You Can’t Get A Better Posture By Trying Harder

Do you think your posture is poor? Have you tried a course of posture exercises to correct it? Most people would say they feel their posture could be better but why does it become poor and what is the best way to improve it?
Do you think your posture is poor? Have you tried a course of posture exercises to correct it? Most people would say they feel their posture could be better but why does it become poor and what is the best way to improve it?

Modern living means we probably are not as active as previous generations. We spend long hours sitting at desks, in cars or when relaxing, slumping in front of the TV. In these situations you are not using your muscles as nature originally intended. Parts of your body get overworked such as your neck and shoulders whilst others will get weaker, invariably the lower back. Poor posture has been recognized as a factor in health for years and is a major factor in many cases of neck, back and shoulder pain.

The conventional approach to addressing poor posture is exercise. However, this approach may be misguided as the focus on specific muscles for improving posture could affect your body's natural support reflexes and make matters worse.

Your body has built-in postural reflexes to coordinate muscular activity for support and movement. If your posture has deteriorated it is likely these reflexes are not being allowed to work properly. Stress may be causing you to stiffen your neck, tighten your shoulders and tense your lower back. These actions will override your natural mechanisms for balance and movement. Constant inappropriate use of these muscles will eventually corrupt how you move. It becomes a catch-22 problem. The more you move in a poor way, the better you get at moving this way until it feels right.



Whilst I appreciate the popularity of exercises to improve posture, including core stability routines, I believe they result in unnecessary tension in the body. Should we have to work core muscles individually to get our body to stand tall? Did nature intend this as the best way to stand?

In my role as a teacher of movement re-education I see many people who suffer from muscle pain as a result of poor posture. I also see just as many who are suffering as a result of their attempts to correct it! Adding a little extra tension in order to stand properly will not improve your posture - it just adds to the strain on your muscles and joints. Rather than trying to stand and sit in a way you feel is correct, you can learn how to remove the unnecessary stress in your body and allow your postural reflexes to work as nature intended.

So forget about posture and learn about Poise.

Poise is a lost skill from our youth. When you have poise you use far less effort and your body will support itself with ease allowing you to move, breathe and function more freely. Poise is evident in top athletes and performers. Think of Muhammad Ali or Fred Astaire in their prime and that gives you a great example of freedom in movement. I doubt if they used exercises to improve their posture!

Poise can only be regained by first taking out the tension in your body and appreciating the push you get from the ground. When you’re on top of the world and walk with a spring in your step, you’re poised. When you can sit at your desk and feel no tension in your neck, shoulders and back – you are poised. Trying to improve your posture by trying harder will take you further away from your natural poised state. So don’t try – let whatever is beneath you push up and think of letting go to sit, stand and walk taller and you will be on your way to a return to poise.

Get relief from back, neck & shoulder pain in just 7 seconds at . . .

www.neck-back-shoulder-pain-relief.com

Roy Palmer is a teacher of movement re-education and author of 7 Seconds to Pain Relief, secrets of lasting relief from back, neck & shoulder pain. He has helped back pain
sufferers, sports people and performing artists over the last 12 years. He is also the author of three books on the subject of performance enhancement, injury prevention and rehabilitation for athletes.

Why Is Conventional Medicine So Bad At Treating Back Pain?

Back pain treatment is a hotly debated topic. Every week you can read a least one research study that claims a popular, conventional treatment is ineffective. Even the most established treatments such as physical therapy do not escape the headlines. Only recently researchers at Warwick University (UK) found that one session just offering advice to back pain sufferers achieved the same results as six weeks of physiotherapy!
Back pain treatment is a hotly debated topic. Every week you can read a least one research study that claims a popular, conventional treatment is ineffective. Even the most established treatments such as physical therapy do not escape the headlines. Only recently researchers at Warwick University (UK) found that one session just offering advice to back pain sufferers achieved the same results as six weeks of physiotherapy!

Of course, conducting such a large study is difficult as there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. What sort of treatment was given? What was the quality and experience of the therapists used? Did the subject all have the same cause of back pain? Did they carry out the exercises or advice as instructed?

This last question is the big one in my view. All courses of back pain treatment usually involve some sort of exercise or instruction on how to sit, stand or move to reduce the stress on the back. But are we capable of following this advice? Most therapists in conventional medicine make the assumption that we can.

