Has sitting at the computer left you with an aching lower back? Some occupations require long hours of computer use. It’s not unusual for office workers, from medical billing and coding specialists to data entry personal, to suffer from repetitive workplace injuries, which have increased in recent years. Lower back pain is a common one. In this video, a certified…
Steps Method 1 Using Your Body Weight Make reverse snow angels. This exercise involves reaching your arms out wide, just like when you were a kid in the snow. The arms can move through the full range of the angel wings,from overhead to beside the hips for a full trapezius, latissimus dorsi, rhomboid and spinal erector exercise. Hold a soup can to increase resistance…
Turns out, the thing that’s suppose to keep you healthy—exercise—may be to blame for your pain, says Stuart McGill, Ph.D., professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo in Ontario and the author of Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance. “Coach potatoes typically don’t get back pain, ” says McGill. “It’s a problem for the desk jockey who works out…
By increasing range of motion and strengthening the body, it s clear that yoga postures affect us physically. There s also a mythical life to yoga asanas—many are named after characteristics found either in nature or in great people, or are defined by the muscle groups they engage. But understanding poses requires us to move beyond simply doing the postures, into…
Sema Institute of Yoga / Temple of Aset Sema ( The Sema Institute is dedicated to the propagation of the universal teachings of spiritual evolution which relate to the union of humanity and the union of all things within the universe. It is a non-denominational organization which recognizes the unifying principles in all spiritual and religious systems of evolution…
Steps Part 1 Active Lifestyle Reduce the number of hours you sit at home and at work. Sitting for long periods of time can atrophy lower back muscles over time. Do not sit for longer than 30 minutes at a time. Set a reminder on your computer or on your phone to get up and walk around. Invest in a sit/stand desk in your office. This desk moves up and down with a hydraulic…
To add this infographic to your website/blog , simply copy the code below and paste it into the HTML of your blog or website: Posture is about far more than looking confident and poised. Sitting or standing in the right position makes sure our bodies function properly. Here we look at posture and how to improve yours starting today. Is It Really That Bad? Just what’s…
Stretching is an often-overlooked component of physical fitness that can help you perform better while exercising, reduce stress, prevent injury and improve flexibility. Stretching can help loosen up your muscles before and after you work out, as well as ease muscle tension and soreness. If you are a beginner, 10 stretches can work your major muscle groups; do a stretching…
The use of some type of physical therapy or exercise is integral to almost all forms of back and neck pain treatment. Sometimes physical therapy and exercise are the first lines of treatment, other times it may help manage chronic pain, or provide rehabilitation after surgery. But did you know that both gentle back exercise and physical therapy play a vital role in…
Does the word “yoga” conjure up images of willowy young women and men meditating serenely or contorting their bodies into improbable, pretzellike shapes? If you think that’s all yoga is good for, you’re in for a pleasant surprise, especially if you suffer from chronic low back pain. That’s because a growing number of medical professionals are finding that yoga can…
Results from the Bikram Yoga Heart Study are finally in with a grand total of 81 participants enrolled and randomized to one of 3 groups: hot yoga (105 degrees); thermoneutral yoga (73 degrees) or control (no exercise). Participants in both yoga groups completed 3 Bikram yoga classes weekly consisting of the standard 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. The total…
Related Articles Strained back muscles are a result of over-stretched or torn muscles. Often, people also confuse ligament strains, which are caused by over-stretched or torn ligaments, as strained back muscles. Both back muscles and ligaments, however, can be stretched the same way. Effective back stretches can alleviate the discomfort and increase your flexibility…
Author: Mary Jo Cameron Desk work is a real pain in the neck, back, and shoulders…why suffer? Release the tension fast without getting up from your chair with these three chair stretches. While you can do some of these using a regular office chair, these stretches were chosen by a chiropractor for the exercise guide that comes with the Gaiam Balance Ball Chair featured…
Finish your core workout with this static stretching routine. Abs, obliques and lower back stretches to increase your flexibility and release all tension. Start the timer, play the music and relax! WARM UP AND WORKOUT Start your exercise routine with a core warm up, continue with a set of core strengthening moves and finish with these static stretching exercises…
Understanding the five elements—earth, fire, air, water, space—and their effects on your body can help you keep them balanced within yourself, leading to a healthier, happier life. In previous articles in this series, I discussed how to better connect to the fire element and earth element through a series of yoga poses. Next up is the water element, or Jala. The water…
Vary your yoga workout to keep yourself challenged. Bikram or Ashtanga yoga may give you a good workout, but their prescribed sequences may get, well, boring. Give your yoga practice a lift by trying some new poses. Nobody knows exactly how many Hatha yoga postures there are – some estimates say thousands – but there are plenty to choose from. For the best flow, move…
