If you are like most people, sitting due to work or life, has become a regular daily occurrence. And, often times, finding the time to stretch and stay moving becomes more and more difficult. If you are one of these individuals or are just tight all over, then this article will be perfect for you.

The reason stretching is so important on a daily basis is not just based on the benefits of having good flexibility, but also to have good blood flow, hydrated muscles and an overall feeling of being relaxed. The normal function of muscle is based on the “use it or lose it” philosophy. By sitting for hours a day or having a sedentary lifestyle you end up with, not only tight muscles, but also very dehydrated muscles. Someone who spends a majority of time sitting or sedentary is actually more likely to injury themselves than someone who is active and moving about. The reason, well there are quite a few, but one of the primary reasons is that people that are moving, working out and staying active tend to stretch as a “automatic response” to the activities with which they are participating. For example, if you ask just about anyone when or if they stretch each day, almost 100% of the time they will respond, ” yes, usually after I workout (or some activity).” This is generally due to the association that people apply to activity and stretching. So, if you are someone who does not exercise or participate in a normal activity on a daily basis then you can see how easy it is to side-step stretching due to a lack of that association.

So in this article I will explain a few ways that you can stretch, while at work, your desk or at the office that are simple, quick and to the point that will benefit you the most.

Stretch #1: The leg cross.

Pretty basic. Step 1: cross your legs. Step 2: sit up as straight as you can, Step 3: wrap both hands around your crossed knee and gentle pull the knee towards your chest. You should feel a slight stretch (or pulling like sensation) in the buttocks on the leg you are pulling on. Now, you will likely have to move the angle that you pull the knee towards the chest and “play with it” till you find that nice deep stretching feeling throughout the buttocks area. Try to avoid “hunching” over or bending over in the back - keep it straight! Hold this stretch for 30-45 seconds one time for every hour you are sitting.

The Reason: The glute (buttock) muscles are generally the tightest on almost every patient I run across. They simple do not use them and stretch them enough for the amount of time they are seated. So this stretch will actively “wake them up” and try to keep them loose. It is also the most common cause of back pain for someone who is in-active.

Stretch #2: The seated hamstring. (or standing if necessary)

This one will require you bring a towel to the office, or use your office chair.

Step 1: while seated, sit up as straight as you can, Step 2: wrap a towel around your mid foot just below your toes, Step 3: straighten your leg as far as you can until you feel a good stretch right behind the knee and upper hamstring. If you are unable to bring a towel, then simply stand up and put your foot on your chair, with your leg completely straight and your back and body standing straight, pull your toes towards your chest and slightly lean into your foot - keeping your back completely straight. You can do this by simply pushing your buttocks backwards while initiating this stretch. This should provide you a nice stretch behind the knee. Hold the stretch for 30-45 seconds each leg at least one time for every hour you are sitting.

The Reason: The hamstrings are, believe it or not, the second tightest muscle I run across with patients generally, due to inactivity and lack of stretching. This stretch will help elongate the entire length of the muscle and also help relieve some back soreness or even pain.

While there are many stretches you can perform daily, these are two that are quick, simple and easy to perform at your desk or in your office that will provide you with great benefit in an attempt to “loosen you up”!!!!

There will be more stretches provided in the future, but please begin these today!!

Quick note: Water intake is not the answer because the dehydration is due to lack of nutrients that are able to reach the muscles with new blood that creates the tightness. So please don’t begin to drink gallons of water each day that will not help. Simply be active and stretch regularly, 4-5 times daily.

Most people have suffered back pain at a certain point of time in their life owing to several reasons. If you understand the symptoms that are related to several kinds of back problems, you can get proper medical treatment at the right time. However, a number of people ignore back pain as they think it will go away with time. However, you would be surprised to know that any kind of back pain becomes worse with the passage of time. And therefore, backache should never be neglected. Back pains can have several indications and warning signs. And, if the symptoms are carefully analyzed, you can easily get to know the kind of backache that you are experiencing.

The symptoms pertaining to the common back pain types are given as follows.

Spinal Stenosis is a medical condition in which the spinal canal narrows down and you experience a compression in spinal cord and the nerves. As a result, your spinal cord gets stressed leading to acute pain in the back. The symptoms that are related to spinal stenosis may get worsened slowly. The symptoms may appear or disappear in some cases while walking, sitting, or moving around. Common warning signs that can be linked to spinal stenosis are pain in the lower back along with sciatica or pain in the leg, and a numb or weak feeling in both the legs. One may have a problem while walking as the pain may go down up to the feet. You may also experience pain in the arms, neck, hands, shoulder, and back.

While trying to move arms, they may feel weak, numb, and cramped. It may also affect your bladder and bowel activities. In case you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, taking the advice of a doctor can really be the need of the hour.

