Back Pain Relief Tip Of The Day: Stretch Your Hamstrings
September 10, 2008
Many adults complain about lower-back pain.
One cause is tight hamstring muscles.
Here’s a safe, simple way to stretch them. Lie face-up on the floor. Bend your knees keeping your feet on the floor.
Reach under the right knee with both hands and pull your knee toward your chest; hold the stretch for 15–30 seconds.
From this position, loop a towel around the ankle or calf, and extend your leg toward the ceiling.
Keeping your leg straight, slowly pull the towel towards your face. Hold for 15–30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.
Stretch each leg four–five times, three days per week.
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Fitness, How to Avoid Back Pain Find Pain Relief Options — Best Sky Transshipment
September 8, 2008
The health of your back depends to a great extent on your posture and body movements, your ability to cope with stress, and your exercise regime.
Many types of back pain can be blamed on weak abdominal and back muscles. That’s why most doctors oppose prolonged bed rest for back pain and instead recommend light physical activity along with pain relief medication and other proactive treatments.
Physical activity may not only provide pain relief, but it can also prevent future back pain. Along with pain relief medication, many doctors and physio-therapists tailor individualized exercise routines to treat patients who suffer from various types of back pain.
A typical exercise program for back pain may involve stretching and strengthening exercises, flexing, and endurance training. A variety of exercises and techniques are available for back pain relief; your doctor can help you choose an appropriate routine, taking into account the cause and severity of your back pain.
Advantages of Exercise for Back Pain Patients
Along with a healthy diet, doctors recommend exercise as an important component of a healthy lifestyle for most people, not only those who suffer from back pain.
The potential benefits of an exercise program for back pain may include:
- Immediate, short-term pain relief
- Stretching of tight, contracted muscles
- Strengthening of weak muscles, which can contribute to back pain
- Reducing mechanical stress on the back
- Stabilizing the back
- Increasing the ease and efficiency of body movements
- Improving posture, which can guard against future back pain
- Minimizing the frequency and magnitude of chronic back pain
- Increasing the likelihood of quicker recovery from back pain in the future
- Improving fitness to prevent future injuries
A Basic Exercise Program for Back Pain Relief
A basic exercise program for dealing with back pain involves strengthening the back and supporting muscles. If you have injured your back or have other health problems such as osteoporosis, start the exercises only after consulting with a doctor.
You can start on a gentle stretching and strengthening routine if you have no serious spinal problems.
Exercise #1 For Back Pain Relief:
Abdominal contractions gently stretch the back muscles:
- Lie on your back. Bend your knees and place your hands below the ribs.
- Tighten your stomach muscles to squeeze the ribs toward the back. Do not hold your breath.
- Keep your muscles contracted for five seconds and then release.
- Repeat ten times.
Exercise #2 To Prevent Back Pain:
Even when you no longer have back pain, doctors often recommend that you continue exercising to strengthen the back. Choose exercises that help align your body correctly and improve your posture to prevent back pain from recurring. For example, curling against the wall can help improve your standing posture.
- Stand with your back against the wall, with your feet approximately six inches away from the wall.
- Bend your knees and drop your head and shoulders.
- Pull your stomach in and slowly roll up one vertebra at a time against the wall.
Exercise #3 To Prevent Back Pain
Strong abdominal muscles prevent many types of back pain so exercises that involve those muscles are often part of physical therapy programs designed to avoid back pain. For example, diagonal crunches not only strengthen the stomach muscles, but also keep the tummy from sagging.
- Lie on your back. Place your hands behind your head. Bring your knees to your chest at right angles to the waist and cross your feet at the ankles.
- Exhale slowly while raising your trunk, and move your right elbow as much as you can to the left knee. Slowly lower your trunk.
- Repeat with the left elbow and the right knee.
- Repeat ten times.
To improve fitness, you may wish to include stamina-building exercises such as aerobics. As these exercises are more rigorous, start them slowly and only after checking with your physician.
Always warm up before the physical activity and cool down afterward. Walking or light jogging, bicycling, and swimming are some exercises that can provide excellent aerobic conditioning.
