Ejercicios en casa para aliviar el dolor de espalda tras el Año Nuevo Chino

Title: Home Exercises to Relieve Back Pain After the Chinese New Year Profile: During the Spring Festival, avoiding prolonged sitting helps prevent back pain. Let's move and exercise! Keywords: ['exercise', 'back pain relief'] Source: Xinhua Net

During the Chinese New Year holidays, being at home and relaxing inevitably leads to spending long periods sitting or lying down, which can cause pain in the lower back and spine. Let's get moving by doing some home exercises along with adjustments to our daily habits to alleviate the stiffness and discomfort caused by prolonged static positions. Let's maintain a healthy and comfortable state, and celebrate the new year with joy!

There are many causes of back pain, including: 1. Poor posture: Prolonged maintenance of poor sitting or standing positions can lead to fatigue and pain in the lower back muscles. 2. Lack of exercise: Insufficient physical activity can weaken the muscles of the lower back, making them more susceptible to injury. 3. Overuse: Frequent heavy lifting or repetitive labor can cause strain to muscles and ligaments. 4. Aging: With aging, degeneration of the spine and joints may lead to pain. 5. Diseases: Conditions such as herniated discs, arthritis, or other spinal disorders can cause lower back pain. If back pain persists, it is recommended to seek medical attention to determine the underlying cause and receive appropriate treatment.

During the Spring Festival holidays, many people believe that 'lying on the sofa' or 'laying down while looking at the phone' is a way to relax. However, this static and unhealthy posture can keep the muscles and ligaments of the lower back and neck in a constant state of tension, harming the biomechanical balance of the spine and causing pain.

On one hand, maintaining a lying position for an extended period requires the lower back and neck muscles to continuously contract to keep the body in position (for example, when semi-reclined, the lower back is unsupported, and lying on one side twists the spine). This prolonged static contraction can hinder blood circulation in the muscles, resulting in the accumulation of metabolic waste such as lactic acid and inflammatory mediators, which irritates nerve endings and leads to pain.

On the other hand, a normal human spine has four physiological curves (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral). These curves help absorb vibrations and maintain balance, but poor lying postures can damage them. Moreover, some positions that seem restful actually keep muscles in 'hidden work'. For instance, lying down while using a phone requires holding the device with the arms (or resting it at the sides), causing shoulder muscles to remain in continuous tension. This 'static fatigue' gradually accumulates and can ultimately lead to pain.

4 simple exercises you can do at home.

Helps relax muscles and relieve pain.

1. Lazy Cat in Arch Pose: Kneel with both hands and knees on the ground, wrists aligned with shoulders and knees aligned, keeping the back straight; inhale, raise the head and arch the lower back, allowing the abdomen to drop and the hips to tilt upward, feeling the stretch in the shoulders, back, and waist; exhale, lower the head and arch the back, bringing the chin as close as possible to the clavicle, feeling the contraction of the back muscles. Repeat 5 to 8 times.

2. Side Stretch: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, lift hands crossed above the head. Slowly lean to the left side until feeling a stretch on the right side of the waist (without twisting the body). Hold this position for 15-20 seconds, return to neutral, and repeat on the other side, performing 2-3 sets per side.

3. Hands to the Sky: In a standing position, with feet apart at shoulder width, let the arms hang naturally at the sides. Inhale and slowly raise the arms from the sides of the body upward until they reach above the head, with palms facing each other. Look at the hands and hold the position for 3 to 5 seconds, then exhale and lower them. In a seated position, sit on a chair with feet flat on the floor, crossing hands over the abdomen. Inhale, raise hands to ears, look at the hands while holding the position for 3 to 5 seconds, then exhale and lower them. Repeat 3 to 5 times.

4. 'Bug' Training: Lying on your back on the bed, extend both arms with palms facing each other, and bend your legs keeping the knees and hips at 90 degrees (calves parallel to the floor); flex one arm along with the opposite leg (for example, right arm bent and left leg bent), while the other arm and opposite leg are extended (left arm extended and right leg extended), forming a straight line with the body. Slowly return to the initial position and switch sides, performing 10 to 15 repetitions per side. Keep the lower back engaged throughout the exercise, avoiding sagging.

It is important that the movements are performed with a slight feeling of stretching, avoiding an 'extreme' range of motion to prevent muscle injuries. Maintain natural breathing and repeat each set of exercises 2 to 3 times, performing 2 to 3 sets a day.

In addition to the aforementioned exercises, adjusting small daily habits can also help reduce tension in the back and prevent chronic injuries. For instance, when sitting, it is important to maintain lumbar support, avoid slouching, and not cross the legs, sitting at the front of the chair; when standing, the feet should be shoulder-width apart with weight evenly distributed; when lying down, choose a medium-firm mattress and an appropriately sized pillow. It is recommended to get up and move regularly to avoid sitting or standing for prolonged periods. When lifting heavy objects or doing household chores, one should use the strength of the legs or hips, avoiding bending at the waist directly. It is crucial to keep the lower back warm, avoid sudden efforts, strengthen the core muscles, and reduce the load on the lumbar area in daily tasks such as getting out of bed and putting on shoes, thus taking care of spinal health.

Attention! These relieving exercises are not scientifically backed.

Moderate waist twists and bends can relax the lumbar muscles, maintain lumbar flexibility, and relieve stiffness after prolonged sitting.

However, many people tend to use movements such as twisting the waist or bending deeply to relieve lower back pain, actions that can put additional pressure and torque on the lumbar vertebrae, potentially causing displacements in the facet joints, acute back injuries, and accelerating degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs, increasing the risk of herniated discs and exacerbating pain.

During the Chinese New Year holidays, it is important to pay attention to diet, schedules, and staying properly warm.

How to prevent and alleviate lumbar discomfort? A combined approach focusing on diet, rest, and warmth is more effective. To prevent and alleviate discomfort in the lumbar and back areas, a more effective approach combines diet, rest, and warmth.

Regarding diet, it is essential to adequately supplement calcium, vitamin D, and high-quality proteins. It is recommended to consume moderate amounts of milk and choose foods such as soy products, dark leafy vegetables, fish, and lean meats to strengthen bones and muscles. The consumption of high-sugar and high-fat foods should be avoided, and weight gain which could impose more load on the lumbar spine should be prevented.

Maintaining a regular sleep schedule and avoiding staying up late, going to bed before 23:00, and ensuring 7 to 8 hours of sleep helps in muscle repair.

Keep the waist area protected from the cold by wearing high-waisted pants and avoiding clothing that leaves the area exposed. In cold weather, it is advisable to wear belted pants or wrap the waist with a scarf. Avoid sitting or lying on damp surfaces, use warm water for household chores, and change wet clothes immediately on rainy days to prevent the entry of cold and moisture.

Source content: Xinhua Net

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