The 90/90 Hamstring Stretch

A really good way to stretch the hamstrings. You can do it seated if you want. The best way is to lay on your back, raising that particular leg up, then straightening the bottom leg making 180 degrees total. Hence the 90/90. Everything connects to the low back, and having tight hamstrings will contribute to low back pain.



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Wearing a Lumbosacral Support Correctly is the Key

One of the lower back belts that we recommend for preventing and relieving lower back pain is called the Corfit Lumbosacral Belt. One of the keys to this being effective is to make sure that the belt is on correctly. Here are 5 steps to making sure you have a good fit for this belt:

• First loosen the two elastic side pull straps
• Position the belt so that the lower back is covered. Position the belt across the back with the bottom edge over the coccyx or the tail bone
• Close the belt so that you are comfortable. Don't close the belt too tightly or you won't be able to breathe. Make sure there is generous overlap.'
• Grab the side pulls and stretch them out and down. This will provide maximum inward and upward lift
• Fasten the side pull straps to the front panel of the belt

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.

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A Wireless Solution for Back Pain Relief: the WiTouch

What is a great solution for muscle spasms, muscle pain and inflammation in the low back? T.E.N.S - A tens unit works to relieve neck pain, muscle tension and stiffness in muscles. One of the more technologically advanced tens unit new on the market this year is the WiTouch Wireless Tens Unit. Pretty Cool !

The WiTouch Wireless Tens Unit for Low Back Pain

The innovative thin design of the tens unit is great for placing on your lower back as it contours perfectly. You simply use a remote control to set the intensity and time for therapy. No belts, lead wires or wraps to deal with. You can even wear it under your clothes- so discreet. Very comfortable for travel as well.

Here are the exact specifications of this tens unit.
# of Channels: Single channel
Waveform: Asymmetric biphasic square pulse.
Pulse Amplitude: 0 ~110 mA = 0 ~ 55 volts, adjustable (at 500 ohm load) Pulse Frequency: (Hz) 5-120
Pulse Width: (μs) 120 - 240
Timer Control: (mins) 30
Power Supply: Device: Two (2) AAA batteries (Internally Powered) Remote Control: One (1) CR2032 Lithium battery (Internally Powered)
Size: (D x W x H): 0.7” x 7.5” x 3.5” (18 mm x 191 mm x 90 mm)
Weight (including battery): 4.8 oz (136 g)

Additional Reading Resources:

• Arc4life: for low back and neck pain relief
• Lower Back Pain Relief Products
• WiTouch Wireless Tens
• Vibration Massage: Relaxes the Muscles
• Positioning Pillows, wedges and Bolsters

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Best Treatments for Your Lower Back by Dr. Oz

This week, I want to post an article that was presented by Dr. Oz: Treatments for Your Lower Back Pain

Defining low back pain: About 80 percent of Americans will experience back pain at some point in their life. The connection to a physical source isn't always clear, since some people show no spinal abnormalities on an X-ray yet suffer excruciating pain. Here are the treatment options:

Chiropractic treatment: Even when the pain is in the lower back, the problem tends to be with the entire spine, says Victor Meir Nazarian, a Los Angeles–based chiropractor. Chiropractors employ manipulation—adjustment of the vertebrae— to help align a patient's spine, and often prescribe regular visits. "People come in only when they're in pain," Nazarian says. "But we need to think of our spine the way we do our teeth, using preventive care to stay healthy."

Physical therapy: The lower back must flex, extend, and rotate, says physical therapist Peggy Brill, author of two books on managing pain through exercise. Yet most of us sit immobile for hours at a time. That's why physical therapists prescribe walking and other gentle exercise, such as stretching and core strengthening, following a flare-up of back pain. Usually, after 72 hours patients will begin to feel better, says Brill.

Stress relief: Stress is the source of most low back pain, according to John Sarno, MD, professor of clinical rehabilitation medicine at New York University. Though Sarno doesn't dispute that the pain is real, he believes it stems from buried emotional issues that trigger tension in the body and ultimately deprive nerves and muscles of oxygen; relief comes through understanding this link and by learning to deal with negative emotions constructively.

