Instant Back Pain Relief

Hamstring muscles (any of the three muscles constituting the back of the upper leg that serve to flex the knee joint, adduct the leg, and extend the thigh) have a direct association with back pain.

It is actually the tightening of hamstring muscles that causes lower back pain. To strengthen your back, it’s essential to perform stretching exercises for the back. Exercises for back muscles will not only give relief from pain, but also will tone up your back muscles.
Here are some easy-to-perform back strengthening exercises:

Exercise 1:
• Stand straight and stretch your arms upwards.
• Now bend down and make an attempt to touch your toes, but don’t let your legs bend.
• Remain in this position for a couple of seconds and then get back to the original position.
• Repeat this exercise for at least 12-16 times.

Exercise 2:
• Sit on a chair and straighten your legs, resting them on another chair.
• Now try touching your toes with your hands, but make sure that your legs don’t bend.
• Hold the position for a few seconds and then come back to normal position.

• Do about 12-16 repetitions.

Exercise 3:
• Lie down on the floor facing upside.
• Keep one leg crossed over the other.
• Gently pull the other knee toward your chest until you feel a stretch in your hips.
• Hold the position for about 30 seconds.

Exercise 4:
• Stand straight with your hands resting on your hips.
• Gently twist your torso at waist level until you feel a stretch.
• Hold the position for a few seconds and now rotate on the other side and repeat the action.
• While performing the exercise, keep your knees slightly flexed. This stretching exercise will help to strengthen your middle back.
When to see the doctor

Seek medical attention if you;
• Experience numbness or tingling. If you have numbness or weakness in your legs when you walk, you should speak to your doctor about the possibility of spinal stenosis.
• Have severe pain that does not improve with rest and if your pain keeps you up at night. • If you have a fever, it could be an infection such as meningitis and prompt care is important.
• Have had cancer or are older than 50
If you have a history of cancer, and you are experiencing back pain for the first time, consult your doctor as soon as possible.
• Have bowel or bladder problems, or your legs keep getting weaker. If you are having problems controlling your bladder or bowel and/or your legs have been growing progressively weaker, you should see a doctor. These are possible symptoms of cauda equina syndrome, a type of back pain that is a medical emergency.
• Lose weight when not on a diet
• Bending or flexing your low back makes your symptoms worse. If you have leg pain and it gets worse when you bend over or lift your knees toward your chest, you may have a disk problem. Disk problems range from bulging disks, to herniated disks, or they can be the result of degenerative disk disease.

Compiled by Harriet S. Okot

http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/health-and-living/Back_strengthening_exercises_70943.shtml