Our lower back is perhaps one of the most vulnerable parts of our body, and one that we should take particular care of as we get older. This is especially true if there has been an earlier problem affecting your lower spine. If it is not looked after and cared for the incidence of the problem recurring rises dramatically. Slipped disc, damaged vertebrate, whatever the problem was, it will tend to happen again with increased frequency if not cared for.
None of us want to endure the accompanying pain and disability any more than is necessary, so it is wise and good practice to get into the habit of a few simple exercises in a proactive way to pre-empt these painful disabilities.
If the muscles around your lower back area are built up and kept strong, this will greatly reduce the chance of damage and injury. Here are three simple exercises, that if practiced regularly will go a long way toward keeping your lower back strong and healthy. We shall begin with the easiest.
Lay flat on your back on a hard floor. With your palms flat on the floor alongside, draw up your knees to a natural position. You can feel your lower spine arched away from the floor a little and in fact you can probably slip one hand into the space to check. Remove your hand and then ever so slowly push your spine down so that it eventually comes in contact with the floor. Push down until you feel it is hard on the floor and then try to slip a hand under - there should not now be space to do this - your lower spine should be flat on the floor. You will feel the tension in your muscles down there and this is good.
Hold your spine pressed against the floor momentarily and then release slowly back to original position. Repeat for a set of ten, each time just as slowly as you can. You will feel the tension in those muscles as you proceed. They will strengthen up in no time at all and add support to your spine in that area. Whilst it is best on a hard floor you can also carry out this exercise in bed when you first wake in the morning.
This next exercise takes a little longer to master the technique, but once you have, it will change the way you walk and change your life. When walking, most people first strike the ground with their heels. Over many years this may cause injury to your spine from the results of impact and jarring - remember, that when we were designed there was no asphalt or concrete around! To overcome this, try moving your weight a little forward so that when your foot impacts with the ground surface it is more flat so your weight is more evenly distributed. Roll your foot forward so you tend to rise (spring) upward. Lengthen your stride just a little as you do this and consciously stretch the long muscles up the backs of your calves and thighs -you can feel this quite distinctly as you spring/glide into your next step.
Now, as all of this is going on, arch your lower spine ever so slightly so you can feel the muscle tension right in that lower back area - once you have got it you will certainly feel the tension - as you walk every step will feel quite different from anything you have felt before, will energise your walking and you will wonder why you have never thought of it before. The muscles in your lower back area will be exercised constantly as you walk, be strengthened, and once again assist in supporting your lower spinal area. You can read a more detailed description of this change in walking pattern in my article 'Spring, Love and Health'.
Finally, we have a simple exercise that will help to keep your lower spine flexible and strengthen the muscles in that area at the same time. Lack of use tends to stiffen up this area of our body so it needs a regular loosening up. Every time you get into your car to reverse out of your garage place your hand on the side of the steering wheel, sit up straight, and as you turn around to look, really twist your shoulders and pulling your spine as far as you can comfortably go, and then twist a little further. At the same time twist your head around even further until you are more or less looking 180 degrees behind you. You will feel your spine clicking as you go and all the muscles stretching. Hold your position momentarily and then return to facing the front.
Place your other hand on the wheel and repeat, but this time twisting in the opposite direction. At the beginning you will find everything quite stiff, but as you go further into the process and you can twist around a little further each time, you will surprise yourself as to just how far you can see behind you. This exercise has the triple benefits of loosening up your lower spine and keeping it flexible, strengthening those lower muscles and also giving you much better vision comfortably when reversing. You can also do it in a sitting position on a chair by hooking your hand over your knees and twisting left and right against yourself, fighting the opposing pull.
As most of us drive regularly it is a simple action to carry out every time we get into our vehicle. After a week or two of this you will find that because of the delicious feeling you get from this exercise, your spine will cry out for you to do it every time you enter your car.
Remember, all of these exercises are designed to improve your body, not to damage it, so only do them incrementally so you do not hurt yourself - the writer accepts no responsibility.
Get into the habit of doing these exercises regularly and you will be pleasantly surprised at the difference it makes to your mobility and daily life.
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