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Stress
and Tension
Stress
can cause physical effects throughout your body. Back
pain is the body's way of protesting against stress and
enforcing general slowing down. Tension and stress can
literally cause a "pain in the neck" or a
"pain in YOUR back."
Muscle
Tension
Poor posture can make muscles
chronically tense. This is common among people who spend
hours typing at a computer or among factory operators.
Stress and tension substantially
contribute to back problems. Stress and tension can
cause spasms in the back, neck, and shoulders, as well
as headaches. Tense muscles produce spasms and pain by
reducing the supply of oxygen and by reducing blood and
lymph flow, allowing the accumulation of waste chemicals
(carbon dioxide and lactic acids). Stress increases
nerve activity to muscles, creating tension which
decreases your flexibility.
Muscle tension can actually be measured
by using a machine that monitors electromyographic (EMG)
activity. Sensors are placed on particular muscles
groups and are attached to a small machine which gives
off a signal. The more tense muscles are, the faster the
signal emitted by the machine.
Inversion Can
Help
Inverting as little as 25‹ for even a few
minutes can help relax tense muscles. A study conducted
by physiotherapist LJ Nose found that, EMG activity
declined over 35% within ten seconds of inversion."
Inversion, therefore, is very effective in relieving
tension and pain in your muscles which may have been
caused by stress.
The concept of turning the body upside
down for better health has been around for centuries. In
yoga, the "Shirsonana" head stand position has
been used by yoga practitioners as a form of
"postural exchange" (reversing the direction
of gravity). Not everyone wants to do headstands, so
inversion products create an easier alternative to
reverse gravity. Additionally, suspension by the thighs
or ankles is decompressive, while a head stand is
compressive to the spine.
Summary
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Stress and tension lead to back
pain.
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Muscle tension can be measured using
an electromyographic (EMG) machine.
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EMG activity decreases 35% after 10
seconds of inversion.
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Yoga practitioners use the "Shirsonana"
headstand to reverse gravity and relax.
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Inversion is an easier way to
reverse gravity and is decompressive.
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