yoga on the mesa

Low Back and Neck Pain

Low back and neck pain is a common issue among anybody with a body. My colleague and I discuss the simplest ways to alleviate discomfort in our video blog below. Low back pain exercises are a great place to start, but usually we have to bring relaxation and calming to the spine. There are several ways to do this, however, the best way to do it is to learn with a qualified expert in the field of movement and anatomy.

If you don’t want to listen to the entire conversation, here are the biggest ways to strengthen and bring ease to your spine.

Pain is multifactorial – there are bio, psycho, social, and spiritual components so this is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are 10 SIMPLE things to start with if you experience neck or low back pain.⠀
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Listen to our full conversation for more details and explanation on why these work! Link in bio?⠀⠀
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1. Prioritize your body. Put it at the top of your “to do” list. Get curious. Awareness is crucial.⠀
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2. Lie on the floor. Slow down. Take a break from squishy/soft beds and couches and get on the floor. Your spinal and pelvic muscles will be much happier.⠀

3. Move your neck/head around. Can you flex/extend, laterally flex, circle, & move your cervical spine independently from the rest of your body?⠀
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4. Spend time walking barefoot. Get out of your shoes aka sensory deprivation chambers.⠀
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5. Walk barefoot on different textures (grass, gravel, rocks, sand, etc).⠀
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6. Back your hips up! A lot of us are walking around with a forward shifted pelvis and aren’t aware…back ’em up ?⠀
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7. Breathe! This is a big one. Practice nose breathing. Practice breathing into your rib cage. Practice breathing in different positions. We want expansive 3D breaths…shallow breathing patterns contribute to neck/low back pain.⠀
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8. Get up and move more frequently….sedentarism is a large root cause of neck and low back pain.⠀
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9. Work with a coach or trainer. If you want to start making useful changes, you need to first know where you are now – a coach/trainer is invaluable in helping you figure this out.⠀
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10. Recognize and get honest about your stress and how you hold it in your body. Your emotions are related to your physical pain!!!

 

 

 

 

 

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU ACHIEVE FITNESS WITHOUT PAIN?

Ready to take the first step towards improving the way you feel and function? Take advantage of my offer for a free consultation. I offer personal training, sports massage and bodywork services in Santa Barbara, CA. Through a holistic approach to physical fitness and whole-body wellness, I can help you be your best self.

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