Do you feel an unpleasant pain in your back? Cramped or tense muscles are often the cause. Orthopedic surgeon David Kubosch has an exercise that will quickly provide relief – plus other tips.
The good news: If your back is painful, it is rarely caused by a serious illness. That is what orthopedic surgeon David Kubosch from the Gundelfingen Joint Clinic says. Most of the time, the muscles are simply tense – from sitting too much in everyday life, from incorrect strain. And that also means: We can often do something about the pain ourselves. For example, the following things:
1. Heat: quick relief for back tension
Heat promotes blood circulation, which can ease tension, says Kubosch. Heat comes in various forms – as a plaster with cayenne pepper extract, for example. Or as a warming ointment to rub in, or in the form of infrared light to irradiate. The good old grain pillow or hot water bottle can also be a relief for the back. However, they have the disadvantage that you are less mobile.
2. Movement: One exercise helps particularly quickly
Exercise also helps to relieve tension – whether it’s Nordic walking, swimming or the “cat-cow” movement sequence that is part of every yoga class.
To do this, you get on all fours, place your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your pelvis. First, you go into the cat position: “Make your back as round as possible and let your head hang loosely,” explains David Kubosch. Then you go into the cow’s back position, for which you let your spine hang slightly downwards so that you create a hollow back. The head is raised so that you look forward. The orthopedist recommends repeating this exercise ten times.
3. Massages to relieve tension in the back
Massages are also a good way to loosen tension. Don’t have anyone at home who can knead you a little? According to Kubosch, gadgets such as massage guns can also be used to treat back pain. But only if doctors have given the green light.
If you have a fascia roller handy, you may also be able to relax tense muscles by rolling on it. However, its effectiveness for back pain has not been scientifically proven, says Kubosch.
4. Stress relief helpful for tension
Do you sometimes feel like you have a heavy backpack full of fears, worries and stress on your shoulders, at least in a figurative sense? This can also cause your muscles to harden. “Back pain is one of the most common psychosomatic complaints,” says Kubosch.
What can also help: Where possible, slow down and do something good for yourself. A good place to start is by learning relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation or yoga.
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