. Prior to getting the inversion apparatus I would sometimes take most of my
bodyweight on my arms while holding the arms of a chair (like in the top
arms-locked position of a parallel bar dip), and gently relax my lower back
so that the vertebrae there open slightly and the perceived compression is
eased. But if I overdid it, it made matters worse. Proceed carefully if you
perform this stretch.. While I used to stretch regularly even before the summer of , it was not
until that I substantially increased my investment in stretching. Prior
to that it was more casual. Post injury I found an increased need to stretch
very carefully any tight areas prior to training with weights. is helped to
keep me supple during training and greatly reduced the chance of re-injury.
I would only perform this pre-workout gentle stretching once I was already
warm. A general warmup activity on a ski machine precedes every workout I
take. I also found that trigger point therapy was sometimes helpful for eas-
ing tight muscles.. Give serious attention to following a sensible stretching routine on a con-
sistent basis before you get a serious injury. Do not wait until after you have
been injured to start to appreciate the benefits that are possible from follow-
ing a good program of flexibility work.. I found the books and
by Robin McKenzie excellent manuals for how to self-treat and prevent
back problems. ey helped me greatly. e lordosis and neck movements
referred to in this chapter are from McKenzie’s books.. In , to prevent discomfort in my neck upon waking each morning, I took
action. I started using a contoured pillow with a middle area lower than the
top and bottom parts. is gave head and neck support and prevented the
unnatural positioning of the upper vertebrae that a normal pillow usually
causes. I fitted that particular contoured pillow but not everyone can fit the
same contour. But it is worth a try if you suffer with post-sleep upper-spine
discomfort. Consult your doctor, a chiropractor or other physical therapist
for information on from where you can get a contoured pillow.. In summer I added reverse back extensions to my exercise program,
against manual resistance. I found these to be helpful for keeping my lower
back in good order. In the fall of I fitted a device onto my power rack to