What you have learned in this course is invaluable and can never be taken away from you. You have acquired skills and tools that you can use from the moment you wake up in the morning, to the moment you go to bed every single day of the week! You will start to notice how most people move incorrectly throughout the day, and at that point will realize all the learning that has taken place. As a result you will also start more confident about trying new forms of exercise without the fear of pain or hurting yourself.
Above all, you now have the tools to change your mindset by accepting what can’t be changed, using the past as learning experiences, letting go of what is not serving you and focusing on what makes you stronger. Finally, you understand that pain is often a body, mind and spirit condition and should be treated as such.
COURSE RECAP
Neutral alignment of the spine is the safest position for your back. Neutral alignment is attained when your head, shoulders, hips and feet are on a straight line, while maintaining the natural arches in the neck and lower back. Bringing the shoulders past the neutral alignment (such as when you lean forward or bend over) increases the stress on the lower back.
Support your spine when leaning forward, twisting, lifting…by bracing your spine: engage your transverse abdominis muscle, pelvic floor muscles and glutes muscles.
You can maintain neutral alignment in the spine when leaning forward, getting up a chair, off the bed, picking up objects. Instead of rounding the shoulders, hinge at the hips and bend the knees.
Poor posture (rounding the shoulders or tilting the pelvis forward or back) puts pressure on your disk joints, causing pain and inflammation. A regular strength and flexibility program helps maintain a strong posture.
Sleeping postures that do not support the natural curves of your spine can cause pain and affect the quality of your sleep.
Even when you are sleeping it is crucial to maintain a neutral alignment by supporting your back.
Emotional stress, anxiety, PTSD cause the same inflammation responses in the body as a physical injury. You can reduce emotional stress a regular practice of yoga, breath work and mindfulness.
Physical inflammation on your back can be triggered by the food you eat. Reduce physical inflammation by eliminating inflammatory food from your diet and by promoting an anti-inflammatory diet.