However, if back pain is not due to a specific medical condition is it usually a muscular problem. The human body is perfectly capable of supporting itself with minimal muscular effort. Postural muscles are ‘designed’ to provide long periods of sustained activity to keep us upright and balanced. The phasic muscles (or movement muscles) are for short bursts of activity such as lifting your arm or turning your head. This is a bit of a simplification because all muscles provide a mixture of both functions but it will do for this example.
In my opinion, back pain and other muscular-skeletal problems can occur when we ‘misuse’ our body, or in other words use the wrong muscles to sit, stand and move. If we’re not moving correctly I our daily activities we’re going to do the same when trying to perform corrective exercises.

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I see many people who tighten their lower back muscles to sit and stand up straight - these are the wrong muscles! They should not be active to keep you upright, this should be a function performed by muscles higher up that will balance your upper body on your spine.

So if someone suffering with their back is not ‘using’ themselves correctly how are they suddenly supposed to know how to use it right for exercising or trying to correct their posture? This is why I believe conventional back pain treatment does not offer the best solution.

Physical therapy, osteopathic, chiropractic and acupuncture treatments do get results and I recommend people to get a diagnosis and initial help from a qualified practitioner. In the short-term, manipulative treatment will help to get you moving and back onto your feet. However, I do not see these therapies as a long-term solution because they rarely get to the cause of ‘misuse’ and you could find yourself returning to your therapist on a regular basis.

If you are looking to address the cause of neck, back or shoulder pain you’ll need to go deeper. Your muscles are only doing what you tell them to do, but, and here is the big question, do you know what you are telling them to do? In place of exercise I believe a course of re-education will achieve far more by removing your bad habits that are causing your discomfort.

Get relief from back, neck & shoulder pain in just 7 seconds at . . .
www.neck-back-shoulder-pain-relief.com

Roy Palmer is a teacher of movement re-education and author of 7 Seconds to Pain Relief, secrets of lasting relief from back, neck & shoulder pain. He has helped back pain
sufferers, sports people and performing artists over the last 12 years. He is also the author of three books on the subject of performance enhancement, injury prevention and rehabilitation for athletes.

How To Choose An Ergonomic Office Chair

The average office worker will spend 7 hours a day at their desk. The wrong sitting position will put stresses on the spine that could lead to long term health problems.

The average office worker will spend 7 hours a day at their desk. The wrong sitting position will put stresses on the spine that could lead to long term health problems.

In addition to the health issues, your productivity will also be reduced if you are uncomfortable at your desk. Employees now recognize this problem and are now prepared to spend serious money on getting quality ergonomic seating and chairs for their people. However, if you select the wrong chair it will not help no matter how much you have spent.

What to look for in an ergonomic chair

·    Adjustable seat height

·    A good size seat

·    A backrest

·    Good padding on seat

·    Arm rests

·    Lumbar support

·    Easy to rotate

Desks and people come in many different sizes so ergonomic seating and chairs have to cater for the majority of variations. The height should be easy to adjust and have a good range of at least 40 - 53 centimeters from the floor to seat height. The depth and width of the seat should be sufficient to allow you to sit with your back in contact with the back support whilst leaving a space of approximately 8 centimeters between the back of your knees and the seat. If this distance is greater you could cause the muscles at the back of your leg to tighten. If the back of your knees are making contact with the seat you may impede your circulation.



It is essential to have good padding on the seat because you will be spending long hours on it! Arm and backrests allow for support which can prevent you from holding tension on your neck, shoulders and back - both rests should be adjustable.

Lumbar support is not as important as it was once considered. A good seat that supports your pelvis in conjunction with a good sitting posture virtually negates the need for lumber support. Having said this, it still can be a useful feature in ergonomic seating and chairs for when you are tired or under stress.

A rotating chair is definitely a must as most office workers will need to turn to get things from desk drawers of use PC and office equipment. This will help reduce stress on the lower back.

Get relief from back, neck & shoulder pain in just 7 seconds at . . .
www.neck-back-shoulder-pain-relief.com

Roy Palmer is a teacher of movement re-education and author of 7 Seconds to Pain Relief, secrets of lasting relief from back, neck & shoulder pain. He has helped back pain
sufferers, sports people and performing artists over the last 12 years. He is also the author of three books on the subject of performance enhancement, injury prevention and rehabilitation for athletes.

Computer Posture: Are You Making Work Harder Than it Should be?

Is your computer posture correct? Do you suffer from neck pain, a burning between your shoulder blades, lower back pain, headaches, digestive problems, breathing difficulties, eye strain ... the list goes on. All of the above could be related to how you sit at your PC for hours at a time every day, barely moving, eyes fixed on the screen with deadlines to meet.

Is your computer posture correct? Do you suffer from neck pain, a burning between your shoulder blades, lower back pain, headaches, digestive problems, breathing difficulties, eye strain ... the list goes on. All of the above could be related to how you sit at your PC for hours at a time every day, barely moving, eyes fixed on the screen with deadlines to meet.

