March 3, 2021

Easy Tips To Help Low-Back Pain

(From the Comfort of Your Own Home)

Are you in search of more easy tips to help low-back pain? Your requests for MORE tips prompted the creation of this article. And here at Hybrid Fitness, we give the people what they want! 

Not only are we going to provide you with suggestions that will help alleviate low-back pain that are within your control, we’re also going to dive into the risk factors of low-back pain. Warm up those heating pads, here’s Part II! 

DISCLAIMER: Before following any of these easy tips to help low-back pain, please refer out to a doctor or other medical professional.

When is Your Low-Back Pain Just Too Much to Address with Easy Tips at Home?

It’s probably time to seek the advice of a medical professional if you have:

• Low-back pain that comes on sharp and quick
• Pain that does not diminish within 6 weeks by performing strengthening and stretching exercises consistently
• Pain that flows down one or both legs
• Other symptoms that need medical attention that may be related to your low-back pain, such as if you have a fever accompanying back-pain that may indicate an infection of some kind in your body
• Experienced serious trauma from a fall or another kind of accident
• Any numbness or tingling
• Bouts with incontinence
• Pain at night that wakes you up from sleep
• Limbs not functioning properly
• Unexplained weight loss 
• That feeling you get deep down in your center when your body tells you it’s trying to deal with something serious that needs professional medical attention.

What is Within My Control in Regards to Alleviating Low-Back Pain?

Your chance of having low-back pain at some point in your life is based on the following risk factors: 

• Age – our strength and flexibility wanes as we get older
• Stress – our bodies physically hold stress, and give us signs that it needs to be addressed through pain
• Fitness level – as the saying goes, “use it or lose it”, a sedentary lifestyle is not your friend!
• Prolonged poor posture
• Disease, such as arthritis or cancer
• Pregnancy – carrying another human inside your body is nothing short of a miracle in more ways than one!
• Parenting – lugging not only young children, but all that goes along with them, can take its toll on your low-back
• Weight gain – it’s a big ask of your spine and hips to carry more weight than is healthy for your body frame
• Genetics – thank mom and dad for this one!
• Occupational risk factors – work demands, including heavy lifting and repetitive motion
• Smoking – People who smoke have more back pain as compared to those who do not smoke ~ maybe it’s from coughing? 
• People who experience depression, anxiety, or other psychological conditions tend to have more back pain than those without these conditions

Obviously, some of these things listed are out of your control (genetics), but others you have the power to address in order to eradicate pain and discomfort in your low-back. 

Here’s a few ways to alleviate that low back pain before even getting out of bed in the morning. 

Remember ~ if any exercise increases your pain, dial back the exercise or stop entirely. Preferably, you want to challenge your body in a pain-free way to right itself.

Easy Tip #1 From the Comfort of Your Own Bed

The “not-so-high” leg lift – To engage the abdominals for support of the low-back

• Lying on your back, bend one leg so the sole of the foot is on the bed
• Keep the other leg extended and muscles engaged
• Engage your abdominal muscles (Think laughing, or tensing up as if somebody is going to punch you in the stomach)
• Keep your back on the bed (no arching)
• Gently and slowly lift and lower the extended leg no higher than the knee of the bent leg
• Start with a few repetitions, and increase to 15
• Repeat with the other leg

If you can easily perform the above exercise, then try the next one. If not, stick with the one above, and check out the previous Hybrid Fitness article including easy tips to help low-back pain here – How To Improve Low-Back Pain 

Heels to the Heavens – To stretch the hamstrings and calves on the back side of your leg

• Lying on your back, fully extend your legs 
• Lift one leg toward the ceiling, while supporting with hands (other leg can be straight or bent with the sole of the foot on the bed)
• Try to pull the toes down toward your body
• Push through the heels toward the ceiling
• For more flexible folks, you can either lift both legs together, or
• Using both hands on one leg at a time, slightly pull the leg toward the face
• Keep your back on the bed (again, no arching)

Keeping the Hip Flexors “Hip” – To decrease the pull on your pelvis in the front of your body

• Lying on your back on the edge of your bed
• Slide one leg off the edge so the lower leg and foot hang down
• Lift your other knee toward your chest and hold
• Start holding for even 10 seconds and ideally increasing up to 30 seconds based on your comfort level
• Repeat on the other side

Be patient with your body as you get up and move about your day. Here are a few more exercises to stretch a tiny but mighty muscle. 

Easy Tip #2 – Priming Your Piriformis – The petite muscle that covers your sciatic nerve

The Figure 4 Stretch

This the most versatile and effective stretch for your piriformis, because there are 3 ways to perform the stretch depending on what works for your body.

