What Creates Strength? One of the most important things I’ve learned from the Feldenkrais Method is that strength has more to do with how you use yourself than with the size or strength of your muscles. How you organize and align your skeleton makes a huge difference in how much you can lift, carry, push… Read more about Replace the Habits that Steal Your Strength
What’s Causing My Pain? We have a deep need for things to make sense. Knowing what happens and why gives us a feeling of some control and order in the chaos of life. Research shows that humans are wired for pattern seeking and storytelling. “Everything in our brain is looking for the cause-and-effect relationship of… Read more about When Trying to Make Sense of a Problem Doesn’t Make Sense
The Typical Response to Pain I’m always surprised how many students aren’t able to be on their hands and knees, even for a short time, due to knee pain or injury. I guess it’s not so astonishing—the knee is one of the most complicated and the most commonly injured joint in the body. Our usual… Read more about The #1 Mistake People with Knee Pain Make that Hinders Recovery
(This is Part 6 of the Repetitive Strain Series) In the last two posts (here and here), I talked about postural habits that contribute to repetitive strain injury (RSI). Now let’s look at another behavioral habit that puts you at risk for RSI: excess effort. Almost everyone uses more muscular effort than necessary, not only… Read more about Reducing Effort for More Ease at Your Computer
(This is Part 5 of the Repetitive Strain Series) In the last post I talked about a key behavioral habit that contributes to repetitive strain injury (RSI): poor posture. I walked you through finding skeletal support using the four points of your feet and sit bones so that sitting is easier and more comfortable. Before… Read more about Improve Your Hand “Posture” for More Ease at the Computer
(This is Part 4 of the Repetitive Strain Series) In the last post, I challenged some common assumptions about good posture. This time I’ll give you practical ways to find greater support when sitting. This support is essential to avoid strain in your hands and arms at the computer, as well as discomfort in your… Read more about 4 Simple Points to Sit Comfortably
(This is Part 3 of the Repetitive Strain Series) In the last post, I talked about three habits that make you vulnerable to repetitive strain injuries (RSI). In this post, I’ll delve deeper into posture, the first of these habits. What Is Good Posture? As you experienced when you lifted your phone (experiment in previous… Read more about Re-Evaluating Good Sitting Posture for Happier Hands and Arms
(This is Part 2 of the Repetitive Strain Series) In Part 1 of this series, I talked about what repetitive strain injury (RSI) is and why you should know about it. In this article, we’ll look at three habits that contribute to RSI. How Do You Prevent Repetitive Strain Injury? If I asked, “What is… Read more about 3 Habits that Make You Vulnerable to Repetitive Strain Injury
Repetitive Strain Injury Series — Part 1 If you spend time on a computer, tablet or smart phone, you’ve likely felt complaints from your neck and shoulders, or discomfort in your hands, wrists or arms. Or maybe you like to cook, knit, garden or do other activities that involve repetitive movements. I’ve written this series… Read more about What You Need to Know About Repetitive Strain and How to Prevent It
The Downward Cycle of “Safety” As the decades pass, we accumulate habits, incur injuries, undergo surgeries and, of course, experience changes from aging. This means as we get older, we tend to be less nimble, experience diminished balance and become more prone to falling. Understandably, we begin avoiding activities that don’t feel as safe or… Read more about A Surprising Approach to Preventing Falls