Say goodbye to backache with Wind-Relieving Pose

Wind-Relieving pose strengthens the back and abdominal muscles, Enhances blood circulation in the hip joints and eases tension in the lower back

How to do Wind-Relieving pose

• Lie on your back with your feet together and arms beside your body.
• Breathe in and as you exhale, bring your right knee towards your chest and press the thigh on your abdomen with clasped hands.
• Breathe in again and as you exhale, lift your head and chest off the floor and touch your chin to your right knee.
• Hold it there, as you take deep, long breaths in and out.
• Checkpoint: As you exhale, tighten the grip of the hands on the knee and increase the pressure on the chest. As you inhale, loosen the grip.
• As you exhale, come back to the ground and relax.
• Repeat this pose with the left leg and then with both the legs together.
• You may rock up and down or roll from side to side 3-5 times and then relax.

Benefits of the Wind-Relieving Pose (Pawanmuktasana)

Enhances blood circulation in the hip joints and eases tension in the lower back

Strengthens the back and abdominal muscles

Tones the leg and arm muscles

Massages the intestines and other organs in the abdomen

Helps in digestion and release of gas

3 yoga poses for lower back pain

Yoga asanas will help you strengthen your back. Yoga do not just relieve your lower back from pain, but they also help to prevent back pain in future.

Downward Dog

This pose will help in spinal traction and lower back health. Stand Lie down on the floor facing the ground and place your hands in front of you. Flatten your palms on the floor. Lift your hips off the ground by balancing yourself on your feet and hands. Lift your hips as much as you can, till you feel a soothing stretch in your back. Take 5 to10 breaths in this position.

Pigeon Pose

Start with lying on the ground and place your hands in front of you. Lift your torso of the ground. Bring your right knee behind your right wrist. Stretch your left leg out behind you. Your knee should face the floor. Press your palms against the floor. Stretch your legs backward while you curve your back and lift it up. Pull your abdominal muscles to your spine and maintain this pose for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

Child’s Pose

You need to sit on your heels. Place your head on the ground in front of you. Your hands should be behind your back. Breathe in slowly for 2 minutes. You can intensity the stretch by pulling your abdominal muscles towards your spine.

Vakrasana (sitting spinal twist) yoga to get relieved from back pain

The twist imposed on the spine makes the spinal column more flexible and stimulates the spinal nerves. It also has a strong influence on the abdominal muscles, alternately stretching and compressing them, as the body twists from one direction to the other.

Steps to do Vakrasana:
• Sit with the legs outstretched.
• Sit up with the legs stretched straight in front of you, keeping the feet together and the spine erect.
• Place the left hand on the left knee; right hand behind you.
• Twist to the right and look over the right shoulder.
• Hold.
• Breathing out, come back to the front.
• Repeat on the other side.
• Breathing out, come back to the front and relax.

Benefits:
1. Stretches the spine, loosens the vertebrae and tones the nerves.
2. Vakrasana relieves back pain, neck pain, some forms of sciatica.
3. A good asana for beginners, preparing the back for the more difficult spinal twists

Salabhasana to strengthen your back

Salabhasana strengthens the back and improves flexibility in the spinal muscles.The abdominal muscles become stronger, improving digestion. Stiffness is reduced in the neck and shoulders.

Step by Step
• Lie face down on the floor with the arms beside the trunk, feet together, knees straight and the toes stretching back.
• Turn the palms upward. Stretch the arms and raise them so that the hands are parallel to the floor.
• Press the sacrum downward and raise the head, chest and legs as high as possible taking care there is no back pain.
• Extend the trunk forward, the legs and arms backward and lift the chest.
• Balance on the lower abdomen, look straight ahead and breathe normally. Hold the pose for 20-30 seconds and then release and lower the chest, head and legs.

Focus
In everyday life we are continually bending forwards, but have little reason to bend backwards. Back bends help to extend the heart muscles, stretch the front side of the lungs and maintain flexibility in the respiratory muscles, thereby increasing lung capacity. They are also useful for nourishing and toning the abdominal organs and stimulating the adrenal glands.

Modification
Don’t raise the arms and legs too high, as this will cause pain in the lower backstretch the shoulders back, keeping the arms parallel. Keep the legs together and the knees straight.

If it is difficult to do the pose with the feet together, place a foam block between the feet, press the inner edges of the feet into the block and lift the legs.

