The Yoga rules

By Glen Wood

In a fixed task such as driving, optimal trunk stabilization is essential for the healthiest driving posture, with the least stress to the back and neck, and the most efficient operation of the controls (steering wheel, foot pedals). This trunk stabilization is due to spontaneous activation of four key muscle groups: the lower abdominals, the pelvic floor muscles, the diaphragm (the main breathing muscle), and the mid-back muscles.

The nerves in the spinal cord pass through an opening in the bony body and exit the spinal canal at all vertebral junctions. The nerves exiting the lumbar spine innervate the hips and legs. Behind the disc are the facet joints that directly link the bony vertebral bodies. The joints are enclosed in fibrous capsules that contain synovial fluid that lubricate the joints. Facet joints linking the intervertebral bodies become swollen when strained and can put pressure against nearby nerves causing pain.

Spondylolisthesis is a condition in which one of the vertebrae of the lower spine slips forward in relation to another.

Spondylolisthesis is usually caused by stress on the joints of the lower back and may be associated with facet joint arthropathy. Although this condition can cause low back pain and sciatica, sometimes it causes no symptoms at all and is diagnosed with an x-ray done for another reason.

Yoga works powerfully, and its effects last, because it brings change gently and gradually. Yoga is not meant to be an overnight cure. As Carl Jung once said: "Things seldom happen overnight except in dreams." Changes in the body that do happen too quickly, usually "snap" back quickly, too.

Many people with back problems are experiencing the result of years of poor posture or body mechanics, or as in some cases, years of pain and tension induced by a specific physical injury.

In any case, their tensions and imbalances have become deep set. Poor posture can force back muscles into constant contraction to compensate for imbalances. This makes the muscles prone to spasm. Similarly, injuries can induce "protective" contractions that lead to spasms. To expect immediate transformation from such maladies would be unrealistic.

There are some tips you can follow to make lying in bed less painful. Hopefully, if you follow the tips you can get some decent rest. One of the best sleeping positions for the body with back pain is on your side with your knees bent at 90 degrees. This relieves some of the pressure on the spine. If your hips or back hurt in this position, you can place a pillow between your knees to keep the hip joint level and the lower back straight.

Glen Wood - The Yoga Teacher, dedicated to unlocking the Real Secrets of Back and Shoulder Pain.

To help you further with your shoulder/back pain you need to sign up for your FREE "Yoga and You" report at http://www.YogaTeachingwithGlen.com