How To Fix Back Pain...The Easy Way (VIDEO)

Does your back pain seize up when you're taking a walk just minding your own business? Does your back pain get in the way of a perfectly good morning? If you have back pain you should do something about it.

Sounds like the beginning of a prescription drug commercial featuring a couple blissfully prancing through wildflowers, or happily rowing a boat in a crystal clear lake surrounded by pretty trees. While the joyful pair frolic, a soothing deep voice quickly rambles off the catastrophic list of potential side affects including but not limited to vomiting, head aches, nausea, heart attack, dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, swelling of the hands, blurred vision, fluid retention, loss of balance, dry mouth, difficulty concentrating, rash, constipation, stomach pain, joint pain, and muscle cramping.

Sounds a bit drifted from common sense. Picture our perfect couple strolling along when suddenly our heroine is overcome with a case of blurred vision followed by projectile vomiting. Romeo can't rush to her rescue because he's struggling with muscle cramping, fluid retention, and diarrhea. Who will save Mr. and Mrs. Everyman in the endless field of wildflowers? Do they even get cell phone reception?

Got a pain? Here's a pill that will temporary fix your pain, well, not really, it will just ease the pain feeling, your problem will still be there.

Of course there are cases where actual medical attention and possibly prescription medication can be useful...bla bla bla...but it's good to practice taking care of ourselves so we don't wake up to a medicine cabinet full of little orange bottles one day. We only get one body, might as well take good care of it.

Thankfully, there is something else we can do to prevent and ease back pain. Check out the video for some simple yoga inspired moves to keep you healthy, happy and strong.

Comments

[LawrenceGold]

Well meaning ...

However, anyone with serious back pain would find these moves difficult or impossible.

Here's the basic shortcoming: muscular control. Back pain almost always bespeaks very tight back muscles, held tight by a conditioned postural reflex (Landau Reaction or Trauma Reflex: See "Somatics: ReAwakening the Mind's Control of Movement, Flexibility and Health" by Thomas Hanna). Conditioned postural reflexes override voluntary muscular control and the person can't relax. Muscles stay tight, fatigued and sore, subject to spasm.

Postural reflexes can't be stretched away; they must be retrained into quietude.

Then, flexibility reappears.

Almost all systems of back care consist of strengthening and stretching exercises. Because of the general ineffectiveness of that kind of approach, except with the most superficial of back problems, all systems are regarded as equally effective, none considered definitively effective with "hard core" cases. "Authorities" consider back pain "incurable." It is -- by the usual methods.

A few systems offer neuromuscular retraining (Feldenkrais, Hanna somatic education, Aston Patterning). These have the capacity to be definitively effective but are largely unrecognized by the general public.

[dwzbrad]

Are you kidding Tara? I've taught Yoga for 20 years, and I'd NEVER recommend these postures for anyone with low back problems. The forward bend you describe will not only spread the back muscles, but squeeze the disc bulges and spinal nerves, as will the plough posture, and the leg lowering, causing pain and possible further injury. Most beginners will need to warm up considerably before the Gomukhasana variation you suggest. Ummm what about counterposing? Where are the back strengthening backward bends? I do however recommend general Yoga for back problems, under the guidance of a good teacher its excellent! All Yoga should be given under the general instruction that any pain is a no no.

[foudroyant]

That's pretty helpful. Let me ask you this though, its not clear to me what the function of the blanket is in the second position.

[Tara Stiles - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi foudroyant. Rolling up the blanket and placing it on your upper thighs gives your torso a shorter (and softer) distance to aspire to in your forward bend. When you breathe deeply your lower back will spread and relax and your belly can gently sink into the blanket. It's a restorative way to practice a forward bend. thanks :)

[SamMalone]

I still have lower back problems. I was practicing some yoga poses and am a dedicated "walker". I walk about 5-6 miles on an average each day. I was told not to do the first pose (lying flat and raising your legs to the ceiling gradually bringing it over your head. I was told that will aggravate the pain. I stopped doing this for some time - and the pain gradually died down. But in a few months the pain was back - so I am not sure if the pose I was trying earlier was the cause.

