Yoga has dramatically gained popularity in the United States over the past few decades. Originally a spiritual practice that was employed by Hindus, yoga now is recognized for its myriad health benefits. There are many types of yoga, from gentle yoga poses combined with meditation to more physically active poses intended to strengthen muscles. For people with back pain, yoga can be a fantastic way to strengthen muscles and improve spine health.
Yoga has dramatically gained popularity in the United States over the past few decades. Originally a spiritual practice that was employed by Hindus, yoga now is recognized for its myriad health benefits. There are many types of yoga, from gentle yoga poses combined with meditation to more physically active poses intended to strengthen muscles. For people with back pain, yoga can be a fantastic way to strengthen muscles and improve spine health.
Yoga Improves Posture
Many problems with the back and spine originate from poor posture. In turn, having back or spine issues can make your posture even worse, exacerbating the problem. Performing yoga is a great way to improve your posture. For example, many common yoga poses (e.g., Downward-Facing Dog, Bridge Pose), activate the abdominal and back muscles. This helps you maintain an erect spine when sitting or standing.
Yoga Promotes Muscle Strength
Many back problems arise from weakness in the back muscles relative to other parts of the body, which can put extra tension on the spine. Holding poses in yoga helps to strengthen your back muscles, which may reduce your back pain. When holding yoga poses, focus intently on keeping your back straight and in good alignment. This ensures that you work your back muscles optimally.
Yoga Reduces Tension and Stretches Muscles
One of the major sources of back pain is excessive tension in muscles of the back and shoulders. During a yoga session, you will hold poses for 15 to 60 seconds. This gives your muscles time to stretch, increasing flexibility. Even within a yoga session, you may notice that your back muscles feel more relaxed and flexible at the end of the session than at the beginning.
Yoga Promotes Body Awareness
Our spine specialists know that one of the best ways to prevent injury to your back is to improve your body awareness. Performing yoga encourages you to think about your body and its movements. This gives you a greater sense of what types of movements may cause you pain or injury versus movements that improve flexibility and strength. Increasing this body awareness can be a great way to prevent further back and spine problems.
Yoga is a healing technique that can improve posture, promote healthy spine alignment and strengthen core muscles. If you continue to experience back pain after performing yoga exercises for strength, it may be time to visit a physical therapist or orthopedic surgeon for treatment recommendations such as back surgery. Contact Southeast Orthopedic Specialists today to learn how we can help.
Do Compression Socks and Sleeves Give You an Advantage in Running?
When you watch a major race such as the Boston Marathon, you may notice that the gear the elite runners wear differs from the shorts and tank top you throw on for a casual run. In particular, compression socks and calf sleeves have become a popular part of the elite runner look. Adopting these compression garments could give you an advantage in your running training.
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Exercises to Relieve Arthritis Pain
Approximately 52.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with arthritis, representing nearly 1 in 4 people, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This figure jumps to about 50 percent among adults older than 65 years of age. Although arthritis is a more common condition among older adults, it is possible to experience arthritis at any age. One of the most effective ways to treat arthritis pain is to engage in physical therapy or other exercises that lengthen muscles, diminish bone-on-bone contact and promote healing. Consider the following exercises to relieve arthritis pain.
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Questions You Should Ask Before Choosing a Physical Therapist
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your physical therapist before making an appointment will ensure that you have an excellent physical therapy experience.
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Can You Do Anything to Help Prevent ACL Tears?
More than 200,000 people experience a torn ACL each year, according to the University of California San Francisco Medical Center’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Not only are ACL tears painful, but they also must be repaired properly to prevent future problems. Learning how to prevent ACL tears can help you stay active and avoid costly injury. (more…)
Orthotics: Helpful or Useless?
Orthotic inserts represented a $400 million industry in the United States in 2014. Some athletes purchase specialized orthotics for specific sports activities while other people wear orthotics in their shoes on a daily basis. The purpose of orthotics is to correct your bone and joint alignment, preventing injury. However, recent research has led to controversy about whether orthotics actually work. (more…)
