Practical Ways to Relieve Low Back Pain

Have you ever noticed that when you are going through some challenging times your body begins to ache, particularly your back?

Back aches also come from sitting for long periods of time, awkward lifting, leaning to one side or another, poor posture and a multitude of other behaviors.

I found this stretch in The Natural Healing & Nutrition Annual which has compilations from several doctors. This particular stretch is explained by Charles Norelli, M.D. and has helped me immeasurably. He explained that some of our lesser-known muscles such as the quadratus lumborum can "get tight, tense, shortened, overworked, strained and weakened" then they can "telegraph pain to other parts of the body." He highly recommends this type of stretch to relax the muscles.

Step 1

Sit in your chair with legs apart.

Step 2

Place your palms on your ankles letting your torso sink between your legs to loosen up your back.

Step 3

Slowly bend your torso to the left until your left ear touches your left knee. If you cannot reach this position come as close as possible without straining.

Step 4

Rotate your head to the right touching your right ear to your right knee. If you cannot reach this position come as close as possible without straining.

Step 5

Slowly raise your right arm so it is sort of hanging over your head. Hold for 10 seconds. Raise torso.

Step 6

Repeat this procedure for the left side.

• Exercise slowly, gently, and concentrate on exhaling and inhaling.
• Listen to calming music and avoid thinking of problems.
• Wear comfortable fitting clothing to exercise in.
•  Consult with your doctor if experiencing discomforting pain. It can be a warning of something much more serious and should be discussed with your family physician.
• Get your doctor's permission to exercise.