Posts Tagged ‘Lower back’

Hands-On Therapies : Massage and Spinal Manipulation

Hands-on therapies work towards more efficient, relaxed movement and proper alignment of the body in order for your body to function properly. Rather than relying on the manipulation of energy, hands-on, or manual, therapies work by applying pysical forces to the body. Hands-on therapies include:
MASSAGE
Research has proven that massage is effective especially for chronic lower back and neck pain. It is defined as hands-on manipulation of soft tissues through touch, movement or pressure, massage therapy ranges from gentle stroking and kneading to deeper, manual techniques. Positive effects that have resulted from massage therapy include easing muscle tension, increasing range of motion, improving blood and lymphatic circulation, lessening depression and anxiety, enhancing sleep and, in some cases, lessening dependence on medication. Massage is often used for tension and anxiety, neuromuscular conditions such as neck or back pain, muscle soreness, fibromyalgia.
Sessions may vary depending on the massage technique used. A massage therapist begins by taking your medical history and discussing health concerns and any goals that you have. Therapy may be done partially or fully unclothed with a towel or sheet covering you. Often, oils or lotions are used to avoid uncomfortable friction on your skin.
Some complications like discomfort for a day or two especially with deep tissue massage. Massage therapy is generally not recommended on areas where you have had recent surgery or fractures or where you have received radiation therapy. Massage therapy is not recommended at an open wound or open skin infection or if you are having acute signs of infection, such as fever, chills, or gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms, and cation is advised if you have osteoporosis.

SPINAL MANIPULATION
During spinal manipulation, the practitioner applies a controlled amount of force to a spinal joint, moving it outside of its usual range of motion. Alternatively, a rhythmic force is applied to improve joint motion in the neck, spine and pelvis. The practitioner may use a special table to better help perform adjustments. Evidences show that spinal manipulation can help to cure low back pain, tension headaches and neck pain.
Spinal manipulation is generally considered safe though it is not for everyone. Common side effects are discomfort in the treated area, headache and tiredness. Generally, though these problems clear up within one or two days. Spinal manipulation is most often used for lower back pain, other pain conditions, overall well-being.

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Hot Water Therapy Exercise : Scared Cat to Swaybacked Horse

The Scared cat and Swayhorse hot water therapy exercise is meant to treat middle and lower back. The assumption is that bath or hot tub is available.
- To avoid the hard surface of the tub, place a towel or a soft cushion beneath yourself.
- Get down on hands and legs, with all your weight balanced. The tops of the toes should touch the tub floor.
- Depth of the water does not matter but your face should be above the water surface.
- Arch your back upwards gently. Drop down your head and hold the position for six seconds.
- Do not tighten any muscles other than those directly needed to arch the back.
- If you want to try this exercise in hot shower, bend your legs slightly, resting hands and weight on knees. Arch your back upwards slightly, squeezing your stomach and forming a curve with your head hanging down.

The Swaybacked Horse

- While in scared cat position, slowly and carefully flatten your back and relax your stomach and back muscles so that your back drops down a bit.
- Raise your head.
- Hold it for six seconds and then return to neutral.
- Repeat both position for six times.
- If you want to try this exercise in hot shower, drop the lower back by relaxing the stomach muscles and letting the curves release. With hands still on knees, raise your head to form the horse. Hold for six seconds, directing the spray of water to the middle back.
- Repeat for six times.

The most common trouble areas of human body

There are five general categories of ache area : neck, shoulders, trapezius, upper back, mid-back, and lower back.
- The Neck : Pain and stiffness in the neck is rooted in the in the interaction between the seven vertebrae of the neck and the muscles that move those vertebrae. Tension headaches are often related to tension in the neck, the neck routine exercises are compulsory to do.
- The Shoulders : Shoulder pain can be a problem with the joint that connects the arm to the shoulder which can often be dealt by surgery or micro-surgery, or to pain in the uppermost extreme left and uppermost extreme right parts of back next to the shoulder area can be treated by hot water therapy routines.
- The Trapezius muscles : These are small triangular muscles on each side of lower neck, covering an area of the size and shape of a coat hanger. It is a versatile trouble spot. Tension in these muscles can cause headaches and pain running up the neck, as well as upper and middle back pain.o
- The Upper Back : It is the area from the shoulder blades up into the neck. Trapezius tension is one of the main cause of upper back pain. Tightness in the rhmboids can cause persistent pain between the edge of the shoulder blade and spine.
- The Middle Back : It is the area that extends from the top to the bottom of rib cage. Tension in long thin muscles that run from base of skull to the pelvis or the tightness in lower portions of trapezius muscles can cause pain in the middle back.
- The Lower Back : It is the area from the bottom of your rib cage down into your buttocks. It occurs in the region where five lumbar vertebrae of the lower back join the solid bone of the sacrum.
- The tight shoulders,flabby tummy : Tight muscles in the upper and lower back interact with weak stomach muscles to create a problem. Tight shoulders jam joints in the area. Flabby tummies make muscles in lower back work without balance or support.