Now some people say, excessive walking may also cause lower back problems. Is this true?

[watchingthings]

Yes I worked with lower back pain for a long time till I discovered this. I do those leg together lifts twice a week and no back problems now. If I miss a couple of weeks ....then one day...ouch.....like somebody stuck a knife in my back. After suffering for a couple weeks because of that...I don't miss my bi-weelky "legcersize" anymore. I do them on sundays and wednesdays.

[research]

Tara, those moves seem a little extreme for beginners.

[Cheesemelt]

I suffer from occasional back issues, but alas almost none of these poses are ones I can manage, and this without back pain.

One very good way, and recently medically documented cause, to reduce or eliminate back pain is to simply stop smoking.

I stopped several years ago and my back pain issues dropped several fold as a result.

Not a cure, at least for me, but another excellent reason to quit.

As for yoga, candidly, I've tried several times to engage in it, but the resulting muscle pains were too much to endure. Shoulder,back, quads...you name the muscle group, I'll describe the pain.

As in all things exercise related, your mileage may vary.

[Robespierre]

Here's the deal folks. If you have back pain, the main thing is to do something about it. Now, in my experience, doing something is equivalent to getting up off of our collective rumps and moving.

Don't go to the doctor. He is only going to prescribe pain killers.

Get out on the street. Start walking. Don't run or jog, just walk. After building up to 1 mile a day or so, start some low intensity core strength building exercises.

Crunches, push-ups, swiss ball (Very inexpensive when weighed against the benefits), some dumbbells, and start moving. America is getting fatter. Lets start getting leaner and in better shape. It will save us tons of money in the long run by not having to see the doctor.

If you're uncomfortable with a certain excercise, don't do it.

Add to this a revised diet. Easier said than done but if you cut out soft drinks, you'll be removing a ton of sugars and other crap from your diet. Replace that with water and fruit juices.

It's a start but you have to begin somewhere.

[Wolfgang]

Most doctors don't prescribe pain killers. That's a myth. They are too afraid of being red-flagged by the DEA or their state licensing boards. Instead, they will prescribe an anti inflammatory drug and they will send you for more tests (depending on what health insurance you have) They may also send you to physical therapy, especially if they have a "relationship" with the therapy center. Walking could be hazardous to your health, especially if you live in some of our urban areas. The best things to do are some stretching exercises, buy decent shoes (use arch supports if necessary) and get a good mattress. Also do not attempt any extreme coitus positions unless you happen to be a gymnast.

[themoviepi1984]

little ikea nook table, i have the same. at least to hold my vita mix on. viking style x

[Tara Stiles - Huffpost Blogger]

The table is actually part of my friend's parents bedroom set from the 60s. :)

[rpr]

As much as I like Yoga for stretching and relaxation, the way to fix back pain is strengthening, and IMHO Yoga doesn't do enough of that unless you're an advanced Yogi.
What really helped me were deep squats (butt to heels) and stiff legged and standard deadlifts, all with perfect form of course (you need to watch yourself in a mirror and work with a trainer at first.) Done right, they're very intense core exercises too, not just for the legs and butt. Once all the stabilizers around your spine and the rest of the core muscles are strong, there is no reason for vertebrae to fall out of alignment any more.

[Tara Stiles - Huffpost Blogger]

Yoga (at least the way I practice and teach) is a lot about strengthening. Stretching and relaxation is fully possible because of a strong body. Without strengthening (and wearing out) the body it's hard to relax fully. Principles of stretching also require a strong opposing muscle group to be effective. For instance engaging the quad while lengthening the hamstring in a forward bend. Building and maintaining abdominal strength is essential for a healthy back.

[rpr]

That's all correct, but I missed intensity in Yoga. I was already strong when I started and was never challenged strength-wise, only in terms of flexibility and balance. Still, my back gave me grief. Only lifting developed the core strength that I needed.
Maybe it was just that the typical Yoga classes are too much for the average Joe and Jane and not advanced enough.

