7 Yoga Postures to Reduce Neck Strain

Find your silhouette looking more like Quasimodo than Quasi-straight? Smartphones are anything but smart on our posture, but these 7 yoga poses can help counteract all the unwanted side effects.

Forward Fold with Clasp

• Stand, clasp hands behind back, and take a big inhale to open the chest.

• On the exhale, soften knees and fold forward, letting head fall toward the ground and gently releasing the neck.

• If you feel comfortable, bend one knee and then the other, getting more into shoulders.

• Turn head right to left to release neck. Stay here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

Jalandhara Bandha, aka Throat Lock

Use the cross-legged variation or sit on your heels with your toe pads touching the floor.

• Kneel with hands lightly resting on thighs.

• Lift sternum and drop chin lightly, lifting through the top back of skull as if someone had a string on the back of your neck and was lifting you up.

• Lengthen through the back of neck and keep shoulders down.

• Breathe here for 5 to 10 deep breaths, lengthening the back and sides of neck each inhale and dropping shoulders a tiny bit more on each exhale.

Camel Pose

Place your hands on the posterior (back) edge of your hips if you can't reach your heels, keep your elbows drawn toward the mid-line of your body without touching them together.

• Begin in a high kneeling position with hips over and lined up with knees, and weight supported by shins and the tops of feet.

• Place palms on sacrum—fingers facing up or down, whichever feels better, tailbone reaching down—and draw elbows into one another so that they aren't winged out.

• Keep thighs rotating inward and pull shoulder blades toward one another and down back. Look to the ceiling as you lift chest upward.

• Release hands to heels and arch spine. Tip head back to keep the whole spine in extension.

• Breathe here for at least 5 deep breaths.

Sage's Twist

• Sit with legs long and in front of you. Bend right knee, and take the top of right foot and place it on the ground next to right butt, in half hero's pose.

• Bend left knee, and place the top of left foot on top of right thigh, at hip crease, into half lotus.

• Slightly twist torso to the left, take left hand behind sacrum on the ground, and then take right hand to the outside of left knee.

• Take a big inhale to lengthen through spine, and use exhale to engage navel to spine and twist to the left.

• Keep this breathing pattern for at least 5 deep breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Dolphin Pose

• Begin on hands and knees. Hold opposite elbows with hands to get them shoulder-width apart, then place forearms parallel to one another.

• Drop head and reach chest back through arms in the direction of feet to enhance shoulder opening.

• Stay here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

Thread the Needle

• Begin on all fours. Reach right arm underneath the body, allowing the right shoulder and temple to release to the ground.

• Allow left hand to stay where it is or crawl it a bit to the right over to head.

• For an extra neck stretch, look toward left armpit.

• Stay here for 5 to 10 deep breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Supported Fish Variation

• While sitting on the ground with legs in front of you, place a medium-height block behind you beneath where shoulder blades will lie.

• Bend knees and place feet on the ground, hip-width apart.

• Using arms, slowly lower upper back to gently rest on the block, adjusting placement until you are comfortable.

• Ideally, the block is where your bra line would be. Next, clasp hands behind head and allow elbows and head to release toward the ground.

• Stay here for at least 10 deep breaths.

This article originally appeared on Shape.com and was written by Heidi Kristoffer 

Do you find these poses difficult? Do you need support in achieving them safely?
Join our upcoming NECK POINT AND COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE WORKSHOP, March 17, Saturday, 7pm. Learn how to use yoga and acupressure to eliminate neck strain! 60 minutes of yoga and 30 minutes of Acupuncture for neck & shoulder relief.
Only a few spots remain, register with a friend, perfect for beginners.

How Your Body Reacts to Stress

A little tension can keep you on your toes. Too much can break down the system.

We all feel stressed from time to time – it’s all part of the emotional ups and downs of life. Stress has many sources, it can come from our environment, from our bodies, or our own thoughts and how we view the world around us. It is very natural to feel stressed around moments of pressure such as exam time – but we are physiologically designed to deal with stress, and react to it.

