Many people expect that a bad back is something they will have to put up with as they age. But these days we also know that with 50 as the new 40, we don’t have to give in aches and pains and illness as we get older. The baby boomer generation are asking for more from life – they want to be fit, healthy and active well into their old age. People are now taking exercise more seriously and make more efforts to maintain their fitness levels as they age. If we make activity and exercise a part of our lives, we can expect to minimise problems such as back pain, and age more healthily.
A suitable regime of exercise for all round fitness will encompass aerobic exercise, strength exercise and flexibility exercise. Walking, for example, is ideal for improving stamina, providing low-intensity aerobic exercise, and needs no special equipment.Yoga is great for flexibility and also for muscle strength, and very good for improving core strength. It is also great for promoting relaxation, mindfulness and mental well-being
Core strength is a vital part of any exercise regime, for protecting the back from back pain. Yoga and Pilates classes provide exercises for the core (the muscular girdle around the centre of the body). A strong core braces the back and supports it as you go about your daily life. A strong core will protect you from back pain.
Sometimes however, we reach middle age with a niggling back pain that comes and goes, which is due to our past neglect of exercise or perhaps long hours sitting at a desk, or driving in a car. So we can start a fitness regime gently and progressively, and hopefully we can prevent back pain from returning. Using Pranamat Eco is a great way to improve back health, and remove muscular pain, and can complement a fitness programme perfectly.
The specially created and aesthetically beautiful lotus flower massage heads on the Pranamat Eco stimulate the accupressure points on the body, and increase energy flow (chi) through the meridians (energy channels). The ancient art of acupuncture and acupressure is proven in providing real benefits to the circulation, flushing toxins and revitalising the muscles. Pranamat Eco is therefore wonderful in combatting back pain and preventing those old niggles of pain from returning: it’s a “DIY massage” – a gift you can give yourself at any time, which will benefit your overall health, as well as your back. Indeed it can be used on other parts of the body to provide the same benefits all-round.
Using the mat also benefits our mental well-being – who has not had a massage and found it immensely refreshing and relaxing? With Pranamat Eco we can experience this benefit every day, free of charge, in our own home, and with the added benefits of acupressure. Youthful vitality need not just be for the young!
So back pain need not be an inevitable part of ageing. We can take care of ourselves with exercise, healthy eating, and complementary “at-home” therapies, such as Pranamat Eco. A healthy back can be part of a healthy lifestyle, if we invest in ourselves and our future, well into our “golden years”.