Active Recovery for Back Health
Back pain has become a byproduct of our modern lives. We spend so much time sitting at work, in cars, on the couch, etc. Our laptops, phones and other devices make us lean forward, grounding our spine all day long and straining our back muscles.
It all comes on our Back!We seem to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. We always have deadlines, bills and a lot of things to do. So many people depend on us on a daily basis. With numerous goals to achieve, we’re fighting against our ageing bodies everyday. These things that make us human also take a toll on our backs. All that stress seeps into our nervous system over time and eventually makes its way into our muscles. We feel a sense of tightness which is eventually followed by pain.
Our spine and the muscles that support it do so much thought our day. They keep us upright, they help us twist and turn, giving us the ability to move everyday in our life. Taking the time through the week to show some love to these incredible muscles goes a long way in keeping our spines supple and agile as we age.
What you can expect from this class?In our active recovery class we first focus on helping these tense muscles let go. While standing, we first focus on rotating the upper body while keeping the hips glued down. This helps up focus into the the muscles that attach the spine to pelvis and help them let go with a bit of ease. We then move into a 90/90 shape on the ground. This is a lovely seat to get into almost everyday. It helps add mobility into the hips and also helps the back muscles find space to move. As we spend time in this shape we’ll find our back and hips letting go, giving us space to twist.
Twist off the stiffness
One of the best ways to make space in the spine and reduce stiffness is to spend time twisting. When we finish up both sides, it’s always a good time to check the difference from where we started and where we’re now. A few minutes of rest while laying flat on the ground, giving the spine time to reset is a good idea after all this stretching.
Repeat it, anytimeThis form of low intensity stretching is something you can always come back to anytime in your week. After a few times of moving though the practice you may find noticeable changes in your lower back, more space to move into and lesser pain. Maybe your sleep also improves as you’re tossing and turning less through the night. Hopefully, you also feel a bit more mobility in your hips that will help you get through your day.
Give your body the space and time it needs to let go. We hold a lot of tension in our bodies. Maybe by the end of this practice, you might find that you leave with a little less than what you showed up with.