An Exercise-Free Method of Reducing Back Pain

by Ben Rifkin (08/16/2008)

Today, I’m going to let you in on a secret for reducing your back pain without doing any strenuous exercise. In fact, the only thing you have to do is eliminate a harmful habit that’s destroying your body - and you don’t even know it.

I’m talking about sitting in a chair.

Yes. You read that correctly. It doesn’t matter if you’re at the office, using a computer, driving a car, or watching a movie. Sitting in any seat is one of the worst kinds of abuse you can put your body through.

Here’s why. A chair allows virtually all your major muscle groups to relax. Now you might think this is a good thing - but when you totally relax in a seated position, you start to slouch. And when that happens, you overstretch - for hours on end - the muscles in your neck, shoulders, and lower back.

You can easily spot someone in a permanent hunch from long-term slouching. To reverse this and eliminate your back pain, perform this simple exercise:

Stand with your back to a wall. If you feel the two sharp points of your shoulder blades against the wall… you are slouching. Your goal is for your shoulder blades to rest flat against the wall without tension. Use the wall to gently guide them down as you press your chest up and draw your shoulders back. At the same time, use your abs to press your lower back against the wall.

This exercise can and should be done any time you have been or are going to be seated for a long period of time. Don’t be surprised if the effect is instantaneous and you feel much more energized and pain-free. But even if you don’t feel that way at first, keep practicing your good posture - and back pain caused by sitting will become a thing of the past.

[Ed. Note: You can have a massive impact on your health just by making simple, small changes to your lifestyle. Learn more easy-to-follow techniques for feeling better and getting healthier right here.

And be sure to get a free copy of health and fitness expert Ben Rifkin's e-book, 5 Minutes to Total Body Fitness.]

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