In order to open the chest more, and increase the extension in the arms, put a wooden block on the palm of each hand. Imagine the blocks are heavy weights, and without actually lifting the hands any higher, push the palms into the blocks as if trying to lift them.

Tadasana for knee pain

Tadasana yoga will teach you proper alignment that may help ward off new knee injuries and help you become aware of the muscles you need to engage to protect the knee.

Step by Step:
Stand with your feet together and the bases of your big toes touching, heels slightly apart (so that your second toes are parallel) and arms by the sides. Rock back and forth and side to side. Gradually reduce this swaying to a standstill, with your weight balanced evenly on the feet.
Firm your thigh muscles and lift the knee caps, without hardening your lower belly. Lift the inner ankles to strengthen the inner arches. Turn the upper thighs slightly inward and lengthen your tailbone toward the floor.

Press your shoulder blades into your back, then widen them across and release them down your back. Without pushing your lower front ribs forward, lift the top of your sternum straight toward the ceiling. Widen your collarbones. Hang your arms beside the torso.
Balance the crown of your head directly over the center of your pelvis, with the underside of your chin parallel to the floor.

Tadasana is usually the starting position for all the standing poses. But it’s useful to practice Tadasana as a pose in itself. Stay in the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, breathing easily. Practise 5 rounds. At first it may be difficult to maintain balance but with practise it becomes easier.

This asana improves posture and develops balance. It strengthens thighs, knees, and ankles, firms abdomen and buttocks, Relieves sciatica, Reduces flat feet.

Setu Bandhasana for knee pain

The Bridge pose helps strengthen muscles in the knee joint and is also helpful for those suffering from osteoporosis. It also calms the brain and reduces anxiety and stress in the body.

How to do Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

1. To begin, lie on your back.
2. Fold your knees and keep your feet hip distance apart on the floor, 10-12 inches from your pelvis, with knees and ankles in a straight line.
3. Keep your arms beside your body, palms facing down.
4. Inhaling, slowly lift your lower back, middle back and upper back off the floor; gently roll in the shoulders; touch the chest to the chin without bringing the chin down, supporting your weight with your shoulders, arms and feet. Feel your bottom firm up in this pose. Both the thighs are parallel to each other and to the floor.
5. If you wish, you could interlace the fingers and push the hands on the floor to lift the torso a little more up, or you could support your back with your palms.
6. Keep breathing easily.
7. Hold the posture for a minute or two and exhale as you gently release the pose.

Simple Yoga asanas for back pain

Yoga asanas strengthen your back and release tension and stiffness from the shoulder area. By practising the asanas on a consistant basis, your back pain will be cured easily .

Camel Pose:

1. First come to a kneeling position with hands on the waist.
2. Gently bend backward, moving the pelvis forward and lifting the chest upward, keep the head up.
3. Release the hands and one by one place the hands on the soles.
4. Lift the upper torso a little higher and breathe deeply.
5. To come out of the posture, release the hands, sit down on the heels and rest in child’s pose.

Benefits: Improves the respiratory function, relieves tension and stiffness from shoulder area, makes the movement of the bones smoother.

Sitting Half Spinal Twists:

1. Sit on the floor. Bend left leg to place left knee on the floor and left heel against the right buttock.
2. Place right foot on outside the left thigh.
3. Sitting straight up place the right hand on the floor behind you. Twist your torso to the right, and press your left arm against the outside of the right leg to grasp right foot with left hand. If you have difficulty reaching the right foot, just press the left elbow against right knee, hand pointing upward in the air.
4. Twist first from the waist, and then twist the rib cage and finally the shoulders.
5. Look over your right shoulder. Keeps the right hip pressing down to the floor. Keep the spine straight. Relax both shoulders. Keep breathing. Hold.
6. Repeat on the other side.

 

Benefits: Makes the spine supple, removes stiffness from the shoulders and neck, massages and tones abdominal organs. in the abdominal area and stimulates the stomach, colon, kidneys, liver, spleen and gall bladder.

 

All Direction Back Stretch for back pain

Lengthening The Spine

Breathing in, slowly lift your arms up from the sides.
Interlace your fingers so that the thumbs touch each other gently.
Stretch up as much as you comfortably can. Keep your elbows straight and ensure that your biceps touch your ears.
Hold this posture for 2-3 long deep breaths.
Twisting The Spine To Right and Left

Your fingers continue to remain interlaced above your head.

