This pose can help strengthen back muscles and give a good stretch to the chest.

Improves spinal flexibility.

Do not do this pose if you have a neck injury.

Consult with your personal health professional, if you have back pain or other pain or injury.

If you happen to live in Raleigh, NC and are looking for a yoga teacher, try Janis Ramquist, of Gentle Hatha Yoga.

You can get the rest of the posture series with Lillah Schwartz at LillahSchwartz.com

The pose is called Bridge Pose, the fancy yoga name for it is Setu Bandha Sarvangasana.

Most Americans spend a large amount of time sitting in chairs.

Some experts feel that this contributes to the large amount of back pain in our society.

I never like to spend to much time sitting at one stretch. I get up and move around, do a few yoga poses, or some Qigong, then back to work for a bit.

Squatting may not be a great option for everybody. At home I have lowered my computer keyboard, so I can sit in a yoga pose on the floor while at the computer keyboard. I can even squat if I want to. Then if I want to sit in a chair, I just raise the adjustable monitor and stick a cardboard box under the keyboard to raise it up. Low budget ergonomic adjustment.

Love to hear your thoughts on the subject, please use the comment box below.

A Tennis ball is one good option.

You can place it against the wall, or on the floor and lie on it to hit anyplace on your back.

More Low Cost Pain Relief Options

A golf ball is a good option for the bottom of the feet. Sit in a chair, place the ball under your feet and roll it around. You can use as much or as little pressure that is right for you. Might help with plantar fasciitis, sore arches or achy feet.

• Corner of a doorway for rubbing the back, just be gentle.
• Placing the tennis ball inside a sock may give you more control over getting it to the right location. Hitting that sweet spot.
• A towel can work really nice as a back massager, especially after a nice hot shower.

Special thanks to the Masagenerd for providing these tips.

Explore more pain relief products.

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Anyone can do this at home in just a couple minutes.

Roll on the ball a bit to find that exact sweet spot.

This technique targets two areas of the body where people tend to have a lot of tension and stiffness. The first spot is right at the piriformis, often associated with sciatica and low back pain issues. The second spot, by the shoulder blades is associated the upper back and neck stiffness.

Have You Tried This?

Have you tried electrotherapy for chronic back pain or sciatica?  TENS is probably the most well-known form of electrotherapy, but many find more long lasting pain relief with Interferential electrotherapy. Try it for yourself at no cost.

More Free or No Cost Pain Relievers

Tennis balls are just one way to help relief pain and tight muscles. There are many other simple and low cost (or even free) ways to make chronic pain more bearable. Without relying on drugs which may be toxic or have undesirable side effects. To learn more, fill out the form next to the video above.

Josh Rubin from East West healing shares with us in this video.

This one takes a bit of practice to get right, there are a lot of points to remember

Lots of people suffer from piriformis syndrome. Some of the contributing factors inculde:

• Weak abdominals or core muscles
• Weak pelvic floor
• Anterior rotation of pelvis
• Gut dysfunction
• Nutritional inflammation
• Glutes become inhibited, leading to overusing piriformis
• Training or workout incorrectly
• Repetitive use issues

Instability seems to be more common than oversue.  Consulting a chiropractor or other health professional can help you pinpoint the real cause of pain and stiffness in the piriformis, legs and/or lower back.

Back Pain Articles

If you get some good results with this techique, please let us know. Use the comment box below for good or bad feedback.

It aids flexibility, is great for stress relief and helps circulation to the muscles, joints and disks of the back.

Better circulation means more nutrients and oxygen going in, more toxins coming out.

This is one of my favorite poses when I am really feeling stressed and tired. Remember the old days as a kid, when you would put your head down on the desk?

The stretch in the lower back feels really good for most people. If you don’t have a yoga bolster, like the folks in this video, maybe you could steal a cushion form the couch or use a few pillows.

The music in this video is relaxing all by itself, and the woman’s voice is soothing.
People with facet joint problems in the back may be especially happy with this pose.
Please chime in with your comments below.

It is a great stretch for creating space and length in the spine.

Counter Stretch for the Spine

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Wtach the video through and pay careful attention to the instructions for best results. Breathe slow and dep while you are doing this pose. Feel the breathe going all the way down into your pelvis. Let the breathe actually expand the lower abdomen and low back area.

You may only want to do this for a few seconds in the beginning. then work up to a little longer time.  This is one you can do several times a day. whenever you walk past the kitchen sink, or when your back is feeling tight and it needs a good stretch. I like these little exercises than can be done without any special equipment and anytime the spirit moves.

]]> http://painreliefmachine.com/fixing-back-pain-at-the-kitchen-sink/feed/ 0 http://painreliefmachine.com/are-you-stretching-correctly/ http://painreliefmachine.com/are-you-stretching-correctly/#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:58:15 +0000 Optahealth http://painreliefmachine.com/?p=755 There is a right way and a wrong way to do this stretch. There are a number of videos floating around that just do not teach the right technique. The man in this video has it right.]]> There is a right way and a wrong way to do this stretch.

There are a number of videos floating around that just do not teach the right technique.

The man in this video has it right.

Piriformis Stretch For
Back Pain and Sciatica…Done Right!
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Keep the Back Flat

This is exactly the way I learned to do this stretch in yoga class.  And I have a tremendous amount of respect for my yoga teacher.

The key here is to keep the back straight. It does not matter how far forward you go, everyone is different. Just go far enough to feel the stretch, but don’t slump over.

Popular Stretch for Back Pain and Sciatica

This is a very popular stretch because it is very good for sciatica, low back pain and helps the hip joints. This is a good one for people who sit a lot, you can do this stretch in just a few seconds, right in your chair. There are also versions of this move that are done lying down.

The reason this move is so effective is that it works on the piriformis muscle. A tight piriformis is responsible for low back issues and sciatica leg pain for a lot of folks. Of course not everybody’s issues stem from piriformis tightness.

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]]> http://painreliefmachine.com/are-you-stretching-correctly/feed/ 1 http://painreliefmachine.com/the-basics-of-back-pain-part-1/ http://painreliefmachine.com/the-basics-of-back-pain-part-1/#comments Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:40:21 +0000 Optahealth http://painreliefmachine.com/?p=731

Sitting in chairs in one of the main causes of back pain in America.

Back pain is much less common in Asian nations, where more people sit cross-legged.

Problem is, this is just not a good option for most people. So what to do?  Continue reading below ….

The Basics of Back Pain (Back Pain #1)

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It’s always a good idea to get up frequently, move around and stretch. Since I work from home, I do this a lot. Whenever I go for a long drive in the car, I stop often to at least get out and walk around.

Here is another option,  a back orthotic. It is a simple device that you can sit on. It can be used with almost any type of chair and in a car. Click here to learn more about back orthotics.

If you can’t get up and move around often there are some simple stretches that can be done while sitting and take jsut a few seconds. Check out the Back n’ Motion video for a complete set of back friendly movements that can be done sitting, standing or lying down.

If you have had success with any technique or method for reducing back pain while sitting, we would love to hear about it. Use the comment box below to fill us in. Questions are also welome.

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