide long-lasting pain relief, but they can also prevent or delay the need for surgery.
Acupuncture uses extremely thin needles to stimulate the bodys own painkillers, as well as promote healing and a sense of well -being.
Speak with your chiropractor about whether either of these options might work for you.
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How Is Low Back Pain Diagnosed
A complete medical history and physical exam can usually identify any serious conditions that may be causing the pain. Neurologic tests can help determine the cause of pain and appropriate treatment. Imaging tests are not needed in most cases but may be ordered to rule out specific causes of pain, including tumors and spinal stenosis. Occasionally the cause of chronic lower back pain is difficult to determine even after a thorough examination.
Tests include:
Blood tests are not routinely used to diagnose the cause of back pain but might be ordered to look for signs of inflammation, infection, cancer, and/or arthritis.
Bone scans can detect and monitor an infection, fracture, or bone disorder. A small amount of radioactive material is injected into the bloodstream and collects in the bones, particularly in areas with some abnormality. Scanner-generated images can identify specific areas of irregular bone metabolism or abnormal blood flow, as well as to measure levels of joint disease.
Discography involves injecting a contrast dye into a spinal disc thought to be causing low back pain. The fluids pressure in the disc will reproduce the persons symptoms if the disc is the cause. The dye helps to show the damaged areas on CT scans taken following the injection.
Electrodiagnostics can identify problems related to the nerves in the back and legs. The procedures include:
What Causes A Back Spasm
A mild strain is one of the minor causes of back spasms. However, for some others, back spasms are triggered by more complex conditions such as a herniated or ruptured spinal disc. If you feel like your back muscles are moving or contracting firmly, you should look out for the following common causes.
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When Should I See My Healthcare Provider About Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain usually gets better with rest and pain relievers. Back pain that doesnt go away may be a sign of a more serious condition.
See your provider if you have:
- Pain that doesnt get better after about a week of at-home care.
- Tingling, numbness, weakness or pain in your buttocks or legs.
- Severe pain or muscle spasms that interfere with your normal activities.
- Fever, weight loss, bowel or bladder problems or other unexplained symptoms.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Millions of people live with low back pain. Stiffness, pain and limited movement can have a major impact on quality of life. But you may be able to avoid lower back pain by maintaining a healthy weight and staying active. Talk to your provider if back pain doesnt go away or if youre unable to do the activities you enjoy. Several treatments can relieve pain, help you move better and get more out of life.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 01/18/2021.
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