Back pain is individual: it reflects a unique mix of circumstances ranging from beyond one’s control: genetic predisposition, injury, age, to those within our control: posture, level of activity and nutrition. The likelihood is, that if you are over the age of 25, you have probably felt a twinge of back pain at some point. Whether it went away immediately or developed into something more serious is beside the point; we should be taking active measures to combat the stiffness and pain that comes naturally with age. So, I pose this question: do you have 30 seconds to spare each morning and evening? If so, try out the posterior pelvic tilt, a powerful stretch that reverses anterior pelvic tilt, addresses pain and boosts vitality.

• Lie on your back with knees elevated and feet flat
• Place your hand underneath the small of your back to define the space you will fill with the stretch.
• Remove your hand, inhale and tilt your pelvis, raising the buttocks slightly and using your abdominal muscle until your back touches the floor.
• There should be a pull in the muscles of the pelvis and lower back.
• Hold for 5 seconds, exhale and return to the start 

Repeating this stretch 3 times in the morning and in the evening can make a noticeable difference, especially for people suffering from anterior pelvic tilt, a pervasive posturing that comes from the hip flexors shortening and the hip extensors lengthening. 30 seconds a day, (or hopefully twice a day) to take preventative measures against back pain is a great deal! For more ways to add stretches seamlessly into your lifestyle and for help healing your back, in whatever condition you find it, give our office in Fremont a call to schedule an appointment today. 

Dr. Francis Scorca, D.C.