Forward Head Posture

Poor posture has become the norm rather than the exception in the 21st century — the result of our sedentary lifestyles, leaning forward, slouching or hunching over in front of a computer, cellphone or tablet puts extra strain on your back and can lead to an abnormal curve in the upper vertebrae along with a mass of tissue that forms at the base of the neck. In addition, some of us are predisposed if we have conditions such as osteoporosis, arthritis and/or spinal fractures.  Bad posture is the most common cause of a dowager’s hump. You have an increased curve in the upper neck so you have to lift the head, so it protrudes forward.  That forward head posture, or FHP as it is called, increases the risk of disk problems and neck fatigue. Our muscles aren’t made for that kind of curve. It can cause upper and lower back pain and even some difficulty with tightness in the legs. 

Grab Your Balls and Get to Work!

In my line of work, I get to hear what ails everybody.  The top three areas of discomfort (this is the new buzzword for pain being used in the fitness community) are: neck, lower back and knees in that order. What my clients and students don’t realize is that often times we cause this discomfort ourselves. How we work out, how we perform our activities of daily living and our nasty postural habits all contribute to this discomfort.  There is a quick fix for this and I would like to share that with you. Simple myofascial release work with small balls and foam rollers can alleviate a lot of this soreness.   The trick is to do it on a consistent basis.

The Modern Spine and Pilates

Our modern spine has evolved to gift us with what is known as text neck.  It is the term used to describe neck pain and damage caused by looking down at your cell phone, tablet or other device too frequently or too long.  I am always walking behind people while commuting and thinking “why are they walking so damn slow?”.  The same is the case when you are driving which is even more dangerous.  Please people – make it a habit to pull off to the side of the road to text or move away from the flow of traffic when walking if you need to send a message.   Common courtesy - plus it can cost you your life or someone else’s!

Digits in Distress

Many of our ADLs (activities of daily living), contribute to the pain that we feel in our bodies.  Allow me to explain and be the bearer of bad news.  We ALL perform the following activities on a daily basis: 




·         holding your cell phone

·         reaching for a carton of milk
·         handing money / charge card to clerk
·         clearing plates from table
·         Pulling leggings /exercise pants on
·         holding steering wheel
·         opening a jar

Some of us also do the following: 

·         work with weights (gripping them)
·         carrying bundles and babies
·         work at a computer keyboard

I recently felt some aches in the base of my thumbs and knew I had to figure this out.  I did not think it was arthritis since it was both thumbs and my thoughts went to what I was doing lately that would cause the distress.  Well, I was using my biceps a lot doing upper body work so that was definitely a contributing factor.  The movements that contributed to this would be the ones listed in the second grouping (above).  I hear this thumb / finger / hand / wrist / forearm complaint from lots of clients and students and I needed to do some research on it. 

While there are many reasons for pain in this region, we should start by exploring the role of referred pain from trigger points in the brachialis muscle and methods for treating it with self-massage.

Anatomy: The brachialis muscle lies deep to the biceps brachii muscle. It attaches above the elbow on the lower half of the anterior surface of the humerus.

The photo indicates the location of trigger points (X) and red areas indicate the common referred pain zones. The trigger points in the brachialis muscle refer pain to the dorsal side of the base of the thumb and the adjacent web space between the thumb and first finger.  Trigger points in the region of the brachialis produce referred pain that is felt in the base of the thumb at rest and often with the use of the thumb.

Perpetuating Factors: Trigger points can form and remain in the brachialis muscle due to elbow flexion movements that overstress the muscle and/or require the muscle to remain in a flexed position for an extended period of time.  Some examples include holding a child, lifting heavy tools, carrying groceries or boxes, and playing an instrument such as a violin or guitar.

Treatment

If you were in my recent class, “Fascia Pilates:  Release & Restore w/ Massage Balls”  you did this release with me.  We were standing with the affected arm hanging as limp as possible with the muscle relaxed.  We took the knuckles of the opposite hand and pressed and scraped deeply from top to bottom on the medial side of the brachialis muscle and we kept repeating that movement over and over.  To be more specific, the part that we are targeting is the internal side of the arm near your ribs.  As you are continuing to press into the muscle, you will feel the tension and muscular tightness leave the thumb / hand area.  It will begin to feel free, loose and pain-free.  The movement can also be done with a small spikey ball or a spikey ball roller stick if your knuckles get tired.

Trigger-point charts help educate you about referred pain patterns. Some charts show which muscles refer pain to specific regions of the body, like the base of the thumb in this case.  Where you are feeling the pain is not necessarily the source.  That’s why it’s important to get to the root of the problem so that you will be on the road to eliminating the pain with an effective treatment plan. 

Hand and Finger Exercises for Arthritis Sufferers

Exercises for people with osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

Brushing your teeth, buttoning your shirt, opening a jar—these are routine daily activities that most people take for granted. But if you have arthritis and it affects your hands, performing these and other basic tasks can be challenging. Fortunately, "exercising" your hands can help reduce the pain, improve your range of motion and, ultimately, enable you to perform more easily the various tasks of daily living.

I'll keep my knees please!

