Wednesday, September 26, 2007
There are no Handrails in the game of Life!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Couch Potatoes unite
Friday, September 21, 2007
Walk to ease the Pain
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Stop the Insanity
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
You may be hurting your back trying to help it!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Just Move
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Back Pain does not have to change you
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
What is the BEST Spine Exercise
Monday, September 10, 2007
A bowling ball on your shoulders
Many people that enter our facilities have at some time or currently are experiencing neck pain and or headaches. Today’s sedentary lifestyle, computers, phones, travel all force the head and shoulders forward of the bodies center of gravity. The average weight of the head is 10-12 pounds, for each inch that the head leans forward double the weight of the head, that’s right, 20-24 pounds. That’s a lot of extra strain that the posterior stabilizers of the neck and back must deal with.
Add to the equation car accidents, falls, and sporting injuries and there can be some major damage to the muscles of the neck. One thing that many people do not take into account is that many of the shoulder blade muscles have direct attachments into the cervical and upper thoracic spine. If these muscles are weak, the shoulders slump further and the cycle of poor posture and weak shoulder muscles continues.
For every reaction there is an equal and opposite reaction. As the body rounds forward the anterior musculature becomes very tight and overactive. This means the chest, frontal neck and upper abdominal muscles get very tight and will not relax. As a result the shoulder blade muscles we discussed get weak and lengthen from the unrelenting pull of the frontal muscles. We must stretch the frontal muscles and strengthen the posterior muscles to have any chance of success. This means no chest presses, bicep curls or crunches for the first few weeks of exercise. Often the Trigger Points that develop need to be addressed through soft tissue techniques to ‘shut down’ some of the overactive muscles and painful movement patterns that can develop. So your mom was correct, sit up and do not slouch.
When exercising try to never shrug your shoulders, keep your head up and chin slightly retracted/tucked. Perform pulling exercises more than you push and as always never be afraid to seek the advice of an exercise professional.
Do you know that you don't know
Lower back Pain Myths
Take Responsibility for your pain
Of the thousands of patients and clients I have helped over the years the one thing that has made the difference where they had failed before is becoming responsible for treating your own pain by addressing the root of the problem and not just the symptoms.
Stay tuned for the how's and why's.