Choosing the Best Lower Back Brace

Before choosing a back brace you will need to determine what the purpose of the back brace and what it can do for you. When getting a medical brace for your back the doctor prescribing the brace will have all this information ready when you are being fitted for a brace for your back. If you have persistent back pain you should have a brace that will help to correct your poor posture. If you are participating in activities that will require heavy lifting you will want one that gives you support. Some need a back brace that will help to support your back while you are recovering from an injury.

For bending and heavy lifting consider a lower back brace that has suspenders so when it is not in use it can hang from your shoulders. This will keep it from moving normally when you are not lifting heavy objects. The brace should wrap tightly around your stomach and lower back just above your hip bones. You want to make sure that it has good quality Velcro® as an attachment system so this will allow you to remove it quickly or be able to secure it with little effort. The back of this brace should immobilize your lower back when you are lifting heavy objects, forcing you to lift with your legs and not your back.

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The posture back brace will often support your entire back and not just your lower back. You want one that is not too bulky so it will fit underneath your clothing naturally without bulging. Carefully consider what materials were used to construct the brace. While latex is very supportive it does not breathe well. This means that sweat and moisture will become trapped between the latex and your skin creating some discomfort. Choose a Lyrca® one instead because it is a stretchy material that is durable and breathable. Make sure that it fits you properly and can be sufficiently adjustable.

The back brace that is used after an injury is much stiffer and bulkier than the other braces that are used for support. This particular type of brace are used in only the most severe cases as these are usually quite uncomfortable. In any case where you will need a back brace the physician will recommend what brace to use. None of these braces will solve the problem on its own. You will have to use it in combination with other practices that are meant to help strengthen your back in order to prevent an injury again. Some of these other practices include exercises, physical therapy, rest, and more.

Do you happen to have a bad back ache, then you might need a good back brace. Have a look at these low back braces https://bit.ly/2IFe2UO

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9431800

5 Strategies to Avoid Negative Effects of Prolonged Sitting at Work

I started working in an office 5 years ago, and during the past two years I have started to suffer a few consequences of bad habits that can were formed while sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day.

The reality is that a large amount of people work office jobs these days, and a lot of them do not correlate their type of work with their health condition. It is hard to change the way society works and avoid working office jobs altogether, as we often don't have that choice. However, we do have the choice of making a few adjustment at work that will allow us to prevent illnesses and health issues caused by sitting at your job for long hours each day.

In my case, I exercise very regularity, and always have made a decent effort to eat healthy. However the past two years a few health issues have started to manifest, and it took some digging to find out the root causes. I started to develop a lot of gastrointestinal problems, and inability to breathe properly. I had to make a conscious effort to intake enough oxygen, as I often felt as if I was choking.

I also noticed that I started to hunch over when I walked and even after doing yoga I had a hard time standing straight without effort. My spine started to feel weak, and I experienced a lot of back pain.

When I visited a chiropractor, I discovered that a bad posture when sitting at my desk, plus not breathing properly had compressed some vertebrae in my spine, and had shifted my stomach in a way that impeded proper emptying into the small intestine. A series of chiropractic sessions and dietary adjustment made a lot of improvement, and now I make a conscious effort to breathe deeply throughout the day and to have a correct posture while sitting at my desk, so that the problem does not come back.

A very well researched article by Dr. Mercola discusses part of the controversy about the negative effects of sitting for prolonged hours and whether or not standing at your desk is better that sitting. The article also mentions several studies that point at a variety of negative health effects that can result from sitting more than 7 hours a day.

I won't discuss the details of those studies, but I will share with you the most important piece of information.

The bottom line as the article suggests is that the overall lack of movement might be the most detrimental issue for health, whether it is from standing or sitting; that said, it is important to mention that when you stand at your desk you are likely to get a lot more movement that when sitting, and I can attest to that because I tried standing at my desk for a while, and I did naturally move a lot more; I took some steps to reach things, I moved from leg to leg, and I changed my posture several times while standing, which increases the amount of overall movement in a day. I also felt more alert and less tired during the day. Standing is also a weight bearing posture which is beneficial for musculature and bone density.