Breathing out, gently twist to the right side. Hold this position for 2-3 long breaths.
Inhale, come back to the center.
Exhale, turn to your left side and again hold this position for 2-3 long breaths.
Inhale and return to the center.
Bending The Spine Right and Left

Your fingers continue to remain interlaced above your head.

Exhale and slightly bend to the right side. Hold and keep breathing.
Breathe in and come back to the center.
Exhale and bend a little to the left side. Ensure that you are not bending to the front or back, and that one hand is not stretched more than the other.
Breathing in, come back to the center.

Bending The Spine Forward and Backward

Breathing out, stretch your hands out to the front.
Breathe in and as you now breathe out, stretch forward from your lower back.
Breathe in and as you exhale, turn to your right side. Ensure that both the hands are parallel to each other and stretched equally, else gently correct the posture.
Yoga stretches for Back pain
Breathing in, return to the center.

Exhale and repeat the stretch, turning to the left.
Return to the center as you breathe in, and slowly bring your arms up.
Unlock the fingers and stretch back.
Inhale and come back to the center. As you exhale, slowly bring your arms down from the sides.
Twisting The Spine From Side-to-Side

Keep your left palm on your right knee.

Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, slowly twist to your right side. You may keep the right hand on the floor beside your right hip.

Stretch upward by pressing the right palm on the floor. Do not lean back or forward.
Inhale and return to the center.
Exhale and repeat the stretch on the left side. Keep your right palm on your left knee and left palm on the floor. Remember to keep your back straight and stretch tall.
Breathing in, return to the center.
Change your cross-legged position. If your right leg was placed over the left, now place the left leg over the right and repeat the stretch as explained above to the right and left sides.

How to take care of Back

Back bone is one of the crucial and delicate component in the human body structure. It is very important to take proper care of it to avoid back pain. Once person starts getting back pain than there are lots of efforts to get it cured.

Following are some back pain preventive steps.

• Sleeping with a pillow between the knees while lying on one side may increase comfort. Some physiotherapists and doctors recommend lying on your back with a pillow under your knees.

• No specific back exercises were found that improved pain or increased functional ability in people with acute back pain. Exercise, however, may be useful for people with chronic back pain to help them return to normal activities and work.

• Topical agents such as “deep heating rubs” have not been shown to be effective.

• Some people seem to benefit from the use of ice or heat. These modalities are not considered to be harmful. However one needs to take care that he /she does not use a heating pad on “high” or place ice directly on the skin, or when using on a person with poor skin sensation

• Most experts agree that prolonged bed rest is associated with a longer recovery period. Further, people on bed rest are more likely to develop depreesion, blood clot in the leg, and decreased muscle tone. Very few experts recommend more than a 48-hour period of decreased activity or bed rest. In other words, get up and get moving to the extent you can.

• Lift with muscles on arms and legs. Do not use your back to lift things such as boxes, babies, etc. Avoid putting any pressure on your back. Do not hold heavy things to walk around for too long. Use a dolly or roller instead. Or ask someone with a strong back to help. When pick up things from the floor, use your legs to get up. Try to avoid bending your back.

• Always have back support when sitting, including when riding a car. The back must be in contact with something such as cushion. Avoid sitting for too long without back support. Sitting on the floor or ground is a bad idea. Do not sit on your desk with your upper body leaning forward for too long. Change your position from time to time. During a rough ride on a car, wear seat belt to help “fixing” your body to the seat and back support.

• Choose the type of chair very carefully. The arm rests must have proper height. Choose the keyboard height carefully to make sure your hands are not blocked to give extra pressure to your back while typing. The seat should not be too big in comparison with your hip. Otherwise, you would sit in front of your seat too long and get your back away from the support.

• Get up from bed on the side using arms to push your body up instead of using your back to “fold” up facing up.

• Choose bed carefully. Not too firm; not too soft. Some people love water bed. It makes me “sea-sick.” Whatever you can afford and makes you comfortable.

• Exercise to strengthen the back muscle. There are specific back pain exercises that are designed to make your back muscle stronger. If the back muscle is stronger, it gives more support to your back.

• When taking a shower, face away from the faucet so that your back is extended the other way around (bend your back backwards).