You may also experience back pain owing to the pressure exerted on the sciatic nerve as a result of a herniated disk or other situations. The symptoms may include gentle pain in some parts of the hip or leg with a sense of tingling. The pain may also be severe and affect the lower portion of the leg. There may be a numbness feeling in the legs in some parts. The pain may also be localized radiating down to both the legs. Standing or sitting for a long time may further aggravate your problems.

Chronic pain in the back is very common.

Symptoms Include:

• Sleeping troubles because of pain
• Pain becomes intolerable if you sneeze or cough
• Bowel or bladder activity is disturbed
• Feeling of numbness in legs
• Uncontrolled urination
• Incapability to pick up weight, and stiff hips, spine, or neck.

All these symptoms can be a result of incorrect posture, injury to the disc, over-exercising, moving muscles improperly, or because of no exercise.

Other symptoms may include the following:

• Feeling weak suddenly due to which the person may be incapable of standing or lifting weight
• Stiff muscles after getting out of bed at morning

You should never neglect back pain because it can worsen if not treated at the right time.

It is true that the majority of people suffer from lower back pain, but it is also true that the number of people suffering from upper back pain is increasing rapidly.

There are several causes for this problem.

1. Stressful life

People sit in the chairs for longer hours due to the increased pressure of work. They can spare less time for rest and relaxation. This leads to higher pressure on the upper back. The muscles and joints located here are small and delicate. They cannot withstand the long and sustained pressure. Therefore, they become tight and cause pain.

2. Pressure of the head

Our head is the heaviest part of the body and the upper back has to carry its weight all the time. When a person sits to work, he tends to bend his head forward. This, in turn, causes huge pressure on it. It also reduces the supply of blood to the muscles which become weak and tight. They, therefore, get easily tired and cause pain.

3. Dysfunction of the joints

Our spinal cord consists of several small bones. Extra pressure on the joints causes discomfort and prevents them from working smoothly.

4. Pressure upon soft tissues

The soft tissues in the spinal cord play an important role. They hold the vertebrae together and make it flexible. Overuse of this area due to increased amount of work especially on computers tires and stiffens the soft tissues and results in injury and pain.

5. The effect of the lower back

When we walk we not only move our legs and arms, we also move our spinal cord, which is spread across both the upper and lower parts of the back. It means that the joints and muscles of both the lower and the upper back work together. Therefore, when the joints and muscles of the lower back get tired they affect the upper back also.

Treatment

It is recommended that when you treat the upper back pain, you must address the tension and imbalance in the lower back also in order to ensure a complete treatment.

The best way to treat the problem is to do some stretching exercises regularly and keep the right posture. You may also take over-the-counter muscle relaxants and pain killers.

You should consult a specialist if the pain does not respond to conventional methods of treatment.

Choosing a new mattress is an important decision, but if you suffer from back pain, it is even more important that you understand what mattress will best suit your condition. In this article I have tried to cover the main problems that affect the back and advice on the best sleeping position and the best mattress type:

Osteoarthritis - If you suffer from osteoarthritis you will probably find that it is more comfortable for you to sleep on your side with your knees pulled up towards your chest as if you were in the foetal position. The effect of raising your knees has the effect of opening up the joints of the spine and should help relieve some of the pressure from within. The best type of bed for this condition is an adjustable bed, as the head and legs can be raised giving a similar effect to sleeping in the foetal position.

Degenerative Disk Condition - Degenerative disk disease is a particularly difficult condition to live with. If you suffer from this condition you will probably find that sleeping on your stomach with a flat pillow positioned under your hips and stomach. This position should relieve some of the pressure on the disks, and a you’ll find that a relatively firm mattress will give you the most comfort.

Hip Pain - If you suffer from hip pain, you’ll probably find sleeping on your side more comfortable than anything else. If you get some comfort from sleeping this way, try putting a soft pillow between your knees as this will relieve a lot of the pressure from across the top of your hips and should improve you comfort levels. The best type of mattress for you is likely to be a medium to firm mattress, but with this condition it is very much down to personal preference.

Non-Specific Back Pain - If you have non-specific back pain or one of the many general forms of lower back pain, you might be one of the many people who would benefit from sleeping on your back with a pillow placed below slightly raised knees. It has been reported in numerous studies that this is a great way for many patients to achieve comfortable sleep after they have undergone spine surgery.

One final tip that has proved useful for a lot of individuals, is to sleep in a reclining chair or one of the many adjustable beds that are available nowadays. If you notice that your back pain is worse when standing upright but better when bent forward slightly, using an adjustable chair or bed will benefit you.

Sciatica occurs as a result of irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve or one of the five nerve roots that are attached to the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body and is also the longest. It extends from the lower back, splits off and runs down the back of both legs. It is responsible for the feeling and movement of the lower extremities. Sometimes the sciatic nerve becomes compressed or irritated due to lower back injuries, pregnancies, herniated disc, spinal stenosis, and may also be self inflicted by being inactive. Sciatica pain is normally felt in the lower back, hips, thighs, and legs. The pain can become so excruciating that home treatment may be necessary.

