When it comes to looking your best on the beach, it’s not all about how to build a six-pack or which exercises make your backside look the best in a bikini. In fact, having a healthy and strong back can make you feel your best on the beach in more ways than one. here are some essential back exercises and why they will help you rock a swimsuit with confidence.

Stand tall and slim: Wanna look five or 10 pounds lighter without dropping a number on the scale? Stand correctly! Having bad posture pushes out your belly and rounds out your shoulders, making you look shorter and fatter in an instant, so it’s important to add posture-building workouts to your bikini-ready routine. Stand tall with this standing reverse fly exercise and these eight back and shoulder exercises and stretches to combat any workday slouching.

Help banish the muffin top: while all the spot-training in the world won’t melt away your muffin top, doing specific workouts that target your torso and upper back will create a slimmer, more toned look. If you’re dreading showing off any of the extra padding you’ve accumulated around your waistline, try a few of our back-strengthening exercises to help you tone, like this video of how to do the Superman exercise and these exercises that will help you get rid of your muffin top.

Stay injury-free: A strong back helps keep you injury-free by preventing imbalances and unnecessary strain. If you’re looking forward to an active Summer burning calories outdoors, start working on your back muscles to make sure an injury doesn’t sideline your fitness fun. get more bang for your buck with this butt-lifting, back-strengthening single leg dumbbell row or try these four spine- and torso-stabilizing exercises to keep your back healthy and strong.

A randomized trial of steroid injections for back pain has shown that they are no more effective than a placebo.

Because the long-term benefits of surgery remain unproven and pain medicines often have serious side effects, doctors have increasingly turned to steroid injections to treat lumbosacral radiculopathy, a common cause of back pain. The condition stems from damage to the discs between the vertebrae that often leads to sciatica, numbness or pain in the legs.

Researchers tested 84 adults with back pain of less than six months’ duration, dividing them into three groups. They received either steroids, etanercept (an arthritis medicine) or an inactive saline solution in two injections given two weeks apart.

At the end of one month, they were assessed for pain.

Leg and back pain decreased in all three groups, but there were no statistically significant differences among them. The researchers conclude that steroids may provide some short-term analgesic effect, but that the improvement in all of the patients was mainly due to normal healing.

The lead author, Dr. Steven P. Cohen, an associate professor of anesthesiology at Johns Hopkins, was disappointed with the results but said that he still hopes drugs like etanercept might someday be proven effective. But for now, he said, “the strongest evidence for back pain relief is with exercise.”

The study appears in the April 17 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.

When it comes to upper back pain between shoulder blades, there is some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that there is a whole host of problems that can cause upper back pain between the shoulder blades.

Fortunately.

The pain is not always the sharp intense pain that is associated with osteoporosis, herniated discs, sciatica, a malformed spinal cord, compressed vertebra, rheumatoid arthritis, or one of the other many degenerative physical problems that can create upper back pain.

These sort of disorders require professional medical treatment – frequently will require surgery – and are beyond the scope of this article.

It’s a scary list of problems that can cause back pain.

But, for severe back pain relief, there is hope.

Though it is often far more annoying than the sharp pains mentioned above, we often experience a dull ache between the shoulder blades. This type of malady is frequently muscular in nature and treatable with some simple exercises.

One main cause of this upper back pain between shoulder blades is poor posture. When you have poor posture, the extra pressure placed on the neck muscles is often the cause of upper back pain.

The first step is to be aware that our backache is caused by poor posture – check with your family physician. then – of course – it is important that you find the best way to get rid of that pain. one of the best treatments to get rid of inflammatory back pain is to exercise.

Not only will exercising the muscles loosen them up, but you’ll learn to maintain the proper posture that will keep the upper back pain between shoulder blades away.

Here are 5 ideas.

1. one of the best stretches that you can do to loosen the muscles is to sit with your legs extended straight out in front of you.

Bend forward and reach for your toes, if you can, hook your fingers under your feet. if you aren’t able to do that (yet), stretch your arms as far forward as you can. Bending forward helps to loosen the muscles of the lower back, and stretching your arms helps to loosen the muscles of your upper back.

