YO GA FOR NEC K & SHO ULDE R PAIN. t h e ebo o k

Transcription

1 YO GA FOR NEC K & SHO ULDE R PAIN t h e ebo o k

2 table of contents relieve neck & shoulder pain EBOOK BREAKDOWN 2 FORWARD HEAD POSTURE TEST 3 in 20 minutes EXERCISES FOR NECK & SHOULDER SUPPORT Seated Mountain Pose Angel Wings with Circles Ear to Shoulder Stretch Standing Stretch Standing Chest Opener CONTINUING TO HEAL 10 RESOURCES 11 symbols to know Time needed Location Benefit(s) Teacher 1 are you suffering from neck or shoulder pain? While discomfort in these areas can be the result of injury, neck and shoulder pain can also be caused by a physically demanding job or even from too much time spent at your desk. you might already know that office workers are especially at risk for develop- ing neck and shoulder pain due to poor postural habits and stressful lifestyles. 1 what you might not know is that you don t have to live in pain. Long-lasting relief can come through the daily practice of good postural habits. Practicing for twenty minutes a day is all that s necessary to reverse bad habits and develop long-lasting relief. 2 3 You might have tried stretching your neck and shoulders yourself, but many common neck and shoulder exercises only help temporarily or worse, aggravate your symptoms. The following stretches have been safety tested and selected by Yoga International s instructors Work related risk factors for neck, shoulder and arms complaints: a cohort study among Dutch computer office workers. Read more here. Yoga for chronic neck pain: a pilot randomized controlled clinical trial. Read the study here. The study of correlation between forward head posture and neck pain in Iranian office workers. Learn more here. 1

3 2 20 minutes or less sitting and standing at your desk or near a wall neck - shoulder - back pain relief improved posture less neck stiffness 2

4 3 forward head posture test Forward head posture overworks the muscles from the base of your skull down to your shoulder blades. It also puts pressure on the nerves and blood vessels in your arms, which can increase the risk of repetitive stress injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. People who position their head forward also tend to round their shoulders. This can compromise your shoulder joint, leading to pain and inflammation in your rotator cuff. In addition, continual slumping compresses the lungs and internal organs, so it s not surprising that this rounded posture can interfere with proper breathing, circulation, and digestion. DO YOU KNOW whether or not you typically position your head forward? Here s an easy way to test your posture: Stand with your back and heels against a wall. If the back of your head doesn t easily touch the wall, be at increased risk for neck pain. Create a routine to check your head posture during the day. Habitual yoga practice will help you to improve your posture and maintain healthy alignment. FORWARD HEAD POSTURE TEST 3

5 4 5for neckexercises and shoulder support 4

6 3 minutes or less Releases tension in your neck's supporting muscles Carol Krucoff Yoga Therapist Duke Integrative Medicine Durham, North Carolina Co-Director Therapeutic Yoga for Seniors Teacher Training Poses Addressed Seated Mountain Pose Angel Wings with Circles Ear-to-Shoulder Stretch 1. seated mountain pose 5 In this well-aligned sitting posture, your head is balanced directly over your shoulder girdle. This relieves supporting muscles of the extra burden of holding it up against gravity. Sit tall with your feet planted firmly on the ground and your weight dropping down into the seat of your chair. From this place of grounding, extend the crown of your head toward the sky, lengthening your spine. Soften your shoulders away from your ears, and rest your hands on your thighs. Be sure your chin is parallel to the ground, neither tilted up nor tucked in. Imagine that you have a headlight in the center of your chest at your sternum, and shine that light directly forward. Relax your face. With a soft gaze and smiling eyes, look toward the horizon. Visualize yourself resting your head back against a supportive headrest. SEATED MOUNTAIN POSE 5

7 5 minutes or less Enhances circulation in the shoulders and upper back Carol Krucoff 6 2. angel wings with circles From seated mountain pose, extend your arms forward. Bend your elbows and place your fingertips on your shoulders. Inhale as you open your elbows out to the sides and draw your shoulder blades together in the back. Imagine that you have a nut on your spine and your shoulder blades are moving together like a nutcracker to squeeze it. On your exhalation, bring your elbows forward and together as you feel your shoulder blades sliding apart. Continue for 3 to 6 breaths. Then, with your arms again bent in front of you, keeping your fingers resting lightly on your shoulders, imagine that your elbows are felt-tipped markers, and draw large ovals in the air with them. Keep your breath slow and easy as you circle in one direction for 3 to 5 breaths and then reverse direction for 3 to 5 more breaths. ANGEL WINGS WITH CIRCLES 6

