Posts Tagged ‘back tension’
September 7, 2010 -Releasing shoulder and neck tension
Posted by Vita in Mindful Movement Tips on September 7th, 2010
As everyone goes back to work and school we start to spend more time in front of the computer, which can result in neck strain and tension between the shoulder blades.
Take a break every 20 minutes. During one of your breaks try the following:
• Sit at the front of the chair with your feet firmly on the floor and about shoulder width apart.
• Bring your arms up to the sides, parallel to the floor, at shoulder height. Make loose fists.
• Rotate your arms down so that your thumb moves toward the floor. Try not to drop your arms and keep them at shoulder height. Feel your shoulder blades rounding forward.
• As you rotate your arms, look to the floor, feel your chin coming closer to your chest and gently exhale. As your head drops, imagine your neck getting longer.
• What do you feel happening in your chest around your breastbone? Do you sense any weight shifting on your sitting bones – e.g. does your pelvis move forward or back a bit?
• Return to the upright position and repeat a few times.
• Pause for a few moments with your arms resting on your lap.
• Bring your arms to shoulder height again and make loose fists.
• Rotate your arms the other way – so that your palm begins to turn toward the ceiling. Feel your shoulders rotating back, toward your spine. Inhale and look upward as you rotate your arms up. Again notice the response in your pelvis, sitting bones and back.
• Stop after a few rotations.
• Pause and then combine the two movements.
• Drop your arms and rest for a few moments before getting up and taking a brief walk before resuming your work.
Fall Awareness Through Movement® classes begin next week, September 14. Call (604.729.0060) or contact us for more information or to register.
August 31, 2010 – Carrying a backpack
Posted by Vita in Mindful Movement Tips on August 31st, 2010
In the spirit of going back to school the following tips on how to carry a backpack, published in The Globe and Mail on August 30 are worth considering. The suggestions apply to all of us who carry packs whether for school or for other purposes.
• The adage that less is more certainly holds. Don’t carry more than 10-15% of your body weight.
• Fitting is important to ensure that the shoulders are not rounded causing the spine to lean in one direction rather than keeping its organic position
• See the attached article with accompanying links for tips on what to pack and how to carry a pack.
Watch for our September newsletter this week with lots of information on Fall #Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement® classes and special workshops, starting September 14.
Call or email us today to book your private session.
August 10, 2010 – Release Neck Tension
Posted by Vita in Mindful Movement Tips on August 10th, 2010
Many of us periodically get sore and tight neck muscles triggered by how we hold the head, how we sit, our use of the computer and how we do many other daily activities.
Try the following to gently release neck tension:
• Lie on your back, on the floor, on a firm surface or on a bed.
• Bend both knees and place your feet on the floor, hip width apart.
• Slowly roll your head a tiny bit right and then back to centre and then to the left. Try to pay attention to the feeling in your neck as you roll in each direction. Only go as far as it is a perfectly smooth movement.
• Lengthen your right arm overhead and if possible bend the elbow so that you can hold the left temple or left ear.
• Use your right arm to help bring your head and shoulders to the right. Move the head and shoulders in the same plane so that the back of the head slides to the right and does not roll. Your face stays oriented toward the ceiling
• Return to the centre, still keeping the same orientation of the face. Pause before repeating the movement a few times
• As you move your head and upper body to the right, think about lengthening and loosening the muscles on the left side of your neck.
• Make the movement of your head and shoulder to the right a small one and don’t make a large effort. Do your upper back and chest arch off the floor or bed as your make the movement, which indicates tension and holding in these areas? Try to let go and breathe gently and see if the back sinks more into the surface.
• As you inhale feel air moving into the ribs on the left side and feel them open.
• Pause for a few moments. Then gently roll your head right and left and notice any difference from earlier.
• When you are ready repeat the movement to the other side – place your left arm on the right ear and gently move your head to the left while keeping your face oriented toward the ceiling. Repeat a few times.
• Take a few moments to rest quietly before getting up. Or you can do this in bed before going to sleep. Sleep well.
#Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement classes continue through August 25. Drop in and join us anytime. Click here to view our summer schedule.
July 20, 2010 – Pain free gardening
Posted by Vita in Mindful Movement Tips on July 20th, 2010
Maintaining any position for too long while doing an activity can cause muscular tension.
When working in the garden we tend to bend down or kneel for long periods of time, absorbed in weeding, planting or pruning.
• Protect your back by changing positions, and activities, at least every 10 minutes. For example, kneel, sit, stand, and bend over; prune, dig and plant.
• Stand up every few minutes to take a break.
• In standing, gently bend your knees a little and feel your pelvis tuck downward. Gradually allow your knees to bend a bit deeper.
• Stay in this bent position and breathe gently, feeling your ribs expand out to the sides.
• Let your shoulders drop, your arms hang down and your neck lengthen.
• After a few moments, gradually straighten your knees without locking them.
• Walk around for a few moments before resuming gardening.
July 13, 2010 – Take it easy
Posted by Vita in Mindful Movement Tips on July 13th, 2010
Often, without realizing it, we hold our breath while doing something challenging. This can increase tension in different areas of our body and can make what we are doing seem harder than it is.
Try something as simple as walking:
• Walk for a few minutes, outdoors if possible, at your normal pace.
• Continue walking but now hold your breath. Does your pace change? Does your lower back start to tense? Do you feel other areas of discomfort?
• Continue walking but consciously breathe gently, paying attention to expand your ribs out to the sides. Notice if you feel any difference in how your walk and in how your body feels.
• Try the same explorations while walking up stairs.
If you remember to breathe, your summer walks will be more pleasurable and you might be able to walk more.
July 7, 2010: Looking up and down with your spine
Posted by Vita in Mindful Movement Tips on July 7th, 2010
The spine is composed of two concave arches – the cervical arch of the neck and the lumbar arch of the lower back. Engaging both when looking up and down is more effective and eases any neck strain.
• Sit on the forward part of a chair, your arms resting comfortably on your thighs, feet flat on the floor directly below your knees and shoulder width apart.
• Slowly raise your head and eyes to look toward the ceiling; as you look up let your lower back arch slightly and your belly protrude forward.
• Notice the point you can look up to without strain. Return to the starting position.
• As you repeat the movement try to initiate it from the lower back, the pelvis and the sit bones. The neck does not need to be an active participant but moves because it is part of the upper spine. Continue to breathe easily while exploring these movements.
• Pause in the starting position and then do the opposite movement – lower the head and look down; feel the middle back rounding and belly contracting. Repeat several times, returning to the starting position in between movements.
• Then try two variations. While you raise your head and arch your back look downward. The movement of your head and neck will be limited because your head and eyes are moving in opposite directions. Try to relax your eyes, neck and shoulders.
• Then lower your head and round your back while raising your eyes to look upward.
• Repeat the variations a few times and then rest.
• Finally, repeat the original movement – simultaneously raise your head and eyes to look up toward the ceiling while arching your back. Do you feel the middle and upper part of your back beginning to arch more easily? Can you see a little higher without strain?
• Sit for a moment before getting up. When you stand up what do you notice about your stature and where your visual horizon is?
.
June 1, 2010: Relaxing the eyes to relax the whole body
Posted by Vita in Mindful Movement Tips on June 1st, 2010
If there is tension in and around our eyes, many movements and actions, particularly those involving turning, lifting or lowering the head, become harder.
To relax the eyes:
• Lie on your back and close your eyes.
• Rub your palms together (to warm them) and place them over your eyes.
• Cover your eye sockets with the heels of your hands and rest your fingers on your forehead. Your elbows will point to the ceiling.
• Relax your hands and elbows. Feel your shoulder blades resting close to surface you are lying on.
• Keep your eyes closed and covered. Feel the warmth of your hands on your eyes. Take a few moments to lie quietly and breathe normally.
• Notice what colour or colours you see.
• Can you see a black background? The blacker the background, the more relaxed your eyes are.
• Spend a few moments lying quietly with your eyes closed. Before you open your eyes, roll your head very slowly and gently a little bit right and then left.
• Gently open your eyes. Feel the sensation in your face, around your eyes, in your neck and notice how you are breathing.
• Take a few moments to slowly get up and return to your activities.
To explore more about relaxing the eyes join us at our next #Feldenkrais workshop, Sunday June 13, 10 am – 1pm. For details and to register click here.
Last Spring Workshop is on Sunday June 27, Safer computing
May 18, 2010: Relax the Jaw
Posted by Vita in Mindful Movement Tips on May 18th, 2010
Jaw and facial tension are common stress-related problems which can cause teeth grinding, headaches, neck, shoulder and lower back pain.
Try the following jaw relaxing movements:
• Sit on chair at a desk or table. Close your eyes and notice the position of your tongue and where your chin is directed.
• Slowly open your mouth a few times and notice how much effort you use.
• Sit upright and lean forward to rest your elbows on the desk. Hold onto the lower jaw with the fingers of both hands.
• While holding the jaw in place with your hands, open and close your jaw by moving the skull up and down. When you move a large mass (the skull) against a smaller one (the jaw), you are able to create a greater and easier range of motion. Sometimes people with severe jaw pain shift the workload from the muscles of the jaw to the muscles in the back of their neck, and open their jaw by compensating with their neck. Go slowly and not as far as you feel you can. Notice the response in your neck, back and pelvic sitting bones.
• Pause.
• Hold the jaw on each side with your fingers. Keep the jaw stable while carefully turning your head from side to side. Can you feel your eyes turning with your skull? Breathe gently.
• Drop your hands, sit comfortably and rest for a few moments before getting up.
Repeat all these movements periodically to break the rigid habits held in the muscles of your jaw. Also try to remember to keep your jaws slightly apart all the time, except when chewing.
Upcoming Spring #Feldenkrais Workshops
For details and to register click here
Sunday June 13, Relax Your Eyes, Relax Yourself
Sunday June 27, Safer Computing
April 20, 2010 – Heads up! (while walking)
Posted by Vita in Mindful Movement Tips on April 20th, 2010
While walking outdoors, some people, particularly those fearful of falling, keep their heads hanging down and their eyes fixed on their feet or on the sidewalk right in front of them.
The next time you are walking outdoors do this short experiment:
• Walk as you usually do.
• Notice where your eyes are focused – down to the ground, out in front of you or to the side. Is your chin pointing to the ground or is it parallel to it? Feel the angle of your neck.
• Then let your eyes move to the sidewalk or track 10-20 feet (6-9 meters) ahead of you.
• Notice how this changes the orientation of your chin to be more parallel to the ground. It also alters the angle of the neck and changes the position of your lower back..
• Do you notice any change in your breath? Changes anywhere else?
• As you walk, alternately look down and then ahead of you.
When looking ahead you have a broader view of upcoming obstacles. Your neck will be longer and you might notice your lower back easing. You might feel more comfortable over all!
To learn more about some common mistakes we make while walking join us for our upcoming #Feldenkrais workshop, Pleasurable Walking, this Sunday April 25. Register by Thursday April 22. For details and to register click here
Spring Awareness Through Movement classes are in progress. Please join us at any time.
April 13, 2010 – Optimize your driving position
Posted by Vita in Mindful Movement Tips on April 13th, 2010
You can improve your driving pleasure and comfort by making some small adjustments in your seating position in the car.
• Sit in your car (with the ignition off). Notice if the back of your pelvis is touching the back of the car seat. Is your lower back flat against the back of the car seat or is it slightly arched? How close are your shoulders to your ears? Is there any tension in your neck?
• Slowly arch your lower back away from the back of the seat by rolling the top of your pelvis slightly forward. Keep your shoulders touching the seat as you do this.
• In this position feel your chest lift. What do you notice happening with your head? Does your horizon change?
• Then push your lower back into the car seat. Keep your upper back and shoulders in contact with the back of the car seat and relax them.
• Alternate between these two positions of your pelvis a few times.
• Sit for a moment and feel where your pelvis is and the extent of arch in your lower back.
The optimal sitting position is where your lower back is slightly arched. This takes work off your shoulders, neck and back muscles and brings your chest up and raises your gaze. If you wish, place a roll or rolled up blanket or towel behind your lower back to maintain this position.
Join us for our upcoming workshop, Pleasurable Walking Sunday April 25. For details and to register click here
Spring Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement classes are in progress. Please join us at any time.