On ALL stretching exercises – do them as a gentle, continuous stretch – don’t bounce Bouncing can strain or even sprain your muscles. in extreme cases it could cause vertebral injury.

Another excellent stretch is to lie on your back and reach your arms and legs as far in the opposite directions as possible. This therapy will help to loosen and relax the muscles that you have tensed up with poor posture.

One way to prevent and relieve the chronic pain we often get in our neck is to actually strengthen our neck muscles.

Here is a simple way you can exercise your neck to build the muscle strength that will help you avoid the causes of and get upper back pain relief.

2. Push your neck in one direction with your finger, while your neck muscles push your head in the other direction.

3. you can also use your head to hold a ball against the wall as an exercise to work out your neck muscles. you can start simply by holding it, then move on to pushing it against the wall 10 or 20 times, then pushing the ball against the wall continuously for 20 to 30 seconds.

4. Work in some exercises to help strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, especially exercises that focus on the upper back. Exercises that require your arms to pull, use your upper back muscles. Strengthening these muscles is one of the best ways to avoid and get relief from upper back pain between shoulder blades.

5. correct your posture by practicing standing up straight and holding your head up high. Roll your shoulders back in order to lift them and keep your spine straight. Point your chin forward and lift your head to correct your posture.

Be careful if you are going to work out your neck to reduce upper back pain between shoulder blades. your neck is delicate and can be sensitive, and you could injure it if you aren’t careful. Start slowly when doing neck exercises, and slowly increase the intensity of your neck workout as time progresses. if you start to feel sore, stop.

Medication.

As soon as we start to feel any pain in our body, many of us immediately go for the nearest pain medication. Medications (such as ibuprofen) can help with the immediate inflammation.but this can be a big mistake. Medication only treats the symptoms, not the root causes of the problem and you will find only temporary pain relief. As soon as the medication wears off, the chronic back pain comes back.

True, it’s more work and a bit of a hassle, but taking the time to exercise and strengthen your back and neck muscles will have long term benefits and is well worth the effort.

Check to be sure you don’t have any sort of vertebrae herniation or disease and you’ll often find that a simple massage will do the trick Or possibly a visit or two to get an acupuncture treatment.

The point is, not all back problems are the result of stenosis or osteopathic in nature or require back surgery. often, to get rid of upper back pain between the shoulder blades, the top therapy may be a daily 10 minute exercise session.

Tuesday April 24, 2012  Correct your posture to prevent back pain.

Correct posture is most important first step in reducing, preventing and abolishing neck and back pain.

The most important factor in the full recovery and prevention of future back problems and flare-ups is simply good posture!

The most common back problem that a healthcare provider will see is a movement or displacement of an inter-vertebral disc, and the leading problem of this displacement is poor posture.

Consider that most of the activities we perform in a typical day are flexion oriented — or bending forward. look around; people are sitting with poor posture, bending forward and protruding their head to get a better look at what they are reading, or slouching as they are sitting at the computer or watching television. Correcting poor posture habits is the key to a pain-free life.

Fortunately, correcting your posture is a fairly easy endeavor.

Start by sitting on the edge of a chair or stool, unsupported. now slouch; then begin to correct your posture by regaining the hollow or lordosis in your low back, and sit erect. Contract the muscles in your spine; pull your shoulder blades back to reduce the roundness of your shoulders; pull your head back; then retract it to a neutral position so your ears are above your shoulders. this is the correct position.

You should feel a strain in your neck and back muscles while holding this position because this is the extreme of the correct position. What you must do now is relax 10 percent from that extreme, so you no longer feel the strain. this is the position you want to maintain throughout the day.

Ten percent relaxed from the extreme of this position will feel more comfortable, but still awkward. you are likely saying to yourself, “no one sits this way, and I look awkward, as if I am pushing my chest too far out.” you may feel this way, but you actually look taller, younger and as though you’ve lost 10 pounds. this is the posture that you want to maintain throughout the day to reduce the stresses on your neck and back.