If you have adjusted the position of your chair, computer screen and mouse but still find you suffer from the conditions mentioned above? You’re not alone and for good reason. Whilst you can easily re-arrange your furniture it is not so simple to follow the instructions aimed at the human elements, that is, your body.

Following advice on sitting correctly, such as, sitting straight with the shoulders back etc, is not as easy as it sounds. This is because the majority of adults have developed a poor body concept. What does this mean? We have lost the art of natural poise and movement through our sedentary lifestyles. Your computer posture is just one situation where it can go wrong.

I have taught many people about movement and posture over the last 12 years and one issue that usually comes up is the matter of sitting at a computer. Many make the mistake of trying to sit up too straight and tighten their lower backs, causing more harm than good. As soon as people learn not to try and sit up straight, they find it so much easier!


Early warning signs that should not be ignored.

Any discomfort experienced at your computer is a sign you are doing something wrong. You may not be too concerned if the aches and pains you associate with your work disappear at weekends. But prolonged periods (and we could be talking years) of sitting in a poor position will alter your posture gradually until you begin to suffer all the time.

More serious signs that require you to take instant action are tightness or numbness in your fingers, hands, wrists, elbows or shoulders. This could soon lead to upper limb disorders, also known as repetitive strain injury (RSI). This is a difficult condition to treat successfully and in a many cases the sufferer has to change job completely to one not involving computers - not an easy career move to make in today's hi-tech world!

If you experience any of the above symptoms, talk to your Occupational Health Advisor or visit your doctor.

The longer these conditions persist the harder it will be to treat.

So your computer posture can have a huge influence on not only how productive you are at work, whether you get aches or pains, but also your body shape! You probably don't want to look old before your time, but if you pay little attention to how you sit at your PC you could be rapidly attaining the stoop normally associated with old age.

Remember, you don't have to sit up straight with your chin in, shoulders back ...it will only cause more problems in the long-term. Just allow your body to be poised and let the chair and floor support your weight and remember to take breaks away from you computer.

Get relief from back, neck & shoulder pain in just 7 seconds at . . .
www.neck-back-shoulder-pain-relief.com

Roy Palmer is a teacher of movement re-education and author of 7 Seconds to Pain Relief, secrets of lasting relief from back, neck & shoulder pain. He has helped back pain
sufferers, sports people and performing artists over the last 12 years. He is also the author of three books on the subject of performance enhancement, injury prevention and rehabilitation for athletes.

Are You The Cause Of Your Lower Back Pain

Although eighty percent of adults will suffer at some stage with lower back pain it still remains very much a mystery to the medical world. Are we missing something? Is the answer a little closer to home?
Although eighty percent of adults will suffer at some stage with lower back pain it still remains very much a mystery to the medical world. Are we missing something? Is the answer a little closer to home?

If you have had a medical examination for your lower back pain and no specific cause has been diagnosed what can you do? You may have been told that it is either ‘all in your mind’ or, worse still, be suspected of faking it to get time off work. The problem is that if medical tests cannot find a probable cause it is assumed there is nothing wrong with you. Now this isn’t much use to you is it!

The problem as I see it is that medical science does not yet recognize what could be a major factor in back pain. This factor, in my opinion, is that most adults, due to stress and the pressures of modern living, have lost ‘the art of natural movement’.

How often are we stuck behind a desk, the wheel of a car or clued to the couch in front of the TV? What is this doing to our backs? We all know that we should be more active but when we exercise can we move as freely and efficiently as we did as young children?

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Has your doctor advised exercise? Yes it is true that activity is better than bed rest for your back, but how do you know if you are moving correctly? If posture and the way we move are a cause of lower back pain, are we not making it worse by using our bodies more vigorously?

I would suggest that before you start on an exercise program to help your lower back you should assess how you stand, sit, walk and run. If you can learn to reduce the unnecessary stress many of us place on our lower backs this can go a long way to resolving the problem for many sufferers.

One of the best ways to improve your lower back is muscle re-education to reduce the stresses and strains you unknowingly place upon your body. Learning how to use your body as nature intended can help eliminate or drastically reduce lower back pain. As a teacher of movement and posture re-education I see many people who, once shown a few simple ‘tricks’, are amazed at just how much unnecessary effort they have been using for even the easiest, everyday tasks. Once this has been removed they feel lighter, their movement is freer and the pain just melts away.

