Have you ever found yourself sitting in front of the computer or on your phone for hours on end, and then later realize that you don’t remember the last time you actually got up and walked around. When was the last time you went to the bathroom or drank water?!
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor am I any kind of professional in the medical field. You know your body better than anyone. If you’re experiencing abnormal aches and pain, you may want to check with your doctor before trying anything new. With that out of the way, let’s continue.
Before we can get into how hooping can potentially help with back pain, we first need to understand one of the main reasons why we have back pain in the first place.
Many of us spend over 6 hours or more sitting down every single day, and a expanding rear end isn’t the only thing that is happening. Sitting can have both short and long term effects on your body and health, making this seemingly overlooked activity highly detrimental.
This infographic by Washington Post breaks down some of the most unsettling side effects of sitting down all day.
“If you don’t use it, you lose it!”
By sitting all day, your muscles loosens and weakens throughout your body. Without strong legs and glutes, our lower body becomes unable to holds us up when sitting down or keep us stable when walking or doing other activities, putting us at risk of injury.
Another obvious yet often ignored consequence of sitting for long hours is poor circulation. Poor circulation can cause blood pool in the legs and feet, which can lead to varicose veins, swollen ankles, or even dangerous blood cots!
The longer you sit and maintain bad posture, the more likely you are to experience chronic pain in areas such as your neck, shoulders, back, hips, and legs. According to a National Health Statistics Report by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), over 50% of American adults have some type of musculoskeletal pain-disorder-pain in the lower back, sciatica, neck, joints, as well as other related conditions – while 20.3% reported having lower back pain.
Anybody can (and should) reduce the effects of their sedentary lifestyles by simply getting up and moving more. So there’s no need to don’t quit your desk job, stop watching moves, or going on long car rides.
The best way to offset the side effects of sitting at a desk for hours is to really maintain a constant stream of activity throughout the day, everyday. You can do this by taking regular breaks and going for out for a quick walk or…..grab a hula hoop and waist hoop to two or three of your favorite tunes!
How does hula hooping help with back pain?
Hula hooping is a low impact exercise, so just about anybody can do this. When you’re hooping around the waist, you are literally moving your entire body, increasing your circulation and flexibility, and strengthening your core muscles. All of these things make for a great remedy for back pain, an increase in energy, weight loss, and overall healthy body.
All you have to do is to get yourself a nice big beginner hula hoop that is approximately half the size of your body or bigger and start hooping. You don’t need a big studio or lots of space to hula hoop. Try hooping by your desk at work, in your living room or bedroom, but of course there’s also outside. If you don’t know how to hula hoop, check out some beginner hoop tutorial here.
Of course, it also helps to stay fit by finding ways to increase your daily physical activity. It may take some getting used to, but if it can prevent you from suffering any sitting-related health issues, then it’s certainly worth the effort.
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[…] So many of us spend our days working from behind a desk, typing on computers, or driving all over town to get everything done. As we get older, our backs are more prone to aches and pains throughout the day. Without some form of exercise, you’ll continue to deal with these side effects. Try hooping for your back pain. […]