There sure are a lot of devices and equipment out there purported to heal low back pain. In this section of the course we'll discuss some strategies, AIDS and some equipment better consistent with the objectives of this course. Namely stretching, strengthening and balancing the supporting muscles, ligaments and tendons of the lumbar region. They start with a swimming pool. The pool is an excellent place to stretch and also strengthen the lumbar region. So let's look at a few of these pool exercises.

Here we're seeing a Lumbar stretch. The hands are are pulling against the side of the pool with the feet pushed up against the wall. And here's a flutter kick. This is excellent for strengthening the abdominals and also loosening up the lumbar region. The hands are loosely held against the wall. Here's a frog kick.

This balance is the sacrum and the pelvis. Very similar to the frog kick we were doing On the table. Here's a more advanced frog kick. Notice how the feet are being pulled closer to the buttocks. And hi. Here's a reverse flutter kick.

This is excellent for the abdominal region, including the transverses, the rectus abdominus, and the obliques. Here's a reverse frog kick is how the feet are being pulled closer into the sacrum. Now let's try some these exercises on kickboard kickboard doesn't provide the same support as the wall provides but at the same time, it will help increase muscle and ligament strength and flexibility simply because it doesn't have that support. We've been watching the flutter kick with kickboard here, notice how she extends her arms over top of the eighth floor that provides a little bit more balance. And here's the reverse flutter kick. Notice how she pulls the kickboard close to the head to provide more balance.

Now here's a more advanced full exercise the dolphin kick. Notice how the lower spine undulates with the legs and feet. This can be a difficult thing to master so starting gradually as best, but it's an incredible exercise in terms of loosening as well as strengthening the lumbar region and its associated muscles including the abdominal. And the piece of equipment that can be used to stretch and strengthen the lumbar region is the melodic spa because the body's ball also has little to no support. It can also be a hazardous device to use. Here we're going to review a few safe exercises with bodies ball as well as a few cautionary exercises.

Best place to start with pliers ball is to carefully lean over it and let the belly lay on the top and just hang over the top. This can be nice stretching exercise for the lumbar region and the sacral area. This stretch can be extended upward into the pelvis and sacral region and it can come back whatever feels comfortable, you know useful applies by exercise is the back stretch. This is similar to the chair pole but notice the difficulty here is getting the spine straight and can be done as best as possible on the knees. And we use Word shoe sizes a reverse backstretch. This is not only a good stretch, but it also helps create the anti liberal position we discussed in the posture section.

Many offices now use the bodies balls and office chair. This is not recommended because the ball provides very little support to the lumbar region and this can stretch the lumbar muscles over a day at the office. However, for a short duration the ball can be used as exercise. This can be supplemented by side to side hip movement that can stretch the obliques as well as strengthen some of the pelvic muscles and ligaments. The ball can also be used for a fetal stretch. This is probably better to do in a chair because of the lack of support that the ball gives you.

An incredible exercise for the ball is a coordination and balance exercise here replacing one foot upon the ball and we're balancing by standing on the other foot. And this actually helps strengthen and build the procedural muscles. Here the same exercises used but with a straight leg, place the fun ball. As these muscles work to remain standing, this helps build balance and coordination along with strengthening those tiny spinal sacral muscles. And obviously, it's best to do both sides create balance from musculature. That's it.

Another important device for the low back and that is the inversion chair. As we're demonstrating here, the inversion chair, flips back and basically reverses posture so that you're hanging from the stirrups. The inversion chair is most known for a long gating the spine, but it also loosens and strengthens those small vertebral muscles and ligaments that are so important for balance and strength. So let's let's demonstrate this. So we're going to put our feet in the stirrups there's a number of different types, or this is a pretty standard inversion chair over gradually lean back and tell we're not completely inverted. That looks good show from the side angle here.

You don't want to go directly from standing into a complete inversion. It's best to work into it gradually. And also do it for just a few minutes the first few times. And now we're going into a almost complete inversion but you notice that it is not a complete inversion. This helps lengthen and stretch the spinal erectors. Here's a bent leg inversion chair.

This takes a little bit of stress off the lumbar region, especially for those that find it a little dizzy to use a regular chair. This next device is similar to what's called a Vax D table, which is basically mean long gating device. It performs a similar action on the spine has an inversion chair does with this device. You lasers in active motion where the armpits are put over the top stirrups and pushed down and that stretches the spine in the rector's. Next we're going to look at a lumbar stretching device. This is very similar to the chair stretch that we showed using a poll as well as a chair earlier on.

