6 Effective Tips for Back Pain Relief

Back pain is often a sign of injury or some underlying problem related to your spine – its bones, muscles, and other soft tissues. It could disrupt your work, routine, and your daily activities. It may even affect your normal lifestyle as you are unable to participate in recreational activities due to pain.

Fortunately for those who suffer from back pain, episodes of this condition do not often last long. In fact, most of episodes last from a few days to a few weeks and rarely do they last more than three months. If they do, then you are advised to consult a doctor since pain may just be a symptom of a far more serious injury or disorder.

In most cases, certain pain management methods may be used to achieve back pain relief. The treatment could range from use of nonprescription drugs to massage therapies and traditional remedies like acupuncture and yoga.

Below are some of the popular methods used for lower back pain relief:

1. Exercise

Many people believe that rest is best for a painful back, but actually, what your back really needs when it’s hurt is exercise. Regular exercise relieves back pain by strengthening and stretching the muscles that support the spine and helps to prevent future injury.

This is a use it or lose it situation: the more you rest, the weaker your back gets, even if it is hurt. If you do not know of any, you can always ask your doctor for reference. For sure the list that they will give includes swimming and walking to say the least. There are also movement therapies to develop proper posture.

To manage pain, you may do any of the following:

• Walk short distances
• Stretch and do flexibility exercises
• Use a stationary bicycle
• Swim

2. Losing Weight

Losing weight can also be a back pain relief. This is because being overweight can make the ache get worse. You also have to get your muscles in better shape and improving your postures when sitting, standing or sleeping.

Remember, if your head is not in line with your body it is like having a 15-pound weight constantly pulling you forward, which can strain the neck and shoulders. Standing and sitting with good posture create a vertical line with the body that can make you appear up to 10 pounds lighter.

3. Heating Pads and Ice Packs

Following trauma, the person should apply an ice pack or compress over the injured area. Do this for up to 20 minutes several times every day. If you still do not achieve back pain relief after two to three days of cold treatment, use a heat pack. This will help relax the muscles and increase blood flow, speeding up recovery.

4. Physical Therapy

Sometimes, rest and exercise, the most common forms of back pain treatment, may not produce the desired results. Even so, pain may still be treated without going for surgery. Manual physical therapy is a method of lower back pain treatment that uses a specialized type of physical therapy to relieve pain.

Physical therapy uses different techniques, such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, cryotherapy, massage, exercise, and heat in order to relieve muscle spasms, increase flexibility, strengthen muscles, relieve pain, and accelerate the healing process.

5. Massage Therapy

Studies have shown that massage therapy is more effective than both chiropractic and acupuncture for relieving pain due to muscle spasms. The benefits of massage therapy include improved circulation, which helps alleviate muscle soreness; muscle relaxation, which helps muscles move without pain; and increased endorphins, the body’s natural pain relievers. You should be aware that the kind of massage you receive in a spa is not the same kind of massage used to treat back pain.

6. Water Therapy:

Hydrotherapy for back pain relieves pain by loosening the muscles and ridding the body of toxins that produce pain and inflammation. Water exercise therapy has many benefits. The buoyancy of water supports the patient’s weight, allowing a greater range of motion when the person has too much pain to exercise on land.

This makes water exercise therapy ideal for everyone who seeks relieve from back pain. Additionally, the water temperature should be warm enough to relax muscles, which also helps relieve pain. Warm baths are excellent for relieving mild backaches.

About The Author:

Nishanth Reddy is an author and publisher of many health related websites. Visit his website for more Information about back pain relief and treatment methods. Learn the alternative treatment methods used for back pain relief.
http://www.back-pain-relief-guide.info

How To Get Natural Back Pain Relief?

The highest rate of back pain sufferers is found in the age group of 45 to 64. Incidentally, this is also the age bracket in which you are expected to be most active as your home routine and your work routine takes on punishing proportions. So to be saddled with the irritating complaint of back pain is more than what you have catered for. Relief for such a problem is sought from all quarters.

One of the most frequent ways in which people try to get rid of back pain is by methods that would leave little or no side-effects. Since allopathic medicines are often known for their side effect tendencies, people with back pain hesitate to adopt these medicines for curing and preventing their back pain. In that case the answer lies in turning to herbal and traditional sources of medicine for relief from back pain.

These alternative sources of medicine have been in use for centuries in countries like India. Several other practitioners belonging to other schools of medicines also advice the sufferers of back pain to turn to alternate sources of medication and find out a way out of back pain problem.

One of the best known alternate medicine sources for relieving back pain is Ayurveda. This ancient science of medicine is based on individual attention for curing back pain. Thus the “dosha” or individual condition and nature of the person is studied closely before a prescription is made for relieving his back pain.

The logic behind such a course of treatment is that the vitiated dosha in the person results in back pain and the cure lies in correcting the vitiated dosha. The herbal preparation thus prescribed is ashtha vargam and it has to be administered internally.

Thus the dosage and the methodology of taking the medicine of this kind, is thus made for the individual and given to him alone. If another person takes the same medicine it may or may not work on him or her at all.

In addition to this internal medicine regimen there is also a routine of external discipline that has to be instituted alongside. The purgation of the system is necessary for back pain sufferers and Ayurveda has specially prepared medications for this purpose. Also the panchakarma treatment is a common way of attending to the problem of back pain.

This system consists of a round of massage with herbal oils and the application of a medicated enema. Sometimes the Ayurveda practitioners also recommend a series of yoga asanas for the patient who comes to him with a complaint of back pain.

But then it is necessary to perform these asanas under the guidance of a properly trained yoga teacher who realizes that the purpose of the yoga is not body and mind-building but for allaying the problem of back pain. When all these methods are put in place, the sufferer from back pain is well set on the path of relief.

About the author
Ashish Jain writes about a number of different topics. For more information on back pain visit http://www.backpaindetails.com For additional back pain articles visit the articles page: http://www.backpaindetails.com/index.html To comment on this article visit: http://www.backpaindetails.com/pain

Adopt Correct Postures To Get Rid Of Back Pain

Back pain can affect an individual in many ways. Apart from the sheer physical discomfort of not being able to sit, stand, walk or even move a few steps conveniently, there are even deeper and more sinister results of back pain. Many a time, back pain has a telling effect on one’s nerves, and the irritated back pain sufferer makes life miserable for his family, friends, and his boss. This latter result can even have deep repercussions on the person’s career prospects. In short, the emotional well-being of the all the people around the back pain sufferer are made victims of back pain inconvenience.

So what then is the cause of such a nagging inconvenience?

The answer is a simple one: poor posture. In other words, the way you stand or sit or even lie down, has a great part in bringing up the back pain. If you slouch, stretch or jerk your movements suddenly, you are directly inviting back pain. The back muscles suffer a strain due to poor posture. In more critical cases back pain might be linked with subsidiary symptoms like sprain, ligament pain, and joints pain. In the most severe cases, back pain might also be due to a slipped disk. Thus the causes of back pain are numerous.

In addition to these infrequent incidents, there are other issues that bring about back pain. The commonest of these is lifting of weights. In homes and work places, we tend to lift heavy pieces of furniture in a bid to re-arrange the place. While all this might bring about a change and may even lead to convenience of life, the task, if performed suddenly, can lead to back pain. As the body is not used to lifting heavy furniture, one tends to position oneself inadequately so that the weight is not properly distributed. And the task results in a slipped disk or some linked problems that may then bring about acute episodes of back pain.

In cases of slipped disk that usually result from such careless movements, the need to be vigilant is even more pronounced. Usually a slipped disk results when one is lifting the furniture item on re-twists one’s body from the top of the waist rather than from below the waist. This results on the onset of a spasm. Indeed in the acute cases of back pain, one is even confined to bed rest.

When the back pain becomes unbearable and exercise is not possible as the spasm is acute, one can try a simple posture-correction routine. By lying on one’s back on a hard floor and lifting one leg at a time, up to the chest, one can provide the much needed relief from back pain. Pillows should be placed below the knees and the entire task should be performed slowly and carefully so that the body does not suffer from twinges of pain, while being relieved of it. In this way, the root cause of the disease will come to light and thereafter the steps to improve the back muscles will make you less prone to back pain. You can also make these steps as a part of your daily exercise routine.

About the author
Olga Sen writes articles on a different topics. For more information on back pain visit http://www.backpaindetails.com For additional back pain articles visit the following articles page http://www.backpaindetails.com/index.html To comment on this article visit: http://www.backpaindetails.com/pain

The Transverse Abdominis: A Drastically Different Muscle

Copyright (c) 2007 Personal Fitness Developement

As we begin to focus on achieving goals for the New Year,
we often start by looking down at our stomach region. It
sticks out way too far for most of us. We often ask
ourselves what happened and what can we do about it? My
usual answer to my clients is, set goals. Remember the old
saying, "Focus on what you want, or you'll get what you
don't want." This could not be any more true in trying to
reduce your waistline and look good for Summer 2007.

To gain strength and support in our entire core or belly
region we are going to look at and discuss the transverse
abdominis. The TA is the deepest, innermost layer of all
abdominal muscles. The importance of this muscle's function
has been well documented, but unfortunately has been
greatly misunderstood by most fitness and medical
practitioners.

It has been shown that the transverse abdominis is the
first muscle to contract during any movement of the arm and
legs. What this means is that, prior to arms and legs
movements, there must be a preceding contraction of the TA
to stabilize the spine and pelvis during extremities
movement. When the spine and pelvis all are stable, the
nervous system sends signals to the brain, effectively
telling it tat it's safe to recruit the extremity muscles.

