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Comment by neilsharma | Hacker News Reader

1. Get rid of my lower back pain- I’ve had back pain and for as long as I can remember. Poor sitting posture, heavy backpacks, and sleeping curled up probably contributed to it. I tried an ergo chair (no results), a medicine ball (less pressure on my lower back, but I slouch horribly), and a standing desk (much better on my back, but caused knee pain). Stretching helps, but inflames previous injuries. I suspect a lot of stress in my life comes from repeated failed attempts to alleviate these simple pains.

2. Deep Breathing - I’m trying to meditate, but my mind wanders after a minute or two. Trying to fight off the countless notifications, chrome tabs, noises, etc that have shortened my attention span. Goal is to hit 10 minutes of focusing on nothing.

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Kudos on setting goals! I offer some unsolicited advice below.

For 1, there's no nice way to say it but... are you overweight? Overweight people are much more likely to have issues with back and knee pain, so losing weight could help (in addition to the other health benefits). Really though, it sounds like you should see a doctor about these problems.

For 2, have you tried listening to guided meditation? UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center[1] has put out some good tracks. I recommend starting with [2] and [3]. If you prefer a male voice, Sam Harris has recorded some guided meditations as well.[4][5]

Also, I think it's best to avoid result-oriented self-improvement goals. Instead of "meditate with no distractions for 10 minutes," try something like, "meditate three times a week." It's a similar story with exercise. Instead of "run a 5 minute mile", just try to run three times a week.

1. http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22&oTopID=22

2. http://marc.ucla.edu/mpeg/01_Breathing_Meditation.mp3

3. http://marc.ucla.edu/mpeg/02_Breath_Sound_Body_Meditation.mp...

4. https://soundcloud.com/samharrisorg/mindfulness-meditation-9

5. https://soundcloud.com/samharrisorg/mindfulness-meditation-2...

1. I'm not overweight at all, but I am a bit on the heavy side from years of weightlifting. I went to the doctor about the back pain, and she associated it with inflexibility in my calves, hamstrings, glutes, and lower back and told me to stretch. I still can't touch my toes with my knees straight, but my reach is about 6" deeper than it used to be a year ago. I stretch 15 minutes a day, every single day.

2. Hmm, habits instead of goals does sound more reasonable. You're in a constant state of failure until you meet specific goals, which is more stressful and counter productive.

Thanks for the links! I will definitely try them out. Been looking for a good soundtrack to meditate too, and chillstep hasn't been working :p

For both goals (back pain and breathing exercises) I'd highly recommend the book "Becoming a Supple Leopard" by Dr. Kelly Starrett. http://www.roguefitness.com/becoming-a-supple-leopard

Kind of an esoteric title, but the book is filled with outstanding information and actually specifically addresses the standard MD diagnosis of inflexible calves and how to really drill down to the root cause. Definitely worth a read. Good luck and congrats on setting self improvement goals!

Thanks for the book link! I'll buy it and give it a read :)

What methods are you using for #1? It sounds likely that you have Anterior Pelvic Tilt (APT).

Instead of trying "passive solutions" (new desk chairs, standing desk, etc.), I'd try to actively strengthen your core and correct imbalances through stretching.

Here is a link that may be helpful: http://www.t-nation.com/training/trouble-with-the-tilt-corre...

Oh wow, after reading the description, it sounds exactly like my problem.

Thanks so much for the link! Haven't tried most of the exercises recommended here, and I'll give anything a shot at this point.

I've also never really understood when trainers say to activate, use, or strengthen your core. I do tons of advanced-level ab exercises, but my abs are never activated for my posture. My gut kinda sinks in when I slouch forward. Is it just bad habit?

I got rid of chronic pain I had for 4 years in 4 weeks by reading "The Divided Mind" by John Sarno. I'd highly recommend it.

And, as other's have pointed out, a wandering mind is part of meditation. The beneficial part of meditation comes from that act of noticing your wandering mind and bringing it back to focus.

That's great news! Thanks for the book rec. I'll buy it and give it a shot.

I am skeptical though. "Mind over Matter" techniques don't seem very practical after spending years in the physical world stretching and massaging. Do the techniques Sarno recommends help correct slouching?

Started reading the book. I'm getting really into psychosomatic medicine now. Seems to be a lot of little-known value in this space.

Makes me think that the quantitative self movement is a bit misguided. Lots of health problems can be solved with emotional therapy, not by easily measurable tests.

The two things that helped my lower back pain were sleeping on the carpet, and arch supports in the shoes. Both were a night a day difference (literally, the next night my back felt better).

A firm surface gives you more support in the night, and arch supports (if you have low arches) help you absorb shock better.

Evidence shows that "too firm" can be as bad as "not firm enough".

I'm not giving medical advice but once you've ruled out scary possibilities for lower back pain (rare but serious) the single most effective thing is exercise to strengthen muscles of the lower back.

Strengthening the back muscles is one preventative cure, but can also aggravate an existing injury or inflammation. First thing is to recover.

Proper diagnosis is also key. In my case, I had joint irritation from flat arches, and also tight hamstrings with a stronger side from sports. My back took a lot of hits over time, and my muscles would pull them out of place.

Deep Breathing and switching off my mind is one of my goals too. I am also trying to meditate but all I do is think about all kinds of stuff. Good luck with your goal, mate!

Dont worry if you wander off, it is impossible not to. Just bring back your attention and continue. Don't make it into a contest.

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