Posts Tagged ‘heel’

Bad Backs - 10 Tips to Better Back Health

March 10th, 2012

Does your back ache after a long day at work? If so, you aren’t alone in your misery. Back injuries account for 1 out of 5 workplace injuries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While it is possible to injure your back by lifting incorrectly, carrying heavy boxes or turning the wrong way, more often back injuries develop slowly. The most common cause of a bad back is related to how the bones are aligned (your posture), which in turn directly affects the health of the ligaments, and muscle tone, promoting balanced strength and flexibility.

The following tips will help you improve your posture and decrease muscle fatigue to keep you on your feet and ready for dancing!

Tip #1

Stand in efficient alignment. From the side view, the middle of the ear should line up with the middle of the shoulder, hip, knee and ankle. The bones of the skeleton were designed to carry the weight of the body while the muscles create movement. In poor alignment the muscles are asked to overwork, resulting in fatigue and strain. Visualize your head and spine as a helium balloon tied with a string as you are standing and walking. Let it pull you into an upright position. » Read more: Bad Backs - 10 Tips to Better Back Health

Ergonomic Tips on Enhancing Spine Health Part 2

November 29th, 2011

In part 1 of this series of Ergonomic Tips On Enhancing Spine Health, we discussed maintaining good spine health with various ergonomic tips like improving on sitting posture via ergonomic desk chairs, managing your own workplace ergonomics with basic approaches. The part of the series continues with tips which you can easily manage even at a workplace environment.

One key aspect that many of us tend to ignore is the feet. Wearing proper comfortable footwear of the right size is important. A lot of ladies ignore the warnings of chiropractors and foot reflexologists and continue their daily affairs with three to five inch high heel shoes. This has adverse effect on the spine over time, as they strain over the center of gravity of your body weight, and even alter the entire body alignment. You can imagine how devastating the effect is on your spine health, especially when this is torturing process is repeated on a daily basis over time. And if your job entails standing on your feet around the clock, you might consider wearing well cushions comfortable pumps or cushion your feet with soft rubber mats.

Not only should you be aware of good standing and sitting posture but also expand the awareness throughout your workplace and home offices, during work and at leisure. To be able to apply the approaches at all instances is an important step towards keeping good spine health. Using your ergonomic techniques throughout every single activity can help reduce stubborn aches developed at any part of your day. » Read more: Ergonomic Tips on Enhancing Spine Health Part 2

Using Exercise to Reduce Back Pain

June 24th, 2011

Past research suggests that 80% of all Americans will have some of back pain during their lives. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons also supports this exact statistic with their studies.

Usually the remedy for lower back pain is to increase your core strength which increases your flexibility on any muscles that may be tight, which gives you better stabilization on your spine. Exercises to correct any imbalance of muscles are also used to treat lower back pain. The muscles that surround the spine provide stability and help to support the spinal column.

Every muscle between your hips and shoulder are considered your core muscles. Back pain can be caused by an imbalance of any of your core muscles. For example, if the back of your thighs are weaker than the front of your thighs, an uneven pull on the front of your spinal column will result.

You can integrate core strength exercises into your normal exercise routine. One way to strengthen your core muscles is to breath effectively, especially during exercise. Breathing deep will use your diaphragm muscles more. These muscles help support the spinal column and lengthen the spine. This will help support you when you walk or run. » Read more: Using Exercise to Reduce Back Pain