tomtom5
New Member
I am a textile artist living in Northern Ireland near the mourne mountains home to many many sheep.
Posts: 8 
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Post by tomtom5 on Jun 25, 2017 10:00:42 GMT
I seem to have really bad developed knots of tension in myneck and shoulders and upper arms. At a recent massage I was told it would take 3 massages a week for weeks to sort me out!!!! I stitch, I felt, I crochet, I journal, I read all bending over activities. I need to develop new ways of working so that I am not bending my neck. Has anyone got any ideas of how to prevent this and help relieve the tension. I am now going to limit lengths of time spent in my studio and have breaks. I have got out the wonderful massage pillow that I bought at knitting and stitching show and will use alternate days.
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Post by zed on Jun 25, 2017 10:44:45 GMT
Hi tomtom, I moved your thread to General Discussions  I did a two day workshop a couple of years ago and it felt like something snapped in my neck, like a nerve or ligament or something (I know nothing of neck anatomy!) and quite often now if I lean the same way too long, I feel it 'snap' again. I'd love to know how to treat that. Doing pilates has helped other strains, like back and general neck pains/aches. One video I use for upper body strength/flexibility is this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lDC4Ri9zAQIt's strengthening exercise without 'activity'. I still can't do the shoulder shrugs on hands and knees though, totally unco-ordinated! If you have a gym ball, lying back on that can help, or a cushion under the small of your back. Also, if you have a corner in your kitchen and can push yourself up on it with your hands, then let your feet dangle, you'll feel your back loosen up. |
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Post by lyn on Jun 25, 2017 12:08:40 GMT
Love the video Zed - it's a great idea to be able to see the movements from the front and from the side.
It's unfortunate that just about every daily activity involves forward use of the arms, making neck and shoulders go the same way.
When I was in junior school, if we weren't writing etc, we had to sit on our wooden chairs with our arms folded behind our backs - when you're at the computer just stop tapping the keys every so often and try it - it feels great.
It's a shame we can't figure out how to knit behind our backs.
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Post by Shepherdess on Jun 25, 2017 14:25:36 GMT
I do shoulder exercises. I have tendonitis in my shoulder and elbow on the right. Lots of rolling around and around. stretching the arms back and up holding a towel between you hands. when you get more flexible you can do it with a face cloth. akin to Lyn's suggestion. Posture is a big one. Shoulders back chest out then relax down. Get your computer monitor up higher so you are not looking down. Try not to look like a vulture when doing activities. that is straight from my massage therapist.
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Post by MTRuth on Jun 25, 2017 15:21:03 GMT
I have found that working in the standing position helps me but your table has to be up to tall counter height, taller than kitchen counters. I do a lot of my hand stitching standing up like this.
Make sure to keep your head aligned over your neck and shoulders so it isn't protruding forward. If you bring your head into alignment first, then you can take your fingers and push your chin backwards (keeping everything straight and not tilting your chin up or down), hold and then release. Do that 10 times and repeat frequently.
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tomtom5
New Member
I am a textile artist living in Northern Ireland near the mourne mountains home to many many sheep.
Posts: 8
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Post by tomtom5 on Jun 25, 2017 17:13:01 GMT
Thank you everyone a lot to digest here.
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Post by Pandagirl on Jun 25, 2017 19:22:39 GMT
Take frequent breaks and do some head and shoulder rolls and stretches. I agree with Lyn about the arms behind you. I find myself doing that without thinking. Good luck!
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Post by koffipot on Jun 26, 2017 9:40:16 GMT
Hi tomtom, I moved your thread to General Discussions I did a two day workshop a couple of years ago and it felt like something snapped in my neck, like a nerve or ligament or something (I know nothing of neck anatomy!) and quite often now if I lean the same way too long, I feel it 'snap' again. I'd love to know how to treat that. Doing pilates has helped other strains, like back and general neck pains/aches. One video I use for upper body strength/flexibility is this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lDC4Ri9zAQIt's strengthening exercise without 'activity'. I still can't do the shoulder shrugs on hands and knees though, totally unco-ordinated! If you have a gym ball, lying back on that can help, or a cushion under the small of your back. Also, if you have a corner in your kitchen and can push yourself up on it with your hands, then let your feet dangle, you'll feel your back loosen up. Some good advice there zed. I do Pilates and also weights for the over 50's - I'm just 20 years over!!!  All in front of a long mirror - not a pretty sight, but it ensures I'm in the right position. |
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Post by zed on Jun 27, 2017 12:22:56 GMT
I think I do the arms behind the back thing too, I realised when I read your post Marilyn, that my left arm was behind me, hand on my right elbow. I probably need to conciously do the right arm too, when my hand isn't on the mouse! Yeah, weights are good too, and I do it infront of a mirror too Judith! It's funny how you can go from almost struggling to feeling like the weights are so light you'll fling them with the same effort |
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Post by Pandagirl on Jun 27, 2017 17:54:52 GMT
Zed, your avatar is not showing up.
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Post by Shepherdess on Jun 27, 2017 23:23:59 GMT
It is showing for me.
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Post by zed on Jun 29, 2017 11:08:14 GMT
It's showing for me too |
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Post by Pandagirl on Jun 29, 2017 17:01:40 GMT
Still not showing for me. Weird.
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Post by zed on Jul 1, 2017 12:03:19 GMT
That is weird. I know nothing about technology/computers etc, but a video wouldn't show for me the other day, then I updated Flash and next time I checked, it played, so maybe it's something like that.
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