And also how to overcome it. Solving an old problem in new ways that you haven’t heard of before.
The dream of perfect posture has haunted us since childhood. However, this is only a dream, because not everyone can control themselves and keep their back straight 24 hours a day. That is why the words “osteochondrosis”, “scoliosis” and “kyphosis” have been known to many since school days. Adulthood only makes things worse. Sedentary work or 12 hours of standing – all this negatively affects our posture.
“City dwellers ‘use their backs for other purposes.’ Our back was not designed for eight hours of sitting in a chair, which causes us problems. In a sitting position, especially an incorrect one, there is a great load on the lumbar and thoracic spine. If a person has to sit for 8-10 hours in an uncomfortable position, his head is turned to one side, for example, because his monitor is located in this way, then he will have to constantly heal his back, ”comments Sergey Erchenko, neurologist, osteopathic physician of the Austrian health center Verba Mayr.
The health of internal organs, genetics, which determines the strength of the muscles and ligaments that support our skeleton, sports – all this affects back pain.
Why does your back still hurt?
“There are two types of muscles in the body – motor (superficial) and postural (deep, skeletal) muscles. In response to the stresses of everyday life, our superficial muscles become stiff, constricted, enslaved, and accumulate tension. Often, we do not even realize how much tension we carry in these tense muscles, and the postural muscles cease to fulfill their supporting function. The thoracic spine is the first to lose mobility, and we lose the ability to transfer body weight from vertebra to vertebra. To compensate for the lack of mobility in the thoracic region, we begin to overload the neighboring regions, where mobility still remains, – the neck and lower backs, ”says Alya Latrygina, teacher in the direction of “Yoga of critical alignment of the spine” at the Center for Yoga and Fitness MIND & BODY.
You can relieve tension from the back with the help of exercises that an exercise therapy specialist selects individually for everyone. “There certainly cannot be any ready-made recipes here, since someone needs to stretch and strengthen some muscle groups, while others need completely different ones. Usually these are complexes designed for half an hour of daily classes. As an osteopath, I can also prescribe exercises, for example, two, three, five exercises that can be done for 10-15 minutes every day, and even such a load will already have a positive effect, ”says Sergey Erchenko.
“Physiotherapy exercises, Pilates, yoga, qigong. It is very important to pay attention to inner work (autogenous training, psychological training). Do not forget about hardening, bath procedures, walks “, – comments Sergey Makhonin, specialist in adaptive physical education at the Center for Health and Development named after Saint Luke.
You can find out about exercises to help strengthen your back here.
Read about the new method of dealing with back pain on the next page.
Critical Back Alignment is a Dutch method developed by Hert van Lewen. He has been practicing yoga and yoga therapy for over 35 years and has researched the causes of back pain. In Russia, critical alignment has been known for about 5 years, but few people know about this technique.
“The method is based on four steps – relaxation, movement, coordination and strength. With the help of special equipment (bar, roller, backbender), we are able to act on pinched superficial muscles, gradually achieving deep relaxation and gaining access to the postural muscles. Relaxation of the superficial muscles returns mobility to the spine, and we can teach the body new, safe and physiological coordination and strengthen all this with strength exercises (with the help of a block and a headstand), ”explains Alya Latrygina, teacher in the direction of “Yoga of critical alignment of the spine” at the Center for Yoga and Fitness MIND & BODY.
Sergey Erchenko also believes that these exercises are good for the condition of the back, but warns that this method requires sufficient physical preparation. People who have never done yoga or Pilates will experience some difficulties.
The effect will not be long in coming, says Alya: “In my practice, people experienced relief immediately after class (having, for example, several hernias in the neck or a long history of back pain), but, of course, to achieve long-term results, you need to exercise regularly … We build up stress every day, so, ideally, we need to practice every day. But since with our rhythm of life it is almost impossible to attend classes so often, I recommend that you get yourself a bar and a roller at home and do simple relaxation exercises, and come to classes a couple of times a week and practice more intensively. “
However, critical alignment has contraindications: the first or second days of the female cycle, as well as serious eye problems – glaucoma, increased intracranial pressure. In all other cases, all exercises can be performed, but if, for example, a hernia in the acute phase, be sure to warn the instructor before class so that he can adjust the program and, possibly, suggest a softer, more gentle exercise option.