So as far as I can remember, the term Osteoarthritis was always included in a conversation when I paid a visit to the Orthopedist.   The language was always the same.  What is Osteoarthritis?  It is the degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone, most common from middle age onward. It causes pain and stiffness from the swelling, especially in the hip, knee, and thumb joints.  To make matters worse, that degeneration starts way earlier than we think.

Elbow Tendonitis

Almost everyone has either had elbow tendonitis or knows someone who does.  My FB friend, Jamie Dreyer, has just published a fabulous book on the subject.  Not only is Jamie an authority on the subject (since he has used this quick fix to heal his own painful elbow tendonitis), he is an accomplished Personal Trainer.  His book is getting five star rave reviews on Amazon!  

Franklin Textured Balls

Greetings everyone,

For those of you who have attended my Ball and Foam Roller Release classes, you have seen me work with the Green Franklin Textured Balls. 

They just happen to be on sale right now at OPTP and they come with Eric Franklin’s “Happy Feet” book.   This is a great deal if you feel like treating yourself.  Yes - you are worth it:).  Just go to their website:

www.optp.com  and search for G1

Best wishes for a Happy Memorial Day weekend!!

Sciatica / Piriformis Syndrome

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body – sometimes measuring three-quarters of an inch in diameter.  It is formed by the spinal nerves of L-4 through S-3.  The nerve passes between the ischial tuberosity and greater trochanter, and extends down the posterior thigh.  Distally, it branches into the tibial and peroneal nerves.  Because the sciatic nerve runs deep to the piriformis, there is considerable potential for the piriformis to compress or entrap the nerve.  In general, the sciatic nerve is difficult to isolate in the gluteal region.  

My Magic Bullets

We all lead hectic lives with lots of activity coupled with a great deal of stress.  That combination can leave us filled with tight muscles, insufficient breathing, poor posture and tons of aches and pains.  I recently finished two workshops that have opened up my eyes to this growing problem and I would like to share what I call my “magic bullets” with you.

Counteracting Harmful Effects of High Heels

When a woman wears high heels, she is making a statement of daring proportions.  She exudes poised self-assurance and she flaunts femininity and fashion. She confidently saunters like a moving picture of womanliness as her heels lengthen her legs and emphasize particularly feminine aspects of each step. Unfortunately, if her high heel wearing habits are frequent, she may be activating unintentional devastation to her body. Steady high heel wearing can cause a myriad of problems including, but not limited to, bunions, hammertoes, lower back discomfort, inflamed nerves, and stretched tendons. Utilizing these simple exercises can help alleviate issues like these that may arise.  Let’s face it – we don’t want to ditch our Manolos and Louboutins!

Why do my joints anche when the seasons change?

It is amazing that I always feel great in the spring and summer.  When the weather starts to change in the fall, I also sense changes in my body coming on.  Little aches and pains that I did not have or notice before.  They are here one day and then gone the next.  I used to make fun of snow birds who ran to warmer climates in the winter.  Now I want to join the pack!! I was always suspicious that the shift to colder temperatures was the catalyst that brought on the pain.  Then I decided to do some research.  Apparently, it is something else and it makes perfect sense.  Read on…………..

Do Your Feet Hurt?

Shoes are responsible for most of the foot problems and deformities that doctors see in women.  As you get older, your feet get older too.  That means that the padding on the bottom of your foot gets thinner and your arches flatten.  When you wear high heels (and, yes, I love them too), your foot slides forward, the toes cramp, your weight is redistributed and your body is thrown out of whack. 

Do-It-Yourself Physical Therapy

Many people consider physical therapy penance they must perform until the doctor relents and brings in the “real” medicine, namely drugs or surgery.  But physical therapy is real medicine.  Here are just two of the many exercises that are used for shoulders and elbows/wrists.  Rotator cuff injuries and tennis elbow seem to be the most common complaints that aging baby boomers have.  If you notice that you tend to have problems in these areas, perform these exercises a few times a week and you should begin to notice some improvement.   

Your Top 5 Pain Problems Solved (Part 2)

Continuing from the last post we are moving on to..........

Pain Hotspot #4: Shoulders

Your shoulder is a ball and socket surrounded by ligaments and tendons and has a broader range of motion than any other joint in your body. it is especially prone to pain because of the fact that this joint moves in so many different directions. Whether you’ve strained your shoulder from overuse while digging in the garden or from reach for something overhead, that shooting pain or throbbing sensation can be excruciating.

Your Top 5 Pain Problems Solved (Part 1)

 

Unless you are one of the 30 or so people in the world who has a genetic quirk that keeps you from sensing pain, you know what it’s like to feel discomfort. Your pain might be sharp and shooting or more like a constant throbbing. Though everyone experiences pain differently, there are certain parts of your body that are especially prone to aches. The back, neck, shoulders, knees, joints and head are all common area where people experience pain. Women may be harder hit. Some research shows women are more susceptible to pain, especially right before their periods when estrogen levels drop. Drugs can help, but they’re by no means a complete solution. Most studies find that medication offer only a 20 to 30% reduction in pain. Check out these natural remedies for relief targeted at the areas where you need it most…………