Islamic prayer ritual can REDUCE lower back pain and increase joint elasticity if done properly, stu

[wvwvw]

Islamic prayer ritual can REDUCE lower back pain and increase joint elasticity if done properly, study reveals
The daily prayer ritual performed by millions of Muslims can reduce back pain
Every day, Muslims bow, kneel and place their heads on the ground facing Mecca
Scientists say using the right knee and back angles can help relieve this pain
By Mary Kekatos For Dailymail.com
PUBLISHED: 17:47 GMT, 9 March 2017 | UPDATED: 17:47 GMT, 9 March 2017

Five times a day, approximately 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide bow, kneel and place their heads on the ground in the direction of the holy city of Mecca.

The prayer, known as the Salat, is one of the five obligatory elements of the faith set forth by the holy book, the Qur'an.

And according to a new study, it helps reduce lower back pain symptoms.


Scientists say that if performed regularly and properly, the daily ritual can alleviate pain and increase elasticity of the joints.

While other studies have looked at the psychological effects of prayer, this is one of the first to look at possible physiological benefits.


The daily ritual of Islamic prayer - bowing, kneeling and placing a head on the ground - can alleviate symptoms of back pain, a new study has revealed

The study, conducted by Binghamton University in New York, used computer-generated human models of healthy Indian, Asian, and American men and women to look at the prayer's effect on lower back pain.

Researchers found that the bowing portion is the most stressful on the lower back.
But for individuals with lower back pain, using proper knee and back angles during the ritual can reduce this discomfort.

While the research focused specifically on Islamic prayer practices, similar movements were also found in Christian and Jewish prayer rituals - along with yoga and physical therapy

'One way to think about the movements is that they are similar to those of yoga or physical therapy intervention exercises used to treat low back pain,' said co-author Dr Mohammad Khasawneh, a professor of systems science and industrial engineering at Binghamton.

Prayer can eliminate physical stress and anxiety, while there is also research that indicates prayer rituals can be considered an effective clinical treatment of neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction
Dr Mohammad Khasawneh, Binghamton University

Dr Khasawneh said that the angles are based on individual body shapes.
'The maximum compression forces created during prayer postures is much lower than National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health safety limits,' he added.

'And the movements can be safely considered a clinical treatment for low back pain, as it requires different movements of the human body on a regular basis.'

The kneeling posture, known as sujud, can also increase joint elasticity, or mobility - but using incorrect angles and movements can increase pain.

Researchers say that further study is needed to look at the effects on physically handicapped individuals, those with more extreme body types and pregnant women - to find the best movements for these groups.

They plan to further validate the findings with physical experiments using sensors and cameras to track the stresses on the individual body parts during the prayer ritual.

'Physical health is influenced by socioeconomic, lifestyle and religious factors,' said Dr Khasawneh.
'Moreover, studies indicate that there is a strong association between prayer and vigilance about maintaining a physically healthy lifestyle.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...#ixzz4b0wG3o7F

[wvwvw]

It is indeed very soothing!

[Al-Meksiki]

This is actually true. The movement and stretching are very nice stimulation on the muscles and joints, especially for someone me who has chronic pain from nerve disease.

Because I wake up around the same time as the Fajr prayer, it acts as a nice way to stretch my muscles and reduce and tension and pain that I may have. Plus the Dhuhr and Asr prayers are good to take off pain from work from standing on my feet for hours when I do them on my breaks.

[Pahli]

You don't need to submit yourself in a humiliating way to exercise

[Sekarotuinen]

It's a great motivation to stretch, which really helps in the morning especially.

Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta) has truly blessed believers with Salat. In Shaa Allah, people suffering chronic pack pain will find Islam!

I don't know how I would function without Fajr tbh.

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