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We've seen it all. And, being former
desk-jockeys ourselves, we've felt it all, too. We have hurt in all
the places that you are hurting in now, with the same frequency and
intensity.
Which is why we are now massage therapists who
are dedicated to helping you make the most of your work and liesure life,
pain-free, and with freedom of motion. Its fun living in a body. Its
great fun living in a body that is moving freely and working well.
Here are some simple and very effective tips that we've developed and
collected just for you, the desk- and computer-athlete:
Move as much as you can! Our
bodies were designed to move freely and often. We frustrate our physical
selves when we coop them up behind a desk, or in front of a computer for long
periods of time. Our massage therapy textbooks told us that
musculoskeletal motion accounts for at least half of our
circulation! I couldn't believe it when I first read that, but now I know
it to be true. The gentle pumping motion of our muscles assists blood and
lymph flow dramatically, and makes us feel alive and less stagnant.
 | start by walking - the simple act of
walking moves every single joint in our bodies, gently and
thoroughly, and keeps them well lubricated and ready for action
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| move your whole body - when you
reach for the telephone, or work the mouse, use your entire arm, including
the shoulder. This will gently move your back muscles which tend to
get tired and painful after a long session at the computer or simply sitting
still. Think of your "arm" as beginning at the tip of your
little finger and extending all the way to the bottom point of your shoulder
blade. It all works together!
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| set a timer - if you are stuck at a
desk (like we both were) for most of your working day, set an inexpensive
kitchen timer to gently remind you to "come up for air" every hour
or so. Get up, roll your shoulders, walk to the water fountain, or
give yourself a change of scenery for a moment. |
| try to remember what it felt like to
move as a child - when we were kids, we moved without thinking.
Now that we're adults, we think too much about the way we move, about what
we might look like. Let your body be free! Let it move the way
it wants to! |
Breathe! This
is one we can't stress enough. Breath is the energy of life. It
animates us and keeps our blood oxygenated. Deep, slow breathing
triggers relaxation, lowers blood pressure, and makes us more alert. The
action of the ribs and diaphragm during breathing massages our internal organs,
and is the prime mover of lymph, the substance that caries cell waste away and
keeps our tissues clean and healthy. The pressure differentials in our
upper and lower chest cavities during breathing also assists in pumping our
blood. When sitting at a desk, or behind a steering wheel, we don't get
enough deep breathing to keep our systems functioning in top-notch order; its
one reason we feel stale, tired, and toxic at the end of a long day at the
office.
| for relaxation and to melt off stress,
do ten cycles of deep, slow inhalations and exhalations - inhaling to a
count of 6 or 8, bring air deeply into your lungs. Feel your ribs
moving and expanding. Let your stomach pooch out! (Nobody's
watching, really!). At the top of your inhalation, let your air escape
through your mouth with a "whooshing" sound, and slowly but gently
squeeze out all the air. One inhale/exhale is a cycle. Do 10. |
| for renewed vigor, try "bellows
breathing" - this is a yogic breathing exercise that is recommended
by yoga practitioners, and also by Andrew Weil, M.D., the modern health
guru. This exercise is good for getting you going again quickly when
you feel sluggish and sleepy. To do it, breathe through your nose
rapidly in and out, about two cycles per second for about 10 seconds to
start, working your way up to 1 full minute after you have been doing this
exercise for a while. Its harder than you might imagine, but it also
provides you with an amazing amount of renewed energy and clarity.
Stop immediately if you feel lightheaded. |
Stretch! Stretching
gently resets the muscles' resting length back to what it should be. It
also reminds your proprioceptors (specialized nerve endings that tell your body
about its position) that your muscles can get back to a normal resting
length. Stretching reduces neurological activity, as well, and
contributes to lowered stress levels and increases your feelings of
well-being. And it just feels good, too.
| try Yoga or T'ai Chi Chuan, or a
stretching class! - Our clients who do these simple things improve
their resting and working lives many times over. Their tissues are
more supple, their stress levels are lower, they are more alert, and they
can move and sleep easier at night. You really won't believe what it
can do for you until you try it. Trust us!
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| simply stretch what feels good -
trust your body; it knows what it needs.
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Exercise! Do
what you can on this one. Every little bit counts.
| try a Pilates class - Pilates (Pih-LAH-tees)
is a form of rehabilitative exercise created by Joseph
Pilates, a German physical therapist. |
Try "Constructive Rest"! There
is a very simple thing that Alexander Technique teachers have their students
do: constructive rest. It is very simple, and wonderfully
effective:
| lie flat on your back on the floor
for about 20 minutes each evening with your knees bent and feet flat on the
floor. (maybe put a small hand towell underneath your neck for
support). This feels wonderful, and very, very gently allows your back
muscles to unwind, and for your spine to lengthen and re-hydrate after being
compressed by gravity all day. This is the perfect remedy for
"computer shoulders" pain, and over time, this simple exercise has
tremendous benefits. |
Sleep!
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