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Dr
R NAGARATHNA and Dr H R NAGENDRA teach you the techniques of improving
muscle power to relieve back pain.
Back pain has become a common problem today. Following are some
of the causes:
- Wrong
muscles are overworked.
Bad postures during standing or sitting (sloppy chairs)
or sleeping (cushiony beds) cause the spine to become crooked
as the supporting muscles are already weak. Wrong postures
and curvatures of spine alter the line of weight transmission.
This causes greater demand on some muscles that fall in
this wrong line of weight transmission.
These
muscles are now subjected to long durations of activity in
that they are made to remain in a state of partial contraction
which they are not trained for. A muscle when held in a state
of contraction for a long duration gets tired and when pushed
beyond its capacity triggers off pain sensors resulting in
back pain.
- Repeated
injuries due to lack of exercise
After
working hard round the year in your office, you are looking
forward to your long holiday away from home, where you would
love to participate in your favourite sporting activity.
The strain on the back starts even during your preparation
for the holiday.
The
packing, loading, winding up office and house work, carrying
travel kits are a bit too much for your untrained muscles.
After reaching the holiday site you want to enjoy your sports.
You are now prone to multiple sprains and strains, muscle
pulls and small injuries.
These
soft tissue injuries are most common in the neck and the
lumbar spine. Whenever there is an underlying soft tissue
or bony injury in the spine, nature's way is to protect
the part by not allowing that part to move, by spasm of
the long para spinal muscles.
Thus
any pain in the spine due to underlying injuries has almost
a 50 per cent contribution by the super-added postural muscle
spasm. Acute injuries with even severe degree of pain will
vanish with rest, local heat, painkillers etc within one
to four weeks.
But
the problem of recurrent and chronic pain is a major concern.
This happens when you return to the same sedentary lifestyle,
of working in wrong postures full of psychological tensions.
SETU BANDHASANA (LUMBAR STRETCH)
STAGE-1 (Setubandha-sana breathing)
Sthiti (initial) Supine Posture
PRACTICE
- Lie supine with your legs together and hands by the side of the
body.
- Fold both the legs placing the heels on the ground near to the
buttocks.
- While inhaling raise the buttocks and the trunk up as far as you
can.
- While exhaling slowly lower them down to the floor.
- This is one round. Repeat five rounds.
Note:
- Keep the hands on the ground all the time.
- Feel the stretch in the lumbar region while going up and release
of the stretch while coming down.
- Synchronize the breathing with the movement.
STAGE-II (Setubandhasana Stretch)
Sthiti (initial) Supine Posture
Same as in Stage-I
PRACTICE- While inhaling slowly raise the buttocks and trunk up and place
the hands under the waist to support the body well.
- Then as you exhale, slowly stretch the legs forward by sliding
the feet inch by inch.
- Next, while inhaling slowly bend the knees again moving the feet
backward inch by inch.
- Finally, while exhaling slowly lower the buttocks and the trunk
on the floor.
- This is one round.
- Repeat 5 times.
Note:
- You must have firm support of your waist in order to be able
to maintain the balance.
- Initially you may feel the pain in the elbows because of the
weight of the body but gradually you will get used to it.
- If you find it difficult to practice "Setubandhdsana
stret-ch" practice Setuban-dhdsana breat-hing only.
(The writers are with Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation
and can be contacted at vkyogas@vsnl.com. Simple yoga books
at affordable prices are available at the Institute.)
Disclaimer: The articles in this section are
contributed by our visitors. Nilacharal is NOT responsible for
the authenticity of the articles.
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