Chapter 12

SPINE TUNING

Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.
~ Bruce Lee

B ack pain is like an unsolicited guest. It comes suddenly when all is well and gives a very grim turn to life. The early signs of discomfort tend to be conveniently ignored; signs telling you to 'Beware' or better still 'Be Aware'!

Be accountable to your body, respect it and work enthu-siastically to keep all the muscles healthy and well-toned. Poor postural habits are the deep undercurrents of the body falling apart. Yet, we allow ourselves to get misled by myths.

Myths Related to Lower Backache

X-Rays Tell the Ultimate Cause of Back Pain: X-rays are important as they show the health of the bones and the joints. That said, x-rays, and for that matter even MRI scans, cannot detect the strength of and the balance between various muscles surrounding the bones. The state- of-the-art radiological equipment available today is still not capable of assessing muscle resilience.

As mentioned earlier, I have examined many people who suffer from backaches in spite of a clean chit from x-rays, just as I have examined those with gross wear and tear of bones revealed by x-rays, but who do not really suffer from pain. Wonder why? The problem and the solution lie inherently in the muscles. With healthy and functionally balanced muscles, you can stay free of pain despite a negative x-ray report.

Use of a Belt Helps and Supports the Back Forever: External corsets are prescribed for people with an unstable lower back. These are used to correct the distortion and to protect damaged tissues. Indiscriminate use of a lumbar belt actually creates more problems than it solves. The belt supports the spine, but when there is no acute problem, the back muscles stay unused and get shortened, resulting in stiffness and further degeneration.

Fitness Freaks Do Not Get Back Pain: Workouts can create muscle imbalances if we concentrate too heavily on certain areas of the body and neglect others. Runners, cyclists, bodybuilders can be candidates for back problems. Cyclists have serious muscle imbalances in the lower body and legs. Intensive use of the paddles overworks one set of muscles, while it underworks another. Body builders and fitness enthusiasts also fall prey to back pains.

Examine the story of Diniar, a successful 39-year old journalist, who epitomizes a life of health and fitness. He follows a strict workout regimen combined with excellent dietary habits. He thought he had an ace up his sleeve as far as robust health was concerned, until one day he was suddenly hospitalized for a bad back and promptly put on traction.

Diniar's colleague, Shekhar, who attended my yoga classes, narrated his plight. Diniar's exercise routine involved an hour- long daily swim followed by an hour of hectic gym and weight training. The pertinent question is where and why Diniar went wrong.

Diniar's is a classic case of imbalanced workout that involved only muscle strengthening while completely ignoring the equally important aspect of muscle stretching. In addition, he worked long hours in a slumped posture at the computer table. Moral of the story: not only do you need a correct balance between strengthening and stretching in your physical regimen, you must also back it by posture awareness 24 × 7.

'Surf Board Abs' Should Be the Aim: Today, the external look of the abdomen determines the level of fitness. While on one extreme, there are people who completely ignore their bodies, on the other there are those who pay too much attention to the way it looks from the outside. A protruding belly certainly causes backache. However, those with an extremely streamlined body, six-pack abs and broad shoulders also suffer from backache.

Men and women are getting obsessed with the physique displayed by film stars and models. Aping them is in vogue and though the short-term effect may be thrilling, it would be wise to be concerned about the long-term effect. Body-crafting specialists train the superficial abdominal muscles to remain in a contracted state. The look may be very appealing and worth applauding, but remember that in the process of achieving this look, these muscles get further tightened and shortened. This draws the chest and the pelvis close to each other, resulting in a flat lower back, which then puts extra pressure on the discs. The worst bit is that this restricts abdominal breathing and promotes unhealthy shallow chest breathing. The gait alters and soon becomes the root cause for failing health.

Common Errors While Practising Yoga

It is common to hear people complain of backache that began or increased after a couple of yoga sessions. Little do they realize that this is usually because of improper guidance or prescription of incorrect asanas. I have always believed that 'How We Do' matters more than 'What We Do' and this applies here more than anywhere else.

Forward bends with rounded backs: Instead of bending from the hips, many of us bend from the waist due to tight hamstrings (muscles at the back of the thighs). The aim of doing a forward bend is to stretch the back muscles, not to curve the spine. Forward bends should be done:

Wrong – Forward bending with rounded lower back

  • with a straight lower back;
  • with the abdomen pulled in;
  • leading with the heart (not the head);
  • from the hip joint.

