| Does your back ache after a long day at work? If | | | | and absorption of nutrients, and helps keep your skin |
| so, you aren't alone in your misery. Back injuries | | | | supple. When the body is in need of liquid to keep |
| account for 1 out of 5 workplace injuries, according | | | | essential organs, such as your heart and lungs, |
| to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While it is possible | | | | running smoothly, it will draw it from all less essential |
| to injure your back by lifting incorrectly, carrying | | | | areas, such as your discs and joints. Back strain has |
| heavy boxes or turning the wrong way, more often | | | | been lessened in some cases by simply increasing the |
| back injuries develop slowly. The most common | | | | amount of water taken in, and decreasing |
| cause of a bad back is related to how the bones are | | | | dehydrating beverages such as coffee and |
| aligned (your posture), which in turn directly affects | | | | caffeinated sodas. |
| the health of the ligaments, and muscle tone, | | | | Tip #7 |
| promoting balanced strength and flexibility. | | | | Strengthen your upper back. The area between the |
| The following tips will help you improve your posture | | | | shoulder blades is where most people slump. Wake |
| and decrease muscle fatigue to keep you on your | | | | this area up by clasping your hands behind your back |
| feet and ready for dancing! | | | | and lifting them 2-3 inches away from your body |
| Tip #1 | | | | without lifting your shoulders. You will feel the muscle |
| Stand in efficient alignment. From the side view, the | | | | contract between the shoulder blades. Now release |
| middle of the ear should line up with the middle of | | | | your hands but maintain the length of the upper back. |
| the shoulder, hip, knee and ankle. The bones of the | | | | Tip #8 |
| skeleton were designed to carry the weight of the | | | | Stretch your upper back. Stretching the upper back |
| body while the muscles create movement. In poor | | | | will decrease muscle strain and increase mobility. Start |
| alignment the muscles are asked to overwork, | | | | by sitting comfortably on the front of a chair. Let |
| resulting in fatigue and strain. Visualize your head and | | | | your head drop to the side, bringing your ear closer |
| spine as a helium balloon tied with a string as you are | | | | to your shoulder without lifting the shoulder. Slowly |
| standing and walking. Let it pull you into an upright | | | | roll your head forward bringing your chin closer to |
| position. | | | | your chest before continuing to slowly roll your head |
| Tip #2 | | | | to the other shoulder. Do not let your head fall |
| Stretch your iliopsoas muscle. The iliopsoas muscle is | | | | backward. You are creating only a half circle with this |
| the major postural muscle and is commonly involved | | | | stretch. If more stretch is desired gently place a hand |
| in back strain. It is the deepest lower back muscle | | | | on your head and/or allow your upper spine to |
| connecting from the spine through the pelvis and | | | | increase the range of half circle. |
| attaching to the top of the thigh. It is commonly | | | | Tip #9 |
| found to be overly tight in people with lower back | | | | Develop core strength. When abdominal and back |
| problems. You can stretch this muscle through a | | | | muscles are toned and fit, they act to support the |
| standing or sitting lunge position as shown. | | | | skeleton and improve your posture. There are many |
| Tip #3 | | | | different ways to actively strengthen your |
| Breathe deeply. In cultures around the world the use | | | | abdominals through sit-ups, Pilates, and other gym |
| of breath to reduce physiological stress is well | | | | exercises. When you're on your feet all day you |
| documented. Deliberately taking a deep breath | | | | need to train your abdominals to engage |
| oxygenates your muscles and encourages you to | | | | appropriately all the time, not just when doing |
| release tension you may be holding around the | | | | strengthening exercises. You can do this by first |
| shoulder girdle and rib cage. | | | | imagining your pelvis as a bowl, and making sure the |
| Tip #4 | | | | front of the bowl is not tipping and allowing its |
| Spine health includes rotation. The spine is composed | | | | abdominal contents to spill forward. With the bowl |
| of a series of small bones (vertebrae) that are | | | | evenly placed, slightly draw the abdominal muscles up |
| stacked in gentle curves with discs between each | | | | towards your ribs and back towards the spine. You |
| vertebra that act as shock absorbers. This where | | | | will feel this action primarily below the belly button. |
| spinal movement takes place. Most people spend | | | | The focus is to have the abdominals engaged for |
| way too much time in spinal flexion, as we slump in | | | | support while allowing free movement of the ribs and |
| our chairs and slouch as we are standing. Periodically | | | | diaphragm. (After all you need to speak freely to |
| sit on the edge of your chair, weight even on both | | | | your customers. No invisible belts cinching the waist |
| sides of the pelvis, and spine long. Rotate to one side | | | | and lifting the ribs, please!) At first you will need to |
| and lightly hold the sides or back of the chair and | | | | bring your attention to this small, yet powerful |
| gently encourage your spine to rotate easily as far | | | | engagement of the deeper abdominal muscles but |
| as it can as you think of growing taller as you twist. | | | | over time the pattern of usage will become more |
| Tip #5 | | | | automatic. Using your abdominals in this fashion on a |
| Stretch your calf muscles. The calf muscles are in a | | | | daily basis, whether you are sitting or standing, will |
| line of muscles connected by fascia that run from | | | | improve your abdominal strength as much if not |
| the bottom of your feet to the base of your head. | | | | more than doing sit-ups. |
| Tension in any muscle group along the line will create | | | | Tip #10 |
| strains upon the others. Conversely, releasing tension | | | | Change your stance. Most people when standing tend |
| in one of the muscle groups will take stress off the | | | | to drop into one hip, or have their feet outside of |
| whole line. It is easier to stretch your calf muscles in | | | | their hips in what is affectionately called the 'Peter |
| public than back muscles. One quick and easy way to | | | | Pan' posture. This wide stance tends to increase |
| stretch the calf is behind a counter. Place the ball of | | | | tightness in the muscles in the lateral hips and pelvis. |
| the foot on the bottom shelf of the counter (or | | | | Try shifting to a stance where the feet are forward |
| against the wall). Allow the weight of the body to | | | | and back, similar to an open 4th position. This will |
| gently drop through the heel. Do this on each leg | | | | promote a better alignment of the body, and |
| keeping the knee straight, and also barely bending | | | | decreases muscle tension in your back and hips. |
| the knee, which drops the focus of the stretch | | | | Improving your overall fitness through cardiovascular |
| closer to the Achilles tendon. | | | | exercise while targeting these key areas can slowly |
| Tip #6 | | | | and consistently improve back health. Focus on a tip |
| Drink plenty of water. The benefits of staying | | | | or two until it becomes a part of your normal routine |
| hydrated through drinking 8-10 glasses of water a | | | | before adding another activity in. Your back will thank |
| day are well known. Water is essential for digestion | | | | you for years to come! |