Lower Back Care

Lower back pain is a problem for nearly 80 percent of Americans. And if you are part of this percentage, you might be interested to know that this type of pain is usually the result of excess stretching of the ligaments of the spine. This affects far more women than men. Lucky us. Lower back pain is usually due to muscle imbalance. This is caused either by an increased curvature of the lower back or a lack of flexibility in the lower back and the muscles surrounding it, predisposing you to tight, rigid muscles, making you more susceptible to lower back injury. So, you may ask, why are women the more frequent sufferers? Because of the types of shoes we wear or being mothers. High heels or pregnancy can shift your weight forward and increase the curve in your back, leading to back pain. Men who carry excess pounds in their bellies also have their weight shifted forward and, as a result, are more likely to experience lower back pain than other men. If you have trouble with your back, either from the causes mentioned above or from a birth defect, stress, illness or injury, exercise can either help or help you. Exercise is typically the main treatment for lower back pain. If you do the right exercises, you can improve mobility and minimize pain; if not, you could be in big trouble. When doing exercises you suddenly develop pain in your back, rest your back. If after a few days the pain continues, see a physician immediately. Simple stretching exercises can relax tension in the muscles along the spine. Other exercises can strengthen the abdominal and gluteal muscles, among others, to provide your spine with additional support. "Back trouble" is a broad term for many very specific problems. These problems can be one of the following: a tear or pull of muscles or ligaments, a muscle spasm, compression or degeneration of a disc, degeneration of a bone, curvature of the spine and even tension. You could also be experiencing an infection in some other part of the body that produces what is called a referred pain along the back, even if the source of the problem isn't in your back. If your back pain is not related to any of the conditions listed above, then your troubles can be eased considerably (if not reversed) simply by adjusting the way you move. But make sure you see a doctor first before trying these exercises.

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