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Therapeutic forms of Yoga have been around for thousands of years. Among the many ailments of humankind is back pain. Long before the personal computer was invented, people suffered with pain in their backs. Albeit, the usual source of our ancestor’s pains and aches were often related to manual labor. From within Hatha Yoga, many therapeutic styles have sprung up. One of the most common ailments Yoga teachers observe, in students today, is pain that originates from the spine or the muscles surrounding the spine. Therapeutic Yoga techniques can be practiced as a form of prevention or as a remedy to chronic pain. A physically, active lifestyle is beneficial to anyone who spends excessive time sitting. When we spend time sitting – during our commute, at our desk, operating a laptop, and watching television when we get home, we then need to spend time on good posture all day long. In fact, we have to sleep in good posture with the best possible alignment. This requires the use of pillows, a firm mattress, and knowledge of proper skeletal alignment. However, most people are advised, by their family doctor or chiropractor, to practice Yoga or adopt an exercise routine which is beneficial to skeletal alignment. This may involve any form of exercise, which stimulates your body and mind or by attending Yoga classes. During work hours, it would be advisable to drink a fair amount of water. Sometimes, the act of hydrating can create more fluids throughout the body. As the body sits still, the vertebrae tend to squeeze moisture out of the discs. With that said, it may be wise to lower your coffee intake during working hours. This is not a mandate to give up coffee completely, but to be moderate in your consumption. If your office permits, it might be good to sit on a stability ball while you are at your desk, part of the day. This gives relief to the lumbar region, sacrum, pelvis, and hips. It is only natural to gently rock in circular and linear movements, as you are doing your office work, while sitting on the stability ball. To receive proper instruction, on how to use a stability ball, you may want to attend a specialized Yoga or Pilates workshop. If you spend an hour of constant sitting, you should get up for at least five minutes and walk or practice Yoga postures. You could easily practice lunges, balancing poses, forward bends, back bends, lateral bends, or twists from standing or seated positions. If you add small five minute segments of Yoga movement to your daily routine, your back pain will be reduced or eliminated. © Copyright 2009 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
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