Daily fitness exercises such as abdominal wheel training, push-ups, sit-ups and other exercises that specifically strengthen the pectoral and abdominal muscles may promote spinal aging and even increase the possibility of paralysis!
Exercising your back muscles is crucial
The spine often faces two major challenges: one is the degenerative changes of the spine that come with the aging of the body; The second is improper muscle building methods, which will also accelerate the damage and aging of the spine.
The human body is able to walk upright and relies heavily on the support of the back muscles. However, the back muscles are more susceptible to aging, while the front muscles are less susceptible.
As we age, many people develop a hunchback. In order to prevent muscle aging too quickly, the most effective way is undoubtedly exercise.
However, many people are accustomed to doing exercises such as abdominal wheels, push-ups, and sit-ups to strengthen the pectoralis major and rectus abdominis muscles, but rarely work the back muscles, which can lead to them becoming more and more hunched. Exercising your back muscles is crucial.
How to exercise?
Here's a simple tool: towels. Exercising with a towel pressed against the back of your head several times a day will allow you to feel the comfort of your lumbar and cervical spine immediately.
Often do these actions, silently injuring the cervical spine and lumbar spine
In addition to the wrong muscle-building behavior, there are some movements that can cause serious damage to our cervical and lumbar spine!
The most feared movement of the cervical spine: long-term bowing of the head
When the human body is standing, the weight of the cervical spine is about 4.5 to 5 kg;
When the head is lowered at 15 degrees, the weight of the cervical spine increases to 12 kg;
When the head is lowered at 30 degrees, the weight reaches 18 kg;
When the head is lowered at 45 degrees, the cervical spine bears a weight of 22 kg;
When the head is lowered at 60 degrees, the weight of the cervical spine is as high as 27 kilograms, which is equivalent to the weight of two large winter melons.
The pressure on the cervical spine caused by long-term bowing is self-evident, so it is recommended that everyone lower their heads and play with their mobile phones.
Neck muscle exercises
1. Hold the ends of the towel tightly with both hands, place it behind your neck, lift it up to the limit, and exhale with it. Slowly lower to the initial position and inhale at this point. Pay attention to the stretching and contraction of the neck muscles. It is recommended to repeat 10 to 20 times per set.
2. Place your hands behind your head, tilt your head back and push your hands forward at the same time to form a confrontational force. After a short rest, relax and restore. It is also recommended to do 10 to 20 reps per set.
The most feared movement of the lumbar spine: frequent bending over
When lying down, the lumbar spine is subjected to the least amount of pressure, about 25 kg;
When lying on the side, the pressure rises to 75 kg;
When upright, the pressure reaches 100 kg;
When bending over, the lumbar spine is subjected to a pressure of 150 kg;
When bending upright to lift heavy objects, the pressure is as high as 220 kg;
When sitting upright, the lumbar spine is subjected to 140 kg of pressure;
When not sitting upright, the pressure rises to 185 kg;
When lifting heavy objects without sitting upright, the lumbar spine is subjected to a pressure of 275 kg.
In short, the more intense the bending action, the heavier the burden on the lumbar spine. Therefore, whether you are sitting, standing, or carrying heavy objects, make sure that your lower back remains straight to reduce the burden on your lumbar spine.
Waist muscle exercises
Hold the towel in the same way and place it under your waist. Push down on your heels while exhaling. Then relax your heels, return to a standing position upwards, and inhale. 10 to 20 reps per set of exercises are also recommended.
Tips: If you have persistent pain in the cervical and lumbar spine or increased curvature during exercise, please seek medical attention in time. This can be a sign of a condition such as a compression fracture, disc herniation, etc., and may require medical intervention.
Source: Health Talk