Nevertheless, while standing might have less disadvantages that sitting, I agree with Dr. James Levine author of the book Get Up!: Why Your Chair Is Killing You and What You Can Do About It in that the emphasis should be on increasing movement of the body throughout the day rather than on simply switching from sitting to standing.

That said, if you decide to try standing at your desk I strongly recommend that you position your screen, and keyboard at the right level to avoid developing issues, as a bad standing posture can be as harming as a sitting posture.

As someone who works a full time office job, but who is also committed to improve my health and prevent future health issues, for the past year I have tried several strategies in order to reduce sitting time, and more importantly to increase the amount of movement of my body on any given day at the office, which has also helped me in my weight loss efforts.

Today I want to share with you some of the strategies I have implemented, and that have made a big difference in improving and relieving neck and back pain, indigestion, muscle soreness, and general energy levels.

1. Change positions several times throughout the day. For this, I Set a timer on my phone or computer to go off every 25 minutes, because it is very easy to get carried away with work, and before you know it 2 hours have gone by.

Dr. Mercola recommends to not sit for more than 20 minutes at a time. This might be a big compromise for a lot of people, depending on where you work. If you are lucky and have your own private office like me, this will be feasible if you are determined. I change positions every 25 minutes most of the time, and move for 2 minutes every time.

If you share office space or have a time of job where it is impossible to stand every 20 minutes, don't worry! The point is to increase movement in general, so you will still benefit from changing positions in longer intervals.

How changing positions looks like? When your alarm goes off, stand up, walk around your own office, walk to the printer, walk to the water dispenser, walk around the hallway, do stretches, squats, walk in place, and roll your wrists, your ankles, do some standing yoga poses, anything that moves your body will benefit you.

If you are not able to stand up and move around, you can practice extending your legs while seated, do the rolling of the wrists, ankles, stretch your neck, etc.

You can also try sitting on an exercise ball and switch between that and your regular chair, like I do.

Trust me, I understand this is challenging in today's world, but if you are serious about your health and understand that you are your first priority, you will make it happen!

2. Take deep breaths throughout the day. Breathe into your diaphragm, expand your chest, and rib cage to ensure adequate oxygen intake. This can also help you improve your posture, because it is hard to breathe deeply when you are slouching at your chair. Breathing deeply will also force you to keep your back straight.

3. Take a walk during your lunch break and/or coffee breaks. Your breaks are the best opportunity to get more movement in. Make a conscious effort to go out for a walk instead of staying in your office to read news or sitting in the lunch room. This is also extremely beneficial to give your brain a break, sometimes we come back with a much clearer mind and new ideas on how to solve problems.

Even if you walk only 20 minutes a day every day you work, and you work about 20 days a week like most people, you will put in 400 minutes of walking every month! That is 6.6 hours! That your body will thank you for.

Don't underestimate the power of walking. It is a great weight-bearing exercise that the body was built to do!

4. Mindful Eating

Usually, People who work office jobs, myself included, have much more opportunities to eat throughout the day, than say, constructions workers, and yet us office workers move a lot less and therefore require less energy. You see the problem?

Food is comforting when we are stressed out, and even entertaining when we are bored, but eating under those circumstances can potentially lead us towards making bad eating choices or eating more than needed.

We must be aware of our emotional state before reaching for a snack. It takes awareness of your body to know how you feel and understanding your choices. However, as a rule of thumb it is better not to eat when you are under stress. Take a few minutes to calm down and ask your body: what will really nourish me right now? Sometimes a few deep breaths or a walk are much more relieving in the long term than food.

Recognizing when we are bored is important to avoid eating out of boredom. This happened to me a lot, when work started to be a bit daunting, I used to go to the nearest bakery as a way of having some distraction, and I would buy a pastry even though I wasn't really craving it. Eventually, I noticed some weight gain after a few trips to the bakery!