Alternative Exercise Therapy Options for Back Pain Relief and Recovery
A variety of alternative exercise therapies and programs are available to help alleviate, cure and prevent future back pain. Some of the more popular programs are:
- Tai Chi Chuan: This gentle martial art form provides exercise for the body, while helping the mind to concentrate. The movements relax the muscles, free the joints, and ease tension. Some people suffering from back pain use this technique along with pain relief medication.
- Yoga: This ancient Indian tradition involves a wide range of mind-body exercises including postural and breathing exercises, deep relaxation, and meditation. Many yoga postures focus on increasing spinal strength and flexibility, which can provide back pain relief. According to researchers, regular yoga practice may also prevent some types of chronic back pain.
- Chi Kung: Also known as Qigong, this ancient Chinese system of exercise focuses on breathing and posture while teaching the mind to concentrate. Chi Kung therapists claim that this system may be used effectively for back pain relief.
- Feldenkrais Method: This exercise technique aims to increase the ease and efficiency of body movements. Therapists try to increase your awareness of body movements, while teaching you to recognize and correct muscle tension.
- Buteyko Breathing Technique: This Russian therapy involves exercises in slow breathing and holding the breath. Therapists claim that this technique reduces muscle tension and can provide back pain relief.
Note: When you perform any type of exercise, it is imperative to distinguish between pain and the feeling of exertion. Pain is a signal from the nerves that a certain activity is wrong for you. If you experience pain while exercising, including back pain, you should instead start with mild exercises that feel comfortable.
Treating AND Preventing Your Back Pain
Exercise can be an important part of an effective treatment program for back pain. Customizing an exercise program that’s suitable for you can help you safely strengthen your back, improve your stamina and fitness, and prevent future back pain.
The Simple Back Pain Fix
September 8, 2008
The following is the simplest activity you can do that will help with your back pain. Although the title says «Back Pain Fix», in fact it will not «fix» your back pain; it will however make it easier.
To actually fix or cure your back pain completely and permanently you need to address the 4 main causes of your back pain:
- tight and weak muscles
- joint disruption
- pelvic imbalance
Correct these and your back pain will disappear totally and forever!
The best activity though to help ease your back pain is to walk – but walk with a difference…
I’m sure you know, if not then it is true, that your joints move when you breathe and also when you walk. Going for a walk therefore helps to get your joints moving and helps to ease muscle tension as well.
When you walk though, you should relax. Remove all the mental pressures of life. If you have an iPod, mp3 player etc, then use it. Place some songs on it that inspire, relax and motivate you. Then listen to it while you walk.
Doing this will increase the benefits of walking from a back pain perspective along with an anti-stress benefit.
Very simple to do and everyone can walk – if your back pain is severe, then only walk as much as you can without making it worse.
Go walking every day, for at least 10-15 minutes, somewhere as pleasant as possible, while listening to music that increases your energy levels. Your back pain will ease quickly, stress levels reduce and you feel better.
Stress and energy are linked to back pain as much as muscle tightness is. Removing stress will help remove muscle tension. Walking is therefore one of the best activities to do when you have back pain.
So get out here now …
Go for a walk and ease your back pain.
How-To: Back Pain Remedies Treatment At Home
September 7, 2008
Finding solutions to your Back Pain Remedies and stress in the back can seem like an impossible task for some, but it really doesn’t need to be. There are some simple and easy back pain treatment ideas you can try right at home that can really help to alleviate if not completely eliminate your back pain. Let’s take a look at some of these back pain treatment ideas and see if they won’t work for you.
First, try to lie on your back on a flat but soft surface such as your couch or mattress and put a pillow under your knees. Some people mistakenly put the pillow under their feet or ankles as a back pain treatment but this usually just puts more pressure on the lower back and hip areas. When you put support under your knees you’re keeping this curved part of your body supported and transferring some weight to the supportive pillows, taking pressure off your back. If you stay still like this for some time you might notice that it’s an effective back pain treatment for most minor backaches. Far too often we have too much weight and pressure on the lower back and staying in this position with support under the knees can help tremendously.
Another idea for Back Pain Remedies, and this one you’ll never hear from your doctor, is to try rolling your back on a basketball! The firmness of a basketball can work like a good massage, opening up and loosening up cramped and stiff muscles. This can also help to encourage more blood flow in the small of the back, which too is part of any back pain treatment program. Blood and oxygen are both healing agents and can encourage the back muscles to heal themselves. While you may not have ever heard of a basketball as part of any back pain treatment, it can really help! Of course you don’t want to push too hard on the ball into your back but just a firm movement on a flat surface can open up those muscles.
