Monday, September 21, 2009

Massage Chairs Are Splendid Relief For Pain From Lower Back Pain

By Lisa Lockhart

Do you know that 80% of us will have low back pain during our lifetimes. Our spine is very important to our mobility and getting around. Just everyday activities can put stress and strain on our backs. Improper lifting techniques or even posture can set you up for an injury. Low back pain is a symptom of either a condition, disease or injury. Rehabilitation of the spine may include a chiropractor, massage chair therapy and even physical 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.

For the vast majority of low back pain cases, non-invasive procedures are used to treat the spine. Of course, there are cases involving surgery, but most can be treated naturally. Rehabilitation and recovery may require pain medications or possibly analgesics to reduce swelling and build up functionality. Most recoveries involve exercise and possibly a program of physical therapy.

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.

Try this preventative action to help you relax. Use warm baths and let the warmth penetrate through the muscles. Or apply directly to sore muscles with hot packs or with a heating pad. You can target the heat to penetrate its warmth through the muscle to help with blood circulation. Never apply heat if you are going to sleep as this could burn or damage soft tissues. Only use the heat until it warms up the muscle tissue and provides relief.

Exercise is paramount with the lower back muscles. They need to have a repetitive routine of consistent use. Physical therapy is most often started in the first week after an injury. The muscles need to be used to keep their strength and flexibility. Exercise often and try simple exercises like walking, swimming and stretching.

Many have turned to Yoga as part of the rehabilitation of the lower back muscles. Focus can be given of the regions of muscles in need of a good stretch. Exercises also focus on particular muscle groups. You want to build back flexibility into your low back. Periodic stretching and muscle strengthening helps your back recover and then some. However, work slowly into any new routine. You do not have to win the gold medal the first time out.

Massage therapy provided by a massage chair helps with rehabilitation. Massage chairs provide a number of therapies to help the lower back. Massage chairs use a variety of massage techniques to stretch, elongate and stimulate the muscle tissues. Massage chairs are great to use to warm up before exercise and to warm down after exercise. They help to relax the muscles, increase blood flow and to increase flexibility.

Rehabilitation for the lower back involves getting the muscle to become more elastic and less rigid. Also, increasing the strength of the muscles helps to prevent further injury. Diet, exercise, stretching and massage therapy are all important elements of restoring the health of your spine. Massage chairs can be a key tool in rehabilitation and future health maintenance of your lower back. Check with your doctor to see what is right for your condition.

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