Your Jaw Has Wide-Ranging Influence on Your Comfort Several years ago I developed a terrible earache. I’d gone swimming a few days before, so I assumed I had gotten an ear infection. So I was taken aback when the doctor told me there was no infection; my ear pain was coming from my jaw. How … Read more about A Jaw-Dropping Experiment to Free your Jaw
5 Myths Busted to Let Your Shoulders Hang Naturally
Shoulders Down! Almost everyone's had a parent or teacher tell you to “sit/stand up straight” or “pull your shoulders down/back”. Rounded shoulders and slouching are typically viewed as a postural transgression. If you’re like most people, this may have led you to feel self-conscious about … Read more about 5 Myths Busted to Let Your Shoulders Hang Naturally
Never Hate Your Beautiful New Shoes Again
I Like My Shoes to Be Comfortable and Stylish I have a pair of everyday shoes that need to be replaced. Like many contemporary shoes (even athletic ones) the heel of my old pair is a almost an inch higher than the front. Despite this I've found these shoes to be quite comfortable, that is, until … Read more about Never Hate Your Beautiful New Shoes Again
A Little Can Help A Lot with Back Pain
Are You Bracing Against Pain? When we have pain, we tend to hold and protect the area that hurts. Initially this may be helpful, but over time, holding parts of yourself still creates more problems. When parts of ourselves are “on vacation” instead of participating in our actions, other places have … Read more about A Little Can Help A Lot with Back Pain
1 Thing You Can Do to Relieve Neck and Shoulder Tension at the Computer
The Foot Bone’s Connected to the Shoulder Bone Many people come to me for help with neck and shoulder tension and pain after spending long hours at a computer. That’s not surprising. What is surprising is that recently, several of these folks had one thing in common—they don’t put their feet … Read more about 1 Thing You Can Do to Relieve Neck and Shoulder Tension at the Computer
Dare to Sit on the Edge: How Giving Up the Chair’s Back May Improve Yours
Sit Up Straight! One of the most consistent complaints I hear from students is that their neck, shoulders or back hurt from sitting. Many then say, “It’s my bad posture. I need to stop hunching and sit up straight.” Our cultural idea of sitting “properly” is pulling our shoulders back and … Read more about Dare to Sit on the Edge: How Giving Up the Chair’s Back May Improve Yours
What Causes Pain? The Things You Didn’t Know Growing Up
The Search for What's Causing Your Pain When we experience pain, most of us look for one simple source to attribute it to. If we can find the cause, it can be fixed, hopefully with a straightforward solution. Alas, pain sources and solutions are rarely as neat and tidy as we want to … Read more about What Causes Pain? The Things You Didn’t Know Growing Up
Start Unraveling Your Jaw Tension in Just 3 Minutes
Are You Aware How Much Tension Your Hold in Your Jaw? Raise your dental night guard* if you hold excess tension in your jaw! (* mouth piece worn to help protect one's teeth from grinding when sleeping) Some of us are all too aware we hold tension in our jaws—jaw pain, stiffness, difficulty … Read more about Start Unraveling Your Jaw Tension in Just 3 Minutes
How to Avoid Making the #1 Mistake with Your Back
My students often ask: Where are my hip joints? Are they in front, just below my waist? Or here, at the sides of my pelvis? Do You Know Where Your Hip Joints Are? Take a moment right now and put your fingers where you think they are. Did you place your fingers in front, on the sides or in … Read more about How to Avoid Making the #1 Mistake with Your Back
Planes, Trains & Automobiles: How to Stay Comfortable When You Travel
Do You Like to Travel But Get Stiff and Sore from All the Sitting? This week a student asked if I could give her some tips and movements to make her upcoming plane trip more comfortable. Since summer is travel season, I decided to write this post so everyone can benefit from her … Read more about Planes, Trains & Automobiles: How to Stay Comfortable When You Travel
Let Your Nervous System Breathe You
We breathe about 20,000 times each day. But whether it’s allergies, stress, pain or just habit, most of us don’t breathe fully or easily. The "Correct" Way to Breathe—There Isn't One! Feldenkrais® is unique among modalities in that it doesn’t prescribe a “correct” way to breathe. Instead, … Read more about Let Your Nervous System Breathe You