This stable foundation is a prerequisite for force
generation in our bodies. Force generation, simply put, is
movements combined in a sequence to achieve an outcome.
When the transverse abdominis is fully functional, all
joints in the body receive greater neurological energy,
thus allowing efficient and injury-free movement.

When the transverse abdominis is not working optimally, the
brain automatically lowers the neurological impulses to the
muscle, because the brain attempts to protect joints and
prevent any damage. When the joints are unstable, the
pressure-sensitive proprioreceptors in the joints begin to
sense excessive stress during movement. The brain in turn
attempts to cease muscular contraction, protecting the
joints and joint structures. Due to our evolutionary
adaptations in our bodies, the body will prioritize joint
longevity over movement ability. In other words, the brain
will attempt to shut you down before you get injured.

Now this is the way our body is arranged, but it doesn't
always work this way. If you are on painkillers for a bad
back, the neurological impulse to the brain will be
subdued, allowing for movement that would not normally
happen.

The result of a dysfunctional transverse abdominis is poor
movement quality and instability leading to early
degeneration of bold bones and joints. Any person wanting
to function, look, and feel better must maintain function
of this important muscle. In many cases, because of
surgeries (cutting the abdominal wall, C-sections,
hysterectomies, hernias, and other operations),
communication goes awry. Communication must be
reestablished through specific isolation exercise
techniques. These techniques are outlined in more detail in
my e-book Firm and Flatten Your Abs.

The most common cause of transverse abdominis dysfunction
is? What's your guess?

That's right-disuse!

Through inactivity, poor body awareness, respiratory
dysfunction, and neglect of physical and emotional health
the end result most often is physiological dysfunction.
Many quality movement patterns and skills will be lost
including effective function of the transverse abdominis.
Without a good functional TA you increase your chances of
injury.

There are few tricks you can do to get your transverse
abdominis functioning properly. This exercise will help you
gain communication with this often overlooked muscle. If
you have my Firm and Flatten Your Abs ebook, it is on page
51.

So here you go.

Four-Point Transverse Abdominis Tuck

This exercise is great for isolating the transverse
abdominis, for correcting "pooch belly," and reconnecting
with the nervous system. It is particularly valuable for
pre-surgery preparation and post-surgery rehabilitation. In
surgical procedures such as caesarean section and hernia,
the muscles, nerves, and tissues are cut, causing a loss of
neurological impulse (your brain tries to call your muscles
to wake them up, but the muscles don't answer!). Lack of
neural drive to the core muscles is one reason for the
belly hanging out. Certain exercises can help reconnect the
nervous and muscular systems so your "pooch belly" gets the
message from the brain loud and clear and pulls those
muscles in.

Note: Using a dowel rod can help you keep good neutral
exercise posture and provide biofeedback. (As the rod
touches different parts of your body, it makes you aware of
your body position.) If you use the dowel technique, place
the rod along your spine, making sure the back of your
head, upper back, and tailbone are in contact with the rod.

Position: Get down on all fours as though you were going to
crawl. Place your hands directly underneath your shoulders
and your knees directly beneath your hips.

Movement: 1. Inhale and let the transverse abdominis hang
out toward the floor. 2. Exhale, drawing the belly button
in toward the spine.

Avoid any spinal movement during this exercise such as
contracting the glutes, hamstrings, or external rotators.

Do this exercise using a 10-second hold and 10-second rest
cycle for three minutes. Do this two or three times a day
and you will see your belly getting a little smaller.

I hope you take advantage of this exercise to begin your
own quest for a firm and flatter abdominal region.

Till next week.

----------------------------------------------------
David Grisaffi is a Sports Conditining Coach and holds
multiple certifications including three from the
prestigious CHEK Institute. Plus he is also the author of
the popluar selling e book, "Firm and Flatten Your Abs,"
which teaches you how to develop a ripped abdominal region.
Lean how to shead bodyfat and eliminate low back pain and
recieve his free newsletter by visiting:
http://www.flattenyourabs.net

Acupuncture: A Clear Answer To Your Back Pain

If you are tired of trying all the treatments for your back pain and are still unable to find any relief in either of them, then you have surely wasted your precious time and money.

Ever heard of Acupuncture? Yes! Acupuncture is the answer to all your back pain worries. More and more people now a days are depending upon the alternative treatments for curing back pain. Even various physicians and health care professionals are advising their patients to take benefits from the acupuncture treatment and get relief from back pain.

Acupuncture has been used since thousands of year to cure and treat various diseases and disorders. There are many success stories related to treatment of back pain with acupuncture. Since it does not employ the use of any external medication, many people find it an easy and affordable mean of cure.

The treatment of acupuncture runs on a simple theory. We have two thousand energy points on our body. These points are connected with the twenty pathways or the meridians. Wherein, conduction of the chi or qi life forces take place. If any one of the pathways are blocked, back pain comes into play.

Acupuncture treatment involves the clearing of the above mentioned path for the proper conduction of the life forces. The process of acupuncture involves the insertion of anywhere between one to twenty needles into the human body. The number of the needles to be inserted depends on the age, sex and magnitude of pain to the patient.

Besides this, there are different ways of inserting the needles in the body. Some of them are made to rest on the skin surface, while the others are inserted into the skin. The depth of the needles range from one inch to several inches. These needles are then left stationary for about thirty minutes. The needles may be sometimes rotated, depending upon the type of treatment. This is done to free the energy that is blocked in the body. At certain times, the needles, before inserting are warmed or charged electrically to facilitate the process properly.

Apart from this, some acupuncturist also use the method of moxibustion (heat therapy). It is a process in which small amounts of herbs are burnt at the need of the needles to be inserted. These herbs help in encouraging the negative energyb to go away from the body.

To read more articles on back pain, back pain medication and back pain relief sources visit http://www.backpaindetails.com/pain/

Back Pain Relief Tips For Pregnant Women

Back pain is one of the banes that generally go with pregnancy. It is a common complaint. More than 50 % of the pregnant woman population suffers from it.

Back pain during the pregnancy is mainly due to change in the contours of the body of the woman, as baby grows within and puts on additional weight, month after month to the mother. This extra weight causes a change in the center of gravity of the woman's body. Major hormonal changes are also noticed in the early stages of the pregnancy, which is an additional cause of the back pain.

The center of gravity of women's body shifts forward with the growth of the uterus. Her postures and movement style change and this put additional strain on her back, resulting in backache.

In certain cases, urinary infections which are also common during the pregnancy can be the cause of back pain. If the woman has acute back pain during the early stages of pregnancy, the same requires immediate attention of the doctor. This is for back pain can be due to a multiplicity of factors which demands immediate attention.

Medication for the sake of medication should be avoided during pregnancy. You are responsible for two lives, so any medication will only be by the advice of the doctor. Exercising is the sure remedy for pregnant women. Simple walking is the best exercise. But do not do aggressive walking.

Avoid slouching. Maintain an appropriate posture by using a lumber cushion or pillow.

Cultivate by experience good body mechanics. Muscular exercises are a deterrent to back pain.

A pregnant woman is not expected to stand for long periods, say while traveling and for any other reasons. Do not change your sitting position too often. In the early stages of pregnancy proper rest and adequate sleep is necessary.

Avoid high-heeled shoes at all costs. The practice is dangerous as it will put lots of strain on the back. Use a low flat stool for sitting. Avoid kitchen work for longer durations.

Your clothing should also be imaginative. Avoid tight clothing. Even if you are tired, avoid slumping forward. Slumping pushes the rib cage forward and down to the stomach. You can well imagine the
resultant problems. While standing, be comfortable and keep your knees soft.

Your experienced friends and relatives will give you the correct tips for your backache problem. Such tips, at times, are more useful than the medical advice you get from your family doctor.

www.backpaindetails.com/pain/ & Back Pain Relief provides detailed information on back pain, back pain treatment, back pain cure, back pain relief and more.

3 Common Back Pain Questions Answered

Millions of people struggle with back pain and fail to get lasting relief and the primary reason is a lack of knowledge and understanding about back pain.

In our work with over 20,000 back pain sufferers here at The Healthy Back Institute, we have identified several questions that are common among nearly all, back pain sufferers. And unfortunately, for many, these people continue to struggle with back pain because their questions never get answered or they get the wrong information.

So the purpose of this article is to educate and inform anyone suffering from back pain by answering these common questions and by giving specific recommendations and actions to take.

Question #1 – Is my excess weight causing my back pain?

While excess body weight is a factor, it by itself typically isn’t enough to create a condition that would cause back pain. Excess body weight in the form of excess body fat can worsen a pre-existing condition and can also make recover more difficult.

Also, it’s important to understand that if you are overweight it’s very likely that your muscles are out of balance. When your muscles are out of balance, it forces your body to function and move in an unbalanced way and this places uneven pressure, strain and wear tear on your body. And it’s this process that is responsible for creating any conditions or physical dysfunctions that are causing the pain. Unfortunately, most people aren’t even aware when this is happening with their body.

Action to take:

Don’t worry so much about your weight right now. First focus on eliminating your back pain by identify the muscle imbalances that are throwing your body out of balance and work on improving and correcting them. Then, once your back is feeling better you can focus more on losing weight.

Question #2 – I’ve tried everything but nothing has worked, what should I do?