[justobserve]

A friend of mine had a bad back and she did these exercises and they worked! They are easier to do. Lie down, pull both legs up, bend at the knees and pull the knees close to your chest with both arms around knees. Hold your knees in that position for as long as you want.
You can also lie down with a chair to rest your feet. Your leg should bend at the knees to make a 90 degrees then the thighs form a 90 degrees to the body, sort of like the letter Z with 90 degrees at the bends like the step. Rest as long as you want.

[BabsfromKansas]

I had excruciating back pain...negative heel shoes made it disappear almost overnight.

[kellygrrrl]

as a Pilates instructor, I'm a little troubled by this. Everyone is different, and many great exercises are absolutely contraindicated for some people. They can actually do more harm than good.

[Tara Stiles - Huffpost Blogger]

Sorry to trouble you Ms. kellygrrrl. You are right though, everyone is different. The above are simply suggestions to start or continue a preventative practice.

[stayinsouth1981]

All this Yeah yeahing and guess what? I didn't try your suggestions yet but I tried another poster's recs. I had immediate relief last night. This morning, I could actually get some spackling done.

Thanks for blogging this. It at least got me to try some other stretches. I definitely need to strengthen abdominals. Gawd I wish I had a dressage horse!

[Silver123]

True. If you have disc problems, yoga is likely to exacerbate them. Stretching the spine can send you to the hospital.

If you have a real health problem, be wary of advice from exercise-based experts.

[stayinsouth1981]

Side effects. The correct word is effects.

Nice suggestions but... I think the PT's I've consulted had some better ways of building up to some of these stretches.

An easier stretch for low back and spondylolysthesis is to sit on the edge of a chair. Spread your knees and reach under the chair with both of your hands as far as you can. Hold this for at least 15 seconds. Pelvic tilts and lifting the hips with both feet planted on the floor and knees flexed builds muscle to support you better as you progress. Sit holding your stomach in and spine as straight as possible. That is a nice way to strengthen your pelvic muscles.

I have to say i was told never to sit up straight from a prone position. It's better to roll to your side and support your body in a straight line as you sit up on your buttocks.

See a Physical Therapist before you do any of this at home. You never know what's going on inside that is causing your pain.

[Hegemoneyhoney]

I thought the "plough" pose was discredited long ago and is no longer recommended for anyone in any condition. Also, the pose you show with the legs crossed over each other would be dangerous for people with knee problems, a very common status for young and old. Finally, you should emphasize the need to keep the low back pressed to the floor when doing that exercise you show with the block between the knees and lowering the legs downward; that could be VERY dangerous to the back if not done correctly and, in fact, is usually advised against doing that kind of move with back problems. You are obviously very flexible and show no evidence of cervical, thoracic or lumbar problems, nor any knee or hip problems but if you are directing your advice to those who do have such problems, then it seems to me you should greatly revise your information. You apparently have advertisers for your video so maybe viewers should take that into consideration.

[rini]

I have to say that the plow pose has really opened up my neck and prevented episodes of cervical radiculopathy (a compressed nerve in the neck). The effects of the plow are similar to the traction that is now recommended by orthopedists and neurosurgeons and the physical therapists that they refer to.

I used to get neck pain every month or so that lasted a couple of weeks. Now? Only once in a while and it lasts a few days at most.

I have more flexibility in my neck and can easily touch my chin to my chest. I think this "opening up" of my vertebrae has helped prevent the nerve compression.

Could you injure yourself doing the exercise improperly?? Certainly. However, even motrin can cause severe complications if used incorrectly or if you have bad luck.

I am a medical physician, but I cannot believe that an advanced society, like the one that existed in India during the development of yoga, would have created something so harmful and let it exist for centuries.

I am 42 and can do backbends and splits. I am going to keep at it.

[jp5472]

Great...thanks for the input. Good to hear from an MD.