Now I recognize when I am bored, or tired and I pay attention to my choices. I try to read an article instead or just go for the walk, pass by the bakery but don't stop by. Usually after a walk I will have a better idea whether I am hungry or not.

Bottom line: Eat when you are hungry, not when you are bored, stressed or tired.

5. Proper Posture. Whether you sit or stand at your desk, ensuring that you have the correct posture will prevent a lot of pain and discomfort. There are several resources on the internet that you can use as a guide.

Some suggestions to always keep in mind are: Avoid slouching, sitting cross legged, cradling the phone, and shrugging your shoulders.

Remember that when it comes to avoiding health problems from working at a desk, the key is to improve posture, and increase movement throughout the day.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9430468

How Long Are You Going To Let Neck Pain Ruin Your Life?

When you have injured your neck, the only thought you most likely will have is: When will I receive neck pain relief? Spinal pain can be an excruciating experience. With different causes and varying degrees of pain, it can be a delicate position in which you find yourself. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to alleviate the pain and possibly eradicate the problem. Take a look at the following things you should know about your situation:

Causes and Types of Neck Pain

As you are most likely aware, there are multiple types of pains associated with the neck. To achieve neck pain relief, you must first find the source of the pain. First, and always foremost, contact a medical professional, such as your doctor, for a formal diagnosis.

Discs

The spine is comprised of vertebrae, or small bones, and in between each vertebra is a disc. A disc is a sponge like material that provides support and flexibility to the spine. It can be extremely painful when a disc "slips" or moves. Problems with discs can cause numerous different types of pain, and until the discs are set back into place, the sufferer will not experience neck pain relief.

Nerves

Just as there are thousands of nerves throughout the body, the spine and neck contain hundreds of sensitive nerves. When these nerves become lodged between discs, they often create a painful sensation. These are sometimes known as pinched nerves.

Sleep Position and Poor Posture

Injury to the neck can occur from a number of different sources. One of the most common origin of the pain comes from sleeping in a poor position. While this may seem like a simple fix, improper sleep positions can cause difficulties. It is not always easy to fix a bad sleep position. Likewise, poor posture can cause undue pressure to the neck, causing hurt to the person.

Injury

Another common source of pain is injury. Whether you have been in a car wreck, experienced a sports-related injury, or have had a recent fall, the neck is vulnerable to both direct and indirect impact. Always check with a doctor if you have experienced some fall or hit to your body and have neck pain afterward.

Solutions

Thankfully, neck pain relief is attainable if you seek the proper treatment. Because a popular source for the problem lies in the alignment of the spine, including the position and placement of the discs and nerves, osteopathic manipulation is a great option for a lot of patients.

Osteopathic therapy involves the manipulation of the musculoskeletal system, which includes the muscles, bones and nerves of the body. Doctors of Osteopathy, or D.O., have had great success in treating injuries to the spine. Osteopathic physicians are certified medical doctors who are licensed to prescribe medications and practice medicine, as well as surgery, like other physicians. Yet, these doctors take a more holistic approach, viewing an injury in its totality.

Other options include physical therapy and as a last resort, surgery. If there is ever any doubt, consult a trusted physician for a diagnosis and treatment plan.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9438028

The best sleeping position for back pain, neck pain, and sciatica - Tips from a physical therapist

Benefits Of Stretching And Traction

Me: "Do you stretch?" Patient: "Not as much as I should." Most people know they should stretch. They know they feel better when they do stretch, but they still don't. Why don't people stretch?

They're stretching the wrong areas and not seeing the benefits that they should.

Some things to consider; you may not be stretching long enough, at the right time, or the right areas.

How long should you stretch?

Most people don't stretch nearly long enough. When it is time to stretch (more on that in a minute), you need to hold your stretches for at least 30 seconds, 60 seconds if you're over 40 years old. It takes that long for you to see any real change. Stretching shorter than that means you just did a little warm up, you won't see any lasting changes to your flexibility.