Wrong – Hips behind the ankles        Right – hips in line with ankles

Backward bends at the lower back: Backbends should not be an overarching of the lumbar spine. This is especially important for people with a swayback or increased lower back curvature as doing so compresses the bones and worsens the pressure on the discs. For example, Bhujangasana, or the Cobra Pose, is a backbend found in almost every yogic protocol. If done carelessly by people with an accentuated lumbar curvature, it can harm their lower back rather than offering any relief.

Wrong – Bhujangasana with over-arched back and sagging belly

Right – Bhujangaasana with toned back and belly in

A backbend should be done with the following points in mind:

  • Stabilize the lower spine and the tail area by gently bringing tone in the hips (gluteal muscles).
  • Pull your navel in towards your spine.
  • Lift the middle and the upper back away from the pelvis.
  • Do not push up through the palms to extend and lift the back. Note that safe versions of backbends require bent elbows. Overuse of arms should be discouraged. Instead, the palms should be used for minimal support as the movement is initiated by the upper back muscles.

Even when you perform poorna bhujangasana, which requires straight arms, make sure your lower back is long. If you feel a pinch in your lower back, stop the practice and perform the bhujangasana as described above.

Asanas without involving the core: During yoga practices, the activity of the inner corset or the deep abdominal muscles is fundamental to the stabilization of the posture. This central support makes it possible to release the compensatory tension we carry in different parts of the body. A weak, sagging and toneless abdomen strains the back. Any yoga practice, even a twist, should be initiated from the pelvis rather than the spine. Once we are able to enhance the TA sensation by slightly drawing in the lower abdomen, as mentioned on page 46 in chapter 6, we need to integrate this practice in all postures. To recall, the goal is to sustain a mild tone in the inner corset during any activity and the contraction should be just 10-25% of the maximum.

Therapeutic Practices for the Back

The best things in life are simple ones. Here I share some simple core exercises that have to be done with awareness for quick and sustained results. They have no side effects; only positive results. Enjoy them.

Imprinted Lower Back

Tones abdominal muscles

This is a very effective technique to do away with the pain caused by excessive lower back curvature. It is like wearing a natural belt around the lower back, except that it is made up of your own muscles. It gives the lower back the much needed support.

Wrong – Over-arched back

Right – Imprinted lower back to tone the core

This is one of the tools to understand the correct pelvic alignment mentioned on page 105 in the previous chapter. The tilt in the pelvis observed in this practice should be applied when we stand or sit to keep it aligned.

Ardha-Pawanmuktasana (Half-Wind Release Pose or Half-Leg Lock Pose)

Stretches paraspinal muscles

Ardha-Pawanmuktasana with one leg folded

Pawanmuktasana Roll (Roll in the Wind Release Pose)

Stretches the lower back

Pawanmuktasana roll

Setu Bandhasana with Pelvic Co-ordination (Bridge Pose)

Restores mobility at hips

When you press away from the floor, through the shins, the muscles and the connective tissues of the hips and the pelvis stretch, creating a better and deeper connection at the joints.

Setu Bandhasana with pelvic tilt

Single Leg Raises

This is the same practice prescribed for knees on page 88 in Chapter 10. Single leg raises also help strengthen the back muscles. If your lower back hurts, make sure you do them with the other leg bent.

Single leg raise with imprinted back

Side Leg Raises

This is the same practice as the one prescribed for knees on page 89 in Chapter 10. Side leg raises also help strengthen the back muscles. If your lower back hurts, make sure you do them with the lower leg bent.

Marjarasana Breaths on Chair (Cat Pose)

Warms up the spine's postural muscles

Marjarasana breaths on chair

Parvatasana with Wall Support (Mountain Pose with Wall Support)

Stretches the spine

Parvatasana (half) with support

Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian Pose)

Stretches tight psoas muscles

Ashwa sanchalanasana (psoas stretch)

Ardha Shalabhasana (Half Locust Pose)

Strengthens gluteal muscles

Ardha shalabhasana

Bhujanga-Shalabhasana (Cobra-Locust Pose)

Strengthens back muscles

Let us not get confused with the combination of names and focus instead on safely strengthening the back and the shoulder muscles.

Bhujanga-Shalabhasana

Reverse Walking

Refer to page 157, Chapter 17.

Simple yogic asanas like the ones described in this chapter, when incorporated in our daily routine, ensure relief and protection from painful lower-back conditions.

Let us now move on to the third area of concern – the upper back-shoulder-neck region.