There are many sciatica home treatment methods available but in order for these home remedies to be effective, you must be willing to start improving your diet, exercise and your overall health and have good ergonomics. Ergonomics is proper bending and lifting. You also need to be aware of the symptoms that occur from sciatica to ensure that you are treating the right thing. Some of these symptoms would include: pain in the lower extremities and buttocks that can be more painful when sitting, numb or weak feeling in the buttocks or legs, shooting pains, continuous pain, and burning or tingling feeling in the legs. This pain can also affect your feet and toes making it difficult and painful to stand up. Here are a few home remedies that may help you relieve the pain.

Water is said to be a very natural way to treat sciatica. Drinking plenty of water can improve your circulation which helps relieve the pressure. Rather than ingesting water, you may want to use it for warm or cold bathes. Alternating from hot to cold also improves circulation.

Another effective sciatica home treatment is called pelvis balance. When you balance your pelvis, it will relieve pressure from all other areas of the body. Balancing your pelvis can be done by lying down on the floor on your stomach. Then you place both hands on each side of your pelvis. Once you have placed your hands in the right position, try to notice if there is more pressure on one side than the other. If you feel more pressure on one side, your pelvis is not balanced correctly.

It is also important to begin daily exercise. Back muscles begin to lose their ability to keep the spine in place. If you start walking daily, your back and stomach muscles are continuously flexing and forcing the spine into place. You need to be aware of the condition of your spine before exercising because more damage can be caused.

There are many other methods used to help treat sciatica but these three methods are the most common for home treatment. Always remember to check with your doctor before beginning any form of self treatment. Having a healthy and active lifestyle will help prevent sciatica from ever occurring.

Relying on physiotherapy or massage therapy is definitely not enough to cure your sciatica. How many days in a week do you visit the physiotherapy? How long do you take for 1 session?

Do you think they are effective enough to get rid of sciatica for good?

Or do you think they can only give you temporal relief but not really helping you to cure the root of sciatica?

Well, as a person who was once a chronic lower back and sciatica patient, my experience told me that physiotherapy is not enough to cure my lower back pain and sciatica. If I have followed the physiotherapy programs without doing some other muscles stretching exercises at home, I? would not have been able to stand and walk around like a normal person now.

Many back experts and specialist recommend to do more back exercises to strengthen the weak muscles. The reason you can’t stand and walk normally is because you have either damaged your muscles, or weakened it. Hence doing proper muscle stretching exercise can actually give you more good than bad.

However, the problem is that some of the sciatica patients can’t even stand or lift their legs. Even a simple movement of raising the hands can cause huge pain at the lower back. So what should you do if you’re having cases like this?

If your condition does not allow you to stretch more muscles. try the revolutionized muscle balance therapy.

Muscle Balance Therapy is the latest therapy breakthrough to eliminating any kind of back pain and sciatic nerve pain once and for all, starting with a scrutinized assessment of all the muscles that affect the stability of your hips, pelvis, and spine - from both a strength and a flexibility perspective.

Muscle Balance Therapy aims to correcting your lower back muscles into a proper balance, by teaching you very specific exercises where you can do it at home with minimum pain felt.

Up to date, more than 100k patients around the world who have upper back pain, lower back pain and sciatica were managed to cut down 90% of the pain in the first 3 weeks of applying the exercises suggested by Muscle Balance Therapy.

With the nastiness that is sciatica comes the fun that is sciatic nerve therapy. If you are talking to a doctor, this can be anything from popping a pill to alternating heat and ice, (really, are you kidding me?). If you are really lucky, you may even be recommended for back surgery (fun). While I know all of these options are a boatload of fun, there are also things you can do right now, in your own home, to relieve that sciatica pain.

1. The Back Stretch for Sciatic Nerve Therapy - This is the most fun of all these stretches. It is so relaxing.

a) lay on your back

b) bring your knees to your chest and grab onto your lower legs with your hands

c) rock to the left and the right

If your pain gets worse, always stop. Otherwise, aim for at least a 30 second session.

2. The Cat Stretch for Sciatic Nerve Therapy - This is a great yoga stretch. Really stretches the back.

a) start off on all fours

b) put your head down and pull your back up (think of a cat when it is stretching - hence the name)

c) hold this for 15-20 seconds and bring your back and head back to neutral

d) aim to do this three times

3. The Dead Man’s Stretch for Sciatic Nerve Therapy - This one got it’s name because nothing moves above the waist.

a) lay on your back, legs straight

b) bend right leg up

c) cross the bent right leg over the straight left leg

d) uncross the bent leg and then straighten it back out, both legs should be out straight now.

e) do the same thing with the other leg.