Never underestimate the power of heat when it comes to Back Health. This might include a good heating pad when you’re reclining on the sofa or even when you’re at your desk in the office every day. Cold weather makes muscles cramp up, so even just keeping a warm air vaporizer in your bedroom during winter months may help to alleviate some pain in the lower back and help you sleep better as well. A hot shower or hot bath can also help, especially if you take your time to really soak those cramped and aching muscles.
None of these back pain treatment options we’ve outlined are difficult, but it’s surprising how often people ignore them, thinking that only a doctor or some harsh medication can provide permanent relief for them. But if you try these, and especially if you do so on a regular basis, you might find some relief!
Source: nmcm.org
What Causes Lower Back Pain – And What Can You Do About It?
September 7, 2008
About 80 percent of the population experiences back pain, frequently lower back pain, at some point in time. Since this is a problem which affects nearly everyone, it is important to know what the causes of lower back pain are. You also need to know how to control these factors to keep lower back pain to a minimum.
Causes of Lower Back Pain
As we age, we lose a lot of our body’s natural muscle tone and elasticity. We also tend to lose bone strength as we age. Our spinal discs lose flexibility due to the loss of fluid. This results in less protection for the vertebrae. Just the fact of getting older can play a part in experiencing lower back pain.
A strain, sprain or spasm in your muscles or ligaments can result in the rupture of a spinal disc. This in turn places pressure on the nerves in your spinal cord. Our back lets us know about this with the neural signals we know as pain. So what causes your sprains, strains and spasms? Frequently, this type of injury is caused by attempting to lift heavy objects or overstretching the muscles.
Lower back pain can also be caused by diseases like osteoporosis and arthritis. There are also causes including viral infections, joint or disc irritation and spinal abnormalities.
Lower back pain can also be caused by various physical conditions. Being out of shape or overweight, having poor posture, experiencing stress and even being pregnant are all examples of this. Hip pain and lower back pain sometimes come as a distressing package deal. Scar tissue from previous injuries can also be a cause of lower back pain – this scar tissue buildup can even cause other, more serious injuries.
When to Worry About Lower Back Pain
You should take your lower back pain seriously if it comes along with other symptoms. These might include a fever, a painful cough, loss of bladder or bowel control and muscular weakness, especially in the legs. If you experience any of these symptoms along with your lower back pain, see your doctor right away. They may indicate a pinched nerve or other underlying problem. If you suffer from diabetes, your back pain might be related to neuropathy.
Avoiding Lower Back Pain
By taking good care of your back in daily life, most lower back pain can be avoided. Poor posture is often the root cause of lower back pain that never quite goes away. You can work on correcting this. Stand straight, remember to lift with your legs rather than with your back, and do exercises to build lower back strength. Be certain that you pay attention to workplace ergonomics while on the job. This can go a long way towards preventing lower back pain.
Got Back Pain? A Shiatsu Massage Chair is Your Best Friend
September 6, 2008
Back pain is a very common ailment. As many as 8 out 10 people suffer from some particular sort of back pain. If you suffer from back pain, you are definately not alone. Back pain can range from a constant, dull ache to sudden sharp pains. Although aches and pains come in a awide variety, there are two main categories ranging from acute to chronic. Acute back pain is a temporary condition with quick recovery periods from days to weeks. Chronic back pain persists for longer periods of time. If you have chronic back pain then you know expected healing time for an identified cause may go on and on even after receiving treatment. The choice is either you grow used to the pain or you need to find relief.
How can one find relief from back pain? There are many remedies for back pain ranging from taking drugs, to acupuncture to inversion therapy to massage. It is interesting to note that the most common relief of back pain is taking pharmaceutical drugs. There are other alternatives out there that are natural remedies. The secondmost common relief of back pain is massage therapy. More and more studies show that massage is effective fin relieving both acute and chronic pain. However, unlike drugs, massage is a completely natural remedy. Most of the time, the misalignment of bone, ligament, muscle, and tissue causes back pain. You can choose to just dull the pain with drugs, but that just avoids the problem. Seeking massage therapy, on the otherhand, can get to the root of the problem. Massage helps to stretch and soothe aching, tired muscles and ligaments in a natural way.