When should you stretch?

The time of day and what you're doing makes a big difference in the type of stretching and how long you should stretch. Before you workout, it's really best to do very short stretches. Literally 3 - 5 second stretches to actively warm up your muscles.

Since muscles, ligaments, and tendons warm up at different rates, it doesn't do you much good and could actually lead to an injury. Pre-workout, you should do a lighter version of whatever you're about to do. Playing basketball, do some light dribbling and shooting. Getting ready to go for a run, do a light jog until you feel like you are loosened up.

For this reason, I have to believe that stretching at the end of your day would be more effective in improving flexibility than rolling out of bed and doing a big stretching routine. If you do have to knock it out in the morning, try to walk around a bit first or jog in place. Do something to get the blood moving before you start stretching.

What areas should you stretch?

This is a tough one to answer because it really depends on what you do all day. Your daily activities will determine your posture, your weak areas, your tight areas, and what you should do about them. Since most of our patients are sitting at a computer all day, I'll focus on that.

Generally speaking, you don't need to stretch the back of your neck or your lower back. The only areas on the back of your body that you will need to stretch are your hamstrings and your hip rotators. Most areas of your body that are tight are on the front of your body.

You'll want to stretch your quadriceps, your hip flexors, and the front of your neck.

What's traction?

I include talks about traction because this is almost always the very next question patients ask, "how do you feel about those things where you hang upside down?" Inversion tables are available at a lot of stores. You can spend a little or a lot, depending on what you're looking for.

The more expensive ones tend to give you a lot of angles you can hang upside-down from, and they have an easy "turn right side up" button. Cheaper models will require a bit of core strength to return to an upright position.

I do like the idea of an inversion table, but I don't enjoy them myself. Hanging upside-down is not fun for me, nor is it for everyone. I would recommend visiting a store like Relax The Back. They've got a lot of them and you can try them out yourself.

We do lose a lot of disc and joint space during the day due to gravity, so inversion tables make sense. They're not a replacement for a chiropractic adjustment or stretching but they can be very helpful for a lot of people. Be sure to ask your chiropractor first if you should buy one. They'll know more about your case and can give you specific advice.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9441795

Yoga For Sciatica - Yoga With Adriene

Pillow Sleeping Tips You Never Knew - Expert Advice

Nothing is more maddening than waking up in the morning with dreadful neck and back pain. And you know what the cause of this annoying pain is? It's the pillow you take while sleeping. Yeah, you read it right. The most common cause of neck or back pain in the morning is your wrong pillow taking habits.

When choosing the pillows, it's highly significant that you pick the one that offers full support to your neck and keeps it in the right position. Though a pillow reduces neck tension, it ensures that your weight is evenly distributed along the vertebrae and spine. An ideal pillow is that which conforms to your body shape thus stopping any damage to existing injuries.

Problems Caused Due to Wrong Pillow Selection

Other than neck pain, pillows cause lower back pain too. And it happens when the pillow is too high. Apposite sleeping habits contribute greatly in keeping your back healthy over the coming years. Adopting this simple mantra, Spend the time to relax your back in bed rather than putting stress on it, can abridge the pain incredibly.

Have you ever speculated that sleeping in an uncomfortable position do no good to your pain and increase it instead? Poor sleeping routine is the biggest consequence of back and neck pain. Not treating this issue on time can cause major problems thus depriving you of night sleep and then leaving you pooped the very next day.

So now, let's dig deep into the sleep-related habits caused due to the pillows:

Sleeping Way

It doesn't actually matter that for how many hours you sleep but in which position you sleep does. If you find yourself in trouble at night then it's the time to change your sleeping position. Lets' get your hands on pillows to have a restful night and painless morning:

· Pillows maintain the body pressure while you lie down. And if you sleep on your side, take a pillow to place between your knees. It will keep the hips at a right level thus reducing back pain.

· Place the pillow under your knees to ease down the pressure from the lower back if you sleep on your back.