Many people in healthcare talk about a strong core that prevents or reduces back pain, but unfortunately, this is not true. we do need strong muscles in our stomach and our back, but just having those strong muscles does not mean we have correct posture or are preventing back pain.

A strong muscle means three things:

• You have the strength to get into that position of erect posture
• You have the mobility in the joints to achieve that position
• You have the endurance.

The part most people lack the most is endurance — you achieve endurance by practicing endurance. even a strong core with endurance does not provide the protection that you need. In substituting “strong” and “weak” with “on” and “off,” if the muscles are turned “on” they begin to protect the spine and prevent back pain; however, once we become distracted and work on the computer, text a friend, or watch TV, we have a tendency to turn those muscles “off.” they then become weak, and no longer offer support.

To maintain this optimum “on” position, a lumbar support is helpful. for example, this support can be found in the newer cars or in some ergonomic office chairs. it is also helpful to place a round lumbar pillow in the small of your back when sitting.  If fitted correctly, lumbar support allows you to maintain correct posture even when your mind is distracted, and your muscles are turned “off.” Correcting and practicing good posture as a lifelong habit will help you to enjoy a carefree, pain-free life.

Hugh Murray is a physical therapist at CPT Physical Therapy Specialists inc. in Charleston, a McKenzie Certified Clinic.

A lumbar pillow is a necessary investment to prevent any lower back pain from occurring. If you have ever felt the pain in your back, you should be doing what it takes to prevent the pain from recurring. Back pain is very common and you are not alone in suffering from such pain. Although the pain can struck anytime but that does not mean that you cannot do anything to effectively prevent it.

Since sitting for an extended period of time is a very common reason for lower back pain, you should be using a lumbar pillow to give your lumbar area the necessary support. Long hours of sitting with incorrect posture actually give your lower back a lot of pressure and if it is not corrected, your lower back is going to suffer with a lot of pain. it will not be costing you a lot of money to purchase one to two such pillows because the benefits they are going to provide for you will worth much more than what you have paid for them.

Apart from lumbar pillows, you can set a goal to lose more body weight. Although this is not a method which is applicable to everyone, people who are overweight can make a difference simply by losing weight. Excessive body weight can put a lot more pressure to a person’s back, thus causing the backaches. it is not surprising that most people with excessive weight are suffering from the pain on their back. hence, by cutting some weight, you will be able to feel the difference on your back and most of the time; the pain will be eliminated without you noticing it.

No matter how hectic your life is, you should always find time to do some exercises. any kind of exercise, may it be yoga or Pilate, as long as you are working with the right muscles, you are bringing some benefits to your back. Do some light stretching in the morning will also be great for your body. Stretching will keep your muscles limber and as such, your chance of getting a recurring of any pain on your back will definitely be minimized.

It is utmost important to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to keep your body hydrated. you may be surprised but when your body gets dehydrated, you can experience back pain. Ensuring that your body consumes the right amount of fluid can benefit your health and prevent you from getting back pain.

Back pain is not uncommon but you can prevent it effectively with the right habits. Sit with the support of a lumbar pillow, lose some weight if you think you need to, exercise regularly and drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. Back pain can be excruciating if untreated, so do what it takes to prevent it from occurring is the most ideal.

Many people suffer from back pain due to varying reasons. Back pain affects 8 out of 10 people at some point in their lives. It could be acute pain or chronic pain depending on how long the pain sensation has been going on. where acute pain is sudden and lasting for a few days or a week, chronic pain, however, last for more than three months. Pain could be constant, dull pain or a sudden sharp pain.

Back pain could arise from any of the structures of the back which is composed of muscles, ligaments, bones, tendons and disks. Sometimes, however, the exact cause of pain cannot be identified. Improper or heavy lifting and/or awkward sudden movement strains muscles and ligaments causing back pain. Back pain could be due to spasm of muscles in the back. It could also be caused by a problem in the structures of the back.