First off, while it may seem like you’ve exhausted every possible treatment, it’s not likely that you’ve tried everything. So unless you’ve given up and plan on living the rest of your life in pain, you need to make the decision to be open-minded and continue to identify and experiment with other available treatment options. But, before you try any other treatments, it’s important that you understand why what you’ve already tried hasn’t worked.

The reason nearly all back pain treatments fail to deliver long-term relief is because they treat just the symptoms and fail to address the actual, underlying cause. For example, let’s talk about back surgery. While removing a piece of a herniated disc may, if you’re lucky, reduce or eliminate your pain, the fact is it didn’t deal with what caused the disc to herniate in the first place.

In fact, a study published in the June 2004 issue of Spine, an international journal for the study of the spine, found that 40% of people who underwent back surgery had no decrease in their pain even though their doctor/surgeon had assured them of the results.

So in order for you to get long-term, lasting relief you need to identify and address the underlying cause of your pain.

Action to take:

Identify the underlying cause of your pain by identifying the muscle imbalances that are creating your physical dysfunctions and conditions. Make sure any treatment you are given or perform addresses both the symptoms (condition and pain) and the cause (muscle imbalances and dysfunctions).<

Question #3 – My doctor not to exercise, what should I do?

Find a new doctor. Too many research studies have shown that people with back pain who avoid exercise and activity, end up suffering longer and have a more difficult time getting relief.

While you may need to rest for a few days initially to let things settle down, after that you will get better results by staying active because by continuing to move you keep your blood circulating and your muscle active, which will prevent them from getting weaker.

But that’s not enough.

Even though staying active may help; it’s not enough to get rid of the underlying cause of the pain. In order to do that, you must identify and address your imbalances and dysfunctions.

And the generic exercises that almost every back pain sufferer receives from their healthcare professional, may or may not help… it can even worsen the condition. And the reason is, these exercises do not address the specific muscle imbalances and dysfunctions that are responsible for their pain.

Action to take:

If your doctor or healthcare professional hasn’t taken the time to educate about the effect of muscle imbalances and importance of performing targeted and specific, corrective exercises and stretches, it’s time to look elsewhere.

Unfortunately, the number of healthcare professionals who are educated and trained in the art of identifying and addressing muscle imbalances is small and finding one can often be difficult. If you have trouble finding someone in your area, please feel free to contact us here at The Healthy Back Institute by calling 800-216-4908 and we’ll do our best to help you.

Conclusion

If you’re a back pain sufferer, you well know that these are just a few of the many questions that you may have. The fastest way for you to get lasting relief from back pain is to become an expert on it and your body and you do that be educating yourself.

I strongly encourage you to learn as much as you can about back pain, how it develops and the various treatment options that are available. And lastly, stay focused and don’t give up.

Article courtesy of Steve Hefferon, CMT of The Healthy Back Institute. You can take advantage of the many available free resources on their website by visiting http://www.losethebackpain.com

Suffering From Lower Back Pain?

One of the top reasons that people miss school, work, and other
things is due to lower back pain. This is a very common problem
that can begin as a small pain and steadily increase over time
or it could begin as a serious pain that needs immediate
attention from a physician. There are some treatments for
lower back pain, but often it can be difficult for people to
completely get rid of the pain. Since this problem is causing
so many people to miss out on obligations, it is a huge concern
for physicians.

Sometimes lower back pain can move down the buttocks and legs,
creating other problems. Often the pain is the result of
nerves being pinched due to poor posture, straining of the
muscles, and other problems. When there is a lot of pressure
on the nerves in the lower back it is called sciatica. This is
an incredibly painful problem and can last for a long time.
Other causes of lower back pain come from being overweight and
putting too much pressure on the lower back, sitting or
standing in one position for too long without stretching or
exercising, etc.

Ways To Relieve Lower Back Pain

The first thing you need to do when you experience lower back
pain is to discover the source of the pain. Once you know what
caused your pain, you will have a better idea of how to treat
it. For example if you pain comes from sitting too long with
poor posture, you may consider getting a back brace that helps
you maintain better posture and take frequent breaks to stretch
you back. If your lower back pain is the result of an injury,
you may only be able to get pain relievers and take it easy for
a while until the body naturally heals itself. Sometimes lower
back pain requires surgery in the back in order to be relieved.
Often when you don't have any reason for having the lower back
pain, you could have a serious problem and need to have it
checked out immediately.

Serious conditions that can cause lower back pain include
arthritis, scoliosis, or even cancer. The best thing is to
seek treatment as soon as you detect the problem. That way you
are more likely to take care of the problem before it gets
worse. People that are known for treating lower back pain
include physicians, osteopaths, chiropractors, and
acupuncturists. If you are unsure what is causing the pain, it
is recommended that you first see your primary practitioner and
then go from there. For more information on lower back pain
and its treatment, begin searching online. You may be able to
discover a possible source for you lower back pain that you
never considered before.


About The Author: Dola Raheem is the author of "Health Buster
Program" and of several reports that explain ways to reduce
Back Pain, through improved lifestyle and adequate exercise
activity. Check out his website at
http://www.healthbuster.com/healing-back-pain-without-drugs

What Is Causing My Back Pain?

If you are experiencing back pain and it is interfering with
your daily life, you may be curious about your cause of back
pain. Back pain is a problem that so many people live with and
many people have difficulty alleviating it. There are different
treatments available, but in order to know how to treat your
pain, you need to know the cause of back pain first.

Understanding The Cause Of Back Pain

The cause of back pain for many people is standing or sitting
incorrectly. Often stand and sit hunched over. When the bones
in your back are properly lined up as you would see in someone
standing straight, your back can best support your body. When
you are hunched over the weight of your body is displaced
unevenly putting pressure on certain parts of your back. Many
people sit in front of computers or at desks much of the day
and end up hunching over rather than straightening their back.
The same goes for people who spend most of the day standing in
one spot. If you are like this in your daily life, that may be
your cause of back pain.

Another cause of back pain is due to heavy lifting. This is a
quick way to injure your back if you aren't lifting properly.
This is why it is best to always keep your back straight when
lifting and focus on lifting with your legs rather than your
back.

A common cause of back pain that occurs in older individuals is
ageing and arthritis. This is unavoidable and may mean that you
will need to see your doctor about pain killers.

Talking With Your Doctor

In taking with your doctor you will find that the cause of back
pain is damage done to the spinal cord. This can be a very
minor injury that causes back pain for a couple days or it
could be a more serious injury that requires treatment. So if
you correct what you think might be the cause of your back pain
and yet the pain continues, make sure that you pay your doctor a
visit. You may find that you need surgery or maybe just a
prescription for some pain relievers.

There are many possibilities for your cause of back pain. For
more information on cause of back pain, pain medications, and
other treatments begin searching online. You don't have to
live in pain forever.


About The Author: Dola Raheem is the author of "Health Buster
Program" and of several reports that explain ways to reduce
Back Pain, through improved lifestyle and adequate exercise
activity. Check out his website at
http://www.healthbuster.com/guide-to-common-cause-of-back-pain

Is Back Pain Related To Your Genes?

Genes are blue print of your whole body structure. They contain
in them all the key information that will decide the formation
of your body parts. It is said that there occurs some chemical
reactions in the normal functioning of the genes which lead to
various diseases. With more and more information coming out
about the functioning of the genes, there is a constant debate
within all races of scientists regarding the co-relation
between your back pain and genes.

Till date, it is perfectly established that some abnormalities
related to back are connected to the genes. There are many
characteristics of the structural abnormality that occurs in
individuals. Of them, scoliosis, also known as curvature of the
spine, is the most common one. This is a genetic problem that is
more prevalent in females than males. The seriousness of this
disease is measured in the degree of curvature of the spine.
Scoliosis was a common problem many years ago, but now with the
coming up of the new age science, the disorder has been
controlled.

Another spine disorder, spondylolisthesis is known to affect as
much as five percent of the total population of the world. The
irony is that most of the individuals who suffer from this type
of back pain or spine disorder do not know that they are
afflicted from it. The disease involves the forward
displacement of the fifth lumbar vertebra. This happens when
continuity in your bones break. The severe form of this disease
involves surgery that fuses the distant bones of the spine.

Another genetical disorder related to your back pain and spinal
cord is Spina Bifida. The term Spina Bifida means a separated
spine or a forked shaped spine. This type of abnormality starts
at the time of fetus development in the mother's womb. The
activity of genes are such that they prevent the formation of a
bony arch over the spinal cord. As a result there is no
protection left between the cord and the spine. This amounts to
serious abnormality in the infant. Spina Bifida can be
surgically corrected. There is another form of this disorder.
It is termed as Spina Bifida Occulta. In this disorder there
occurs a small separation of the bones. It is less fatal than
spina Bifida.

Apart from these there are other abnormalities that may crop
up. That is, presence of four lumbar vertebra instead of five.
But a point to note here is that this abnormality does not
cause any problem. At the time of birth a person may also have
a poorly formed vertebrae due to defective genes. The
occurrence of this condition is very rare.

Remember the above mentioned conditions usually come up
unnoticed. If not in the childhood, these disorders can come up
in the later years. Though rare, these disorders can come up as
a shock to you any time.