If you are suffering from back pain, you may find a massage chair is what you need. It is truly amazing how technology has advanced and massage chairs have extraordinary capabilities. Just push a button and enjoy a Deep Tissue, Shiatsu, Swedish massage, or even a Sports massage. The premier shiatsu massage chairs scan your body to find your acupressure points. The chair then performs a custom shiatsu massage tailored to your acupressure points. The program of chair will position of the massage rollers to stimulate the areas you need relief the most. Shiatsu acupressure massages help enhance your natural healing based on the meridian pathways that connect throughout the body.
You can find some massage recliners that incorporate the Swedish massage technique. Thie Swedish or Classic massage technique uses flowing, long, strokes to stretch and elongate tight muscles. Select a Deep Tissue massage and enjoy a penetrating, soothing massage. With the Deep Tissue technique, the massage cair program will start more superficially and then begin penetrate layer by layer. This approach relieves aching, sore, and tired tendons and muscles. You can enjoy these massage therapies with the touch of a button with a shiatsu massage chair.
The application of heat helps relax tight and sore muscles and reduce pain. Heat is recommended over cold for chronic pain. For example, treating arthritis or for muscle relaxation. The premier massage chairs utilitze heat therapy. The best massage recliners have heating elements in the chair back, the seat and the footrest. These therapeutic massage chairs provide significant relief from back pain.
Music therapy is a complimentary relief and natural remedy to reduce the disability, anxiety, and depression associated with chronic pain. Many shiatsu massage chairs have a built in MP3 player. Music therapy induces relaxation, helping you to let your stress and anxiety go.
There is so much technology that is being incorporated into the best massage chairs. This technology can help you to really reduce the pain and anxiety associated with back pain. The massage chair is a great compliment to helping to relieve your acute or chronic back pain. You can seek a massage therapist, which is a great way to go. However, you need to go at a certain time and place. A massage chair on the other hand, is always waiting for you. The best massage chairs can provide a full range of massage therapies at the touch of a button and in the comfort of your own home. If you got back pain, your best friend is a shiatsu massage chair.
Physical Capacity And Low Back Pain: Is there a connection?
September 6, 2008
We frequently advise patients that having strong trunk muscles and better lumbar mobility are important strategies to prevent future episodes of LBP. These types of recommendations go a long way to emphasizing autonomy versus dependence in managing this common musculoskeletal problem.
However, emerging evidence has spawned some serious questions and criticisms of our current paradigm regarding exercise and low back pain. For example, we still don’t have a clear picture as to whether specific exercise programs or just activity in general is more effective at preventing LBP. We have even less specific guidelines regarding key exercise parameters such as volume or intensity of activity.
A recent systematic review in Pain raises even more difficult questions regarding the relationship between LBP and trunk strength, endurance, or mobility. After all inclusion criteria were met, the authors reviewed 24 articles. Relevant findings provided some very interesting food for thought.
- Trunk muscle strength and low back pain: Thirteen quality studies and four low-quality studies met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. The authors found inconclusive evidence to support a specific relationship between trunk muscle strength and low back pain.
- Trunk muscle endurance and low back pain: Eight high quality studies and four low-quality studies were reviewed. In this case, there is strong evidence that there is no relationship between trunk muscle endurance and risk for LBP.
- Trunk mobility and low back pain: Seven high-quality studies and one low-quality study were reviewed. There was inconclusive evidence connecting lumbar mobility and low back pain due to conflicting results.
It should be acknowledged that there are some significant methodological limitations within this systematic review. There was substantial heterogeneity between many of the studies which should prompt the reader to cautiously interpret the results. However, as we are often keen to site evidence to support our interventions, we must all be prepared for the eventuality that our current paradigm may not be as rock-solid as we think.
Exercise will continue to be a significant part of my plans of care in the management of low-back pain. I doubt this will change dramatically, but systematic reviews like this have me looking even harder for the best available theoretical and clinical evidence to support my approach. Until next time!