· I would suggest not sleeping on your stomach as it causes hypertension without making you notice this.

Though these habits are beneficial, the quality of pillows cannot be overlooked. Neck and back pain is interrelated to each other so keeping the neck in a right position does wonder in treating lower back pain. Pillows must be filled regularly to ensure that they don't get flat over time.

Many people like flat pillows while some like too high pillows. It is suggested to lay down on the bed with your nose parallel to the base for best results.

Wake Up Way

You wake up every day and the way you wake up is as important as the way you sleep. Quickly hopping out of the bed puts the strain on the body thus causing lower back pain.

· Roll to the bedside and squeeze your abdominal muscles when you wake up. Next, while putting your feet to the floor, lift yourself up using your arm. Lastly, before standing up straight, roll your neck and do some light stretches as it will help your muscles to work perfectly after the whole restful night.

Mattress Quality

Well, the most integral part of restful sleeping lies in the mattress. Make sure to buy a quality mattress that is so designed to support your back and neck curves. A mattress neither must be too hard nor too soft. The soft mattress sinks you down in it and you find difficulty in waking up.

I would suggest changing the mattress every 8-12 years. Also, you must turn over the mattress over and around to prevent flopping.

Tweaking your sleeping habits can work like a miracle in treating your back and neck pain. However, doing some small bed workouts each night is beneficial to your neck and back. Though it may be alluring to watch television and fall asleep on the couch, it can give severe pain in the back and neck. So be careful with your postures and say goodbye to back and neck pain.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9446502

Fascia of the neck (anatomy)

Don't Think About Your Health The Way Cowboy Fans Think About Their Team

I was a bit of a Dallas Cowboy fan when I was a kid. My main team was the New Orleans Saints, but I honestly enjoyed the Aikman, Smith and Irvin era in Dallas. The intrigue with the Cowboys vanished when the "Big 3" dispersed and throughout the years I started to notice how insufferable Cowboy fans were.

It's now 2016 and the NFL Draft is in the books. I watch ESPN like most average Joes and I'm just annoyed by all the hype and headlines the Cowboys receive because of a rookie running back who is (undeniably) the missing piece to the Cowboys winning the Super Bowl. It's in the books, the season is over, why watch the games, they have "the best offensive line in the league", "Tony Romo is moving around better than ever at camp". It's really amazing the amount media coverage we see for a team that has just two playoff wins in the last 19 years.

But I digress...

OK now that I got all of that out I can get to my real point. The way we think about healthcare is very similar to how Cowboy fans think about their Cowboys. Let me explain.

We've believed the hype with our healthcare system the way Cowboy Fans believe the hype about their team.

If you do the research, American medicine has a horrible track record. Over the years we have built huge hospitals and medical districts that are top of the line and state of the art (just like Jerry Jones' Billion Dollar playpen) and our healthcare system is one of the worst among developed countries while also being the most expensive.

Americans are some the sickest people on Earth, despite spending the most on healthcare and consuming 75% of the World's prescription medications. That should resonate with everyone. We see the glitz and the glamour and are attracted to it because it looks nice and sparkly, like twinkling giant stars, but the product and results are horrendous or mediocre at best.

The media blitz in Medicine is similar to the unending Cowboy promotion machine

The ads, media, and airtime that our medical system uses seems to promote "major advances" and "new medicines" that continue to sell a false hope to the majority of the American people. Yes there are areas where allopathic medicine and even the Cowboys get it right, but the overall track record is not impressive.

You can't always believe the media blitz. You should not be asking your doctor if "XYZ" medication is right for you. Instead, try asking "What can I do to make sure I never need that kind of medication?"

Blindly believing the Cowboys or the Medical System can make the improvements they need without major changes to their philosophy won't work.

Whether trying to solve our health issues with more drugs and surgery or hearing about "America's team", many people (including myself) are tired of the false hope and misinformation that persists. We have to take an active role in our own health.

I know they're trying to make a difference...

