We here at betterbackhealthforlife.com firmly believe in non-invasive procedures for the treatment of back pain.  One of the treatments that is gaining in popularity for treatment of back pain is yoga exercises.  Yoga exercises are low impact and easy to do.  More research is being conducted on their effectiveness with back pain as described in the article below.

Robert Saper and colleagues at Boston Medical Center are conducting research to assess the likelihood that yoga may be as effective as physical therapy in reducing low back pain. If shown effective, yoga classes are more likely to be reimbursed by insurance as an alternative to more costly physical therapy.

Saper’s research is notable for its inclusion of a broader sociodemographic sampling than the predominantly white, educated, affluent populations that have been used in previous published studies. Chronic low-back pain does not discriminate, effecting 5-10% of the population across all income levels, so including a wider range of incomes in this study further validates it’s findings.

Saper notes that yoga’s potential to alleviate other conditions that commonly present with back pain (e.g., depression, anxiety, hypertension) may prove particularly important in low-income patient populations.

Saper and colleagues’ 2009 pilot randomized controlled trial compared weekly hatha yoga classes to a standard of care control group. The yoga classes included postures, deep breathing, and meditation. Participants were given a CD and materials for 30 minutes of home practice. Following 12 weeks, the control group reported minimal improvement, while yoga group participants showed 80% reduced usage of pain medications and one-third less pain.

Building on this study, Saper and colleagues received a $2.7 million grant to conduct two additional studies. The first, currently underway, explores “dose” (investigating how much yoga is the optimum amount for symptom reduction) among 96 participants receiving one or two weekly yoga classes for 12 weeks. The second, a 3-armed RCT slated to launch in 2012, is to follow 320 participants over 12 weeks, comparing the effects of yoga treatment to physical therapy and a control group. Half the participants will receive a maintenance program following completion of the treatment to determine whether this improves outcomes.

A recently-published randomized controlled trial by Tilbrook and colleagues replicated Saper et al’s 2009 findings, as did Sherman et al’s investigation of a 3-armed trial comparing yoga to an educational pamphlet and conventional stretching. Conventional stretching did not, however, outperform yoga in this study. It will thus be interesting to see whether yoga boasts equivalent benefit to physical therapy following Saper’s 2012 trial.

Importantly, yoga may not be appropriate for everyone. For those who aren’t drawn to the practice, the same benefits may not be experienced. And yoga may actually exacerbate back pain for a small minority of practitioners; one of the participants in Saper et al’s 2009 study experienced an increase in symptoms during yoga participation which improved upon cessation, a trend reported across studies in a small number of participants.

Yoga exercise is good for many things, including back pain.  Among other things, yoga can help you build up your core muscles.  It is definitely something you should consider if you experience back pain on a regular basis.  Back pain and yoga exercises definitely belong together.

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If you suffer with back problems, or if you are fortunate enough to never have had back problems, the following article will be important to you.  The secret to dealing with back pain and preventing back problems is to keep your core muscles in tip-top shape.  This is probably the most important piece of advice anyone can give you as far as back health information.  The following article goes into further detail.

Lower back pain is something most of us experience at some time in our lives. In many cases this pain can be avoided by maintaining fitness in the core muscles. In some cases such as when there has been a trauma, or a congenital problem is present, a professional may need to be consulted. Doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors and rolfers are good resources to help with lower back pain.

Back Health Information

The abdominal muscles hold in the visceral contents of the body (diaphragm, stomach, intestines), which in turn support the lower back. When the abdominal muscles are not fit this support is reduced. This not only increases the likelihood of injury, it also results in more long-term wear and tear. Improving the fitness of muscles along the side of the body and at the lower back will improve support also. Below is a set of exercises you will find helpful in doing this. Do them to overload — that burning sensation you feel in the muscles as they tire — three or more times per week. After 6-8 weeks of doing the exercises you may work to failure.

Crunches: Do these with your feet raised up off of the floor and knees bent at about 90 degrees. Cross your arms over on your chest and grab your shoulders. Lift your upper back and shoulders off the floor, hold for two to three seconds and go back down.

Hip-ups: In the crunch position described above, raise the hips and bottom up off the floor, then back down.

Side-ups: Lie on your side with hands behind your head. Raise your shoulder up off the floor, hold for two to three seconds and go back down. Repeat on other side.

Superman: Lie on your stomach with arms stretched out in front of you. Lift your chest up off the floor and hold for two to three seconds.

Another source of back pain is a lack of flexibility in the hamstring muscles. The hamstrings attach at the lower back. If they are too tight they can pull on the lower back and cause pain. The single leg hamstring stretch is an excellent choice to stretch this muscle group. Another stretch that may be helpful is the side stretch. You should stretch at least 3 days a week, but you may stretch everyday.

Single-leg hamstring stretch: Sit with your right leg straight out in front of you and your left leg bent to the inside (foot is beside knee). Lean forward and reach for your toes, go far enough to feel a stretch but not be in pain. Hold the stretch for 40 seconds and then repeat on left side.

Side stretch: Stand up straight with your feet wide and your right arm bent over your head, lean directly to the left. Repeat on your left side.

It may also be helpful to strengthen the hip muscles. In October I shared an exercise tool that can be used to improve ankle pain. It can also be used to strengthen your hip muscles. Go to http://peninsulaclarion.com/community/2011-10-07/physical-therapy-for-the-ankles to view the article describing the exercise tool. You may tie the tubing to the shoes rather than using the clips if you wish. These exercises should be done three days a week.

Hip exercises: While in seated position and hooked into the tool scoot back to get some tension on the band. Lift your heel off of the floor and pull your right leg toward your chest. Hold for two to three seconds then go back down. Repeat to overload. Repeat on left side.

If any of these exercises cause pain, discontinue and consult a professional. Remember it takes 6-8 weeks to make major gains in fitness, so stick with it! Keep in mind that regardless of how fit you are it is important to use proper lifting technique (bend at the knees not the back) and do not try to lift something that is too heavy for you. Avoid twisting your back when you are moving something, this includes shoveling snow. Avoid slips, trips and falls by slowing down in slippery conditions and using cleats when appropriate.

The best gift you can give yourself this holiday season is to pay heed to the above article and take the necessary steps to strengthen and maintain your basic core muscles.  That is the best back health information I can offer you.

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