Swimming as RSI Therapy

I haven't swam since my son was born - havn't had the time - but if I had known how therapeutic it is for my neck and shoulders RSI I would have just swam instead of going to the chiropractor and physical therapist!

It works so well that if I swim before work I can work all day completely pain-free.

Besides just doing laps I do some stretching exercises - like I:

tread water and push my arms all around me in big circles around my body with my wrists flexed or extended.

do a bridge underwater - bend my knee and grab my foot behind me with my hand, and then do the same with the other foot (at the same time on really flexible days)

do a really slow butterfly stroke with my hips extended to feel a max stretch and pulling my arms as far behind me as they'll go

Swimming works even better than running and then doing yoga.

Simple Stretch that Really Stretches the Back

I have taken up really trying to work up at least a small sweat before I start my yoga in the morning, and I have even started doing the yoga again after my run in the afternoon. I have found that when my muscles are really warm I get a much better stretch and my muscles get a lot more out of the stretches. I have been feeling really fantastic lately because of it.

So, on to the simple stretch: It's called "Head to Knee Posture" in my power yoga book, but it's really just the simple stretch that you do after running or walking to stretch the back of your leg. You bring in one leg (bend the knee and bring your foot into your crotch) and you bend over the other, outstretched leg. I always used to do this after I exercised, but I haven't for the last two years or so because I never had the time (since my son was born). Now that he is getting more self-sufficient I am doing it again. I used to thing that stretch was only for your leg, but man, now that my back is all tweaked it stretches my back much more than my legs. It is very effective in getting rid of mid to lower back pain and tightness.

Pain Relief Terminology

I wrote about my Graston treatment last week and got this comment:

"Graston is a great technique, but is not as specific as Active Release Technique. The two work really well together."

I looked up Active Release Technique and it does look really great! It looks like stretching combined with practitioner manipulation of the area to release adhesions. Unfortunately, there are no practitioners of it in my area.

What I really am a little peeved about though is this: A year ago, when I was in so much pain that I couldn't work for more than 10 minutes, and even just driving gave me a headache, I searched and searched and searched online and couldn't find any of this information!

I searched for things like: neck pain from computer use, stretches for neck pain, neck and back pain, computer-related headaches, too much computer use, office stretches ... etc.

When my neck pain was being referred around to my forehead and eye area I even went to and eye doctor for help. I thought my eye muscles were strained. He explained to me that the eye muscles are always flexed and can't really strain like that. He advised 'doing some stretches'.

And I did! I did the silly office chair stretches and took breaks and did all the stuff advised on all those silly, ineffectual websites. Nothign helped and it kept getting worse and worse.

It wasn't until I found the Self Care For RSI website that I was introduced to terms like RSI (repetitive strain injury), and overuse-injuries.

It wasn't until I downloaded the ebook that I learned the concept that my constant neck and shoulder and upper back pain and increasing inability to move was caused by the fascia (layering covering muscles) being full of scar tissue and sticking to my muscles(adhesions) and that the scar tissue was caused by the muscles not getting oxygen while I worked and being stuck in one position for too long.

When I learned that proper stretching techniques could free the adhesions and end my pain I was finally on the road to revovery. Now, besides just stretching and exercising I am trying advanced techniques to really free the adhesions .. which brings us back to Graston and Active Releasing.

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Graston Technique Treatment

A couple of weeks ago I went to my chiropractor and asked him for a reevaluation. When I first started going to him years ago it was for completely different problems, which are all cured now. My only problem I have these days is the upper back, neck, shoulders, and arms pain from overwork. I am sooo much better than I was a year ago, but I really want to be able to work for longer, and I don't want to have to spend so much time stretching. So, I am thinking the Graston technique is my answer.

He did the re-eval and decided on twice a week treatments. The first day he did the front of my chest just below my neck. I never have pain in that area so I kind of neglect stretching it. Imagine my surprise when he finds very tender areas and two spots, one on each side, of majorly bunched up fascia.

The second day he did my forearms. Those were tender in different spots. I knew they would be. That's as far as we are right now. So far no real indications of relief.

Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 Review

Over Hill, Over Dale is a concise review of the newest Microsoft keyboard. Looking at this review, I want one. I don't currently use an ergonomic keyboard despite my neck and shoulder pain. I've tried working on one before and found the extreme split between the keys counterproductive. But this keyboard looks much more user-friendly and still ergonomic.

Stronger torso can relieve back pain

Stronger torso can relieve back pain This article talks about how it is important, especially as we age, to keep our back strong. Apparently, if we don't work out with weights consistently, we start to lose muscle after the age of 25. Think about that. It's my bet that almost anybody reading this is going to be well over 25. So, after the eight hours of sitting on our butts in front of the computer, may we should be hitting the gym.

One thing I've started doing after my busier days, is going for a run. I had tried running before my day on the computer, but found it made my upper back hurt worse -- I guess I wore the muscles out while running and then sat in a mildly hunched over position. So now, I quit work an hour and a half early and run for an hour -- OK run / walk for an hour, and then stretch for half an hour. After that I stay off the computer at all costs. I found that this immediately gets rid of any and all tension I had anywhere my body. It also makes the rest of the day easier and tension free. And, the next morning I wake up with no pain.

Consider Speech Recognition Software

If you, like me, suffer from back and shoulder and forearm pain because of long hours on a computer, consider speech recognition software. There are several out there - I have heard great things about the newest Dragon naturally speaking-I think it's version 8. Supposedly, it can get up to 99% accuracy levels, plus 1 version can be used with a digital voice recorder. I use IBM ViaVoice, but I will be upgrading eventually. I'm writing this post with ViaVoice. It's is a way to have to use your keyboard and mouse only minimally.

Your cell phone can give you RSI too

Sending text messages can cause RSI too - Ok, let's just say it - technology causes RSI, except when it's curing it ... (Pretty soon, your cellphone will have voice recognition software built in and you can just say your text messages.

Keep your Kids and yourself active - but don't do just one thing

GROWING PAINS: Playing one sport only leads to repetitive stress - Interesting, that in this day and age of childhood obesity, we also have kids going the other way and having the elbows and knees of 50 year olds way early in life, because they played outside (at their sport) too much. So, it seems it's not just computers that are causing the problems, it's anything you do too much of.

a soft touch is very important

When working on the computer, I have found that relaxed shoulders and hands, and a very soft touch on the keys are as important as stretching. My physical therapist recommended some relaxation exercises before starting to work - I'll go one step past this and say that besides trying to relax, and doing exercises that should relax you, you actually need to sense the level of tension in your forearms, shoulders, neck and back while you are working. Set a timer for every few minutes and then actually "check in" with thoses muscles.

I know this all sounds very flaky, and I am actually resistant to flakiness most of the time, but I have had to adopt a few flaky, crunchy attitudes in order to continue working. So - just try it - put your fingers on the keyboard like you are going to type and stop - think about the muscles in your forearms and fingers and neck and back. Try to feel what they are feeling - assign them a descriptive word like relaxed or tense or light or heavy. If they are tense or heavy you've got to stop and stretch till the feeling is gone. Working with tense muscles will give me pain within minutes, but constant checking in to be sure my muscles are relaxed will let me work all day with minimal pain.