To take a step back, I'm sure the creators of these medical products have the people at heart and they are just trying to make a difference, but the reason this system is flawed is because the main agenda is not your health, but about treating disease and generating profits.

All of these super huge hospitals have to be filled with patients in order to stay running and the newer and better the hospital, the more expensive it is to get treated. AT&T Stadium (where the Cowboys play) is a huge and magnificent facility, and yes I toured it the first opportunity I got, but there are a lot of seats and they are not cheap. All of the hoopla that this team creates is simply to fill that stadium to capacity despite the bad product.

America is great because we have a choice.

Professional sports are just fun and games and I like to poke fun at Cowboy fans but our health a serious matter. Stop being sucked into a system that is advertising and selling blind hope and mediocrity. We have no chance of becoming a healthy nation without getting off the train of more and more prescriptions and taking a passive role in our health.

We have one of the worst medical systems in the world and it's because we continue fall into the same traps. The choice we need to start making is to prevent disease instead of just being treated for it. Health-care instead of sick-care. 80% of disease and health issues are lifestyle related, which means they can be prevented.

If we can prevent these health issues, why don't we?

Our approach is wrong. Patients wait until they have a symptom before they take action. Waiting for your first heart attack to start exercising is not an effective strategy. Waiting until your back pain gets so bad that the bottles of ibuprofen no longer keep it away is ignoring the signs that you need to make a change.

Many of the countries with the top healthcare systems focus on and implement preventative care such as proper nutrition, active exercising, chiropractic, acupuncture, and health screenings.

Don't wait until your health (or football team) is in such disarray that you're forced to rebuild.

I'm a chiropractor and I help people with pain on a daily basis, but my preferred patients are people who are not in pain and are here to prevent the many issues that can occur by waiting until disease forces them into my office.

I can guarantee it's cheaper and less time consuming to be proactive in taking care of your health. Let's live in reality, stop committing to a system that has not worked and start looking and listening for healthcare options that makes sense and does more good than harm. And oh yeah, WHO DAT! (Dr. Cordova Note: Ahem, that should read Go Texans!)

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9452541

Integral Anatomy V2 pt1: Deep Fascia and Muscle

Three Habits to Improve Your Mental and Physical Health

By developing three simple habits, you can improve your mental and physical health:

1. Sleep 30 minutes more each day

Increase your sleep about 30 minutes more tonight than you did last night. Stress levels are affected by sleep. Studies show that 90% of people do not get enough sleep. When we do not get enough sleep, we tend to be stressed and sometimes moody. Most people only sleep about 6 to 7 hours. However, we really need 7 to 8 hours of sleep. Try to add an extra 30 minutes of sleep each night. If you have trouble sleeping, try putting on some calm music and lowering the lights. This may help get all the thoughts out of your head.

2. Stretch 30 minutes each morning

Devote 30 minutes to stretching in the morning. If you have back pain, it is important to get up every morning and do your stretches. Many of you might have been in a physical therapy program at some point in your life, and you were given a home exercise program. Where are those sheets with your exercises? I encourage you to pull them out and do your stretches for your back first thing in the morning.

While you are doing your stretches, you could also start working on getting in your water for the day. Drink some water while you are doing your stretches. When the body is tight, you can feel very tense. By increasing your flexibility, you will help to decrease your back pain and decrease that tension. Drink your water and do your stretches.

Stretches for your hamstrings, quads, and lower truck would be great. Hold them for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat five times per set. Depending on the cause of your back pain, other stretches should be included as well.

3. Stress Less

Focus on spending 30 minutes of time to reflect upon the good things in your day. Thirty minutes to think about the things that you are grateful for. Choose 30 minutes before you go to bed in the evenings, after work or whenever, and focus on those things you are grateful for. Find 30 minutes where you can take a walk, get on the treadmill or do some activity depending on your condition. Consider walking outside and reflect upon the things that you are grateful for. This will help to refresh and renew your mind.

