Back pain is alerting you that something needs to change. A sore, aching back isn’t to be put up with. Here are four moves you can do to ease the pain.
The spinal anatomy runs from the neck down to the hip bone, and is a combination of bones, ligaments, tendons, large muscles and nerves.
Spine-health explained that the upper back is known as the thoracic spine, which consists of 12 vertebral bodies.
The thoracic spine is attached to the rib cage, designed to protect vital organs, such as the heart and lungs.
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As the upper back isn’t designed for motion, there’s not a lot of wear or tear in this region of the spine.
However, “irritation of the large back and shoulder muscles, or joint dysfunction in the upper back, can produce very noticeable back pain”.
The lower back, also known as the lumbar spine, carries the weight of the torso and is more prone to injury.
Spine-health claim that “the vast majority of lower back pain is caused by muscle strain”.
Yet, this isn’t to be dismissed – muscle strain can lead to problems in the back that can cause severe pain.
Below the lumbar spine is the sacral region (the bottom of the spine), which makes up the back part of the pelvis.
Medical News Today highlight four moves you can do at home to help relieve back pain – no matter which part of the back aches.
While performing each move, do keep in mind to hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds to feel the full benefits.
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Move one
The first move is to touch your toes. By bending forward to reach your toes, the stretch will help to loosen the muscles in the lower back.
As an additional bonus, this type of move will also help to stretch tight hamstrings.
Move two
The second move to try at home is the cobra pose. To enact this stretch, you must lye on your stomach, with your hands face down beside the shoulders.
Once you’re in this position, gently lift your chest upwards so that the top of your head points towards the ceiling.
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Move three
The third move that will help to stretch your back and ease back pain is the cat-cow pose.
Getting down on your hands and knees – a yoga mat will help to make this stretch more comfortable – you need to slowly alternate between arching your back towards the ceiling and dipping it towards the floor.
Move four
The final move you can try in the comfort of your own home is child’s pose. This involves sitting on the heels with your knees hip-width apart.
The next motion is to lean forward to place your head on the floor, stretching your arms out in front of your head.
These four moves are common practice in yoga and pilates, and video tutorials are available on content sharing website YouTube.
Alternative treatments for back pain include using a heating pad to relieve stiff or achey muscles.
As well as heat therapy, to treat a sudden back injury, such as a strain, it may be useful to use cold therapy.
Cold therapy consists of using an ice pack, wrapped in a towel, directly onto the back pain. This can reduce inflammation and pain. However, make sure not to apply the cold press for more than 20 minutes at a time.
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