There is hope, however. Unless resulting from a serious trauma such as a break, most lower back pain can be lessened or eliminated completely and naturally by a good postural program and a regular exercise routine.
The lower back supports more weight than we may realize, especially when relaxed. During every moment spent upright, the head, shoulders and even the arms apply vertical pressure on the lower back and spine.
Much of this support is provided by the lower back’s arched inward curve toward the body. Incredibly stable structures, arches efficiently support heavy loads and, in a classic case of function following form, feature heavily in modern and ancient architecture.
Unfortunately, we often compromise this natural support in many ways that feel completely relaxed, and without even knowing we do so. We do things that pull our vertebrae out of alignment, thus reducing or eliminating the natural arch and causing back pain.
The spine’s hundreds of muscles are often not toned enough to maintain a natural posture, resulting in slouching as weakened muscles struggle to bear our weight. Sometimes we work to correct the problems ourselves without fully understanding what we’re doing, failing to strengthen the weakened muscles and in turn straining. This creates tension, which only tires us further and perpetuates the negative cycle.
A proper posture program, including lower back pain exercises will teach your body to find a comfortable stance, one you can hold for long periods, and train your body to hold it that way. By maintaining good and efficient posture, the pain you have long experienced will slowly diminish, or may even disappear entirely. What was once agonizing will then feel relaxed and natural.
A thorough postural improvement regimen will include lower back pain exercises and must tone weakened and unused muscles so they don’t tire easily. Stretching should be used to promote muscle flexibility. Learning to relax is as important as is building strength, since unnecessary tension inhibits good posture and is at the root of many aches and pains. Body awareness is the final piece of the puzzle, teaching you to automatically notice and correct inefficiencies before they become new problems which must be fixed again later.
All four of these criteria are essential for a good postural program. Without one, you may feel better at first, but over time the aches and pains will return as your body settles into its old and inefficient routines. When combined, however, these four types of exercise support and re-enforce each other. They’ll help you to not only acquire new good habits, but to maintain them, and to prevent inefficiencies from developing.
Good posture is about more than managing pain, however. We associate efficient posture with confidence and belief in one’s self. By appearing more confident, others will treat us accordingly, and the positive cycle will perpetuate. Healthy posture and confidence is but a few steps away.
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