When we feel under pressure the nervous system instructs our bodies to release stress hormones including adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol. These produce physiological changes to help us cope with the threat or danger we see to be upon us. This is called the “stress response” or the “fight-or-flight” response.

Stress can actually be positive, as the stress response help us stay alert, motivated and focused on the task at hand. Usually, when the pressure subsides, the body rebalances and we start to feel calm again. But when we experience stress too often or for too long, or when the negative feelings overwhelm our ability to cope, then problems will arise. Continuous activation of the nervous system – experiencing the “stress response” – causes wear and tear on the body.

When we are stressed, the respiratory system is immediately affected. We tend to breathe harder and more quickly in an effort to quickly distribute oxygen-rich blood around our body. Although this is not an issue for most of us, it could be a problem for people with asthma who may feel short of breath and struggle to take in enough oxygen. It can also cause quick and shallow breathing, where minimal air is taken in, which can lead to hyperventilation. This is more likely if someone is prone to anxiety and panic attacks.

Stress wreaks havoc on our immune systems. Cortisol released in our bodies suppresses the immune system and inflammatory pathways, and we become more susceptible to infections and chronic inflammatory conditions. Our ability to fight off illness is reduced.

The musculoskeletal system is also affected. Our muscles tense up, which is the body’s natural way of protecting ourselves from injury and pain. Repeated muscle tension can cause bodily aches and pains, and when it occurs in the shoulders, neck and head it may result in tension headaches and migraines.

Stress can lead to migraines.

There are cardiovascular effects. When stress is acute (in the moment), heart rate and blood pressure increase, but they return to normal once the acute stress has passed. If acute stress is repeatedly experienced, or if stress becomes chronic (over a long period of time) it can cause damage to blood vessels and arteries. This increases the risk for hypertension, heart attack or stroke.

The endocrine system also suffers. This system plays an important role in regulating mood, growth and development, tissue function, metabolism and reproductive processes. Our metabolism is affected. The hypothalamus is located in the brain and it plays a key role in connecting the endocrine system with the nervous system. Stress signals coming from the hypothalamus trigger the release of stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine, and then blood sugar (glucose) is produced by the liver to provide you with energy to deal with the stressful situation. Most people reabsorb the extra blood sugar when the stress subsides, but for some people there is an increased risk of diabetes.

Stress can have some unpleasant gastrointestinal effects. We might experience heartburn and acid reflux especially if we have changed our eating habits to eat more or less, or increased our consumption of fatty and sugary foods. The ability of our intestines to absorb nutrients from our food may be reduced. We may experience stomach pain, bloating and nausea, diarrhoea or constipation.

There can be problems with our reproductive systems too. For men, chronic stress may affect the production of testosterone and sperm. It may even lead to erectile dysfunction or impotence. Women can experience changes to their menstrual cycles and increased premenstrual symptoms.

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Stress has marked effects on our emotional well-being. It is normal to experience high and low moods in our daily lives, but when we are stressed we may feel more tired, have mood swings or feel more irritable than usual. Stress causes hyperarousal, which means we may have difficulty falling or staying asleep and experience restless nights. This impairs concentration, attention, learning and memory, all of which are particularly important around exam time. Researchers have linked poor sleep to chronic health problems, depression and even obesity.

image: https://public-media.smithsonianmag.com/filer/51/8d/518d1739-8e23-467b-87a8-0597eca94bbd/file-20170731-22164-jzjmu.jpg

Losing sleep affects your ability to learn. (www.shutterstock.com)

The way that we cope with stress has an additional, indirect effect on our health. Under pressure, people may adopt more harmful habits such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol or taking drugs to relieve stress. But these behaviours are inappropriate ways to adapt and only lead to more health problems and risks to our personal safety and well-being.

So learn to manage your stress, before it manages you. It’s all about keeping it in check. Some stress in life is normal – and a little stress can help us to feel alert, motivated, focused, energetic and even excited. Take positive actions to channel this energy effectively and you may find yourself performing better, achieving more and feeling good.

This article originally appeared on smithsonianmag.com and was written by Holly Blake.

Do You Know About Neuromuscular Massage Therapy?