Get relief from back, neck & shoulder pain in just 7 seconds at . . .
www.neck-back-shoulder-pain-relief.com

Roy Palmer is a teacher of movement re-education and author of 7 Seconds to Pain Relief, secrets of lasting relief from back, neck & shoulder pain. He has helped back pain
sufferers, sports people and performing artists over the last 12 years. He is also the author of three books on the subject of performance enhancement, injury prevention and rehabilitation for athletes.

An Alternative Approach to Treating a Stiff Neck

A stiff neck is a condition that many will experience at some stage of their life. Stress, poor posture and injury are the most common causes. In the majority of cases the symptoms will ease with a gentle massage or a period of rest. However, for others a stiff neck becomes a daily concern leading to discomfort and inconvenience. If the condition persists it is advisable to get a thorough medical examination because a stiff neck may be the first sign of a serious illness.

A stiff neck is a condition that many will experience at some stage of their life. Stress, poor posture and injury are the most common causes. In the majority of cases the symptoms will ease with a gentle massage or a period of rest. However, for others a stiff neck becomes a daily concern leading to discomfort and inconvenience. If the condition persists it is advisable to get a thorough medical examination because a stiff neck may be the first sign of a serious illness.

If the stiffness is due to muscular tension the first course of action is generally painkillers. These should not be seen as a long-term solution as they will mask the problem and not address the cause. Massage, either self-administered, by a partner or professional, is another option. This does bring some much needed relief for the sufferer but again if the cause is not addressed this will only be temporary.

The most popular treatment is to prescribe neck exercises. The conventional view is muscle weakness or imbalance is the cause. Neck exercises will be given to the sufferer in an attempt to correct the perceived problem.

However, even this approach has its limitations and does not go far enough to address the root causes of a stiff neck. In my experience as teacher of movement and posture  the most useful course of action for a long-term sufferer is re-education. If there is a muscle imbalance or weakness, poor habits are usually the culprit. These habits can develop whilst compensating for an injury by holding the neck in the least painful position; long periods of sitting at desks or the common stress response of holding tension in the neck and shoulders. Once a habit is learnt it is difficult for the patient to do anything differently because the habit will feel right.

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Exercises may make the condition worse because the patient will do the exercises with their poor habits. The best intentions of the therapist are undone once the patient returns home and performs the exercises unsupervised. Repetition of these exercises performed poorly will only re-enforce the bad habit.

Re-education involves taking the patient back the basics of movement. These movements will initially feel wrong because they are very different from their everyday feelings associated with turning their head or even just holding their neck. The tension has become a habit and they unknowingly hold this tension just to sit. Until the patient can relearn how their body can be naturally poised again all attempts to strengthen or rebalance muscles will complicate their existing habitual movement patterns.

In place of using exercise, a stiff neck sufferer can learn how to move and balance with less tension and condition their muscles by performing everyday tasks without the need to exercise. I have seen this approach work time and time again whilst conventional exercises have failed the individual.

Get relief from back, neck & shoulder pain in just 7 seconds at . . .

www.neck-back-shoulder-pain-relief.com

Roy Palmer is a teacher of movement re-education and author of 7 Seconds to Pain Relief, secrets of lasting relief from back, neck & shoulder pain.  He has helped back pain
sufferers, sports people and performing artists over the last 12 years. He is also the author of three books on the subject of performance enhancement, injury prevention and rehabilitation for athletes.

How to Become Healthy

Don't you think it's funny that now has come a time, where we actually need to do some research on how to become healthy? Ideally, our body is designed to take care of itself, and we are supposed to be healthy all the time. The only thing that has changed is the fact that now, we don't allow our body to look after itself.

"Some people are willing to pay the price and it's the same with staying healthy or eating healthy. There's some discipline involved. There's some sacrifices." ~ Mike Ditka

...Yes, there is discipline involved, discipline in letting your mind control your desires, and not the other way round! I am sure that the reason why you are reading this article is because somewhere within your heart you know that you don't feel as healthy as you should, right? Many of you may define 'healthy living' in different ways. Some of you refer to health as physical health, some refer to the mental peace and relaxed mind as health and so on. Well, when I say how to become healthy, I mean being healthy both in body and mind. A gradual change in lifestyle and thinking needs to be brought in order to achieve the dream to live a long and happy life.

How to Become a Healthy Person
All of you will agree to the fact that most of us were born healthy, except for some, but that's a different case altogether! The physical and mental ailments that we tend to suffer are nothing but the price we have paid to be a part of the modern lifestyle! Yes, our lifestyle which includes sleepless nights spent in office, odd hours to eat food, improper sleeping habits and the term 'party' which fills our body with smoke and alcohol! This is the life we live and health issues are just what we get in return! Having said that, striking a balance in how we live is extremely important! You need to make some changes, adapt new and healthy habits, and be exceptionally stubborn to stick with them!

