Thursday, June 3, 2010

LOWER BACK STRETCHES - Wednesday 26th May 2010

Talking about the future, Arthur C Clarke said, 'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.'

Well the future is here in the form of YouTube and it definitely is magical.

If you've got lower back pain and you're looking for back pain stretches I recommend you go to YouTube.

There you'll find a host of exercises that you can troll through and then do on a regular and systematic basis to relieve back pain.

YouTube is not just an entertainment portal, it's an incredible online community that willingly gives of its time, effort and thought to help other people. There just seems to be a lot of people out there wanting to share their knowledge. It says a lot for the generosity of mankind.

At YouTube, there are hundreds of stretching videos that people have taken in bedrooms, offices and fitness centres and then up-loaded, some more professional than others, but all designed to help you restore poor function to good.

Most of the people who submit their videos are from the Yoga or fitness industries. That's because back pain is not a medical problem it's a fitness problem. Many of these people are real experts in the field of musculo-skeletal health, many are unsung heros and you're getting the benefit of their wisdom for free. Most of these people have already helped hundreds of people relieve their back pain. They can help you. It's a fantastic resource.

Self help
What I like about the back pain stretches on YouTube is the fact that all the videos, and there are hundreds of them, promote self help. This fits in with one of the principles I encourage people to adopt and that is; 'it's a big ask expecting to get better by having someone do something to you; sooner or later you have to do something to yourself.'

Once you've cottoned on to the fact that it's muscles that move bones out of alignment and that the cause of the pain is rarely at the site of the pain, you can start looking for exercises that will strengthen and loosen those muscles that are the cause of your pain. Focus on loosening hamstring and buttock muscles and strengthening trunk muscles - front, back and core.

I was on YouTube the other day looking for back pain stretches. Sheesh, I could have spent weeks there. It was like shopping in an oriental bazaar; going so far down streets and ally ways I got lost and couldn't find my way back to where I started.

It's a fascinating journey. I bookmarked a few sites, wrote to a few people to let them know I admired their work. I also looked at a range of gadgets and devices people are using to decompress their vertebrae, loosen tight back muscles and strengthen abdominal muscles.

Many of the exercises to fix back pain come from yoga. I'd bet on them; they've been around for thousands of years. In fact if you're looking for a good set of lower back stretches I'd seriously encourage you to join a yoga class, go a few times a week and spend some of your own time doing the exercises they recommend while you watch TV. The cost will be far less than lining up at the chiropractory every week for a crunch and a rub down.

If you think you've got all the answers on relieving back pain, think again. Go to YouTube.

It's magical.

There's only one catch; the people who've posted the exercises can't do them for you.
In the meantime stay tuned, highly tuned and if someone has found an exercise useful and bothered to upload a video of themselves doing it, there's a fair chance that it might do you some good as well.

On the track
Out with the boys on a walk/run.

In the meantime stay tuned, highly tuned and go to YouTube for your lower back stretches.

John Miller

www.millerhealth.com.au
www.fitandhealthyonline.com
www.globalbackcare.com
www.crookback.com.au

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