3 tips for tackling back pain

Here are some insights into alleviating back pain from the upper and lower parts of our backs taken from PAYD articles in the Telegraph, Top Santè and Balance

1. Sit well

A lot of us tend to sit like a cashew nut, with the bum tucked under and shoulders slumped forward, which can cause lower back pain. That’s why how we sit is extremely important - here is a way in which we can sit to benefit our backs.

When sitting on a chair at your desk, place both feet flat on the floor, make a right angle at the knees with both pointing forward

Make sure you’re sat on your sit bones (the bones underneath your bum) so you have a right angle where legs meet torso

Position your ribs over your hips and your ears over your shoulders so your head is in line with your spine

2. Move your spine

We spend a lot of time with the top of our spine flexed and our head looking down. So we move the spine in other ways

Bend it to the side, rotate it, extend the top bit (think collar bones to the ceiling) and tilt under the bottom bit (tuck your bottom under moving from your sit bones)

3. Reduce your stress levels

Breathing can help to reduce stress levels

Taking deep breaths is not only an instant calmer, but a great way to stretch those tight middle back muscles

Take deep breaths into the front, back and sides of your ribs. This is great for calming the nervous system and getting movement in the middle bit of your back. It also relaxes your shoulders, ribcage and improves your posture and ultimately how you feel

If you’re on the hunt for more expert pilates knowledge and how you can improve your posture for good, come and have some fun over on the MAYD membership!