Stretch and Decompress Throughout Your Day
Stretching, staying active and decompressing several times a day can help you feel better and avert soreness and pain. Sitting in a chair or in a car for hours of a day can cause havoc on your back and hips.
Decompress for back health – hang for a minute, do toe touches, or do a prayer stretch to pull the discs apart – several times a day, and especially when your back feels tired or cranky. You can do a cat-cow stretch, or lean over and wiggle your arms downward. Over the course of a day of standing, walking, or running, you tend to compact your back. It’s a good habit to start now and continue every day.
Get into the habit of stretching first thing in the morning – work on areas that usually feel sore, so you can keep ahead of the pain. This typically includes the neck, the shoulders, the back, the hips, and you may have other areas.
Keep active and take breaks from sitting or standing – walk around, stretch, dance and flail around a bit to loosen things up. Take a walk during breaks and lunch. Walk to a restaurant rather than driving. Park away from the doors so you force yourself to walk. Take stairs instead of elevators. Look at your phone app (health on iPhone) to measure your steps and distance. Make goals to work toward.
Various stretching areas to work on include – psoas, neck, shoulders, pecs, arms, legs, hamstrings, hips, piriformis, Achilles tendon, and your back – at least.
Also work on your balance. Do lunges, squats, push-ups, and figure other stretches that help areas you need to concentrate on. Ask your doctor, and physical therapist, search online or get a book.
If you tend to cramp, take electrolytes or add some into your water. Don’t buy ones with sugar or artificial sweeteners. You can try adding lemon and salt (sea salt or other pure salt) – that might be enough of help for you.
You might want to go to a yoga studio, a gym, a dance studio, or something interesting to you that will motivate you. A yoga mat makes stretching more comfortable than stretching on the floor.
While you increase your activity, you should also eat better. Sugars and other fast foods tend to increase inflammation that keeps you in pain.
Soon you should notice a difference. If not, you might try therapy.
P.R.