Pilates: How To Prevent And Relieve Lower Backache
Lower backache is extremely common and can be acute enough to stop people functioning normally on a day to day basis. Pilates is a key exercise method for helping to improve posture and therefore relieve daily aches and pains. Pilates: How To Prevent And Relieve Lower Backache
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You will need
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Step 1:
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Check your posture
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You may suffer from lower backache but are unable to pin point how and why it's caused. In this case, your posture, more likely than not, will have something to do with it.
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People with a flatter back and tight hamstrings or an over accentuated curve in the lower back and loose abdominal muscles are prone to suffering from lower backache.
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Pilates is a corrective method which helps hugely to improve these small postural deficiencies.
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We should also take into account our daily routines - you may think you don't do any activities which can contribute to backache, think again.
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Become aware of how you stand or sit. Don't be lazy and correct yourself when you can.
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If you tend to hunch over your desk, try and make a conscious effort to sit straight with your shoulders down and neck straight.
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If you slouch when you stand - in whatever the circumstance- again, make an effort to correct yourself.
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For lifting things from the floor - never bend directly down from the waist. Always bend your knees, pull in your stomach and keep your back straight.
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These small things can make a huge difference to your posture and help to avoid lower backache.
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Step 2:
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Connect your abdominals
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Lie down on your mat or towel with your knees bent and feet hip distance apart.
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Place your thumbs on the lower part of your rib cage and hands on your stomach.
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Take a deep breath in feeling your rib cage expand and as you breathe out pull the rib cage down and abdominals in, belly button towards your spine.
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Inhale again, and as you exhale repeat feeling the abdominals contract.
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Repeat this six times.
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Adapting this into your everyday life when you can and always doing it while exercising will help you to start strengthening your abdominals.
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Step 3:
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Pelvic tilts
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This exercise is good for mobilizing the lower back.
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Place your arms down by your sides and adjust your back to neutral if necessary.
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Inhale and as you exhale, tilt your pelvis towards you flattening your lower back into the floor.
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Inhale to return the pelvis to neutral, exhale to flatten the back again.
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Repeat this 6 times. Don't squeeze your buttocks or thighs to tilt the pelvis. This would be counter-productive.
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Step 4:
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Leg lifts
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The key to this exercise is to maintain the pelvis stable throughout.
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Flatten your lower back into the floor. Inhale here and as you exhale gently lift one foot off the floor, then inhale to lift the other foot off the floor. Exhale to put one foot back down, inhale to put the other foot down and exhale to relax.
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Repeat this twice more. Use your breath to help you connect with your abdominals which stabilizes the pelvis.
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Step 5:
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Hamstring stretch
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If you have tight hamstrings, this is a gentle stretch to do daily to start lengthening the muscles.
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Sit down on your balance ball, push your hips back, stretching your legs out and rest your hands on your thighs.
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Keeping your neck aligned, bend forward from your waist over your legs until you feel a stretch in the hamstrings. Only go to a point which is comfortable for you.
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Take 3 deep breaths in this position, relaxing further into the stretch as you exhale, then flex your feet back and hold for another 3 breaths.
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To finish, sit back up straight.
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Step 6:
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Back stretch
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These stretches are great for lengthening and stretching the back muscles both ways.
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Stay sat on the ball with your legs bent, but walk your feet a little further out in front.
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Place your hands behind your head, keeping your shoulders down and tilting your pelvis forwards, curl your spine down over the ball, relaxing your neck to finish.
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Take three deep breaths in this position, relaxing more into the stretch every time you breathe out. Then return to sitting.
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From here, kneel in front of the ball, fold yourself over it the other way relaxing your arms and extend your legs.
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Also stay here for three deep breaths.
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When you finish roll back up to kneeling.
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Step 7:
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Strengthen the abdominal and lower back muscles
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These exercises have only touched on those which can help to prevent and relieve a sore lower back.
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If you strengthen your abdominals and lower back muscles this will help enormously to ease pain in the lumbar region.
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Take a look at our Pilates workouts for the abdominals and back to learn some key exercises.
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So, by being more aware of your own posture, following a set of simple exercises on a daily basis, and combining Pilates into your weekly workout schedule, you'll be feeling fitter in no time and feel relief from the burden of lower backache.