About The Author: The author writes about a number of different
topics. For more information on back pain visit
http://www.backpaindetails.com/pain/ and also visit the article
page:
http://www.backpaindetails.com/pain/blogs/living-with-back-pain.htm

Great Alternatives To Ease Back Pain

As you age, you start collecting tons of little aches and pains
you didn't have when you were younger. Are you wondering just
how bad it's going to be when your reach, say, seventy-five or
so? Backaches and neck pain are especially common; my mother is
continually complaining that her back hurts. Given my luck, I'll
probably have the same types of aches and pains when I reach her
age. In any event, I've decided to be proactive and find ways
around having a backache for the rest of my life.

I know there are perfectly good treatments out there and I'm
ready to go for it and get some relief. How about you? Do you
suffer from joint pain, hip or lower back pain? If so, are you
ready to do something to be pain-free forever? Think about what
types of treatments or therapies available to you that may help
rid your body of pain from this moment on.

The first step is to find a reasonably-priced and effective low
back pain or joint treatment. How exactly do you accomplish
this? If back pain seems to be the biggest problem you have,
consider seeking the advice of a chiropractor. If you don't
have one already, getting set up with one is a good idea. As
you age, aches and pains are inevitable so you may as well be
proactive about it.

Chiropractors are specialists in bones and joints and they
understand how the body works, especially the skeleton,
including the spine, and the ligaments and muscles. I know a
chiropractor who treats both young and old for back and neck
pain. He says that many of us wake up with pains in the back
and neck and that most of the problem has to do with our poor
postures, the type of bed you sleep on, your pillow and the
type of shoes you wear.

These are things you can easily fix and if they don't work, you
can see the chiropractor to treat your pain. In some cases,
however, it's not a matter of a simple ache or pain. Some
people, however, suffer from serious injuries and need more
intensive treatment like surgery and medications.

Acupuncture is a type of back pain therapy that is really
gaining in popularity lately. A form of treatment originating
in China, acupuncture involves the insertion of needles in
various parts of the body in order to heal pain and cure
disease. Backaches and other muscular pains respond very well
to acupuncture, when done properly.

While this is a type of therapy used for many conditions, back,
neck and muscular pain are conditions that are particularly
suitable for acupuncture. If you're interested in finding
someone who does acupuncture near you or who treats back pain
in your area, go on the Internet and do a search for
acupuncture or low back pain. Do your homework to find the
right treatment for you. You don't have to suffer forever with
pain your whole life.


About The Author: Read more from Joe Goertz at:
http://www.myhealth-magazine.com

Lose The Back Pain Review

After viewing The Healthy Back Institute's Lose The Back Pain System, all I can say is that it's revolutionary in the treatment and curing of back pain and sciatica. This team of doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists and personal trainers put together a completed package.

The system teaches you how to self-asses your specific conditions and how to correct it. The corrective exercises and stretches are performed by the individuals as demonstrated in the 2 DVD's and Manual. One of the neatest aspects of this self assesment is that it takes away the guessing. The very first step involves having
someone take pictures of your posture in several different specified positions and angles. This is used in determining which stretches and exercises should be performed to CORRECT the problem.

That is the whole intention of this system; TO CORRECT. Most back pain is caused by muscle imbalances which lead to compensation therefore pain. The exercises and stretches that you will perform, are intended to correct those imbalances to get rid of your pain.

There are also two CD's which outline how to get the best results out of the system, strategies to reduce and manage your pain, and condition specific recommendations.

What most doctors recommend when you tell them you have back pain is to take addictive muscle relaxers and pain killers. And in some cases surgery, which from most of the post-surgery patients i've seen, most haven't had relief. Often times they just traded one problem for another.

Therefore, it is my recommendation that anyone with back pain or Sciatica try the Lose The Back Pain system by The Healthy Back Institute. It is a natural way of correcting your condition and becoming pain free.

To learn more about this revolutionary treatment system, please visit http://www.losethebackpain.com

Stephen

Physical Therapy for the Lower Back: How to Prevent and Treat Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is one of the most common causes of job-related disability and why some people miss work. It is also the second most common neurological ailment in the United States, second only to headache. In fact, approximately 80% of adults in Western countries have, at some point, experienced lower back pain.

For some fortunate people, pain in the lower back may be resolved by itself or with the aid of medication within two to four weeks. However, there are some cases of lower back pain that may last for more than a few weeks, during which case the condition is termed as “chronic” and “progressive,” meaning it can only grow worse over time.

Moreover, 60-80% of those patients who suffer their first episode of lower back pain may experience recurring pain within one year.

According to current research, there are certain muscles in the back that work to stabilize the spine. When the spine or the back suffers an injury, these muscles are reflexively inhibited or shutdown. Worse still, these muscles do not spontaneously recover, and this is true even if patients do not feel pain and are able to return to normal activity levels.

As a result of the inhibition of these muscles, called lumbar multifidi and the transversus abdominus, lower back pain occurs. However, there are steps you can take to prevent the same thing from happening to you.

Lower Back Pain and Physical Therapy

One way to prevent the inhibition of the lumbar multifidi and transversus abdominus is through a series of physical therapy exercises.

Designed to strengthen the muscles of the lower back and keep the spine healthy, these physical therapy exercises may range from back stabilization exercises to muscle strength development and several wide variety of techniques.

In addition, a physical therapist may also recommend such methods as heat therapy, ultrasound, massage, mobilization, and education about posture and body mechanics in order to prevent lower back pain from recurring.

Some of these methods will be discussed later on. You will also find some practical self-help tips provided by experts to help you avoid lower back pain or prevent the condition from worsening.

However, before we head on to learning how lower back pain is treated through physical therapy, it is important that we first understand what causes lower back pain.

Lower Back Pain: CAUSES

There are actually many types of back pain, but the most common is pain in the lower back. Why? You might ask. The reason is simple: you carry most of your weight in the lower back. Thus, it is highly likely that a person would suffer pain in that area.

There is no definitive cause of lower back pain. Sometimes, the causes of the condition are so complex that it is difficult to pinpoint just a single one.

However, physical therapists and other healthcare professionals have observed that lower back pain is often a result of strained back muscles and ligaments due to any of the following activities:

• Improper posture

• Heavy lifting

• Sudden awkward movement

• Muscle spasm

• Stress

We could all be guilty of the above activities. We may not suffer any back pains now, but it is likely that as we get older and the degree of inhibition of the back muscles as a result of these activities increases, back pain becomes a very distinct possibility.

In addition to these common activities, lower back pain may also result from specific conditions, such as:

• Herniated disk (when the disk material presses on a nerve)

• Sciatica (when a herniated disk presses on the sciatic nerve. The condition causes sharp, shooting pain through the buttocks and the back of the leg.)

• Spinal stenosis (when the space around the spinal cord and nerve roots becomes narrow. This is caused by arthritis and bone overgrowth, the pain resulting from when a nerve gets pinched in the narrow space.)

• Spondylosis (a type of arthritis affecting the spine due to degenerative changes brought on by aging)

• Spondylolisthesis (when one vertebra in the spinal column slips forward over another)

Lower Back Pain: TREATMENT

The treatment of lower back pain depends on several factors, including the specific type of lower back pain (whether it is chronic or acute) and the purported cause.

For instance, acute lower back pain is commonly treated with pain relieving drugs, such as analgesics, or some forms of exercises that can help relax the muscles.

On the other hand, chronic back pain – or one that lasts for more than two weeks and is progressive – may be caused by some underlying condition, during which case the treatment plan may consist of resolving the underlying condition to treat the back pain.

Lower Back Pain and Physical Therapy Exercise

Physical therapy exercise is one of the most common methods of treating lower back pain. In fact, many home remedies for lower back pain consist of exercise, because the general theory is that if you remain active, you remain healthy. This is true in most cases.

However, for purposes of this article, the exercises featured here will be those that are practiced by physical therapists to treat patients with lower back pain.

Generally, in physical therapy exercises, the exercise program for back pain should encompass a set of stretching exercises, strengthening exercises, and low impact aerobics. Read below for more on these exercises:

-Stretching

The back of a person is composed of the spinal column and contiguous muscles, ligaments and tendons. All these are designed to move in consonance with each other so that any limitation in the range of motion in any of these components of the back result in back pain.

Stretching for lower back pain specifically targets soft tissues, such as muscles, ligaments and tendons, found in the back and around the spine. By stretching, the spine and soft tissues are mobilized, increasing motion and thus, relieving pain.

There are many kinds of stretching exercises employed by physical therapists. One is the Hamstring Stretching Exercise which works to relax tight hamstrings, a common symptom of lower back pain. This exercise is said to help decrease the intensity of lower back pain among sufferers.

-Strengthening

Physical therapists generally use two forms of strengthening and back pain relief exercises, usually depending on the specific condition of the patient. These are the McKenzie exercises and dynamic lumbar stabilization exercises. However, the two forms of strengthening exercises may also be combined should the therapist find it appropriate to do so.

-McKenzie Exercises

Named after a physical therapist in New Zealand, McKenzie exercises are primarily extension exercises that could help reduce pain generated from the disc space and also may help reduce the symptoms of herniated disc by reducing pressure on a nerve root.

For acute pain, the McKenzie exercises should be done frequently, at least once every two hours. In addition, patients are advised to avoid flexing their spine when exercising.

-Dynamic Lumbar Stabilization Exercises

Using this back exercise technique, the first thing that a physical therapist does is to look for the patient’s “neutral” spine. This refers to the position that allows the patient to feel the most comfortable.

Afterwards, when the patient is in that position, the back muscles are then exercised in order to “teach” the spine how to stay in this position.

