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Exercises For Mild Back Pain

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For minor problems with the back, there are ways to decompress the spine without outside assistance.

Find a table or a bed that is higher off the floor than the height of your torso. Then lay face down on the edge of the surface and make sure that the tops of your thighs are supported while your entire torso hangs to the floor. Relax your back, your arms, and your neck. Allow your body to go completely limp. Breathe deeply and remain for several minutes. When you emerge, you'll feel taller and less tense in your spine.

Or, as my husband suggested last night, tie a rope around your ankles, hoist yourself up to the ceiling, and hang like a bat!

Inversions are safe and healthy for those with minor back problems and use gravity to create space between vertebrae...

Anyone else have ideas?
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replied November 6th, 2007
Active User, very eHealthy
Hello Yogahoneybunny,

With due respect Yogahoneybunny, permit me to look at back pain in a different light.

The question is - What are "minor" back problems? Just because ones pain is not a 10, or even a 6 does not mean that you may not have something very seriously wrong with your back. My pain level goes from almost zero to a max of 3, and yet several spine surgeons have told me after looking at my MRIs that I have a really messed up back. Numerous things are wrong.

So to make my point - If you have back pain, then seek professional medical advice. At least have an x-ray taken.

I take it by your "handle" that you enjoy yoga. My daughter and daughter-in-law are into yoga. My wife has also taken yoga classes. All three speak very highly of it. When I started to have back pain my daughter encouraged me to go to yoga classes. Perhaps it would have been fine to do so, however, I'm a firm believer that you first seek professional medical advice. I saw my doctor, and yes, I did go to physical therapy. Yoga I will leave to the healthy.

I would caution others regarding "home" remedies. Be careful that you don't make things worse when not knowing what the proiblem is.

RichT
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replied November 7th, 2007
Active User, very eHealthy
Agreed, RichT.

Thoughtful, serious, and trained yoga instructors will never encourage students to initiate any movement that brings on pain...or those that compromise injury. This is simply a suggestion for those willing (and able) to work with what they have using self-judgment.
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