H HAMBERGVANREENEN, G ARIENS, B BLATTER, W VANMECHELEN, P BONGERS (2007). A systematic review of the relation between physical capacity and future low back and neck/shoulder pain Pain, 130 (1-2), 93-107 DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2006.11.004
Significant Long-term Benefit for Low Back Pain Revealed
September 5, 2008
A major study led by a Southampton researcher has found significant evidence that the Alexander Technique can provide long-term benefit for people with chronic or recurrent low back pain.
The study, one of the first of its kind, is published online today by the BMJ at BMJ.com (20 August 2008).
It shows that lessons in the Alexander Technique provide an individualised approach to reducing back pain through the teaching of life-long self-care skills that help people recognise, understand and avoid poor habits affecting postural tone and neuromuscular co-ordination.
Up until now there has been no good evidence of the long-term effectiveness of Alexander Technique lessons.
But the latest research by Professor Paul Little of the University of Southampton, in conjunction with Professor Debbie Sharp, of Bristol University, shows that the technique can help long-term back pain.
The multi-centre clinical trial involved 579 patients and compared 24 Alexander Technique lessons, six Alexander Technique lessons, six sessions of classical massage and normal GP care.
Half of the patients allocated to each of these groups also received a GP prescription for aerobic exercise (30 minutes of brisk walking or the equivalent each day), followed by behavioural counselling from a practice nurse.
The study showed that 24 Alexander Technique lessons led to important improvements in function, quality of life and a reduction in the number of days the patients suffered pain.
One year after the trial started, the average number of activities limited by back pain had fallen by 42 per cent, and the number of days in pain was only three a month compared with 21 days in the control group.
Massage also helped over the three months but the effect on activities was no longer significant after one year.
Exercise prescription alone had significant but modest effects on activities at both three and 12 months. However, a series of six Alexander Technique lessons followed by GP-prescribed exercise was about 70 per cent as beneficial as 24 Alexander Technique lessons at one year.
Professor Little said: «This is a significant step forward in the long-term management of low back pain.»
«The results of this study revealed that the Alexander Technique can help back pain; it probably does this by limiting muscle spasm, strengthening postural muscles, improving co-ordination and flexibility and decompressing the spine.»
«This means that patients can have fewer activities or functions limited by back pain.»
The trial was funded by the Medical Research Council and the NHS Research and Development fund.
Source: British Medical Journal Online: University of Southampton: September 2008
Banish Back Pain
September 3, 2008
Are you reading this article with your back hunched, shoulders slumped forward and abs sagging? In correct posture, your head should be neutral, meaning your chin shouldn’t be angled up or down, but straight ahead. Your shoulders should be down and back away from the ears and your thumbs should point forward or out to the side. Your abdominals should be tight, not “sucked in.” Which direction is your rear pointing? An anterior pelvic tilt causes an increased arch in the lower back and may present the illusion of sagging abs. A posterior pelvic tilt causes the back to flatten, giving that sunken-butt appearance. Lower back pain and neck/shoulder pain are very common. Bad posture causes back pain and will affect your ability to do back pain relief exercises. Read on to learn how you can banish back pain for good.
Strengthen the “right” abs
The abdominals consist of four separate muscles. The deepest muscle, the transverse abdominus (T.A.), runs horizontally and serves as a girdle for the internal organs, and it also supports the back. Learning to isolate the T.A. is very important. One way to do this is to stand with your back against a wall. In a neutral position, there should be a slight space between your lower back and the wall. When you tighten the T.A., your stomach will flatten, but your back should remain in neutral. Don’t suck in your gut or shrug your shoulders. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. A more advanced version of this back pain exercise is performed in a quadruped position (on your hands and knees). Performed correctly, this ab strengthening exercise can help you banish back pain.
Pelvic tilt/cat-cow
The cat-cow stretch is a good exercise to help banish back pain; it loosens the hips and relieves tension and stiffness in the back. On your hands and knees, lift your head and make your back concave for the cow pose. Then arch your back, tighten your abs and tuck your hips underneath you for the cat pose. You might find you have more hip motion in one direction than in the other. Perform this exercise often, but be careful not to strain yourself. Make the motions smoothly and slowly, and don’t snap your hips in one direction then the other.