Performing these exercises on a regular basis can help strengthen the back muscles and keep the spine well-positioned.

Low Impact Aerobic Exercises

The purpose of low impact aerobic exercise is to recondition the back. Patients who undergo reconditioning of the back through low impact aerobic exercise will have fewer episodes of lower back pain.

In addition, whenever an episode of lower back pain does occur, the pain is less intense and lasts only for a short period.

Another benefit of low impact aerobic exercise is that patients tend to stay functional – that is, they can continue with their regular work and carry on with recreational activities. In contrast, patients who do not undergo low impact aerobic exercises typically experience the gradual loss of their functional abilities.

For low impact aerobic exercises to achieve their desired results, they should be continuous. This will increase the heart rate and keep it elevated as well as increase the production of endorphins, which are pain fighting hormones released by the body.

Here are some examples of low impact aerobic exercises that you may want to try in order to lessen or reduce lower back pain:

-Walking

One of the simplest forms of aerobic exercises, walking is generally considered as very gentle on the back. To get the maximum benefit from walking as a form of low impact aerobic exercise, walk two to three miles three times per week.

-Stationary Bicycling

This form of aerobic exercise is less painful on the back since there is lower impact produced. This is beneficial for patients with lower back pain who may find walking too painful.

-Water Therapy

Sometimes referred to as aquatherapy, water therapy is simply doing exercise in the water. The buoyancy works to provide effective conditioning at the same time stress on the back is reduced.

Summary:

Lower back pain is one of the most common causes of job-related disability and why some people miss work. In this article you will find some practical self-help tips provided by experts to help you avoid lower back pain or prevent the condition from worsening.


Nishanth Reddy is an author and publisher of many health related websites. Visit his website for more information about lower back pain relief and treatment methods. Learn different treatment methods used for back pain relief.

http://www.back-pain-relief-guide.info

Understanding Back Pain Treatments

To understand your back pain is the best method of its treatment. If you commence taking over the counter medications, the pain may instantly stop, only to re-emerge with double vigor. Any medicine does two things, either it delivers the goods. Or it damages the goods. Either positive effects or negative side effects! Back pain treatments have to be understood in this context.

Taking unrecorded painkillers have done enough damage to back pain sufferers. It is therefore better for you to visit a pain management clinic that understands the root cause of the pain, and then commences a treatment that is suitable in your case. It is reported that over 60 % of the people who opted for the treatment at pain management clinics, regularly for a period of one year, have experienced substantial decrease in the level of suffering.

The main advantage of taking treatment in the pain management clinic is that a group of specialists take care of your problem. These health care providers normally include, apart from your family physician, psychologist, physical medicine specialist, neurologist, anesthesiologist and most importantly the physical therapist.

Pain clinics also offer non-drug therapies like physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, breathing exercises, TENS (Transcutaneoius Electrical Nerve Stimulation), self-hypnosis, biofeedback, hot and cold therapy.

Pain medications that directly and instantly relieve you of back pain include steroids to reduce inflammation, muscle relaxants and tension reducing medications. But before deciding about the clinic, examine its creditability. That is, whether it has the Certification by the American Academy of Pain Management.

By way of additional verification, please see whether the clinic holds the certification by the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine.

Along with the medication, physical exercises and stretches go a long way in permanently getting you rid of the pain problem. The recurring back pain problem may adversely affect your day to day activities. It has a direct bearing on your working efficiency, with pain anywhere in the body, you can not concentrate.

If you take treatment on the lines indicated above, most probably you will be relieved of your back pain problem permanently. If these treatments, including physical exercises do not work, surgery is the only alternative. Surgery is again, a risky proposition. But why surgery is necessary depends upon the consensus arrived at by your personal physician in consultation with other specialists.

About the author
http://www.backpaindetails.com/pain/ & Back Pain Treatment provides detailed information on back pain, back pain treatment, back pain cure and more.

Massage Therapy For Back Pain

People who get chronic back pain will tell you that it is a life-altering ailment. It has serious implications on the ease of carrying out daily activities and function. Back pain sufferers can feel completely disabled by their condition and therefore, prone to depression.

Back pain is one of the most common ailments in adults and sub adult today, it can be caused by something simple as a poor lifting habit or even poor sleeping habits. This can become a very large problem, as this type of pain really has no boundaries and can last from hours to months. This is a very long time for someone to suffer this type of pain, as sometimes it can be very excruciating.

In terms of treatment, there are several. These include pills, and therapy, and braces, and acupuncture. However, one method stands out as being effective in helping people with their back pain: massage therapy.

Massage therapy for back pain is a low risk, and non-invasive method of treatment. Not only will this method help in the pain aspect, it also aids in the release of natural chemicals the body produces known as Endorphins. This is great for people who suffer from acute pains.

Historically, the use of massage therapy was not readily accepted by conventional medicine as a treatment of back pain or any other pains for that matter. However, the medical society now accepts this method as a valid complementary treatment, recognising the many therapeutic benefits that it brings.

The aim of massage therapy is quite simple; it increases circulation and blood flow that the affected area with the muscles needs. This stimulates the rejuvenation of the tissues and muscles surrounding the affected area, promoting a relaxed and stress-less flow of blood. Many times people that have back problems; they are not quite sure why they have them. Some feel they have not had an injury to any muscles in the back area so they should not be suffering.

The fact is that there are many reasons that the back can be hurting you. If there is an injury to the bone structure in the back then the muscles surrounding the injury will then become very tense in order to protect the affected bone injury. This will only make the back tired and weak, once it is at that point it will pain the person with a great deal of trouble relieving the said pain.

Back pain can easily stop you from doing what comes natural for you such as sitting or walking. This will easily become a major problem if it happens when you are in need to work, and have no other means of income. It is also known that back problems are not the hardest thing for doctors to detect or diagnose. Hence your employers and insurance companies will not be too happy either at your reason of not being able to function well.

Out of all, clearly the worst would have to be lower chronic back pain. This is the area just above the tailbone and it can be an ongoing nightmare for some. In this situations, massage therapy can bring much relief. If you are able to ease the pain, you will find that just being able to do the little things in life is a cause for celebration!


About the author

Caroline Colby writes on massage therapy, shiatsu massage, massage techniques, massage chairs, massage equipment and massage spas around the world. She also has step-by-step recipes for massage oils that you can easily prepare. Please visit her site at http://www.massage-therapy-central.com.

A Closer Look at Lower Back Pain Relief

As many as 8 out of 10 adults will experience back pain in their lifetime, and most of them will feel it in their lower back. When we consider that our lower back bears the brunt of our body weight, and that our back is made up of many vertebrae, a few discs to absorb shock, several major nerves and joints that allow for movement of the spine, stacked on top of each other, this statistic begins to make more sense.

Back pain is either acute, appearing quickly and intensely after an accident or injury and lasting only a short while, or chronic, recurrent pain that can come seemingly out of nowhere. The direct causes of chronic back pain are rarely obvious – simple movements, arthritis, bad posture, obesity, and internal disorders can all cause our backs to ache.

It is important to try to pinpoint the cause so you can get the most appropriate type of treatment for your low back pain. Doctors often recommend medications for lower back pain relief. Both over-the-counter and prescription medicines can ease lower back pain, and Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), which include aspirin and ibuprofen, can significantly reduce inflammation as well as back pain. Acetaminophen, available in many over-the-counter medicines, acts as an analgesic and is often used to treat acute pain. Occasionally doctors prescribe opioids or muscle relaxants for severe pain, although these can be habit-forming. Once common, doctors prescribe back surgery less often nowadays, which usually involves implanting one of several medical devices to stabilize and fuse the spine.

The medical community is now questioning the efficacy of bed rest, once thought to be essential for healing and lower back pain relief. Medical studies seem to prove just the opposite – that exercise is the real healer. Specific exercises strengthen back muscles, increase flexibility and tone, and pump fluid into back discs, alleviating soreness caused by disc dehydration. Getting up and moving or performing physical therapy can relieve back pain.

Many sufferers say they have experienced lower back pain relief through acupuncture, an ancient Chinese treatment in which needles are placed in specific points on the body. Chiropractic, whose practitioners realign the vertebrae of the spine to correct imbalances in the musculoskeletal system, provides relief for others. Whichever type of treatment one chooses, it is important to remember that there are many causes of lower back pain, and no one treatment will work for everyone. Pain Relief provides detailed information on arthritis, back, joint, lower back, natural, chronic, neck, sciatica, knee, fibromyalgia, and muscle pain relief. Pain Relief is the sister site of Acid Reflux Web.

Chiropractor For Back Pain

Back pain is something most of us know all too well, lower back, upper back neck and head pain is a wide spread condition in almost every country and across all maturity ages. When people are faced with continuous back pain that doctors tell them can not be helped through the use of ordinary medicine, they start looking for a chiropractor to ease their pain.

A chiropractor is not some miracle worker, nor are the chiropractors a part of the alternative medicine scene, far from it, these are highly trained professionals that know everything starts with the spine, and any type of back injury is somehow connected to the spine. Chiropractors use their extensive knowledge of the spine and back to find the source of the problem that is causing the patient back pain.

The understanding of how the back muscles and spine makes the chiropractor the most experienced professionals in this area, particularly when it seems that all hope is gone a chiropractor can reason out what is going on in your back, the muscle effort and the stress that is places on each part of the back can be analyzed and understood, and most importantly – you back pain cause can be solved, and the pain gone.

