Bunions and Balance…
Well I hope you have had a good week and have tried to incorporate the simple exercise for the neck and the lower back. Relax and find a place of comfort.
The balance in the body is what unconsciously we strive for. Inwardly and outwardly. Our body fluids strive for balance – blood with glucose and insulin, when drinking alcohol the brain gets affected and then tries to detox and sober up. Water is constantly monitored in the blood and tissue, and reacts accordingly. Structurally we try to keep balance, we twist our ankle and we get a limp to keep ourselves up right. To compensate to keep the body moving with the least path of resistance.
Unfortunately with chronic back pain we start off with a mild limp and in the end it gets incorporated into our being, making us who we are always believing we will always have it. This doesn’t have to be so. If the body needs to keep itself upright then it will start laying down bone – often at the big toe area. The bunion will often form on the side of the back pain. The body lays down bone there when they have been wearing high pointy shoes for years. It’s the body’s way of keeping stability in the structure.
A way to help them not form is to get your back sorted and work with the bunion. There is a tendon that moves up to the top of your foot which runs the length from the big toe to the heel. Try and gently push it back under the foot. Move the big toe in circles, clockwise and anti-clockwise several times. There may be a little cracking that is okay. The twist the toe slightly in the way it is twisted already and compress the toe down into the joint or big toe knuckle. Hold for 30 secs to a minute, then when going to bed put a small sponge in between the big toe and the second and sleep with it. This exercise has been shown to slowly dissolve the bone and re-correct itself. I have seen it in my clients but perseverance is the key.
Another way to release the lower back or the lumber 4 muscle is to lie on your stomach you may need a small pillow under the belly. Then bring your feet up bending at the knees. A bit like a teenager watch tv on their stomach. Slowly move the feet in circles or forward and back, or vice versa. Do this for a minute, rest for 20 secs, again for a minute, rest for 20 seconds, then again for the last 3rd minute. Can do this whilst watching the weather or something… It slowly releases the lower back.
Give these a try, share and have a good week. J