Back Care Awareness Week 2024 is October 2–8, 2024

This is a week long national health awareness event to help educate on back pain along with preventative measures to support back health. 

As a business focussed on supporting good health, we know from working with different people either within the workplace, or on a staycation, or for a pamper party, that back treatments are generally our clients 1st choice. Aside from it being the most essential part of our structure for movement and flexibility; our backs contain our spinal cords which form half of the central nervous system and therefore good back health back is an absolutely essential part of staying and feeling healthy.   Stresses and strains on our backs make massage treatments an ideal option to relax and revive from pressures on our daily lives.

Along with back and shoulder massage, onsite massage, tai chi training, fitness, and Pilates, one of our most popular wellness services to support good back health is Yoga.  One aspect of Yoga training can make a hugely positive impact on our core strength.  We understand that strong core muscles help to maintain our balance, can help to develop a good posture,  and also helps to prevent unwanted strains or sprains.

This blog provides information on how a sequence of simple yoga exercises focussed on your core can help to develop better core strength and support your back.

Chair Pose

Standing with your feet hip distance apart, bend your knees and reach your arms up in line with your ears, shift the weight of the body into your heels, at the same time engage your core and ever so slightly tuck your tailbone, hold here for a minimum of 3 breaths.

Modified/Full Plank Pose

Starting in an All 4's position extend your legs behind you and tuck your toes, placing your hands directly underneath your shoulders, fingers spread wide, gripping into the mat, your gaze should be between your hands, pull your belly button in towards your spine, engage your entire body pulling into a centre point, to modify this pose drop your knees to the mat, but keep your weight shifting forward.

Cat & Cow Pose

This pose is very beneficial for your spine mobility and flexibility, it also helps to strengthen your core muscles to support your spine. Starting in a All 4's position, place your hands under your shoulders and knees under hips, spread your fingers wide on the mat, with your inhale drop your belly, draw your chest forward and look up and with your exhale draw your chin to chest, tuck your tailbone underneath, round the spine and press the mat away from you, repeat this for a minimum of 4 rounds, keep moving with your breath.

Boat Pose

Starting seated on your mat, with your knees bent and feet hip distance apart and flat on the mat, engage your core and pull your belly button in, start to lean back and lift your feet so they are in line with your knees, you can reach your arms out either side of your legs with your palms facing up, to modify this pose, take your hands to the floor for stability.

The University of York conducted the UK’s largest ever study into the benefits of yoga. The study, led by the University of York and funded by Arthritis Research UK, found that people offered a specially-designed 12-week yoga programme experienced greater improvements in back function and more confidence in performing everyday tasks than those offered conventional forms of GP care.  https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/features/yoga-back-pain/