Chiropractors minimize the back pain and get your spine in balance, and once they have your spine in balance, the main work is to keep you at a controlled state in which you do not suffer from this pain any longer. This maintenance work can be performed by the implication of different and various methods.

In some cases patients are extremely stressed, causing their body to be highly tense and in a condition that is very difficult to treat, although these are definitely not the majority of the back pain population patients, it has been known that some rare cases encounter sever problems.

In these kind of cases it may be better to look for a chiropractor doctor to have them treat the condition. Sometimes the diet we eat can contribute to cramps in the muscles or problems with the joints, the body has a way of understanding that it should avoid using these muscles and compensate for their use. This muscle compensation may result in more back pain, and sometimes this can be solved by a visit to a chiropractor doctor.

This kind of doctor uses a more alternative approach to physical problems, learning from the Chinese and acupuncture techniques, they will use their hands gently to perform the best task to fix the ailment. The Chinese techniques have been used for centuries, and still are very popular today in many different parts of the world, and the Chinese are closely related in their acupuncture and acupressure techniques.

Some chiropractor doctors combine more than one technique or method to solve back pain and back problems, this is very important for the patient that does not have to go to a few different experts to treat the same problem, and knowing that you are in the hands of a chiropractor doctor is reassuring enough for you to let them do the work and solve your back pain.


About the author

John Furnem is a dot com veteran, specializing in human resources and work psychology he has written articles about relief and stress management. John currently writes Stress Relief and Chiropractor articles for http://chiropractor.zupatips.com/ http://ZupaTips.com

You Must Change Your Mind So You Can Fix Your Back Pain

You Must Change Your Mind So You Can Fix Your Back Pain
I have tonsilitis right now. Not a big deal. I usually
get tonsilitis once every two years. Besides my inflamed
tonsils, I have no other signs or symptoms.

I use herbal green tea with honey and lemon to treat my
tonsils and throat. Reluctantly, I will probaby go to the
doctor today or tomorrow to get an antibiotic for it
assuming it is bacterial in origin. A good antibiotic
should clear it up quickly until the next time of course.

Many people including doctors treat back pain the same way.
Doctors give patients painkillers in the form of shots or
drugs and send them on their way until that nagging back
pain creeps up again.

This may offer temporary or short-term relief for the
patient but ultimately it leads to a revolving door effect
that clogs up doctor offices, increases patient costs and
offers no real long-term solution for back pain sufferers.

If you are like most back pain sufferers, barring injury of
course, your back pain is caused by overwork, stress,
anxiety, lack of exercise, poor nutrition and perhaps lack
of sleep.

If you think your back pain might be related to any of
these, I have great news for you. You can defeat your back
pain without going to the doctor and without depending on
costly and risky prescription and over-the-counter drugs...

That's right...if you are a back pain sufferer there is
real hope for you. The secret to ending back pain is not
as simple as taking an antibiotic to clear up tonsilitis.
It all starts with the right mental approach.

Huh? That's right. The secret to ending your back pain
might be in the old noggin. Let me explain.

First, let me say that if you are experiencing back pain
for the first time in your life, it is a good idea to get
checked out by a physician to make sure your back pain is
not related to a more serious life-threatening condition.

Once this is ascertained, you can really start to go to
work on your back pain in terms of how it might be caused
by stress or poor nutrition for instance.

Take the time to evaluate your lifestyle!

Write down on a piece of paper all the things that could be
the direct or indirect cause of your back pain.

Maybe it is a demanding boss? A stressful job? Lack of
exercise? Not eating enough fruits and vegetables?
Tossing and turning at night?

Look at the list of potential causes of your back pain and
stop ignoring them.

Make the mental choice and conscious commitment to find
balance in your life.

For instance, if you have a stressful job be sure to allow
yourself some time to take a step back and relax. Treat
yourself to that massage or spend more time at the gym to
help relieve built up tension.

Allow yourself more time with friends, family or even your
pets.

Make the conscious effort to eat better and drink more
water instead of loading up on coffees and sodas day after
day.

Get in the habit of going to bed early at night and waking
up early in the morning. Try working out in the morning
before work especially. This will give you more energy
throughout the day and help you sleep better at night.

My point is this. Make the mental choice or the mental
commitment to change things about your lifestyle enough to
create a healthier balance so you aren't suffocated by all
the crazy and hectic things life throws at you.

You shouldn't think that a bottle of painkillers or "x"
amount of trips to the doctor's office is the solution to
your back pain.

The solution is most likely already inside you.

Just remember...change your mind first so you can fix your
back pain later.

----------------------------------------------------
Mike Saros is a former back pain sufferer and author of The
No More Back Pain newsletter found at
http://www.BackReliefElite.com
He will instruct you how to end your own lower back pain at
http://www.SecretsToAPainFreeBack.com/Secrets_Discount.htm

The Aches Of Back Pain

Back pain is a problem that plagues many people. It can
disrupt your daily life in many ways and even lead to loss of
employment in some cases. Often if left untreated it can cause
you to lose a great deal of sleep and make concentrating on
tasks very difficult. Too much focus on your back pain can
increase feelings of irritability causing a disruption not only
in your social life, but possibly even in your work environment
and at home. Whether you are experiencing back pain as a
result of an injury or chronic back pain that is either
congenital or from childhood, you may need to seek the help of
a doctor for treatment.

When looking for a treatment for your back pain, you will need
to have an idea of what caused your problems. Whether your
pain is injury based or something that has built up over time,
treatment will vary. Sometimes you may need to go through some
tests to really figure out what is going on. At times though,
you may end up spending quite a bit of money one numerous tests
and never find out exactly what is going on. This can make
people feel like their back pain is something they will never
be able to escape.

Finding Relief for Your Back Pain

In some cases through testing, you may find that your back pain
is due to a serious illness. Sometimes illnesses such as cancer
can cause severe back pain. In these cases treating the illness
is going to be the key to getting rid of the back pain. This
could take many years or in some cases you may find relief
earlier than expected.

In other situations where back pain is due to reasons other
than illness, you may need surgery or other forms of treatment
to cure the pain. Some people go through a number of surgeries
during their life. The pain may be temporarily subsided with
each surgery, never giving you complete relief. If you are
lucky, you can sometimes have good luck by visiting a
chiropractor on a regular basis. The chiropractor will help
straighten out some problems in your back, but this is never a
lifelong fix.

Other options for temporary back pain relief are visits to an
acupuncturist, massage therapy, or pain medication. It is best
to seek a doctor's advice on what medications would be best in
this situation.

For more information on treating your back pain start looking
at websites that focus on back pain. You may be able to find a
good treatment to use when the pain gets unbearable.

About The Author: Dola Raheem is the author of "Health Buster
Program" and of several reports that explain ways to reduce
Back Pain, through improved lifestyle and adequate exercise
activity. Check out his website at
http://www.healthbuster.com/a-back-pain-symptom-may-appear-in-other-areas

Using Back Pain Exercise For Recovery

Back pain can grind your day to a halt, leaving you stiff,
exhausted, and unable to complete even the simplest of
activities. For those who suffer from recurring back pain,
finding ways to alleviate the suffering becomes of the most
importance. Often, these sufferers turn to medication as a way
to navigate through their day with as little discomfort as
possible. But, truth be told, medication only masks the
symptoms of an underlying problem that will only remain if not
properly addressed.

More natural methods of treating back pain - such as back pain
exercise - offer the opportunity to treat the fundamental
issue; and the way in which it does this is by strengthening
the back muscles. Often, back injury, and subsequently pain, is
the result of weak back muscles that succumb to the stress of
our lifestyles. A sedentary work environment where you spend
hours hunched over a desk, a job requiring heavy lifting, and
anything in between can cause injury and trigger back pain if
your muscles are not up to the challenge. Back pain exercise
works to strengthen your body so that it can strongly and
confidently stand up to daily abuses.

First and foremost, back pain exercise must be supervised
closely by a doctor - either by your general practitioner, a
physical therapist, or chiropractor. An experienced medical
professional can skillfully tailor a back pain exercise program
to address your specific needs and areas of concern. In this way
you can work to remedy your existing injury and prevent future
pain.

Your doctor may recommend a back pain exercise program of light
aerobic exercise, including walking that will help limber joints
and muscles. Further down the road, you may begin a weight
lifting regime as part of your back pain exercise program that
will help to strengthen muscles.

Additionally, part of strengthening the back, as any doctor
will tell you, is strengthening the front. Your back is
supported by a strong core of abdominal muscles. Strengthening
abdominal muscles will go a long way to alleviating back pain
and preventing injury. To this end, your doctor may recommend a
program of yoga or Pilates as part of your back pain exercise
program that will work to strengthen and elongate core muscle
groups thus providing stronger support for your back muscles.

Many doctors also consider a regimented stretching program to
be an integral part of back pain exercise. Stretching keeps
muscles limber and improves flexibility thus providing a line
of defense against injury.

Back pain exercise should be an individual program specifically
designed to alleviate your pain and heal your injury. With
consistent effort and medical supervision you will find that
your back pain subsides and you are living a much stronger,
healthier life.

About The Author: For easy to understand, in depth information
about back pain visit our ezGuide 2
http://backpain.ezguide2.com

Breathing and Flexibility Training at Your Desk

Breathing and Flexibility Training at Your Desk
Do you have a desk job? I do, and many times sitting all
day can really take a physical toll on the body, making us
more tired, and less apt to working out or getting the
physical activity that our body's naturally crave when you
get home.