• When standing, try to change position frequently. Raise one of your feet slightly from time to time and change the feet. When riding a train, try to get some back support to cushion the force from the running train. Whenever you can, find a seat to sit down while riding a bus or train. When climbing stairs, use rails and arms to help whenever you can. When in elevator, support your back by leaning against the wall or rail.

• When pick up light items from the ground, raise one leg to the back to balance your body.

• Our back bends forward most of the time. Try to bend to the back sometimes to balance it out. Stretch it!

• Avoid injuries to your back during car accidents and sports such as skiing. Well, sometimes it’s out of our control. But while having fun, do not over do it. Avoid twisting your back and waist. I can actually feel something going on inside my back after one round of golfing since golfing involves twisting my waist while swinging and hitting the ball. Always warm up before exercise.

• Try cold patches immediately after injuries and warm patches during recovery. Do not wear back support too tight for too long. It reduces blood circulation.

 

 

What do you do when you have neck pain ??

Neck pain is a common ailment that affects 50-70% of people some time in their lives. There are a number of potential causes of neck pain ranging from poor posture to whiplash. Neck pain is commonly caused by repetitive strain from prolonged sitting postures. 85% of the time the pain is mechanical coming from either the muscles, joints or ligaments. Fortunately, it is rare for the pain to be caused by a serious medical problem and such causes can be ruled out by a thorough history and examination from your healthcare provider.

 

When should I see a doctor?

Often neck pain episodes will get better on there own as nature takes its course. It’s important to stay as active as possible as the old adage of bed rest and trying to completely avoid pain is not the best advice. Most people do just fine by staying active, coping the best they can, and modifying daily activities as to not re-agitate the tender tissues.

 

You Should see doctor when

• when you experience sharp shooting pain into your arms with or without numbness and tingling into your fingers.
• when the pain is too much for you to cope with or there are specific activities important to you that you are having difficult undertaking.
• When you have associated headaches, dizziness or nausea
• When you experience weakness in your grip or you find yourself dropping items.

Neck pain is a very common problem and the chances that it is caused by serious disease are very rare. Health practitioners can help suggest possible ways to control your pain and advise you of ways to deal with the pain and get on with your life. It is normal to worry about the cause of your pain and the impact it may have on your life. Talking with your healthcare provider about these worries and concerns can be helpful. You will usually find there is no serious cause of the pain and that there are ways to relieve the symptoms and get you back to your normal activities.

Make sure you work with your healthcare provider to find ways to better manage and control the neck pain.

What can I do for myself?

Keep in mind that staying active with your normal activities is the best thing you can do to limit the effects of neck pain on your life. You may have to modify the way you perform certain activities to keep from aggravating the tender tissues. Examples may be having to adjust and modify your workstation so that you are not having to look up or down at your computer screen, using telephone headsets rather than repeatedly cradling the phone with your neck, Pain medication, hot/cold packs, massage, manipulation and other modalities may offer pain relief, but they are best used to getting you re-activated and moving on with your life. Keep in mind that the pain is your own and the manner in how you deal with it and return to normal activities is the greatest thing you can do for yourself. Try to stay working as only in cases of particularly severe pain do you need to be off work. You may need to find restricted duties or reduced hours, but staying active is important. Staying active helps prevent long-term problems. If it has been several weeks since you have been back to work, you really should be planning with your doctor or therapist and employer how and when you can return. Here are some ideas to keep your neck pain from becoming a more long-term problem:

• Keep moving.
• Do not stay in a position for too long.
• Move before you stiffen up.
• Move a little more each day.
• Take “mini” stretch breaks throughout the day.
• Don’t stop doing things-just change the way you go about doing them.

Ways to increase your activity.

First ask what is it that I want to do? Is it driving, sitting at your desk, etc.? Find out how long you can perform this activity without “flaring-up” your condition or making you worse off than when you started. This is individual to you. Reduce the amount or time of activity by 20% so you’re able to perform the activity, but it does not take you to the “flare up” point. Having a little discomfort is alright, though the duration of the activity should not make you worse off than before. Gradually increase the activity little by little, as not to reach the “flare-up” state. Slowly you will notice you’re able to do the activity longer without “flaring-up” the condition. Don’t be too upset if you have a “flare-up,” just reassess your activity level and continue on. It’s normal to have good days and bad days. It takes some patience, but it works.