The Alternative Medicine E-Newsletter | Week of Wednesday August 9, 2006

Easing Back Pain Sitting for hours at a time is the scourge of office workers everywhere. The result of the 9-to-5, sit-at-your-desk, talk-on-the-phone work week? Serious low back pain, shoulder and neck stiffness, and the inability to concentrate for any length of time. Work habits such as these can also cause mental stress and lead to Repetitive Strain Injuries . Regular exercise is a must. Just walking at lunch time, running, or riding your bike after work can help. Yoga is also a highly effective, long-term solution for all these aches and pains and the day-to-day stress you often find yourself under. For now, the best thing to do is to get up and move around every half hour or so. You can also try these simple Yoga Poses: Mountain Pose (Tadasana) Stand with your feet hips width apart and lift your toes. Lengthen tailbone down towards earth. Grow spine up toward sky. Relax shoulders down. Lengthen up through top of the head. Take 5- 10 deep breaths, feel yourself becoming steady, grounded and stable. Extended Mountain Pose (Urdhva Hastasana) From the Mountain Pose: Reach arms up overhead. Take 5- 10 deep breaths again feeling steady and powerful. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) Return to Mountain Pose and clasp your hands behind your back. Bend your knees and lean forward from the hip joints (the tops of your legs). Allow your clasped hands to go up and over toward your head. Bend your knees a lot if your back is stiff or sore.