8 3 minutes or less Relieves muscles involved with rotating and tilting your head Carol Krucoff 7 3. ear to shoulder stretch Begin from seated mountain pose. Then, reach your arms behind you and clasp your elbows with your opposite hands. Next, release your right hand and place it on your right thigh, with your left hand holding your right arm just above the inside of your elbow. Inhale as you lengthen the crown of your head toward the sky. Exhale and release your right ear down toward your right shoulder, trying not to lift the shoulder toward the ear. Drop your left shoulder down and breathe into the left side of your neck. Stay here for several breaths; then on an exhale, gently rotate your head so that your nose moves toward your right shoulder. Inhale and rotate your head the other way so that your nose moves toward the sky. Continue for a few breaths, synchronizing your movements with your breath. Then relax, release your arms, and let your head float back over the shoulder girdle, crown lifting to the sky. Repeat on the other side. EAR TO SHOULDER STRETCH 7

9 6 minutes or less Reduces deep tightness in your arms, shoulders, and chest Doug Keller 14 years practicing in Siddha Yoga ashrams Intensive training in the Iyengar and Anusara methods Nearly 10 years teaching experience in the U.S. and abroad. Learn two more stretches for neck and shoulder pain by Doug here. 4. standing stretch 8 Stand next to a wall with your feet parallel and comfortably separated. Extend one arm upward and place the fingertips of one hand on the wall at shoulder height. Place your other hand on your hip. Cup your fingers so that only your fingertips touch the wall, and rotate your arm outward slightly so that your thumb (rather than your index finger) points upward. Keep your shoulder aligned with your hand and begin to lift and open your chest with your breath, rolling your collarbones back. Now, twisting from your waist, turn just your upper body, extending through your arm to the fingertips, as if the wall were moving away from you. This stretch extends from your chest and your armpit down through the entire length of your inner arm to your thumb. You may feel the stretch at any point along this line. It is a deep myofascial release that feels unlike most muscle stretches it may tingle, which indicates a lengthening of the tougher fascial tissue. Breathe. The tingling is normal and fine, as long as it does not become a sharp localized pain. This stretch reaches some of the deepest levels of tension in your arm and shoulder and promotes circulation in the entire area. Make sure to repeat on the second side. STANDING STRETCH 8

10 3 minutes or less Straightens your posture and alleviates lower neck discomfort Luke Ketterhagen Certified Yoga Teacher by the Himalayan Institute Specializes in hatha, meditation, diet and nutrition See this exercise and two more stretches for neck and shoulders demonstrated here. 5. standing chest opener 9 Stand straight and tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then simply clasp your hands behind your back. Draw your shoulders back. Lift your chest up. Your hands are resting on the back of your pelvis for now (not reaching back just yet). Don t allow your body to tilt or arch. Keep your spine straight. Lengthen up through the crown of your head. Your pelvis should be at neutral and your low belly slightly engaged. Take a few deep breaths in this position, filling up the area at the bottom of your ribcage. You can raise your arms off your back for a deeper stretch. Slowly lift your arms off your back while being mindful not to collapse your head or your pelvis. Use your core strength to lift your chest while still standing straight. Lift your arms as far from your back as is comfortable, while still maintaining a neutral pelvis, a long spine, and the openness across the front of your chest and shoulders. Release. Then repeat the exercise a few more times. STANDING CHEST OPENER 9

11 continuing to heal 10 your neck and shoulders Doing this routine once is not enough for profound change. You must continue to practice these stretches regularly. for example, take a 15-second break to check your breathing and pos- ture every hour. Taking fifteen seconds to analyze your breath and posture will be worth it in the long run, as it will help you to develop healthy habits. On your breaks, take the time to do a few of the above stretches, or devote twenty minutes to stretching once you come home from work. CONTINUING TO HEAL 10

12 more resources 11 articles A Simple Pose to Counter Tech Neck Resolving Neck Tension Understand and Prevent Shoulder Injuries videos Hang Loose: A Headstand Variation to Decompress the Neck A Quick Practice to Reverse the Effects of Text Neck Compassion Flow for Neck and Shoulders Release Tension from Neck and Shoulders A Shoulder Stretch to Combat Computer Posture RESOURCES 11

13 join master teacher 12 aadil palkhivala in his comprehensive workshop Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain in this course you'll learn The origins of neck and shoulder pain The anatomy of neck, back, and shoulder pain The physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual facets of pain How to establish healthy movement and practice habits Specific yoga stretches for relieving tension in the neck, upper back, and shoulder areas. take the course here 12