It seems counterintuitive, but sitting all day actually
makes you more tired than if you had been up and about all
day because you haven't gotten your blood pumping and the
blood becomes oxygen deprived, which makes us feel
fatigued, even though we haven't physically exerted
ourselves all day.

Like I said, counterintuitive. You'd think you would be
bursting with restless energy after sitting at a desk all
day in front of a computer, but that is not usually the
case.

How many times have you gotten home from your desk job, and
felt exhausted, ready to fall into bed or on to the couch
and call it a night? Well, there are some little exercises
that you can do right at your desk if you don't happen to
have a workout facility at your place of employment, or
somewhere near to go to get some physical activity in for
the day.

One of my favorite moves, with also helps to relieve neck
and back pain, and is sort of like a yoga move, is one that
focuses on both tightening the tummy and making us sit
taller in our chairs, bringing more oxygen to the blood,
and rejuvenating the mind.

First, sit up straight in your chair. Be mindful to keep
your stomach pressed in, but still keep breathing as
smoothly and evenly as possible. Next, imagine your head
is spiraling up toward the ceiling, while your shoulders
are consciously down, far away from your ears.

As you exhale, expand the belly out. Repeat this several
times, breathing smoothly. This should help get your blood
circulating and serve as a refresher. Another one, this
one more for you lower body, is to increase circulation in
the legs, as well as to enhance flexibility in this rarely
used area.

It's a simple ankle roll. One foot at a time, imagine your
toes are reaching out of their shoes. Rotate the entire
foot in one continuous circle, first clockwise ten times,
then counterclockwise ten times. At the end, flex your
foot and extend it out for about five times to loosen up
the arch of the foot as well.

You should notice, even doing this keeps the body warmer by
enhancing your circulation. The next stretch is for your
lower back. Sitting up straight, imagine again your head
is extending in to the sky. Gently twist to one side with
your hand on your sacrum, which is the bony part between
your back and buttocks.

Be sure to do this one very slowly, and don't kink or twist
too hard. Keep the breath fluid, and go slow, and you will
find that your body will relax and you can go further into
this position. Do this to each side, and hold each pose
for about thirty seconds for optimum benefit.

This next one may look a little more obvious, but you
should be able to do it with no problems discreetly when no
one is looking, and it feels really good because it
releases a lot of hip tension, which many of us don't even
realize we have.

Sit as if your were going to cross your legs over one
another, but don't do it all the way, leaving your ankle on
your knee. Next, elevate your bottom leg, which will lift
the top leg resting on the bottom leg as well, toward your
chest. You may need to back away from your desk for this
one.

You should feel an excellent stretch in your outer hip
flexor. These definitely are not the only stretching for
flexibility exercises you can do at your desk.

You can probably even create some of your own to target
your most tense areas, but just be aware not to push to
hard and to use your breath to go further into the pose.
It's like therapeutic, circulation-enhancing and mind
clearing yoga - at your desk!

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Danna Schneider is the cofounder of
http://www.dietingmagazine.com , where you can find
information on weightloss products, fitness equipment and
diet reviews, and dieting tips for losing weight. She also
founded http://www.dailydietblog.com , a site deidcated to
the latest offerings and breakthroughs in weight loss and
fitness, updated constantly.

Identify The Root Cause Of Your Back Pain Before Fixing It!

Back pain sufferers need to find the root cause of their back pain before trying to fix it. This article identifies potential causes of back pain and then steers back pain sufferers toward finding their own specific cause(s) of back pain. Once the cause of back pain is identified, action must be taken to eliminate it for good. Read more ..................

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If you feel that back pain is completely overwhelming your life, you are not alone. So many people live with debilitating, even crippling back pain everyday seemingly with no end in sight.

It is a daily ritual for them to reach into the medicine cabinet and pop a pill of their favorite over-the-counter pain reliever or doctor prescribed medication.

Despite the publicized health risks for taking these drugs on a continuous basis, back pain sufferers continue to swallow pills even if the relief only lasts temporarily and is miniscule at best. A cycle of doctor visits, pick-ups at the local pharmacy and popping pills becomes a way of life.

But does it have to be this way? Are we truly limited to just a bottle of medication with potential side effects and the one-sided advice from a doctor?

ABSOLUTELY AND POSITIVELY NO WAY!!!

AND YES...YOU AND YOU ALONE CAN DEFEAT YOUR OWN BACK PAIN!

First, you must understand that everyone for the most part has access to a huge arsenal of tools for combating, eliminating and managing back pain. But not everyone has the same degree and cause of back pain.

It is so important to find and effectively use the right set of tools for your own particular situation.

For example, too much rest or relaxation (a tool for getting rid of back pain) has the potential to be detrimental to your health if weak and underdeveloped muscles are the underlying cause of your back pain.

On the other hand, if you suffer a herniated disk from playing a sport, rest and relaxation may play a larger role in a quick recovery.

So essentially, effectively treating your back pain first depends on identifying the primary cause(s) or origin(s) of your back pain.

The better you are at identifying the cause of back pain for your own particular situation, the more specific and exact your arsenal of tools will become to effectively eliminate your back pain for good.

So after all that, you must identify the cause(s) of your back pain. Let's look at some common causes of back pain.

Common Causes Of Back Pain

-Poor Posture
-Injury (Sports, Car Accident, Fall, etc.)
-Poor Genetics Or Congenital Disorder (Scoliosis, Spinal Stenosis, Degenerative Disk, etc.)
-Using Improper Lifting Techniques
-Obesity
-Frail Bone Structure/Osteoporosis/Osteoarthritis
-Muscle Weakness/Imbalances
-Lack Of Exercise/Sedentary Lifestyle
-Poor Nutrition
-Stress/Anxiety
-Poor Sleep
-Performing A Repetitive Motion That Puts Strain On Your Back

Take a good long look at the list above. Just about everyone who suffers with back pain can relate to one or several if not all of these common causes of back pain. I, personally, can relate to every single one.

And it's ok to have several causes or identifiers of your back pain. The more you can discover, the more weapons you will have to effectively combat and eliminate your back pain for good.

Back pain is similar to a weed. You can't just mow over the top of it and hope you never see it again. You have to find the root of the weed or the root of the problem in order to effectively treat it.

How do you do this?

Well, you need to examine your own lifestyle. I would like you to ask yourself these questions to help determine your cause(s) of back pain:

Questions To Determine Cause Of Back Pain/Circle All 'Yes' Answers

1. Do I suffer from a congenital condition or was I born with a spinal condition?
2. Do I not pay attention to my posture either sitting or standing?
3. Do I not practice good posture either sitting or standing?
4. Have I suffered from a recent car accident or fall and subsequently experienced back pain not long after?
5. Do I do a lot of heavy lifting or bending over in my job or at home?
6. Do I perform an unnatural repetitive motion at work or at home?
7. Do I not practice safe lifting techniques?
8. Am I 20 pounds or more overweight?
9. Do I not eat enough fruits and vegetables?
10. Do I not drink enough water? 8-12 glasses per day?
11. Do I eat too many sweets and foods containing sugar?
12. Have I been diagnosed with osteoporosis or arthritis?
13. Do I lead a sedentary lifestyle? Am I a couch potato?
14. Am I under a lot of stress? Do I suffer with anxiety?
15. Do I have trouble sleeping?

Of course, these are just a handful of questions you could ask yourself to discover the root cause(s) of your back pain. Please circle the questions that have a 'Yes' next to them if you have not already.

Take a good look at the questions you circled. This method is not foolproof but it is a great way to see all the potential causes or root origins of your back pain. You should see the things you need to improve in order to help you live free of back pain.

Once you know or at least have some idea of the cause(s) of your back pain, then you can delve deeper into the plethora of ways to combat and eliminate it once and for all.

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Mike Saros is a former back pain sufferer and author of The No More Back Pain newsletter found at http://www.BackReliefElite.com . He will instruct you how to end your own lower back pain at http://www.SecretsToAPainFreeBack.com/Secrets_Discount.htm

Information You Should Not Ignore If You Are Worried About Poor Posture Causing Your Back Pain

When it comes to preventing back pain, proper posture is one of the best ways to maintain a pain-free back. Getting in this habit offers your spine more of the benefits of a neutral position that takes pressure off vertebrae, muscles, disks, nerves, cartilage and other structures in the back. Read more ....................

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Proper posture is important because it keeps your spine in a more neutral position that does not put pressure on bones, muscles, disks, soft tissue, nerves and other structures in the back.

Now I know what you are thinking already. "I practice good posture and I don't need to read this." Ahhh...but do you really pay attention to your posture? Can you honestly say when you sit down or take a walk that you are reminding yourself about your posture?

I bet the only time you really pay attention to your posture is when you sit up after slouching in your seat and then tell yourself, "I am practicing good posture." Now think about all the times that you practice bad posture and don't even realize it.

And you wonder why you have back pain? Look, unless you are a robot, you can't practice perfect posture all the time. Whether sitting or standing, just try to be more aware of your overall posture.

But what can you do to practice better posture besides just sitting up straight?

One of the easiest ways to fall into a habit of poor posture is typing at a computer. Your hands reach for the keyboard which causes your shoulders to slump forward. This promotes poor posture and can lead to back problems.

Here's a trick. Get a yard stick and place it across the center of your sternum just below your clavicle bones. As you are sitting and holding the yard stick (or you could have someone hold it for you) try to keep your shoulders from touching it. You shouldn't feel like you have to hold your shoulders back either.