Stop Sacrificing your Sleep
I honestly don't blame you for this, but then you'll have to stop compromising on your sleeping habits! You need to give proper rest to your body and mind which will only come from a good sound 8 hrs sleep. This will not only refresh your body and mind but also make you more active, relaxed and alert! Some tips for better sleep would be to leave caffeine and those so-called 'energy drinks'. If you want real health, sleep is all you need to have!

Divert your Thoughts to 'The Positive'
We all know that our mind controls our actions, and so does our thoughts, and this is why happy and optimists live longer and healthier! In this challenging and demanding world, we tend to focus more on the negative than on the positive! Believe it or not, the more negative thoughts you build in your mind, so will be the outcome of your efforts! So no matter what the situation is, you need to divert your thoughts and practice to focus on the positive. That's the key to stay healthy.

Enjoy Whatever You Do, Else Don't Do It!
God has given you the gift of life to enjoy yourself, but we on the other hand, instead of following our heart, follow our pockets! Believe it or not but it's true. Your heart wants to sleep but to earn more you have to work all night, your heart wants to go for a holiday but your pocket grants you no leave! Again, I am not blaming you for this as this is everybody's story! Enjoying life is possible when discipline comes into place. Learn to strike a balance and believe in yourself. Take your first step by start eating your food without distraction! Enjoy the flavors, bite and chew, and likewise, learn to enjoy what you do!


Pray/Meditate
If you don't do this already, then you have no idea what you are depriving yourself of! Praying and meditating not only calms your mind, but it feels like you have taken off loads of burden from your heart. If you are religious, just light a candle at the altar and look at the light, just talk to God about everything that is bothering you, about things you are grateful for, about things that you want to share and so on. And the minute you have done that, the amount of relaxation and peace that you feel within, cannot be described in words. Meditation too has similar effects and rejuvenates your body and soul from within, giving you all the energy you need to face the world.

Spend Some Time in Solitude with Nature
Try to spend at least a minimum of 30 minutes in solitude with nature. Look at the birds chirping, the clouds forming beautifully, the sunrise, the sunset, the stars and the moon. You might think it's a waste of time and that you already know how it is. But there are many things in this world that we know about, that we see, the only problem is that we fail to feel them, which is more important than seeing them.

Laughter is the Best Medicine
Have you seen the group of old people in the park who form a round circle and start laughing as if they would win a million dollars for it! No matter how funny it seems, the benefits of laughter are way beyond our imagination! If you don't wanna do that, then the least you can do is not to miss the moments when life gives you a chance to smile, to laugh and to cherish. Never let the kid in you die. If you feel like smiling when you look at a beautiful thing, don't hesitate, just smile. If you have tripped and fallen, don't frown, just smile for something as silly at that to have happened. No matter what, stick that beautiful smile on your lips and make sure it always stays! :-)

Eat Healthy and Exercise
This is the most obvious, yet one of the most important ways of how to become healthy and fit. Eating healthy foods and balancing it with the right amount of exercise is extremely important. To follow this step you will have to make your self as stubborn as you can. You need to let go of junk, alcohol, caffeine, smoking, etc. Try to eat as much as fruits and vegetables as possible. Such food items make you feel light and active! Wake up early in the morning and start with a good stretch! A 30 minute walk or a run will not only make you physically healthy and active, but also make you more flexible and make your mind agile.

Life is a Journey, Not a Race!
I know we have been taught this right from our childhood! Trying hard to get good grades, prove yourself better than the rest, performing much better than the rest to get recognition and promotion. All this is good, but not at the cost of your happiness and mental peace. You need to do your best, without taking too much pressure on yourself. Trust me, too much pressure makes things worse, not only when it comes to health, but in general your attitude becomes very annoying and impatient. If you want to improve, challenge yourself and not the rest of the world. In short, live for things that give you health and wellness, and not for things that make you miserable!

Respect Yourself, Be the Person You Want to Be
The way you look upon yourself, is the way you look upon your life! It is very important for a person to have self-esteem, for it is your attitude that defines your life. No matter what you have done so far, it's the way you look upon yourself that matters! Picture how you want yourself to be and permanently stick that picture in your mind. Challenge yourself and constantly work towards becoming the person you want to be, rather than focusing on what you failed to become!

So these are some of the most important ways that will help you in how to become healthy and strong both in body and mind. Try to adapt your lifestyle into a healthy one and start incorporating the above mentioned daily health tips and advice in your life. There is nothing that can stop you from achieving anything in this world, but yourself! All the best for living a healthy and happy life! :)
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