Sitting 

• Sit near the edge of your chair/bed/couch with a straight back
• Legs hip width apart and feet on the floor
• Cross one ankle over the opposite knee
• Be sure to have your shin aligned under your knee of the leg that is touching the floor
• Slowly lean forward slightly with a straight back toward your crossed leg 
• Feel the stretch along the side of your crossed leg and in your hips and buttocks
• Hold for 30 seconds, rescind if painful
• Repeat on the other side

Lying

• Lay on your back on a mat or floor
• Bend one knee with the sole of the foot on the floor
• Bend the other knee and place ankle on top of opposite knee
• Gently grasp both hands behind the knee of the bottom leg 
• Using arms lift the bottom leg towards your chest
• Feel the stretch in your glute of the top leg 
• Hold for 30 seconds, rescind if painful
• Repeat on the other side

Standing 

• Stand where you can hold onto something
• Place one ankle above the knee of the opposite leg
• Brace yourself on something with your hands for balance
• Try to keep your back straight and your chest upright  while slowly lowering toward the floor by bending the grounded leg
• Bend down until you feel the stretch in the side of the leg and glute of the top leg

With any of these exercises make sure you are breathing. That’s right. Do NOT hold your breath. Your body needs fresh oxygen to move. Instead, start with an inhale and as you exhale try to increase the stretch. 

Following one of these Figure 4 stretches can help stretch the piriformis so it doesn’t aggravate the sciatic nerve, and cause pain in your low back or down your legs. 

Another option is to get a deep muscle massage from a qualified professional to help muscles release tension.

Easy Tip #3 – Breathe!

Yes, breathe to relax your body, including the tense muscles that may be contributing to your low-back pain. Believe it or not, a lot of us do not breathe fully, especially when stress is present. If we are not mindful of our breathing we tend to hold our breath or take shallow breaths. 

To release stress, relax muscles and cleanse your body with essential oxygen you can: 

• Focus on taking slow, deep breaths for a few minutes a few times per day wherever you are in those moments; the car, washing dishes, folding laundry, raking leaves, etc. 
• Use a square breathing technique where you inhale to the count of 4 (or whatever # works for you), hold for a count of 4, exhale to the count of 4, hold for a count of 4 and repeat for a few minutes.
• Breathe from your diaphragm by placing your hand on your abdomen and taking slow, deep inhales focusing on your abdomen expanding followed by a longer exhale. This stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system to calm your body and reduce your heart rate and blood pressure. 
• Meditate while focusing only on your breath. Be mindful of the oxygen entering your body and the carbon dioxide leaving your body. Closing your eyes can help you keep focus on your breath. 

Commit to Relieve Your Low-back Pain

Physical therapists hear some of their patients say that they are not getting better by doing the exercises prescribed only to find out they weren’t really doing those exercises enough at home to make progress.

To recap, for a pain-free low-back keep these guidelines in mind: 

• Do your exercises! Faithfully everyday, even more than once a day if prescribed by a medical professional.  
• Whatever exercise you do for one side of your body make sure to do the same for the other side of your body. Don’t just lift one leg, unless there is a medical reason for doing so. 
• Don’t sabotage your efforts with poor posture. Make sure your work space is ergonomically correct. View the Hybrid Fitness Posture article for tips – Good Posture is Your Partner For Mobility.
• Breathe! Handle your stress and get your lymph system flowing to cleanse your system. You can do that just by breathing properly and you will feel better. Lymph fluid that is stagnant is not your friend. 
• Be social! Why? Because humans are social creatures and connecting with others makes us smile and increases our chances to see the bright side of any situation. 
• Keep Going! Healing, recovery and realignment of your low-back takes time (weeks, months, and even years!). Be patient with yourself. Your body is doing the best it can with what it has to work with to relieve your low-back pain. 

It’s Time

Now that you have all of the tools you need, it’s time to put them to work! Take 1 or 2 of these easy tips to help low-back pain, and implement them on a consistent basis! Once you’ve done that, you should start seeing progress, and can trickle in additional tips over time!

If you’re looking for more easy tips to help low-back pain, check out one of our most popular YouTube videos here.

If you found this helpful, please consider subscribing to the Hybrid Fitness YouTube channel, and be sure to check out all the other articles from our coaches. 

And remember…Small Steps, Big Results.

Cathy Caveney

Cathy grew up in NH surrounded by a large, loving family, where she learned generosity and hard work. She now models that for her two children. She was inspired to become a fitness coach when searching for ways to become more healthy herself after a life-threatening illness.

hybridfitnessgym.com

March 2, 2021

How To Stay Active With A Desk Job

The Covid pandemic has impacted everyone, including myself. Since November of 2020 I have been working remotely from home. Some will say “that’s great!”. However, with working from home comes long hours of sitting at a desk and being indoors. Sure, I’ll get up from the desk every now and then, but definitely not as much as I did when I went to the office. Finally, I decided that enough was enough, and I needed to find ways to stay active with a desk job. 

