Hello from Alison
Back pain no more! Have you or a family member ever suffered from back, neck, shoulder, or knee pain? If so, you are not alone. As a health care practitioner, for over ten years, 80% or more my of clients report some type of recurrent back, neck, shoulder, and/or knee pain. This article is the first of a three part series dedicated to introducing you to the top 15 concepts you must understand in order to walk confidently and courageously on your path to being pain free. The great news is that pain is an incredible asset to you. It is a very intelligent feedback mechanism that gives you information about your body. The trick is learning how to interpret the information you receive. Let's get started!
Personal Health
Be curious about the feeling of pain. What is the first thought that crosses your mind when you feel pain? It is typical to wish pain would go away and to feel it is an inconvenient pest getting in the way. Nothing could be further from the truth! The first step to becoming pain free is to recognize the value and importance of pain. It is your asset. A paraplegic suffers from many conditions due to the physiological inability to feel pain and, therefore, adjust accordingly. Pain signals will tell you when your body needs attention and alignment. Ask yourself these questions when you feel pain: What does my body need? How is this feeling attempting to help me and get my attention? Who or what can assist me to become pain free?
2. Source or symptom? Imagine you are driving and your gas indicator light goes on. What is your response? Likely, the obvious, you pull into the closest gas station. You fill up the gas tank; the gas indicator light goes out; you drive away. You have gone to the source of the problem. Although the gas indicator light appears on the dashboard, you know, through experience and training, that the light is simply an indication of what is happening in the gas tank. Now imagine, instead of going to the source of why the gas indicator light is on, you address the symptom of the indicator light. You pull into the gas station and take a baseball bat, hitting the dashboard until the gas indicator light goes out. Does scenario number two sound absurd? The same absurd approach has been socially programmed into our brains as it relates to pain. When we feel pain, we want to eliminate the sensation by hitting the gas indicator light, taking pain pills and medications to mask the pain. What we really need to do is see the pain, as the gas indicator light, and, then, address the source of pain at its origin, the gas tank. Just by changing the way you view pain, seeing it as a crucial signal, you have now placed yourself on a direct path to being pain free.
3. Repetition, repetition, repetition. Your repeated movement and/or lack of movement, day in and day out, is the cornerstone of your health. Whether you are a professional sitting at a computer all day long or a deep sea scuba instructor lifting and carrying tanks daily, you will find your pain and physical issues arise based on the specific repetitious movements or non-movement you make daily. This is the essential concept you must understand to be pain free! Repetitious movements counterbalanced with proper stretching, yoga, massage therapy, water intake, chi gong, and/or tai chi are the keys to your health.
4. Balance. Ever imagined what it would be like to be a tight rope walker? How do they achieve that amazing balance? Webster's dictionary defines balance as "a weight, force or influence counteracting the effect of another." Although, it is likely your career does not involve walking on a tightrope daily. What is true is that you are balancing your entire body in the field of gravity daily. Bones in alignment in the plane of gravity absorb your weight properly. Bones out of alignment due to muscular imbalance are a significant and primary cause of pain. What causes muscles to become imbalanced? Repetitious movements done to strengthen certain muscle groups without stretching the counterbalancing muscles. This is done daily through our work and athletic activities. What routines can you implement to create more balance in your life?
5. Back care begins at the bottom of your feet. Think of your bones like a pillar of Lego blocks. The balance of each Lego block is dependent on the placement of the block below it. The alignment of each bone is dependent on the bone it is stacked upon. Guess what happens if your misalignment begins at the bottom of your feet? (Due to footwear that is not supportive to your feet, i.e. high heels, flip flops, shoes without arch support.) Instead of tumbling to the ground like a pillar of misaligned Lego blocks your muscle and connective tissues will start to work to hold you upright in gravity. This compensating pattern causes muscles to cast like bones struggling to hold the body upright. Next thing you know you have a neck ache that is really the result of foot misalignment. This month take time to select and commit to footwear that supports your spine. This type of shoe will have arch supports and little to no heel. Keep your classy look while loosing the major cause of back, neck, shoulder and knee issues. Go to www.shoemall.com and or www.affordableorthotics.com for footwear selections.
With more than 10 years experience in health and wellness, Alison Miller, author, speaker, retreat leader and health care practitioner is dedicated to educating and empowering individuals and groups in personal health, healing and rehabilitation. Alison has a B.A. in Kinesiology, and is certified in yoga, massage and energy medicine. For one-on-one appointments call 808-269-2324 or email:
