Posts Tagged ‘exercise’

Massage Chairs Are Peerless Relief Of Symptoms Of Low Back Pain

March 10, 2010 - 9:55 am No Comments

Lower back pain is a condition that affects nearly everyone at some point in our lifetimes. Low back pain can interfere with work, daily activities or recreation. Low back pain can come from stress, injury or conditions such as arthritis. Rehabilitation for low back pain focuses on increasing flexibility of the soft tissues and muscles which hold the spinal column together. Typical activities for rehabilitation include chiropractic care, physical therapy and massage chair therapy.

Low back pain is a costly condition in the US. It is estimated that over 50 billion dollars per year is spent on health care related to low back pain. It is the most common cause cited for job related disability. In fact, the states and the fed are now including chiropractic care in their insurance programs. Chiropractic care is also been picked up on many HMO and private care plans as well.

The good thing about low back pain, is that most are treated naturally and do not involve surgery or the use of drugs. Exercise, diet and massage are used in conjunction to nourish, strengthen and rebuilt the muscles. In some cases, physical therapy may be need, but the good news is most people recover without any functional loss.

One avenue of recovery involves chiropractic treatments. Chiropractors are trained to restore the health of the spine with natural methods. Some treatments involve spinal adjustments, electrical stimulation and massage treatments. The key is to rebalance the spine allowing the muscles and soft tissues the properly heal and pull their weight again.

Some preventative measures that you can take to avoid low back pain can range from posture to exercise. If you exercise, then apply ice when there is inflammation. Use an ice pack or fill a plastic bag with ice. Wrap a towel around the ice pack and apply for 20 minutes. Ice helps to reduce swelling that can occur after exercise.

Heat has been applied throughout the ages to relax muscles and improve blood flow. Warm baths were the common approach in Roman times and are quite effective. Using a heating pad or hot packs on particular areas is effective. Try applying heat to warm up the muscle and provide relief. Control the temperature so you do not overheat the muscle and cause burns.

With almost any part of the body, exercise is pivotal. Muscles need to be used. Use it or lose it is very true. Your body needs continuous exercise to maintain its vitality. Many injuries occur because of a non-routine movement or from lack of use. Start by going for walks or swims. Include stretching in the beginning and also at the end.

Yoga is another method to help rehabilitation of the lower back. Yoga incorporates stretching and muscle strengthening into your exercise routine. There may be some mild discomfort at first to get over the initial stiffness, but this should disappear as the muscles grow stronger and more flexible. If the pain is more than mild or persists for longer than 15 minutes during the exercises then you should stop the activity.

An interesting and accessible technology is massage chairs for rehabilitation. In many ways, massage chairs automate certain types of therapies which can be precisely controlled. Massage chairs are used to deliver a variety of massage therapies including Swedish, Shiatsu, and even Reflexology. They can target specific points or regions or provide full body relief. Many have stretching systems for the arms and the lower body to help increase flexibility.

If you are looking for low back pain prevention or rehabilitation, then you need a good balance. You need a good cycle of diet, exercise, massage and stretching. Warm up and down before exercise with a massage chair. Massage chairs are convenient to get a quick 5 minute warm up. Low back pain can be relieved and restored with the proper healthy balance.

Prevention of low back pain is the best strategy. Get into a routine to help assist and restore the health of your spine. If you suffer from low back pain, then discover Massage Chair Rehabilitation as an integral part of your day. Relax and soothe aching muscles. Get into out more by persusing our library of helpful Massage Chair Research articles.

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Therapeutic Massage Chairs Dull Chronic Discomfort

March 8, 2010 - 12:41 pm No Comments

Massage therapy has been known to help relax and clear your mind. Massage helps to decrease stress by calm your mind and soothing the muscles of the body. However, what about conditions of chronic pain? New studies are starting to show that massage has a greater impact on relieving conditions such as migraine headaches to lower back pain. Massage chairs are being utilized by many chiropractors for therapies to help people with chronic back pain conditions.

A study conducted in 2001 by the Puget Sound Center for health studies compared the benefits of massage therapy, acupuncture and self-care. This study compared the pain relief received by patients under these different methods. The study concluded that after one year that patients receiving and back pain massage reported last pain than either acupuncture or self-care.

One of the tougher situations is the psychological impact of constant, dull pain. Periodic massage was found to reduce both stress and anxiety due to chronic pain. Massage helps the mind to take its focus off of the pain and helps to relax the mind. Meanwhile, the massage helps to soothe aches and pains in the body.

Many people who are afflicted by arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches and Sciatica can are sufferers of chronic pain. Some of these conditions are a result of stiffening of soft tissues in the body. Soft tissues can include muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints. These soft tissues come under stress and panic become fatigued.

People who experience high levels of stress and anxiety typically have a lowered immune system. This can leave them more susceptible to illness and disease. People receiving periodic massage treatments can help to lower their stress and anxiety. Massage chairs are an excellent vehicle to get periodic massage when you need it.

Massage chairs come with many excellent features to provide therapeutic benefits. Most massage chairs have a variety of massage types program to into their controls. A remote control is used to tell the massage chair exactly what it needs to do. Massage chairs can perform massages such as shiatsu, Swedish, reflexology and many more.

Massage chairs are designed with additional therapeutic treatments. The application of heat is popular in sports to reduce swelling and to help blood circulation. Designers of massage chairs have included heating elements which can be applied to particular muscle areas.

Traction systems are being added into massage chairs as well. Traction is a way of pulling or stretching the muscles and soft tissues of joints. Massage chairs have lower body stretching systems which can stretch the body from the hips down to the ankles. This type of stretching can be very therapeutic for the lower body.

Massage chairs are designed to provide the same type of environment as you would get a regular massage. Normally, you would expect to listen to soothing music as to get your massage. Massage chairs are equipped with MP3 players and headphones to provide the same type of relaxing environment. Music helps to calm the mine by helping it to remain quiet.

Many new technologies continue to be integrated into massage chairs to provide therapeutic benefits to the users. This is an excellent trend as these features can help provide effective relief. Suffering from chronic pain is a tough situation. Massage chair therapy on a periodic basis helps to keep those symptoms in check.

If you suffer from chronic back pain, then browse through Omega Massage Chairs and discover the treatments you require. Massage therapy is used extensively to help reduce the symptoms associated with chronic pain. See how Massage Chairs can provide focused treatments to the muscle and soft tissue areas.

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Myofascial Relief Techniques For Stress And Injuries

February 20, 2010 - 3:03 pm No Comments

The body is a three dimensional web of organs held together by the fascia. Injury, illness, arthritis, poor alignment, the reasons to seek relief are numerous. While myofascial release techniques are best implemented by a practitioner, some home exercises can also be effective. Here are a few myofascial release techniques that be done alone using a specific sport medicine foam roll and the weight of your body.

General GuidelinesAllow one to two minutes per position. When you reach a trigger point, focus on steady breathing and hold on it for thirty to forty seconds until the pain has decreased by roughly seventy-five percent. Try to keep abdominal and core muscles ridged to support the lower lumbar, pelvis and hips. Practice the exercises one to two times daily until results are achieved.

Plantar Fascia-The band of connective tissue that connects the toes to the Achilles tendon is the plantar fascia. Using a ball and your body weight, place your shoeless foot on top of the ball and roll the back and forth along the length of the plantar fascia. Balance yourself with a hand against a wall if necessary.

Gastrocnemius/SoleusOn the back of the calf, this is the tissue that runs from the sides of the knee and runs into the Achilles tendon. Using a roll, sit on the ground with legs straight, calves on top of the roller, and arms planted behind to elevate the buttocks off the ground. Roll back and forth, keeping knees locked and focus pressure on the lateral heads of the gastrocnemius muscle. To increase pressure, cross one leg over the other or pull the toes in toward the shins.

Triceps-These extend from the upper arm bone (superior humerus) and scapulae to the ulna and lower arm bone. Lying on your side, extend your arm above your head and place the roller against the back of your upper arm. Roll over the entire surface of the upper arm. For longer range motion, slide your torso along the ground.

Iliotibial Band Release-Lie on your side with the foam roll under your lower hip. Bottom leg should be raised off the floor, head in a neutral position and ears aligned with shoulders. Roll from just below the hip joint to the knee, along the outside thigh. This one can be painful and calls for moderation.

Wrist Flexors-The wrist flexor muscles enter the palm of the hand and underside of the fingers locations on the ulna, radius and humerus. Sitting on a bench with the tennis ball in one hand, press it against the opposite forearm and roll it back and forth in small sections. For additional pressure, extend the hand to stretch the wrist flexors.

Infraspinatus and Teres Minor-This runs from the scapula to the humerus. Lying on floor with upper arm flat and lower arm at ninety degrees to it, pin the ball between your shoulder blade and the floor. Move your lower arm back and forth while keeping the elbow in place. This will internally and externally rotate the shoulder.

When choosing a roller, keep in mind that an excess of pressure can lead to fatigue of the nearby supporting musculature. Before beginning these techniques, be sure to consult a physician about pre-existing medical conditions such as pregnancy, illness or recent injury or surgery. If sharp pain or severe bruising occur, discontinue exercises.

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