Sciatica, a sharp, shooting pain through the buttock and the back of the leg can be caused by a bulging or herniated disk which presses on the main nerve traveling down your leg. Bulging or ruptured disks may bulge out of place or rupture and press on a nerve causing pain. the disks in between the vertebrae of the spine act as cushion hence when displaced or ruptured, diminishes the support it gives to the vertebrae. however, there are also people with bulging or herniated disks that may not necessarily experience pain from that condition. Arthritis, inflammation of a joint, may also cause back pain. This inflammation commonly affects the hips, hands, knees and lower back. It could lead to stenosis of the spine- the narrowing of space around the spinal cord. Abnormal curvature of the spine such as scoliosis, a condition where a person’s spine is curved from side to side, could also cause back pain. When your bones become porous and brittle it could lead to compression fractures of the spinal vertebrae causing pain.

There are factors that increase the risk of developing back pain. These include obesity, sedentary work, physically strenuous work, older age, stressful jobs, anxiety, depression, gender, and smoking.

There are ways to reduce these risks. Exercise is a good way to keep muscles relaxed rather than tense. It improves movement and flexibility. Exercise improves blood circulation and therefore nourishment of tissues in the body. Eating healthy food to nourish your body is always a good idea. for your body to function well, it should have the necessary daily dietary requirements such as proteins, vitamins and minerals among others.

After the 12-week program, people who had gone to the group classes reported significantly lower scores on a questionnaire measuring how much pain interferes with daily activities, compared to those given the book. the questionnaire rated daily “disability” level on a scale of zero to 23, with 23 being the most severe.

At the 12-week mark, the exercise groups had dropped from an initial average score of 10 in the yoga group or nine in the stretching group to between four and five in both groups. the people who received the book started with an average score of nine and at 12 weeks had dropped to about a seven.

Additionally 60 percent of people in the yoga group reported improvements in pain, compared to 46 percent in the stretching classes and just 16 percent of people who only got the books. and at both the end of class sessions and three months later, twice as many of the class participants reported cutting back on pain medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) — about 40 percent versus 20 percent in the book group.

“I recommend flexibility exercises to every single lower back pain patient I have,” said Scott Duke, a sports chiropractor in new York City who was not involved in the study. the study should encourage physicians to incorporate stretching into their standard treatment protocol for back pain, Duke says. “Doctors today are looking for ways patients can be more proactive and take care of their own back pain, versus having to go to somebody to get treated,” he adds.

KICKER Local program aids hundreds of kids, moms by Jessica Cohen Published: 4:06 PM – 04/20/12

Two years ago, when the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program in Port Jervis received a start-up grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, funding was intended to nutritionally assist 500 participants.

But now the program serves more than 600, about half of whom are children, according to Rita Rose, coordinator of the program at the Middletown Community Health Center’s Port Jervis branch on Hammond Street.

“The state does surveys,” said Rose. “Port Jervis was deemed an area of ‘unmet needs.’ People struggle with food and formula. It’s expensive.”

WIC aims to support healthy nutrition balanced with exercise for small children and their parents and caretakers. the program particularly advocates breast-feeding and incorporation of fruits and vegetables into the diet.

Some women visit WIC on their way home from the hospital after having a baby, Rose said.

“They have no formula and come here before they go home,” she said. “But it’s a supplemental program. It doesn’t provide all of a family’s food. It helps extend what people have to put on the table.

“All sorts of people walk through the door,” she added. “Some were fine until they lost their jobs.”

Referrals come largely from social services, but some women, even “just down the street,” are unaware of it, Rose said.

On a recent day, when Chelsea Nieves and her two sons, Anthony, 2, and Julian, 3, passed through the door at the end of the corridor of MCHC in Port Jervis, they were surprised to find themselves in WIC territory. Nieves had brought her sons for a doctor’s appointment at MCHC and was unaware WIC was in the building, though she used the program in Middletown before moving to Port Jervis.

“WIC helped us with eggs and milk,” Nieves said.

These days, WIC’s campaign for nutrition, breast-feeding and physical activity operates on several fronts. Much begins with Erica Dahl, a nutrition specialist who arrived from the health department in New York a year ago, wanting to live a more rural life. All WIC clients must confer with her.

