| Practitioners who make qigong a part of | | | | |
| their everyday routine seldom get | | | | 1. Find a chair or bench to sit on that |
| backpain if at all, because qigong and | | | | is the right height for your legs. For a |
| back problems are a contradiction in | | | | chair to be the right height for you, |
| terms! | | | | you should be able to sit comfortably |
| If you suffer back spasms or other back | | | | with your feet planted flat on the |
| problems, just one month of daily qigong | | | | ground and your knees bent 90 degrees. |
| practice will alleviate most of the | | | | If the chair is not ergonomically |
| pain. Six months of practice will | | | | correct, incorrect posture, inadequate |
| eliminate most if not all of the | | | | support and resulting back problems will |
| problem, and 20 minutes of daily | | | | continue to give you varying degrees of |
| practice will keep backpain away. | | | | backpain. |
| Qigong, (a.k.a. chi kung) is a | | | | 2. Sit on the edge of your seat, so that |
| 5000-year-old Chinese meditative yoga | | | | only your buttocks, not your thighs, |
| that incorporates both still and moving | | | | touch the seat. Your back should be |
| forms. Integral to all qigong exercise | | | | straight, not slouching forward or |
| are breathing techniques to help | | | | leaning back on the support of the |
| cultivate the vital chi energy, an | | | | chair. Though your spine is straight, it |
| intrinsic lifeforce that we believe is | | | | should not be ramrod rigid, but relaxed. |
| responsible for all life and health. | | | | 3. This far into the exercise you should |
| When we practice qigong, we generate | | | | already begin to feel your backpain |
| healing chi energy that circulates | | | | easing. Plant your feet flat on the |
| through all parts of the body, | | | | ground about shoulder-width from each |
| realigning posture, healing wounds and | | | | other, toes pointing forward, knees bent |
| injuries, detoxifying the body and | | | | 90 degrees. |
| gradually alleviating pain stemming from | | | | 4. If you are sitting properly, you can |
| imbalances, injury and poor health. | | | | pat and feel the back of your thighs |
| Qigong also teaches correct posture in | | | | wobble like jelly. |
| all positions, standing up, sitting | | | | If you are currently experiencing |
| down, and even in recumbent poses. Back | | | | backpain and you try this qigong sitting |
| problems may be due to all kinds of | | | | position, your pain should ease almost |
| injury to the back, but the main reason | | | | immediately. If you have been suffering |
| why anyone would continue to suffer back | | | | frequent bouts of back spasms or a |
| spasms long after the injury is healed | | | | recent back injury, it may be painful |
| is poor posture and a weak back. | | | | for you to sit up for long periods. |
| Poor posture creates little support in | | | | Practice for brief periods, until your |
| the back and puts all the weight in the | | | | back grows stronger, then gradually |
| wrong places, creating pressure on the | | | | extend your sitting time. |
| spinal column. Misalignment makes the | | | | In fact, if your back is healthy, you |
| chi flow sluggishly, which further | | | | can sit for hours in this position and |
| aggravates the situation. | | | | not get backpain or feel fatigued, |
| On the other hand, when you practice | | | | because your back is getting proper |
| qigong, you become sensitive to the | | | | support, there is no undue pressure on |
| generation and circulation of chi | | | | the spine, and you are relaxed and |
| energy. When the chi energy becomes | | | | aligned properly, so that the chi energy |
| stuck and unable to flow properly due to | | | | is able to flow uninhibited. |
| blockages created from misalignment, | | | | You can assume this position any time |
| pain results. In qigong, you | | | | when you are working at your desk, |
| automatically correct your posture, | | | | eating or even watching television - in |
| knowing that when the energy moves the | | | | fact, any time you need to sit down. |
| pain disappears at the same time. | | | | With practice, this position should |
| Even if you have never experienced back | | | | become automatic every time you are |
| problems, practicing qigong will | | | | sitting. |
| maintain a healthy strong back. If you | | | | Try it for yourself and see what wonders |
| ever look at some of the old qigong | | | | it can do for your backpain. If you get |
| masters, even at eighty or ninety years | | | | used to sitting like this every day, |
| of age, they have strong healthy backs | | | | you'll find much of your backpain will |
| that are not bent over with age! | | | | ease significantly within a week, even |
| There are several qigong positions you | | | | when you are not doing this exercise. By |
| can assume to remedy back spasms and | | | | then, you should be ready for the next |
| other back problems. The first position | | | | qigong lesson: providing support for |
| is a sitting position. Here are the | | | | your back in a standing position. |
| steps: | | | | |