This is another stretching device but this also helps the stick with iliac joint be positioned itself and it also stretches the lumbar musculature. This is a posture aid can be used as a desk chair. It basically puts the lower spine into a position where you want to sit correctly. Another strategy for keeping low back region LP is the infrared some infrared radiation penetrates the dermal layers of the skin and expands the blood vessels increases blood flow and also relaxes the muscle fibers. So it's extremely beneficial for the muscles and ligaments and tendons of the lumbar region. The Infrared Sauna is an excellent way to detoxify the bloodstream as well as the general tissues in the lumbar region.

And detoxification means less risk of cramping and other muscle imbalances. Healthy Diet is critical to a healthy back. This is because the muscles, ligaments, tendons, the dis the nerves and all of the other tissues in the bones require good nutrients in order to facilitate balance flexibility and a lack of spasming or other difficulties we can move back. For this reason we advise a diet with lots of greens good oils such as coconut oil, flaxseed oil, oil, avocado oil, olive oil and yogurt foods, bold nuts and seeds and whole grains sprouted grain Especially a smoothie is an excellent way to help detoxify bloodstream, fruit as well as flax seeds. Kieffer some green foods like spiraling and chlorella wheatgrass mix it up into a delicious smoothie. It's a great way to hydrate as well as providing nutrients to those muscles of the lumbar region.

Hydration is especially critical for the lumbar region because it is the muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons all required water to function properly. Mineral water is especially good because it contains magnesium, calcium, potassium and other ions and these ions especially magnesium help relax the muscle fibers. Speaking of relaxing the muscles meditation is an excellent way to reduce stress and take pressure off of the lumbar region. This means breathing deeply finding a comfortable place to sit walk in letting the mind relax. Tai Chi is an excellent way to accomplish this meditative prayer is also a great way to achieve this relaxation. Another strategy is called grounding.

Here we can simply lie down on the ground connecting back with the surface of the earth either by laying on the grass somewhere or laying on the beach or on a rock somewhere where the surface of the ground is accommodating to the back yet a place where we can live comfortably with the knees raised to give us full contact with the grounding electromagnetic energy of the earth. Massage is an excellent way to loosen and lengthen the various muscles of the lumbar region and the entire spine. Let's look at a diagram here of how the muscles are arranged Now let's demonstrate how a good massage is done. It's obviously good to have a partner we can trust and knows the technique. Or you can do it professionally wiiware of professional misuses who like to pound on the back. That is not beneficial for stressed, tight and painful.

Remember reason. Notice here that we're actually stretching by stroking the muscles flattening them. And we're also moving in such a way that lengthens the erector spine a as well as the rhomboids can the various other muscles see our tying in the other muscle groups. We can see here again how the muscles arranged. Here we come down and then we pull apart. When we come back up, thumbs align with the spine.

Out if it's pretty important, pushing down is well but when you push down, come to the top of the pelvis and then turn and come on back. Stroke deeply red not stressful. Ask your partner. Relaxing Music can help as well. go sideways as well be careful here this should be a fairly light stroke, not too deep, because this can actually tighten the muscle fibers. You want to be traveling with the muscle fibers as much as possible that this can provide a little bit of loosening as well as increased circulation.

That's another big benefit of massages that increases circulation to those muscle groups as well as the ligaments and tendons connect the vertebrae spreading the fingers this actually helps flatten and lengthen the fibers are a good homemade massage oil is critical for a great number. Sarge, this oil I'm using is a combination of olive oil. Coconut oil, St John's wort or a good oil for muscle tension. The philosophy of this course is that most low back pain is not due to bulging discs, or misaligned spines. Most low back pain is due to stress, tight muscles, imbalanced muscle groups and in general, poor posture and other habits that tend to stress the various ligaments and muscles of the lower spine. This course has identified a number of different exercises ranging from stretching, to strengthening to manual exercises that reposition the muscles as well as the spinal column and exercises that provide support in balance.

This is the philosophy here. It's not meant to be medical advice. You should definitely consult to your doctor if you have ongoing low back pain. Thanks for joining us.