Dr. Akash Lavana

1. Drink plenty of water (recommended about 8 glasses a day)

2. Reduce caffeine and alcohol intake (cut down tea, coffee, aerated drinks, alcohol). Alcohol and caffeine cause mild dehydration which can lead to muscle tightness.

3. Eat foods that help reduce muscle tightness. Foods rich in magnesium such as bananas can help. Use sea salt with food as the sodium in it helps relax muscle cramps. Potassium rich foods such as avocados, potatoes, bananas, broccoli, orange juice, soybeans, apricots, and raisins can decrease tightness and cramps. Milk has a large amount of vitamin d, which will reduce your chances of cramping. Have one to two glasses of milk each day to help you prevent cramps. As a bonus, all the calcium in whole milk will also contribute to healthy bone growth.

4. Stretching exercises. Stretching exercises will help release chemical substances called endorphins that help reduce pain. Also it helps elongate tight and contracted muscle fibers.

5. Massage to relieve pain from tight muscles. Deep tissue massage, trigger point release and myofascial release are some of the techniques used by Physiotherapists trained in manual therapy to help loosen painful knots in muscles and relax the same.

6. Drinking plenty of water, often considered to be between eight to ten glasses per day, provides many benefits such as preventing and relieving tight and cramped muscles related to dehydration. However, tight muscles can have a variety of causes and might require dietary and lifestyle changes to adequately deal with. 

7. Minerals, electrolytes and water are all needed for normal muscle tone and function. Calcium is especially important for contraction, magnesium is needed for relaxation, and water for firmness and electrolyte exchange. Athletes commonly have tight muscles and also people who are under stress. Tight muscles lose their flexibility and might become painful to the touch. 

Mineral deficiency, especially magnesium, can lead to muscle tightness, twitching and maybe even restless leg syndrome at night. A lack of electrolytes, such as sodium, interferes with nerve conductance to muscle fibers and results in tightness and spasms. Poor blood circulation hampers the minerals, electrolytes and water getting to muscles, which can cause symptoms. Most of us drink a lot of beverages but it has either caffeine or alcohol which can both lead to mild dehydration. 

Throughout the lift you must attempt to retain the hollow in your low back

The lift should be applied by straightening the legs. Avoid using the back as a crane to lift the weight.

Correct lifting technique involves the following: 

• Stand close to the load; have a firm footing and a wide stance.

• Accentuate the lordosis.• Bend your knees to go down to the load and keep your backstraight.

• Get a secure grip and hold the load as close to you as possiible.

• Lean back to stay in balance and lift the load by straightening the knees.

• Take a steady lift; do not jerk.

• When upright, shift your feet to tum and avoid twisting the low back.

Lifting objects with your back rounded  has been found to raise the pressure in the discs to a much higher level than that existing when the weight is held with the body upright and the lordosis present. Just as back problems associated with bending seem to occur very frequently in the first four or five hours of the day, so it is with lifting; especially so if you are lifting repeatedly and frequently. If you use an in correct lifting technique while lifting heavier objects, you may cause damage and, of course, sudden severe pain.

In order to minimise the risks involved in lifting, you should always use the correct lifting technique

You should stand upright and bend backward five or six times immediately before and after lifting, especially when a Single heavy lift is involved. If there are many objects to be lifted, you should frequently interrupt the lifting and repeat the backward bending exercise. By standing upright and bending backward before lifting,you ensure that there is no distortion already present in the joints of the low back as you begin the lift. This is particularly important if you have been in a stooped position or have been sitting for a prolonged period immediately before you start lifting.

For example, many truck drivers after driving for prolonged periods are then called upon to remove heavy objects from the back of the truck. Removing heavy suitcases from the boot or trunk of the car immediately after a long ride is another example of this high-risk situation. By standing upright and bending backward a few times before and after lifting, you correct any distortion that may have developed in the joints as a result of lifting.If at present you are suffering a bout of low back pain, especially when this is caused by lifting, it is best to completely avoid lifting for a few weeks so that healing of damaged tissues may take place.Should this not be possible, then you must at all times use the correct lifting technique and avoid lifting objects that are awkward to handle and heavier than 30 pounds (15 kg).Once you have developed recurrent low back problems you should never again handle awkward or heavy objects by yourself,even though you may be completely pain free at the time of lifting.In addition, you should familiarise yourself with the correct lifting technique. After some practice at this, lifting correctly will become a habit.