[rachinaz]

Peace~Karen posted about this recently just a couple threads down. I requested the book at the library and picked it up yesterday. I read the first three chapters and then the section on neck pain. Last night I did the suggested exercises and then again this morning. Even after last night, the pain and stiffness in my neck was reduced so much I can hardly believe how effective it was. I have more side to side mobility in my neck after doing the exercises twice than I have had in probably over a year. I am flabbergasted with how simple his advice is, yet how effective it is at the same time.

I've spent about 15 years in a career that mainly consists of sitting at a computer, on conference calls or in meetings. For the past 2-3 years I have gradually had increased chronic pain and stiffness in my neck. To the point of having increasingly limited mobility when I turn my head to the side. I frequently get kinks in my neck and always feel like I will get one if I turn my head too fast. I thought it was posture, so I focused on holding my shoulders back and down and that was not helping at all, even making it worse. So I was stretching my neck by hanging my head forward and putting slight pressure on the back of my head to stretch and rotating my head around.

After reading the intro chapters and the neck section of this book, I realized the problem was that I was leaning my head forward. My standard posture had, over time, resulted in my head always being held about two inches forward rather than directly above my neck. My poor neck muscles have spent the past many, many years struggling to hold up my head at an angle (according to the book, that's about a 10 pound weight the neck muscles are supporting at an angle, instead of being balanced on top with relatively little effort from the neck muscles, as it should be). So pulling my head forward to stretch those neck muscles was putting even more stress on them rather than relieving the stress.

So two sessions of about 20 min each later, I have significantly reduced pain and significantly increased mobility in my neck. My upper back muscles are slightly sore because they have not been being used for their appropriate purpose of holding up my head for many years, but I know they will get stronger quickly. I am now making a conscious effort to hold my head straight rather than leaning forward. And guess what? With my head straight, my shoulders naturally fall back and down.

A huge thanks to Karen for posting this and I can't emphasize enough how much I recommend this book. If you have any part of your body that experiences chronic pain, CHECK THIS BOOK OUT AT YOUR LIBRARY! Read the first three chapters then try the recommended exercises to remedy the pain you are having. What do you have to lose? One of his constant points in the book is that we focus too much on the site of pain on our body and ignore the way the muscular/skeletal system works together. None of the exercises I have done are directly focused on the neck yet they have made a huge difference to the pain I was feeling there.

Pain Free by Pete Egoscu

[pygmyhippo]

Hm... I can't say I have chronic neck pain; however, when you mentioned the posture and holding your head forward I realized I was holding my head forward. I think it's from computer usage. I naturally do this when I use the laptop.

[bblessed]

Thanks for the rave review Rachel!! As I was reading your post about the tendency for your head to lean forward, I was doing the very same thing without even realizing it. I am going to put this request in right now at my library!

[Lauren Sue]

I need to check this out! I've been struggling with Dystonia in my neck, which my neurologist says is a result of my Parkinson's. Although Dystonia is a neurological disorder, it sounds similar to your description "To the point of having increasingly limited mobility when I turn my head to the side. I frequently get kinks in my neck and always feel like I will get one if I turn my head too fast."

Last week I had a return of the Dystonia in my neck (my neurologist thinks it's my body reacting to the changes in hormones from having to suddenly wean Daniel). My neck was frozen in a twisted position, making it impossible to tilt it up, down, or turn it to either side. The pain is excruciating. The doctor increased my Parkinson's medication which gave me some mobility back, but I still can't turn my head to the right. Atleast I don't look like a freak with my head stuck in a cocked position anymore, LOL.

After reading your post, I think this book might be a valuable tool to help me learn to loosen these stiff muscles, even if my muscle troubles are a result of something else. Looks like I'm off to the book store after my doctor's appointment today. thanks Rachel (and Karen).

This post has been edited by Lauren Sue: 07 August 2007 - 06:09 AM

[bblessed]

Lauren Sue, on Aug 7 2007, 07:07 AM, said:

I need to check this out! I've been struggling with Dystonia in my neck, which my neurologist says is a result of my Parkinson's. Although Dystonia is a neurological disorder, it sounds similar to your description "To the point of having increasingly limited mobility when I turn my head to the side. I frequently get kinks in my neck and always feel like I will get one if I turn my head too fast."

Last week I had a return of the Dystonia in my neck (my neurologist thinks it's my body reacting to the changes in hormones from having to suddenly wean Daniel). My neck was frozen in a twisted position, making it impossible to tilt it up, down, or turn it to either side. The pain is excruciating. The doctor increased my Parkinson's medication which gave me some mobility back, but I still can't turn my head to the right. Atleast I don't look like a freak with my head stuck in a cocked position anymore, LOL.

After reading your post, I think this book might be a valuable tool to help me learn to loosen these stiff muscles, even if my muscle troubles are a result of something else. Looks like I'm off to the book store after my doctor's appointment today. thanks Rachel (and Karen).

(((Hugs))) Lauren Sue...we've missed you!! Hope this book helps with your pain! Is Daniel really a year old already?!?! Wow, time sure flew by! Happy Belated 1st Birthday Daniel!

[Peace~Karen]

YES, YES, YES! I've been doing the Egoscue "E-cises" daily for about a week now and the difference is mind boggling! The slight discomfort in my knee, wrist and shoulders is no longer there. I am absolutely convinced that I was on the path to osteoarthritis and finding this method has freed me from years of chronic pain.

For anyone who sits at the PC for an hour or more a day, I recommend Pete Egoscue's follow up book, Pain Free at Your PC. It has basically the same info available in his original Pain Free book, but is focused on the typical concerns of PC users. There are several E-cise menus depending on whether you are currently in pain or not and how much time you spend at the PC.

And the great thing is these exercises are so easy to do and barely feel like exercise! Many of the exercises are easy to do at the office or at home in front of the TV -- no need to put on special workout clothes or shoes. It's amazing that lying down on your back while resting one leg up on a chair at 90 degree angles for 10 minutes (per side) can fix pain in your wrist -- but it does! And it makes logical sense once you understand a few key concepts about the mechanical design of the body, all of which are well explained in Egoscue's books.

The http://www.egoscue.com web site offers free E-cise menus that are updated monthly. You need to create a free registration. Then click on the "Free Menu Updates" link. From there you'll find an option to "Determine Your Postural Condition." There are 3 common posture conditions identified. Mouse over the views and determine out which one is most like you. (I'm a 2.) Then go back to access the three different exercise menus (My Pain Free Menu, My Office Menu, My Active Menu) for your posture condition. Do at least one menu each day. There are even links to video clips showing how to do each of the exercises in the menus. (And if you have trouble identifying your postural condition you can pay $50 to have the Egoscue clinic analyze your posture from your digital photos and provide you with a personalized E-cise menu.)

Read the book! You'll be glad you did!

Peace,
Karen

(Can you tell I'm excited? )

[rachinaz]

Lauren Sue, on Aug 7 2007, 04:07 AM, said:

After reading your post, I think this book might be a valuable tool to help me learn to loosen these stiff muscles, even if my muscle troubles are a result of something else. Looks like I'm off to the book store after my doctor's appointment today. thanks Rachel (and Karen).

I hope this is able to help. And it's great to see you here. Check in again soon if you can.

This post has been edited by rachinaz: 07 August 2007 - 10:25 PM