The most effective type of massage therapy for lower back pain is neuromuscular therapy. Neuromuscular therapy is also called trigger point myotherapy. The American Academy of Pain Management recognizes this form of massage therapy as an effective treatment for back pain caused by soft tissue injury (such as a muscle strain).

Neuromuscular Massage Therapy Technique

Neuromuscular therapy consists of alternating levels of concentrated pressure on the areas of muscle spasm. The massage therapy pressure is usually applied with the fingers, knuckles, or elbow. Once applied to a muscle spasm, the pressure should not vary for ten to thirty seconds.

Massage Therapy Can Reduce Muscle Pain

Causes of Back Muscle Spasms Video

Muscles that are in spasm will be painful to the touch. The pain is caused by ischemic muscle tissue. Ischemia means the muscle is lacking proper blood flow, usually due to the muscle spasm. This in turn creates the following undesirable process:

• Because the muscle is not receiving enough blood, the muscle is also not receiving enough oxygen

• The lack of oxygen causes the muscle to produce lactic acid

• The lactic acid makes the muscle feel sore following physical activity.

After the muscle is relaxed through massage therapy, the lactic acid will be released from the muscle, and the muscle should start receiving enough blood and oxygen.

• See Can Massage Help Your Back Problem?

Neuromuscular therapy will feel painful at first, but the pressure of the massage should alleviate the muscle spasm. At this point, it is extremely important to communicate with the massage therapist regarding the pressure - whether the pressure is too much, too little, getting better, getting worse. The therapist should listen and respond accordingly. The massage therapy pressure should never be overly painful. In fact, most people describe the pressure as “good pain”.

What to Expect After Massage Therapy

Following a neuromuscular therapy massage, any soreness that presents itself should fade after twenty-four to thirty-six hours. The muscles that were tight should remain noticeably more relaxed for four to fourteen days, depending on stress

This article was originally posted on Spine-Health.com and was written by Beth Mueller R.M.T

How to Use Tennis Balls for DIY Lower Back Pain Massage

Nearly everyone can benefit from massage therapy and its ability to relax muscle tissue and improve blood flow. This may be especially true for chronic patients who rely on frequent treatments from chiropractors or massage therapists.

In fact, those with chronic pain may find that they’d like to get more massages, but it's too expensive.

With this in mind, we searched for some do-it-yourself ideas and found great examples of how patients with back pain can seek pain relief through do-it-yourself massage techniques.

All that’s needed for this DIY massage is a couple of tennis balls, some duct tape, a floor, and no more than 10 to 15 minutes daily.

Article continues below

Sound interesting? Here's what you'll need to do:

1. Place 2 tennis balls next to each other and use as much duct tape as needed to secure the balls in this shape. When completed, the tennis balls and duct tape contraption will look like a peanut.
2. Place the tennis balls on the ground and then lie on them in the supine position (lying down face-up), keeping the knees bent. The tennis balls should be parallel to your waist and centered just above the lumbar spine (lower back).
3. Adjust yourself until you feel balanced and comfortable, and then raise both arms with your fingers pointed toward the ceiling. Keep your arms as straight as possible.
4. Beginning with either your right or left arm, slowly lower your arm back toward your head. Once again, keep your arms as straight as possible and feel free to bend your neck backward when moving your arms.
5. Bring the arm backward to the ground. Hold this position for a couple seconds, then slowly bring it back to its original starting position.
6. Repeat the same action with the other arm.
7. Complete for each arm 4 more times.

You can also use an individual tennis ball to relieve lower back, buttock, or even sciaticapain.

See Types of Sciatic Nerve Pain

Place the ball under your back, buttock, or upper thigh while you lie on the floor and gently move yourself around to find sore muscle groups. Once you find a tender spot, you can focus and press there, but not too hard. Do not roll the ball directly over your spine. And stop right away if you feel any sharp or sudden pain.

Massage is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ways to relieve lower back pain. Exercise is crucial to keeping lower back pain at bay, and there are many low-impact options that can help you keep moving.

This article originally appeared in spine-health.com and was written by Stephanie Burke.