Dahl said she finds women are often unaware of the benefits of breast-feeding.

“The biggest obstacle is horror stories and fear of pain,” she said.

But breast-feeding helps women return to their original weight, enhances mother-child bonding, and supports infant health, she said. Breast-fed babies are less likely to have asthma, ear infections and gastrointestinal problems.

“Switching formulas to find the right one creates gastrointestinal issues,” Dahl said. “Women often start breast-feeding in the hospital, but three months out only 25 percent continue. It’s time-consuming, and they may have a couple kids or are going back to school or work.”

To address apprehension and logistical problems, WIC provides counseling with a lactation consultant, and gives women a breast pump they can keep. the WIC waiting room has a curtained nursing corner, but breast-feeding is welcome anywhere in the office. And WIC provides more food and fiscal benefits for those who continue.

“It takes so much to get babies on the right formula, but breast milk is always right. It changes with nutritional needs,” Dahl said.

Promoting healthy lifestyles

As children go through the program, Dahl monitors them for iron deficiency, which she finds afflicts 25 percent of them, putting them at risk for anemia and language and motor development delays. Children either don’t eat enough iron-rich food, such as meat, or they drink too much milk, which absorbs iron.

If families find supplements unaffordable, WIC offers iron in drop form. but the hope is that food will nourish, and Dahl provides counseling on providing healthy meals for picky eaters on a tight budget.

“It’s about small steps,” she said. “Keep offering the healthy choice. keep kids active in the kitchen and garden. have them help prepare food.”

WIC provides fruit and vegetable “checks” that can be used at approved farmers market programs, and Save-A-Lot grocery store in Port Jervis now also accepts WIC checks.

But healthy food is not enough. WIC also targets the sedentary lifestyle tendencies of parents and children.

WIC surveys find children watch three to four hours of television a day, while mothers spend four to five hours at computers. So at monthly FIT WIC events, women chat while their children play a game with multiple foam footballs in the waiting room. And they play bingo with fruits and vegetables they eventually eat.

In spring, WIC has a garden, which has grown from a collection of potted vegetables to a stretch of MCHC yard that Rose’s husband prepares. Children begin planting on may 24. they can stop by any time to tend the garden.

The WIC program at the Middletown Community Health Center’s Port Jervis branch, 140 Hammond St., can be reached at 856-8156

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Can Exercises Provide Backache Relief?

Reading the news you would never know this major health issue would trouble nine out of ten Americans.It is the second most reason people see their doctor and one out of five doctor visits are for this , backache. You would think there would be many other health issues would be in the top but the backache is one of the biggest health issues today.

One of the reasons backaches are such a major health issue is that backaches are a symptom of another health issue. Some of These can be simple and easily remedied. In other cases a backache can be a symptom of a very serious health issue. Some healthy some health issues is severe chest infection, bronchitis, pneumonia can result in upper back chest pain. This is one of the reasons that it is in your best interest to see your doctor when you have back pain

So when should you see your doctor? Generally if there is a fever present with your backache, the pain is progressively getting worse, difficulty sleeping or if you are feeling pain in your legs.Before starting a course of action see a Dr.

Fortunately for most of us 85% of back aches are from strains . For many people healing a strained back is simply the prescription calls for rest and whatever else your doctor may prescribe for you.

Researchers, orthopedic surgeons and other medical practitioners are suggesting for more and more patients a proactive back care program.For many this means regularly exercising and stretching.This is a difficult sell for doctors for several reasons. Most people are looking for a quick easy remedy and most of us don’t seek exercises in the picture for a fast remedy. What makes this even more difficult for the doctor to sell is that typically lower back patients that have a strained back are reluctant to exercise, fearing they will injure it more.This is why it is important to see a Dr. to let him determine the course of remedy.Exercises for the back are also different according to location of back pain.

Reading the news you would never know this major health issue would trouble nine out of ten Americans.It is the second most reason people see their doctor and one out of five doctor visits are for this , backache. You would think there would be many other health issues would be in the top but the backache is one of the biggest health issues today.

