Back2Yourself

Sometimes we use our pain and discomfort to justify why we don’t exercise – we believe or convince ourselves that our pain means we shouldn’t exercise. While there may be some cases where this is appropriate, those cases are few. It is important to understand the nature of our physical pain and to interpret what our pain is telling us. In general, exercise leads to a better quality of life. Don’t deny yourself this opportunity because you don’t understand your pain.

While there are many different diagnoses for people who suffer from back pain, we can see that over 70% are diagnosed as “lumbar strain or sprain”, commonly referred to as "idiopathic low back pain" or non-specific low back pain. Muscle strain or sprain cannot be identified using imaging technology such as X-rays for bones and MRI for soft-tissue. Affecting about 4% of people diagnosed with back pain, the next largest cause of back pain is due to the specific physical condition of a bulging or herniated spinal disc, which can be identified using imaging technology.

For many who have unspecified back pain, there may be swelling that causes the pain. Swollen muscles or other soft tissue can place pressure on nerves, causing pain. Weak back muscles can result in too much pressure between the vertebrae, thus causing inflammation. Drugs and injections can effectively reduce inflammation, swelling, and relieve pain. However, there are harmful side-effects from long-term use of drugs and injections and their efficacy may decrease after long-term use.

Doing daily core and back exercises provide health benefits that are difficult to quantify because it helps to avoid future problems. I have heard many people express that they have discomfort in their back or down their leg. It may not keep them from doing what they like to do, but they notice it enough to talk about it. When told to do exercises, a common response is “it isn’t that bad”, or “it doesn’t hurt all the time”. Unfortunately, these types of aches and pains usually get stronger with age unless we do exercises to strengthen the core muscles.

As you may have noticed, relaxation is included at the end of each exercise playlist. It is included in every exercise practice because it is an integral part of health maintenance.

Relaxation is important because it provides an opportunity for you to experience the relationship between body and mind. When the body is relaxed the mind is calmer, when the mind feels at peace, the body feels more comfortable. Relaxation has physiological benefits such as lowering blood pressure, pain relief, relaxing muscle spasms, and reducing anxiety.

Back2Yourself offers a unique exercise program that is self-treatment AND provides personal attention and modifications to meet your needs. The program is designed to be modified to meet your individual needs – the daily playlist can be constructed to suit what is best for you and changes as your strength and ability changes. Furthermore, we are available to answer your questions using the Forum on the Back2Yourself website, email, or telephone. Personal attention can be the glue that makes an exercise program stick, or a component of the fuel needed to keep it going.

As you have noticed, one of the first exercises in some of the daily playlists is focused only on breathing and the breath is a focus of instruction during each exercise. The breath is an important part of each exercise and, obviously, our daily life.

Maybe you’ve been exercising for a little while. And maybe you notice feel better. But exercise may still feel inconvenient and forced and you may wonder how long you have to keep doing it. It is difficult for some of us to imagine exercise as part of our daily life for the rest of our life.

“The key to a strong back is a strong core”. You’ve probably heard this before. In fact, you may have heard it so much that you know it to be true. But to really believe it to be true you need to understand why.

Importance of the Pelvic Floor Muscles: