What a Pain!

Despite the grief it sometimes gives us, our backs really are wonderful and complex structures.

Our spines consist of a series of small bones called vertebrae, each one separated from the next by a disc. The discs act as shock absorbers and expand and contract as we bend from side to side and from back to front. Holding everything together is a series of muscles and ligaments. And running down through the center of our spine is the spinal cord, which connects each part of our body to our brain. When we think about how our back is constructed, it is not surprising that we have problems. Especially when we consider how our back gets treated!

We can get back pain by:

Sitting, standing or working in a bent over or hyper extended (arms overhead, back arched) position for extended periods of time.

Trying to move objects improperly, especially when they are too heavy for us.

Falling, tripping and jarring our muscles.

Having poor posture and moving while our back muscles are out of line. Being overweight can cause this to happen.

Suffering from anxiety or being overstressed. Our bodies carry tension in our muscles and fascia, which in turn causes unwanted stress on our backs.

And when it hurts, the pain can affect every single thing we do.

Five Ways to Prevent Back Pain Problems

Here are some effective suggestions to prevent as well as diminish back pain problems:

1. Be aware of your body and your back. Be careful not to “sit out your day.” When we sit down too much (sometimes difficult to avoid if we are “desk bound” because of our job or life-style) our core muscles gradually soften and lose their ability to support the back thereby giving us back pain. Yet, by simply getting up out of your chair, at least every half hour or so, and moving around, you can help keep your muscle tone strong and supportive.

2. Get the right height.
 Many chairs and seats are not ergonomically designed and it can be very easy to slouch down.  Sitting like this for long and frequent periods is just asking for problems. Our spines become unsupported and lose their stability. The solution is to learn to sit properly. Try not to sit and work where you have to hold your head in a forward position, for instance working on your computer, texting, writing or working on a hobby, etc. Over time, the strain on your neck, shoulder and back muscles will cause shortening of the muscles and subsequent problems and pain.

3. Lift effectively. It’s not how much you lift but how you lift an object -think before you lift and keep the object you are picking up close to the body. Have a solid stance by putting your feet a shoulder width apart, bending your knees – not your back. Keeping your spine straight keeps it strong. Use your legs to lift and lift in a straight-up motion without twisting. Reverse the procedure to put the object down again. If you often need to lift heavy objects, consider buying and using a back supporting belt. They are not expensive and, once bought, will last you a lifetime. Job done and your back is still strong.

4. Exercise your core muscles. Your core muscles are in the mid-section of your body and serve to support your spine as well as supporting your internal organs. They give you a stable and strong base from which to move. Having a strong core will drastically minimize your risk of injury and lower back pain. Graduated exercises incorporating swimming, pilates or yoga are ideal for building up a strong core section. But make sure you consult a doctor before starting out on a health regime if you have problems with your back.

5. Stretch your muscles. When the muscles in your mid-section, glutes and upper legs tighten and shorten, they cause problems by pulling your spine out of alignment. Doing some gentle lower back stretching exercises, as well as stretching your glutes, quads and hamstrings will help to prevent this from happening. Here’s a helpful yoga program from YogaToday you can do to not only relieve back pain but strengthen your back and core muscles:

Practicing Mindfulness

So my little homegrown practice space has finally spread its wings and flown to an official space in a chiropractic wellness center! I will be interacting with a whole new group of people and to be honest, it is a scary but truly vital step to growth and abundance. As I enter into this new phase of my massage practice, I have been writing down statements that I want to use to better myself thereby better my practice by being more present and mindful. Here’s a handful of them:

“I am larger and better than I thought. I did not know I held so much goodness.” – Walt Whitman

“Mindfulness must be engaged. Once there is seeing there must be acting. Otherwise what is the use of seeing?” – Thich Nhat Hanh

“In the end, just three things matter: How well we have lived, how well we have loved, and how well we have learned to let go.” – Jack Kornfield

“Do every act of your life as though it were the very last act of your life.” – Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Practicing mindfulness for me includes how I positively interact with others. Successful interaction with the public at work is a key to not only building my massage practice but to living successfully in the world. Along with book recommendations and meditation guides, Mindfulnessatwork.org lists a number of key ideas to remember and incorporate into your own work practices:

• Learning to communicate and listen empathically is vital to human interactions.
• When openness of mind and heart are present, the listener is NOT downloading past responses but first listening with a blank page in mind.
• With a mindful approach to communication, we can create a collaborative communication style, using the present moment to just be connected and avoid imposing our plans of the future.
• To communicate takes to receives both non-verbal and verbal signals.

These tips are easy to read and understand but often difficult to incorporate into your daily existence! Take each day as it comes, be kind to yourself, and give a little time to meditate on your own ideals and goals. If you have a favorite quote or statement you try to incorporate into your daily living, I’d love to hear it!

