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Some simple tips to relieve your back pain:
- Breathe: We all “know” how to breathe, right? Although this maybe true, “understanding” breathing is both science and art. Simply put,
more air you take in softer your body’s tissues become. Need proof, try dancing while holding your breath.
- Practice feeling each individual vertebra one at a time. While sitting upright and “square” on a chair, slowly bend your torso and head forward while you exhale. When you have relaxed your head as far down in your lap as you can, begin inhaling and let your breath raise your torso upright one vertebra at a time. With a little practice you will be able to feel each one of them and its condition.
- Stretch forward and back; side to side. During your busy day there are many opportunities to just move your back. Do it sensually! See if you can feel individual muscles and vertebrae and how they interact. Get to know body that supports you and your lifestyle. Get intimate with it!
- Learn to rock: each vertebra in a slow, gentle “figure eight” pattern an inch or two in either direction. See if you can visualize fluids in spine and every cell sloshing back and forth with motion. This little trick will help your body release natural endorphins that will ease pain and help healing process.
- Stand correctly, use gravity, its free! Most of us have been trained to stand “up-tight” rather than “up-right”. The difference is, first is tense and off balance. The second puts you, your body and world in harmony. Stand up and gently roll your body’s weight up on front part of your feet. Then gently come back down so 70% of your body’s weight is on front pads of your feet and rest is evenly distributed from your toes to your heels. If your calves start to ache after a while, congratulations! You are now standing up-right.
- Stand on muscle, not bone: Most of us stand “up-tight” with our knees locked and our weight placed firmly on bones in our legs. For those of you that ski, skateboard or surf, how long would your legs last if you did this while engaged in your sport? Practice leaning a bit forward and using muscles in your legs to support you mass instead. Not only will you get stronger, healthier muscles you will preserve cartilage between your bones for another day.
- Get a massage: Intuitive or traditional makes no difference. Use masseur’s hands as “flashlights” to explore and uncover muscles and tissue that are tense and stressed. Then exhale and practice loosening them up.
- Write a list of what you should, must, need and have to do: Whether on computer or a sheet of paper, document all obligations in your life. Lifting these burdens out from your head and on to a piece of paper will go a long way to lessening strain on your back.
- Check list for validity: See how many of points on your list are actually true. How many are myths, how many are outdated, how many just don’t really matter, etc. See how this “spring cleaning” lightens your load.
- Learn more about your body: It’s only one you have! Most of us go through life avoiding feeling what is really going on in our body and paying a huge price. If you do this by:
o consciously paying attention you are at head of pack.
o heeding your body's advice you go a step further.
o learning more about its functions you go to head of class!
Not only will you get a gold star, but what if you live longer and healthier as a result!
- Reflect: Make some quiet time without TV, radio, Internet, papers etc and go over what is happening in your life and how it is affecting your health and well-being. Consider it an investment in your life and health.
- Dance: There is no better way of insuring a strong healthy back than having a bit of fun on dance floor! Don’t forget to breathe a lot.
- Smile: Have fun. Notice how when life gets too serious we tend to stop breathing freely. This could be an important clue.
Kurt Larsson was trained as traditional businessperson excelling in the international sales/marketing area yet felt something was missing. Since then has become a certified Body Harmony® practitioner, learning more about body language and the bodymind connection. He just graduated from a three year coaching skills program at CoachU. For the last nine years he has run Expanding U, coaching both individuals and large corporations to create and enjoy healthy, loyal and prosperous relationships.