Tight hamstrings
Tight hamstrings are a common cause of back pain because they attach to the pelvis and any tightness affects the low back. The hamstrings become inflexible and weak if you’re stuck at a desk all day, if you sit during a long commute or if you are an inactive man who just doesn’t stretch as often you should. A good exercise to banish back pain is to stretch the hamstrings lying supine. A seated stretch can cause strain on the lower back if performed incorrectly. Using a towel, belt, stretch cord or dog leash, hook one foot in the cord and keep the other foot flat on the floor. Pull the involved leg straight up in the air, until a stretch is felt in the back of the thigh. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds and repeat this three times for each leg. Extend the opposite leg if you can for a deeper stretch. Again, this isn’t a motion that can be performed harshly and you shouldn’t be overextending your leg or causing pain. You should only feel a slight burning in your thigh indicating a good stretch, not pain.
Hip flexor stretch
When your quadriceps and hip flexors are tight, in conjunction with weak abs, they pull your pelvis forward, causing pain in your lower back because the quadriceps crosses the knee and hip joint. Kneel on your right knee with your left leg bent and your left foot flat on the floor in front of you. Lean forward and squeeze your right buttock as you do so. You should feel the stretch down the front of your thigh, and into the front of the hip. Switch sides. Kneel on a pillow or towel if your knee bothers you. This stretch to banish back pain can also be done while you lie on your stomach.
Trapezius stretch
As you’re reading this, drop your shoulders. Did you realize they were up? Many people hunch their shoulders due to stress, tension or just as a learned posture. A constant slumped-over posture puts the trapezius muscle in a constant stretch position, which over time causes the muscle to tighten up to protect itself.
Stretching the trapezius on a regular basis will help relieve some tension and help prevent headaches. Attempt to bring the right ear to the right shoulder, keeping in mind that your shoulder should not come up to meet your ear. Hold this position for 10 seconds and repeat it 10 times. Hold onto the edge of the chair with your left hand for a deeper stretch, and remember to do both sides.
Open your chest
The pectoral muscles, or “pecs,” tighten up when the shoulders are carried forward all the time, and as a result of doing too many bench presses and pushups. In a corner, put your forearms against the wall. Lean forward, pushing your chest toward the wall. Feel the stretch across the front of your chest and shoulders. Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat three times. If you do not have an empty corner, the stretch can be performed one arm at a time in a doorway. Don’t lean too far forward; it should be a stretch, not painful.
Scapular retractions/rows
The muscles between the scapulas (rhomboids) are most responsible for keeping the shoulders in proper alignment. In a seated or standing position, squeeze your shoulder blades together. A maximum contraction will make the shoulder blades touch. Do not shrug your shoulders and do not arch your lower back. Try this exercise to banish back pain in a prone position as well. Place a pillow or a rolled-up towel under your forehead to keep your neck and spine in a straight line. Lift your shoulders off the surface, squeezing your shoulder blades together, then reach for your feet with your fingertips. Squeeze for five seconds and repeat 20 times. This exercise is the precursor to seated or bent-over rows performed in the gym.
Back Pain Be Gone
These stretches to banish back pain can be performed every day, at any time. After about three weeks of consistent stretching, you’ll see an improvement in your posture and experience less back pain. However, if you continue to feel back pain, visit your doctor or physical therapist.
Source: AskMen.com
New Relief for Back Pain
September 3, 2008
Doctors may soon have another way to help people relieve chronic back pain without the side effects of many traditional pain killers.
A medication that’s been used in Europe since 2006 is now part of national clinical trials in the United States.
Despite surgery and multiple treatments Roy Bradley lives with chronic lower back pain. He’s also tried multiple medications, which lead to taking multiple pills each day, and multiple frustrating side effects.
But lately, he said it’s been a little easier. He’s part of a clinical trail where researchers are testing a medication which can be taken once a day, and which might help ease some after effects.
Dr. Greg Gottschlich, one of the lead researchers in this national trial, said the once-a-day pill is a powerful morphine-like drug in a sustained release formula that enters the body slowly a little at a time.
He said, «We can see a steady state of level medication, rather than a big high, followed by a drop; we don’t have as many side effects».
The reports so far on this new delivery system are pretty promising:
Gottschlich said the team is seeing, «Better control of pain, better quality of life, better sleep, better functioning in patients.»
Bradley said he’s noticed many of these positive effects too even though he’s not sure he’s getting the drug with the new delivery system.
Early results of this trial should come some time next year.
You can watch video on 13Wham.com