Surgery: "Think of this as the last resort," says Paul McCormick, MD, a professor of neurological surgery at Columbia University. Surgery may be necessary in some cases of curvature of the spine, narrowing of the cavity that surrounds spinal nerves, and nerve inflammation or disk degeneration—but these conditions are rare, McCormick says: "Ninety-nine out of one hundred patients will recover without surgery."

My Recommendation: The research is positive on chiropractic treatment, physical therapy, and stress relief—they all help ease back pain. (As Paul McCormick says, with rare exceptions, surgery is unnecessary.) The key is to get moving again as soon as possible after the pain hits, and then make sure you take steps to prevent a return. I see low back pain as a warning about overall fitness: If you're active, your hips and back are flexible, your core strength is good, and you're coping well with the emotional challenges in your life, your back probably won't bother you. Overlook one of those areas, however, and your back will let you know. And while the emotional link to back pain is controversial, there's no question that stress can play a part in muscle tension, especially in the lower back and hips, leading to trouble.

Source: Treatments for Low Back Pain by Dr. Mehmet Oz

Additional Resources

• One of the Most Overlooked Sources of Back Pain
  
• Unexpected Positive Side Effects of Chiropractic Care and Spinal Decompression
  
• What is Causing My Sciatica?
  
• Lower Back Pain Relief Products
  
• Arc4life's Spine-Worx helps maintain Postural Alignment
  

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.


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How Driving A Truck can be Cause for Neck Pain and Lower Back Pain

Driving a Truck is a tough job- one that is physically demanding on the body. The fact that you sitting continuously is stressful on your neck and lower back area. This prolonged sitting, long hours without proper sleep, constant vibration and sometimes poor diet while on the road can make the case for poor health. Coincide that with a pre-existing condition in your neck and back area, may be aggravating one’s symptoms even further. So what are some things that a truck driver can do to maintain good health while on the road?

You may have to change the way you are working- for example, maybe lower or raise the truck seat, and use a lumbar cushion on your back to get the proper lordosis. Sometimes, your vehicle seat also has a built in lumbar support that you can inflate.

If you are doing heavy lifting make sure you are wearing a lumbar support belt to protect your lower back area.

Make sure you have a good head rest when you are driving as well. Even using a towel roll or Jackson Roll can aid in making sure you have good posture in your neck while driving.

Before starting a days work, stretch your neck and lower back area. Getting our joints and muscles warmed up before any activity can prevent major injuries later on. Truck driving is not just sitting for prolonged periods of time- the job description involves much more. There is a lot of heavy lifting, loading and unloading the trailer, yanking on certain parts of the truck like chains, and getting into and out of the truck which can be physically demanding on the body. Most people who are truck drivers are in good shape, but overall there is a lot of wear and tear on the body. There is a lot of bending, twisting and lifting involved.

An exercise program may be beneficial especially with the long hours with no activity that stresses the joints and body. Simply getting outside and walking after a few hours of driving can make a big difference. There are other treatments to try as well such as: chiropractic, massage therapy, Acupuncture, Physical therapy, traction for the neck/lower back - maybe even aquatic therapy.

Additional Reading Resources

• The Things that Make You Say " OH my neck": A Blog Post
  
• The Slim Back Rest for Lower Back Pain Relief
  Neck Posture
  
• How to Properly wear a lumbar Support Belt for Moderate- Severe Lower back pain
  
• Your Daily Neck Pain Free Regime
  
• Lower Back Pain Relief
  
• A non surgical way to treat moderate to severe lower back pain
  

Visit Arc 4 Life for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products, lower back supports and cushions.


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Don’t make your Back Pain An Excuse For Everything

When you suffer from lower back pain it prevents you from working, from spending time with your families, not being able to participate in special hobbies - but don’t let back pain excuse you from exercising.

