Dear Ingo,
I suggest that you find yourself a Feldenkrais practitioner and take some classes or private lessons so that you can learn to organize yourself in a way that you do not habitually tense your lower back. To find a teacher near you, visit http://www.feldenkrais.com. I'd be happy to make recommendations from among the teachers that are near you. You might also buy some audio recordings of Feldenkrais classes. The site I listed above has links to places where you can buy tapes. In the meantime, here is a short lesson for you to do:
0) Do the following according to your own comfort. Do the movements slowly, resting whenver you feel the urge to do so. Make your comfort more important than doing the movements perfectly.
1) Lie on your back with your arms along your sides. Bend you knees and put your feet standing at about shoulder's width. Spend a few minutes noticing the contact that you make with the floor. Look for ways in which the right side of you does not contact the floor the same as the left. do not try to get rid of the differences, just notice them. Also, without attempting to direct your breathing, notice the way that you are breathing. How fast? How long is the inhalation relative to the exhalation? How long is the pause after the inhalation and before the exhalation? How long is the pause after the exhalation and before the inhalation?
2) Lift your head to look at the floor between your feet. It doesn't matter whether you actually see the floor, but open your eyes and intend to see it. Do this a few times, noticing how high you can lift your head. Rest.
3) Lift your head to look at the floor between your feet, but now notice what happens to your lower back. How does its contact with the floor change? Do this a few times. Does it start to get easier as you notice how your lower back changes its contact with the floor? Rest.
4) Interlace the fingers of your hands and place your hands behind your head. With the help of your hands, lift your head to look at the floor between your feet, noticing how the contact of your lower back with the floor changes. Do this a few times. Is this easier than without the help of your hands? Rest.
5) Repeat step 3 (without the help of your hands) and notice whether your experience is different now. is it any easier than it was before? Rest.
6) Repeat step 1 and notice what has changed about the contact of your back with the floor. How has your breathing changed?
7) Slowly stand up and take a few minutes in standing to notice any differences in your experience of yourself.
I hope this helps. It would probably be useful to have someone read the directions to you as you do the movements. Better yet would be a Feldenkrais class, and best of all would be private lessons with a Feldenkrais practitioner. don't give up on this. You are right to be concerned about what is going on, and there any of my colleagues can probably offer you more help than you would imagine possible. Feel free to contact me privately if you wish.
Good luck, John Link
"Live at Saint Peter's" CD for half-price thru 3/22 Get it for $7.50 at http://www.earbuzz.com/JohnLink Free music at http://www.mp3.com/JohnLinkVocalQuintet
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