As a society, many of us have become increasingly sedentary. This lack of activity in our daily lives has lead to many different problems with our bodies. Back pain, for example, is a result of many complicated factors, however, it there are direct correlations between decreasing activity levels and increasing back pain among the population as a whole.
The technology boom over the last several years has also led to larger numbers of people spending their days and in many cases, their nights as well, hunched over a computer for long periods of time. This article will teach you a very simple stretching routine that you can do throughout the day to counteract the added stress to your spine from long periods of sitting. This routine can be done at home or at work, and focusing on a slow, relaxed pattern of breathing patterns can also add a level of stress release to the program and further add to its flexibility benefits.
Risks and Warnings
It is important to consult with your doctor before beginning this, or any, exercise program. While this program is very mild and is not likely to cause any problems for healthy individuals, it is still critical to confer with your doctor to insure your safety. It is especially important to do so if you suffer from back pain or high blood pressure. Stop the program immediately if you feel short of breath or lightheaded at any time.
Benefits
As we discussed earlier we, as a society, spend more of our time than ever in a sitting position. This prolonged sitting can actually shorten many of the muscles in our hips and pelvis. In turn, this leads to tightness in many other areas of the body, specifically the lumbar spine, which can result in back pain.
This simple stretching routine is designed to be performed at least once per day. It can be done at any point throughout the day as often as possible. If performed consistently over time, this routine can counteract the harmful effects of poor posture from sitting for long periods of time. It is possible that it can even completely eliminate back pain, if the cause is tightness in the hips or pelvis.
As you become more familiar with the routine, you may even wish to perform the routine more than once per day. Yoga has been shown to, not only aid in flexibility of the muscles of the body, but also will decrease stress and benefit the immune system.
What You Need
The beauty of this program is its simplicity. All you need is your body, a small uncluttered area of about ten square feet, and clothing that is not restrictive in any way.
Exercise Directions
The following directions will take you step by step through three very simple yoga poses. But don’t let their simplicity fool you. These three poses, done just once per day, can do wonders for improving your posture, relieving tight muscles and back pain, and improving your overall health.
Simply hold each pose for 30 seconds, relax and repeat with the opposite side of the body. The whole routine should take less than five minutes.
1st Position – Warrior I
- Step back with your left foot until your knees are roughly shoulder width apart. With your back heel and your front heel directly lined up, turn your back foot at a 45 degree angle.
- Press down with the muscle of your left gluteus maximus while drive your left heel into the ground and simultaneously lifting your chest in the air. At all times be sure to keep the right knee directly above the ankle and at a 90 degree angle.
- Rotate your hips and your shoulders to face forward. Do your best to lengthen your spine from your waist all the way to the top of your head.
- Raise your arms above your head with your palms facing each other. Try to keep your shoulders relaxed, your chest lifted, and your elbows extended.
- If you are comfortable and would like to go deeper into the stretch, simply arch your back, tilt your head back, and gaze at the ceiling.
- Hold for as long as you are comfortable or for a maximum of 30 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other side of the body.
Beginner’s Tip
- Remember to use the muscles of your gluteus maximus to lengthen the spine and the adductors of your front leg to drive the heel into the ground as described above.
2nd Position – Warrior II
- Step your left foot directly behind you, spreading your legs about shoulder width apart or further if you are comfortable. Point your left foot at a 90 degree angle to your left.
- Point your right foot in a straight line in front of you and bend your right knee directly over your right ankle. Spread your toes apart and grip the ground.
- As with Warrior I, use your gluteus maximus muscle and the adductors of your left leg to ground your left heel into the ground.
- You should feel your hips opening up, especially the muscles of your left and right hip flexors. Extend your arms out toward the sides of your body, and extend the fingertips as you attempt to draw your shoulder blades together and open up your pectoral muscles.
- Rotate your torso until your shoulders and arms are parallel to your legs.
- Turn your head to your right and gaze directly out over your right index finger.
- Hold for as long as you are comfortable for a maximum of 30 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other side of your body.
Beginner’s Tip
- Attempt to use the muscles of the right gluteus maximus and quadriceps to drive the right heel into the ground. This will increase the stretch on the iliotibial band of the right leg.
3rd Position – Pigeon Pose
- Kneel down on the ground with your weigh distributed evenly on both knees.
- Stretch your left leg out behind you, and bend your right knee so that your right foot is near your left pelvic bone with your toes pointed.
- Place your hands on the ground in front of your right leg for balance while leaning forward over your right leg as far as possible. Be sure to initiate the bend as close to the base of your spine as possible. Try not to simply lean forward.
- Engage the muscles of your left hip and attempt to lengthen your left leg as far as possible behind you.
- As you lean farther and farther forward you should be placing the weight of your torso onto your right leg. This should make you feel an intense stretch in your right gluteus maximus.
- Hold for as long as you are comfortable for a maximum of 30 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other side of your body.
Beginner’s Tips
- If you feel you are not increasing your flexibility in this pose as much as you would like, contract the muscles of the gluteus maximus in the front leg and hold for five seconds. As soon as you relax the muscle after the five-second hold, attempt to go a little deeper into the stretch. This method is called contract-relax stretching and it can be very effective.
- When performing pigeon pose, attempt to feel the muscles of the pelvis lengthening and visualize them doing so as you hold the pose. This is another common way to increase flexibility while performing yoga.
Conclusion
As you can see this is a very simple routine that anyone can perform. And it can be done virtually anywhere. The routine is designed to take about five minutes, so it is as convenient as it is simple. Don’t take its simplicity to mean that it is ineffective. In fact, the results can be incredible.
Usually results can be seen within a few sessions, as long as they are performed daily, or better yet two to three times daily. Just one simple change such as this one in your daily routine can have amazingly positive effects on your physical as well as your mental and emotional well-being.
Glossary
- Adductors – The muscle that draws the hip inward toward the median axis of the body.
- Contract-Relax Stretching – Also called proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching. This method involves a shortening contraction of the opposing muscle to stretch a target muscle. This is followed by a few seconds of relaxation, followed by an isometric contraction of the target muscle.
- Gluteus Maximus – The largest muscle in the buttock that is responsible for moving the thigh.
- Hip Flexors – A group of skeletal muscles that act to flex the femur in an upward direction and pull the knee upward.
- Iliotibial Band – Also known as the IT Band. Its responsibility is to flex, abduct, and medially rotate the hip, and it also contributes to lateral knee stabilization.
- Pectoral Muscles – One of the four large muscles that cover the front of the rib cage and draw the upper limbs inward toward the chest.
- Pelvic Girdle – The enclosing structure formed by the pelvis that provides the attachment for the lower limbs.
- Quadriceps – The large muscle at the front of the thigh that acts to extend the leg.