So, if you’re working remotely like me, or if you are in an office all day, these 4 tips are for you. Make sure and read until the end! The last tip is one of the most important, and should be implemented inside and outside of the office!

Put It In Motion

When we sit for long periods of time it can cause tightness in the hips, back pain, and a general feeling of tiredness from being in the same position.

The tips below will give you more energy, increased productivity, and better concentration. They are super simple to follow, and are guaranteed to make you feel more active throughout your work day. 

Without further ado, let’s MOVE on to the tips! (see what I did there?)

Tip # 1: Move On The Hour

Take a walk to the water cooler or the break room, grab some coffee or a snack. Go over and talk to your coworker in the next cubicle or office. Wherever you choose to go, be sure to do it every hour. 

Set a timer on your phone as a reminder to get up from your chair and away from your desk for even 5 minutes. You will come back refreshed and ready to keep working. 

When we move our bodies, it helps to get our circulation going, increases our heart rate, and stretches out our muscles. 

When we sit for long periods of time our bodies will feel it! Being too sedentary can come with aches and pains, feelings of fatigue, and it can even pose a risk of blood clots. 

So, make moving throughout the day a priority for yourself and stick to it by doing the following:

• Make movement a daily habit
• Set a timer for every hour
• Commit to staying active 

Tip # 2: Do Chair Exercises & Stretches 

Although you’re in a chair and at a desk all day, there are still exercises and stretches that you can do that are not only beneficial, but simple, and don’t take a lot of time. This is a great way to get your heart rate up, and to stretch out your legs and hips!

Chair Marches

• Bring one knee slowly towards chest
• Slowly lower leg back down
• Repeat with the other side
• Complete 20-30 times total

Elevated Push-ups

• Place your hands on a chair or desk and get into a high plank position
• Don’t let your hips sag
• Lower body by bending at the elbows and bring chest to desk

Standing Toe Touch

• Take a deep breath in while you bring your arms straight overhead
• Exhale and slowly try to touch your toes while keeping your legs straight
• Repeat 10-15 times

Correct Posture

• Sit with a straight back, shoulders down
• Feet flat on the floor
• Knees at a ninety degree angle

For more on posture, check out coach Cathy’s article here – Why Good Posture is Your Friend For Mobility

Tip # 3: Walk During Your Lunch Break

Get outside and soak up some vitamin D! Bring a coworker with you for some company. 15 minutes of brisk walking a day will help you stay alert and focused for the remainder of the work day. 

Studies have shown that walking during a lunch break can boost concentration, productivity, and happiness. So go ahead and get outside! You won’t regret it. 

Vitamin D is so beneficial, and can help promote better mood, helps to regulate the absorption of calcium, and assists with reducing the risks of heart disease. 

Getting outside during your lunch break will help break up the monotony of the work day, as well. You will return to your desk refreshed and renewed!

Speaking of walking, let’s talk about my next tip for staying active with a desk job. 

Tip # 4: Take The Long Way

When you get to work, park in the furthest spot from the building.. This will help you get those steps in before you get to work, and once the work day is done. It’s an easy way to burn extra calories, and can really add up! You can burn an extra 10 calories every time you walk from your car to the office.

Another way to add in steps throughout the work day, is to use the bathroom that is furthest away from your desk. Think of how many times you use the restroom in a day! 

In fact, anytime you get up from your desk, whether it’s to go to the printer, get supplies, or going to a meeting, take the long way. If there are stairs in your office, even better. Keep on moving and keep on adding steps. 

There you have it, four tools to throw in your toolbox to help you stay active with a desk job. Implementing these will make all the difference! To recap: :

• Move away from your desk frequently
• Do some exercises and stretching at different times of the day 
• Get outside during your lunch break for some sun and fresh air 
• Take the long way, and easily burn some extra calories. 

Following these tips will help you to experience increased mental clarity and more energy, while decreasing feelings of fatigue. Who knows, maybe your work day will go by a lot quicker! 

And remember…

Small Steps, Big Results!

If you enjoyed this article, swing over to our YouTube channel to check out our latest videos here – Hybrid Fitness YouTube Channel

Danielle DiMartino

Danielle lives in mid-coast Maine after growing up in Boston, MA. She’s a nursing school graduate, and is currently working towards becoming a certified grief counselor. She also has her personal training certification through ASFA.

Danielle has run multiple half marathons, and has even completed 2 full marathons, including the Boston and Des Moines marathons.

Danielle loves to create a comfortable, fun, and relaxed environment in the gym, and is dedicated to making a positive impact on others, and helping people feel good about themselves while reaching their goals.