Studies have shown that people who are grateful are healthier and more successful, and have less stress. You might want to start keeping a gratitude journal and at the end of the day write down something today that you are grateful for. There might be someone in your life, your spouse, your child, or your parents. You may need to say something good to them about how they have helped you, how you love them, how much you love them, how much you need them, what they mean to you. Use this time to release frustration, and focus about good things.

This simple formula is an easy path to a healthier body and mind: sleep 30 minutes more each night, do 30 minutes of stretches in the morning, and spend 30 minutes reflecting upon the things that you are grateful for.

That's it:

·         Sleep More

·         Stretch More

·         Stress Less

Do these three things for three weeks, and see how you feel. If you have more positive energy, or you feel better in any aspect, continue these habits daily.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9453408

What Is Myofascial Release?

Is Your Office Job Putting Your Back At Risk?

Lower back pain is one of the most common work-related health complaints, especially among those who spend long periods of time working at a desk. Most of the time, these painful back injuries are caused by preventative factors - such as working for too long without breaks or sitting in the wrong positions.

Here we highlight 7 simple ways that you can avoid the wrath of office-related back pain:

1: Keep your mouse at close distance

Not many people associate mouse work with back pain but if your mouse is too far away, you could end up overreaching and twisting your shoulder and arm when you work. Regularly doing this can lead to neck and back pain.

To avoid picking up a painful strain, place your mouse right next to your keyboard so that it's at the most comfortable position for you to work.

2: Breathe from your stomach

As you work away at your desk, focus on pulling in your belly towards your spine on each inhale. Doing this will strengthen your core muscles which play a major part in supporting the upper body.

3: Sit close to your desk

Sitting too far away from your desk could mean you excessively stretch to reach your work tools. Ideally, your torso should be an arm's length away from your computer screen. This will help you to avoid excessive reaching and twisting which are both common causes of back injuries.

4: Think on your feet

Think about what your feet are doing while you're typing away at your keyboard; their position could be putting your back health at risk. Make sure that you keep your feet flat on the floor at shoulder-width apart. This will reduce tension in your ankles and knees.

5: Take a break!

Deadlines and heavy workloads often mean many office workers work through their breaks and push themselves to their limits, but your health is more important than your work. Taking breaks at least once every hour - even just to walk around or do a few shoulder rolls - will reduce the pressure on your spinal discs and boost your circulation. You'll also feel more focused energised (which won't go down too badly with your boss!).

6: Remember the "90 degree rule"

Try and sit with your knees at a 90 degree angle (so that your knees are directly over your ankles). This simple tip will help to keep your spine in a natural upright position.

7: Work your shoulders

Shoulders bear the brunt of a lot of the body's tension so remember to give them some TLC as you graft away at your computer. Learn how to perform some self-massage techniques and regularly roll your shoulders back and down.

Try these small but highly effective measures the next time you get to the office - you'll probably be surprised at how much more comfortable and productive you'll be!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9454710

The Role of Fascia in Movement and Function

About The Scoliosis Back Brace

Before we can discuss a back brace for scoliosis, it is important that you know what scoliosis is. It is a medical condition in which a person has an abnormal side-to-side or lateral curvature of their spine. When a person has scoliosis the curves of their spine can be classified according to their shape. These include:

• Levoscoliosis-it forms a "C" shape and the curvature is towards the left.
• Dextroscoliosis-it forms a backward "C" shape and the curvature is to the right.
• Dextroscoliosis-it forms an "S" shape and there are two curves in the spinal column.

The scoliosis back brace is generally the treatment that is used for any curves which attain twenty-five degrees. Once the physician determines that wearing a brace is the right treatment then the child will usually have to wear a back brace until their spine quits growing, which can mean that it will be worn for many years. Most of these braces have to be worn all the time, even during sleep. They can be taken off when they take a shower or bath. It is very important that they wear the back brace all the time because the objective is to keep their spine aligned properly at all times. This helps encourage the spine to grow straight. Some may be permitted to take the brace off for sixty minutes each day to take part in activities like swimming.