For those patients who suffer from chronic back pain, they are often put out of commission for periods at a time, make a part of the family room couch.

According to the University of Michigan Health System, here are some guidelines on how to to continue exercising even with back pain.

It is very important to check with your Primary Care Physician to make sure you are okay to being any new activity. Here are some guidelines to keep yourself active:

• Low Impact exercises such as walking, swimming, and biking are generally safe for a sore back
  
  
• Before exercises, it is very important to stretch your lower back so that your muscles are warmed up. Also if you feel that your muscles are sore and tight before starting take a warm shower
  
  
• Wear Loose clothing, and don’t wear shoes
  
  
• Any time you feel pain, stop that exercise
  
  
• Avoid more involved exercises such as situps, hip twists, toe touchs or any activity that cause hyper extension in y our back
  
  
• Avoid high impact sports like soccer, football or volleyball
  
  
• Avoid Lifting weights – lifting to much weight or lifting incorrectly with bad form can aggravate a back condition.
  
  

Additional Reading Resouces:

How to Properly wear a lumbar Support Belt for Moderate- Severe Lower back pain

How to Treat Tight Muscles

Products for Lower Back Pain Relief


Visit Low Back Pain Relief- Lower Back Rests, Lumbar Support belts, and Lumbar Traction Devices




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The High Heels Controversy: Do they Really Cause Low Back Pain?

Personally, I love to wear heels- they make you look and feel taller, elongating your body, making your feet look very pretty. In fact I would love to own a pair of Christian Louboutin

If you are working in construction, nursing, or in a factory job you can get away with wearing comfortable sneakers or shoes that provide good support for your foot. But having an office job means that every once in a while, or maybe more often depending on your style, you will wear high heels. Even if your occupation does not require it, it is nice to wear high heels for a dinner or special occasion.

With all the running around that the job candidates did on The Apprentice this season, many of the woman wore heels - And some of them suffered. Claire Young, a 29 year old, 5 ft 6 business woman wore her fashion heels on every episode. Her heels measured 5 inches. According to Claire wearing heels increased her confidence level by giving her more height, and slimming down her body. Well it also increased something else: Her low back pain. On the day that the final Apprentice Episode aired, Claire was in bed with severe lower back pain, not able to move.

This morning I was watching a segment on The Today Show where they were talking about heels getting even higher- I mean like 7- 9 inches…Can you imagine that? Even models who have been wearing heels on the runway looked like they were having a difficult time walking and standing.

Truth be told, wearing heels is not the best thing for your health, particularly your lower back. Especially if you wear heels everyday, many hours a day. Wearing heels tilts the pelvis and upsets the natural s shape of your spine, creating more stress for the nerves of the lumbar spine. It can cause low back pain, knee pain, and foot pain. You can develop trouble walking, sprains, strains and conditions of the knee and ankle. Wearing heels also changes the way the muscles of the pelvis, legs, and ankle contract. Imagine walking on tipping toes all day long- how would that feel after 8 hours? Not the best. Well that’s exactly what wearing heels does to you- it changes the biomechanics of your gait (how you walk)- which then affects the alignment of your pelvis, your hips, your knees and your ankles. It’s hard to stabilize yourself wearing long heels – this can cause more falls and sprains and strains of the ankle. Finally, often times high heels squish your foot together, causing further misalignment (and Pain) to the individual bones of the foot.


For lower back pain relief from wearing heels, it helps to use a support at night while sleeping. A simple Knee Elevator placed under the knees at night can help take the pressure off the nerves of the lower back.

So how can we woman who love our heels still wear them and not suffer from the many conditions that I have painfully listed above? Wear them for shorter periods of time. You also don’t have to wear 5 inch heels- how about 2 or 3 inch heels?

So even if I do get my Christian Louboutin’s some day, I imagine that I will wear my heels on my special occasions and feel good at the same time !! – Imagine That ! - NJ

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of low back supports, lumbar rolls, lumbo sacral belts, traction products for lower back pain relief.

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