Good posture should always be comfortable. This will teach you to keep your shoulders from slumping forward and causing you to have poor posture. Practice this a few times with the yard stick. Do it long enough until it is reinforced in your mind and you are trained to keep your shoulders back without having to use a yard stick.

Also, try not to lean to one side while either sitting or standing. It's so easy to just lean to one side and let your elbow rest on a table while sitting or lean your body weight to one side while standing in one place. These tiny shifts albeit small and seemingly insignificant put a gradual strain on the muscles, ligaments and vertebrae in your back.

You can also analyze your own posture while sitting in front of a mirror. Look in the mirror and see if you are sitting all the way back in your chair. See if your shoulders are slumped forward? Does the lower lumbar area of your back fit snug up against your chair if it has a lumbar support? Are you sitting straight in the chair instead of at an angle? Are you leaning too much against the back of the chair which can promote the sagging of back muscles and poor posture? These are just some of the observations you can make to better analyze faults so you can make the necessary adjustments for better overall posture.

Do you own a good pair of shoes?

It is so important to have a relatively new pair of comfortable running shoes or casual shoes or boots to maintain good posture. I once owned a pair of rubber-soled boots that I wore for about 2 years. One of the rubber soles of the boots was completely worn down making one of my legs essentially longer than the other and throwing my spine completely out of alignment.

Moral of the story: Check your shoes and make sure you don't have the same problem. If you have a pair of running shoes, you might want to consider buying a new pair every 3-6 months depending on how much you run.

One more thought that immediately comes to mind while we are on the subject of leg length is short-leg syndrome. Many people may have one leg slightly shorter than the other and not even know it. If you suspect this might be the cause of your back pain, you might want to see a chiropractor or an orthapaedist to make a proper evaluation. A simple lift or insert in your shoe might be all you need to correct this problem and end your back pain.

If you really have a hard time maintaining good posture you can try a support or lumbar device such as a lumbar roll. Since many sofas or pieces of furniture are so poorly designed for your back anatomically, a lumbar roll should certainly be used on a chair or especially a couch that really doesn't offer any lumbar support.

When it comes to preventing back pain, proper posture is one of the best ways to maintain a pain-free back. Getting in this habit offers your spine more of the benefits of a neutral position that takes pressure off vertebrae, muscles, disks, nerves, cartilage and other structures in the back.

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Mike Saros is a former back pain sufferer and author of The No More Back Pain newsletter found at http://www.BackReliefElite.com
He will instruct you how to end your own lower back pain at http://www.SecretsToAPainFreeBack.com/Secrets_Discount.htm

Massage Therapy and Back Pain

With inflammation, the back muscles can spasm, thus causing both lower back pain and difficulty in moving. Massage therapy helps to relieve muscle spasm, improve body circulation and promote healing injuries. It can also help prevent injury. The large upper back muscles are also prone to irritation, either due to weakness or overuse. Read more .............

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Registered massage therapists are trained in the assessment and diagnosis of injuries of the soft tissue and joints of the body. They use a blend of modern science and ancient philosophies to treat many conditions. Massage therapy is becoming more widely accepted in the medical community as a credible treatment for many types of back pain. Studies have shown that massage therapy can benefit chronic back pain sufferers by increasing blood flow and circulation, decreasing tension in the muscles, reducing pain caused by tight muscles and even improving sleep. Massage therapy can provide relief for many common conditions that cause back pain, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, sports injuries and various other soft tissue sprains and strains.

Massage is non-invasive and considered very low risk for most people. In addition to physical benefits, massage is usually relaxing. This can have profound psychologically benefits, particularly to someone suffering from chronic back pain. Depression is a symptom of chronic pain. Massage is thought to release endorphins, natural chemicals in the body that make you feel good and act as pain suppressors.

It is estimated that 75% of healthcare providers have sent their patients to massage therapists. If appropriate, you may want to ask your physician for a referral to a massage therapy professional in your area.

Most episodes of acute lower back pain are caused by muscle strain, such as from lifting a heavy object, or a traumatic injury like a sudden movement or a fall. The lower back pain can be severe and last anywhere from several hours to a couple of weeks. When back muscles are strained or torn, they can become inflamed.

With inflammation, the back muscles can spasm, thus causing both lower back pain and difficulty in moving. Massage therapy helps to relieve muscle spasm, improve body circulation and promote healing injuries. It can also help prevent injury. The large upper back muscles are also prone to irritation, either due to weakness or overuse.

Spinal arthritis is the inflammation of the joints of the spine. It can cause the breakdown of cartilage between the aligning facet joints in the back portion of the spine. As the facet joints become inflamed they create frictional pain as bone rubs on bone. Massage therapy can help to reduce osteoarthritis pain by improving circulation, reducing stress and muscle tension. However, it is important to seek a professional who is specifically trained in treating people with arthritis.

It is important to obtain a proper diagnosis on the cause of your back pain from a medical practitioner before beginning massage therapy. This is to ensure you receive the appropriate treatments and to rule out potentially serious conditions.

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For back pain sufferers, it is important obtain an accurate medical diagnosis of the cause of back pain. Massage therapy can effectively treat many types of back pain on its own or when combined with medical treatment. More revealing facts and resources about causes and treatment of back pain is available at
http://www.guidetobackpain.com/art-massage

Benefits of Core Training at Any Age

Core Training - Find out why and how training your core can help improve your strength, balance, posture, incontinence, bowel functioning, low back pain, and of course flatten your stomach and just make you feel better.
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Benefits of Core Training at Any Age

With all the hype about core training what is it and why is everyone so focused on it?

Core Training can be any exercise that is focused on improving strength and stability in the torso or trunk. It is important because this is where all of our movements originated. The "Core" is like the solid base or foundation on which we can move more efficiently and with less risk for injury if we have conditioned it properly.

Think about a crane with the arm moving freely from it. Without the base of the crane being stable and solid whether moving or not the arm could not function properly and with ease. This is how the body works, the torso of the body is like the solid, stable middle of which the arms and legs can be mobilized and move with more ease and efficiency.

That crane is like a well-trained runner. If you've ever seen an Olympic Sprinter notice how stable the torso is while their arms and legs are turning over in a blaze of speed. If the body happened to be unstable, wobbling or swaying side-to-side they wouldn't be able to move as quickly because the arms and legs wouldn't have that stable base to work from.

Benefits of Core Training:

· Helps to prevent injuries. A strong, stable core can help to prevent injuries because with stronger muscles supporting the spine, pelvis, and shoulder joints it can better handle the forces of rotation and compression that lead to back and joint injuries.

The body's joints are like links in a chain and are surrounded and supported by muscles and tendons. If any of these supporting structures are weak others are called upon to compensate for this weakness. Because they were not designed for this purpose they can become injured over time by the repetitive wear and tear.

For example, if I was hitting a golf ball and my low back was weak and inflexible I would probably overcompensate by muscling through the shot with my shoulders. Because the shoulder joint is not designed for such a forceful swing, over time I may injure the muscles, tendons, and /or ligaments supporting the shoulder joint.

· Helps to improve bowel function and reduces incontinence. Once again the pelvic floor muscles are part of the core. These muscles help to eliminate waste products from our bodies through contractions. If these muscles are weak or deconditioned they cannot contract properly which may lead to incontinence or improper bowel functioning.

· Reduces risk for low-back pain and injury. Core exercises are designed to stretch and strengthen the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support and protect the spine.

Most low back pain is caused by bad posture, excessive body weight, physical inactivity, and faulty body mechanics. All the gravitational forces from sitting, walking, running impact the low-back area and if it is not supported properly the spine will suffer.

· Improves posture making the stomach look flatter. The protruding "pooch" people seem to obtain around middle age is usually caused by weak abdominal muscles, specifically the transverse abdominal muscles that are located deeply in the lower abdomen. The weakness in these abdominal muscles also contributes to the "slouched" posture and "hunchback" look.

Without strong abdominal muscles to support the spine and to compress or hold in the abdominal contents your posture will falter along with the protrusion of the lower abdomen.

The Best ways to Train the Core

1. Pilates exercises are well known to work the "core" or strengthen the abdominal muscles for a flatter stomach and a long, lean look.

Pilates works from the inside out strengthening the deeper transverse abdominal muscles, those that support and protect the spine and pelvis. In essence, those muscles assist with the contractions for our bowel and urinary functioning.

What most people don't realize is that Pilates is a very rehabilitative form of exercise that simultaneously stretches the tight muscles while strengthening the weak ones. This way of exercising does, in effect, help to realign the spine, pelvis, and shoulder areas.

Pilates works to stabilize the core or torso while simultaneously mobilizing the joints to move the extremities of the arms and legs more efficiently and without stress and strain.

2. Exercise Ball for Instability. The Swiss Ball or Resistaball as it has become known is also a great way to train the core. Studies have shown that just 2 days per week on the ball has been shown to improve balance in older adults.

The exercise ball is a great core workout because of the instability of having to stabilize or center your gravity while moving on or with the ball. The core is constantly working to keep you from rolling off the top or sides of the ball while you are exercising.

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Jennifer Adolfs is a certified Pilates Mat and Equipment Specialist who works with musculoskeletal injuries. Her new Pilates Ebook outlines special considerations for those affected by back and joint conditions. You can learn more by going to her web site at http://www.Pilates-Back-Joint-Exercise.com