One of the reasons backaches are such a major health issue is that backaches are a symptom of another health issue. Some of These can be simple and easily remedied. In other cases a backache can be a symptom of a very serious health issue. Some healthy some health issues is severe chest infection, bronchitis, pneumonia can result in upper back chest pain. This is one of the reasons that it is in your best interest to see your doctor when you have back pain

Fortunately for most of us 85% of back aches are from strains . For many people healing a strained back is simply the prescription calls for rest and whatever else your doctor may prescribe for you.

There can be other conditions that are not just a simple backache like a pinched nerve. This is a more complicated issue. But the bottom line is ,it is important for you to consult with the doctor before you take a given course of action.

Researchers, orthopedic surgeons and other medical practitioners are suggesting for more and more patients a proactive back care program.For many this means regularly exercising and stretching.This is a difficult sell for doctors for several reasons. Most people are looking for a quick easy remedy and most of us don’t seek exercises in the picture for a fast remedy. What makes this even more difficult for the doctor to sell is that typically lower back patients that have a strained back are reluctant to exercise, fearing they will injure it more.This is why it is important to see a Dr. to let him determine the course of remedy.

Exercises are different for different conditions. Where the pain is can indicate different sets of exercises.Upper back pain calls for a different set of exercises than lower back pain.

Yoga has long been championed as a great help to back pain sufferers.

Along with this course there are a couple of fairly easy remedies that seem to help. Always ask your Dr. first of course. One of these is the Spine-Worx Back Realignment Device. Quite a mouthfull but what it does is easy to understand.Your vertebrae are designed to be in certain positions and when your vertebrae arte not in these positions problems can arise. This device ,for one, is not expensive, they cost around $30. It is not large, easily carried and when used helps position the vertebrae in the correct position.This product was designed by a chiropractor.The person just lies down on it and the weight of your body and the device gently help position your vertebrae.

If you suffer with chronic back and leg pain, you may have been diagnosed with sciatica.  The condition is usually easier to diagnose than it is to treat.  this is because sciatic nerve pain can arise from a number of causes including a bulging disc, spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), arthritis, bone spurs or even pregnancy.  Determining the source of the pressure on the nerve roots extending out of the spinal cord, into the low back and descending into branches down the leg can be tricky. A proper diagnosis usually requires MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).  Common treatments range from waiting until the condition resolves itself, to pain medication injections to minimally invasive spine surgery and other surgical procedures.

A recent study out of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore suggests that spinal injections of steroid or arthritis drugs may be ineffective in the treatment of sciatic nerve pain.  The study’s pool of 81 subjects, who experienced sciatica for at least 1 month, was broken into 3 groups. They received two spinal injections, two weeks apart.  The first group received the most common sciatica injection, methyprednisolone (steroid), the second received the arthritis drug etanercept, and the third group received saline injections.  neither the patients nor the doctors knew which injections contained which substance.

The results of the research indicated that leg and back pain was reduced by a similar yet modest amount for all treatments.  The patients who received saline and steroid injections did slightly better than those who received the immune-suppressant, etanercept. Dr. Steven Cohen, who worked on the study, said that typically sciatica patients are treated with steroid epidurals, but more recently have been opting for arthritis medications, hoping for better relief outcomes.

At $500-$700 per injection, it isn’t clear from the research whether the modest benefits, and potential side-effects from both steroids and immune-suppressants add up to a worthwhile treatment solution. A minimally invasive spine surgery treatment, like the innovative Accurascope procedure, could provide more cost-effective and long-lasting results without drug-related side effects.

Interestingly, in an interview with Reuters, Dr. Cohen stated, “the treatment that has the strongest evidence behind it is actually exercise programs, — as well as losing weight, for people who are too heavy. It’s kind of a long, slow process. People have to have realistic expectations.”

While this recent study may offer more questions than answers in the treatment of sciatic nerve pain, it is clear that successful treatment depends on having as much information about the source of your pain and a comprehensive treatment plan.  if you have exhausted positive lifestyle changes, and epidural injections, without relief, you may be a candidate for a minimally invasive spine surgery procedure.

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