Spring into Hiking!

It’s finally feeling like spring has arrived and the weather is holding for us to get out there and get hiking! Hiking is a wonderful and relatively accessible activity to boost your heart rate, tone the muscles of your lower body and refresh your mind and spirit. It is one of my all time favorite activities! Whenever I need to clear my head, I lace up my hiking boots and head out to any number of amazing trails I’m lucky to live near. And, unlike many outdoor activities, hiking can be a very affordable option. You don’t need fancy equipment to get started – just water, sunscreen, sturdy hiking shoes, small daypack, and comfortable clothes. After many years of hiking, my collection of shoes, hats, poles, guidebooks, etc., has burgeoned but essentially it is about getting out and and exploring your world. The number of websites devoted to hiking are endless! HikeSpeak and Modern Hiker can help you find the best hiking trails in and around Los Angeles and also alert you to road and fire closures. American Trails provides information for hiking as well as biking, snowshoe, and horseback riding trails across the U.S.

Perfect spring day, Joshua Tree National Park

Although some of my favorite hikes have been while on extended camping trips to Kings Canyon, the rocky coast of Big Sur and the high desert of Joshua Tree, I also find great pleasure in the urban hikes I frequently take, exploring and reconnecting with the Los Angeles neighborhoods near me. You can join a guided tour or venture out on your own to explore the hidden nooks and crannies of a new neighborhood.

Neighborhood watch, rubber ducky style!

Happy Hiking!

Speaking of Posture…

By midday, I often notice myself slouching in my office chair. My shoulders are rounded, my neck feels strained, my head protrudes forward and when I stand up to stretch I feel like I resemble Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre Dame! Do you often feel like this? If so, we are part of a growing trend of people who experience postural problems from working in an office. Slouching all day in an office chair forces your chest muscles to tighten, which pulls your spine forward and rotates your shoulders inward, while at the same time weakening the muscles of your upper back that aid in posture. Click the link to a great article written by Anne Asher, Posturally.com President who describes what is actually going on in your body (postural kyphosis) when you slump over your keyboard!

These quick and easy stretches can be done when you get up to pick up your copies from the printer, before fixing that extra cup of coffee from the break room or just after that 3P.M. budget meeting (read: ANYTIME!). Before starting any exercise program, be sure to consult with your doctor.

Image Credit: Trish McAllister, theglobeandmail.com

Chest Stretch

Standing in a doorway, bend your elbow and place just your forearm and palm on the wall (fingers pointing up). Lean forward as you feel the stretch in your chest and shoulder. Be sure to keep your arm in line with the plane of your shoulder as you complete the stretch. Resist arching your lower back as you pull your arms upward. Try to keep your shoulders relaxed and down. Don’t force your arm up higher than is comfortable. You should feel the stretch in your biceps and chest. Again, you can raise or lower your elbow to stretch upper and lower chest muscles.

Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and complete on both sides for 3 sets.

Image Credit: University of Santa Cruz, Department of Environmental Health and Safety

Upper Back Stretch

This is what I like to call the “Yeah, I rocked that spreadsheet!” stretch. Interlace your fingers behind your head, bending elbows. Pull your shoulder blades toward each other to create mild tension through your upper back and shoulder blades. Hold for 8-10 seconds, then relax. A great stretch for tight shoulders and upper back.

Image Credit: University of Santa Cruz, Department of Environmental Health and Safety

Triceps/Side Stretch

To get at the sides of your body as well as your triceps, hold your left elbow with your right hand and gently pull elbow behind your head until an easy stretch is felt in your shoulder or back of upper arms (triceps). Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat on other side.

Check Your Desk!

Also, check to see that your monitor is placed at arm’s length directly in front of you at 15- 30 degrees below your line of sight. Your forearms should form a 90 degree angle as you type and your legs should form a 90 degree angle as you sit. Keep your shoulders back, chest out, head up and use a wrist pad placed directly behind the keyboard and if possible, another wrist pad for your mouse.

Carpal Tunnel Stretches and Exercises

Having worked in an office setting for many years, I personally understand the aches and pains that accompany sitting at a desk for hours at a time. Creaky wrists, stiff fingers, achy shoulders – these issues seem to come with the territory! If you can’t get to your favorite massage therapist, quick relief can be found as close as your desk drawer. Watch this very straightforward video from Heritage Education for tips to stretch and strengthen your back, neck, arms and fingers.

Why Blog About Massage?

I started this blog as a way to inform and educate clients to the services, rates and philosophy of BSBW.  But I also see it as an integral part of my own journey to wellness, a way to document my own successes (and frustrations) along the myriad paths I expect to explore. Within these pages, I hope you find notes of encouragement, gain insight and maybe have an “a-ha!” moment or two as you traverse your own path to health and joyful living.

Where will your path lead?