In times past the Milwaukee brace was the only available type of scoliosis back brace. It was an effective brace but it was bulky. It also had metal bars that immobilized the neck and was impossible to cover the brace. Today the brace most commonly used is called the Boston brace. The brace starts under your arms and is able to be totally covered with some type of clothing. It is considered a low-profile brace. It is a form-fitting back brace and made of plastic, which is a bit more comfortable. Some braces, like the Providence or Charleston were worn only when sleeping but they are not used as much as the Boston brace.

Generally the scoliosis back brace is worn over an undershirt or t-shirt to help prevent irritation to your skin. It is preferred that the shirts be one hundred percent cotton. You will also have to do brace maintenance and cleaning along with monitoring your skin to make sure there is no irritation or other issues. At first it can seem uncomfortable but as you get use to it you can resume all your normal activities. Wear it as tight as possible to keep it from rubbing against your skin.

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Fascia: The Body's Remarkable, Functional Glue

Lower Back Lumbar Disc Herniations

One of the more common problems of the lumbar spine is a herniated disc. The spine is made up of a series of connected bones called "vertebrae." The disc is a combination of strong connective tissues which hold one vertebra to the next and acts as a cushion between the vertebrae. The disc is made of a tough outer layer called the "annulus fibrosus" and a gel-like center called the "nucleus pulposus." As you get older, the center of the disc may start to lose water content, making the disc less effective as a cushion. As a disc degenerates and breaks down, the inner core can leak out through the outer portion of the disc, and this condition is known as a disc herniation through a crack in the outer layer. Different terms may be used to describe a herniated disc.

A bulging disc (protrusion) occurs when the disc annulus remains intact, but forms an out pouching that can press against the nerves. A true herniated disc (also called a ruptured or slipped disc) occurs when the disc annulus cracks or ruptures, allowing the gel-filled center to squeeze out. Sometimes the herniation is so severe that a free fragment occurs, meaning a piece has broken completely free from the disc and is in the spinal canal. Most disc herniations occur in the bottom two discs of the lumbar spine, at and just below the waist. There are several stages of a herniated lumbar disc spine. Over time, due to wear and tear of the spine and due to age, the discs will naturally weaken. During this stage, very minimal symptoms may be present such as periodic slight back pain. The next stage usually results in a prolapsed disc whereas the shape or form of the disc may have a bulge resulting from a slight impingement into the spinal canal. If the gel-like nucleus pulposus actually breaks through the outer later but remains inside the disc, an extrusion will occur. The final and most serious stage is a sequestered disc which will occur when the nucleus ruptures and breaks essentially spilling the substance into the spinal canal.

Lower Back Lumbar disc herniations

The goals of nonsurgical treatment are to reduce the irritation of the nerve and disc and to improve the physical condition of the patient to protect the spine and increase overall function. This can be accomplished in the majority of herniated disc patients with an organized care program that combines a number of treatment methods. A Spinal Decompression Therapy involves stretching the spine, using a traction table or similar motorized device, with the goal of relieving back pain and/or leg pain. This procedure is called non-surgical decompression therapy (as opposed to surgical spinal decompression, such as laminectomy and microdiscectomy). Spinal decompression devices use the same basic principle of spinal traction that has been offered by chiropractors, osteopaths, and other appropriately trained health professionals for many years.

It is a type of traction therapy applied to the spine in an attempt to bring about several theoretical benefits including: Create a negative intradiscal pressure to promote retraction or repositioning of the herniated or bulging disc material. Nonsurgical spinal decompression is a type of motorized traction that may help relieve back pain. Spinal decompression works by gently stretching spine. That changes the force and position of the spine. This change takes pressure off the spinal disks, which are gel-like cushions between the bones in your spine, by creating negative pressure in the disc. As a result, bulging or herniated disks may retract, taking pressure off nerves and other structures in your spine. This in turn, helps promote movement of water, oxygen, and nutrient-rich fluids into the disks so they can heal.

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