7 Ways…. To STOP Neck & Shoulder Pain…before it leads to headaches and problems sleeping.

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Kristie M. Bennett PT.MS.CLT, 3434 47th St. Suite 107, Boulder, Co 80301www.pinnaclephysicaltherapyboulder.com

About the Author Kristie M. Bennett

Every week, for more than a few decades, 100s of people have consulted Kristie Bennett looking for a fast end to their Back Pain/Sciatica and stiffness. She is the heart and soul of Pinnacle Physical Therapy & Pilates, which she founded in 1999 and it’s been her professional focus ever since.

Kristie works with people aged 40-65+ on a daily basis promoting healthier and active lives before, during and after episodes of pain and stiffness. She loves using Pilates, Physical Therapy and Postural Restoration Techniques to restore and rejuvenate those suffering from Back Pain/Sciatica.

Earlier in her career, Kristie worked with the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) ski and snowboard teams rehabilitating injured Olympic athletes preparing for the 2002 Olympic Games in Park City, Utah. She also wrote “how to” exercise articles for SHAPE magazine in a column entitled, “Do It Right.” Additionally, Kristie has taught many courses for physical therapists and Pilates instructors to help them learn about the spine, core stabilization and shoulder girdle stabilization.

Kristie holds her B.S. from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Physical Therapy and her Masters of Science in Exercise Physiology from CU Boulder. Her first book, Pursuing Excellence in Physical Therapy, was written for students of physical therapy.

Introduction

In this Special Report on Stopping Neck and Shoulder Pain, I share with you 7 very powerful principles and strategies you can make work for you..some over time and others almost immediately.

I have grouped Neck and Shoulder Pain together because many times a neck problem can make your shoulder and upper arm hurt or ache…or better yet, a shoulder problem can make your neck hurt or ache.

Since these problems are intertwined, I hope that looking at both simultaneously, you can subvert the possibility of one turning into the other.

The truth is, without knowing your neck and shoulder pain story or even your history intimately, I cannot tell you which of these “principles” will work best for you. And even if I did know the root cause of your neck and shoulder problems, there are no guarantees that any one single strategy will work.

Over the last decade of my 40 year career, I have been able to narrow down what really does and doesn’t work when it comes to easing neck and shoulder pain. And the 7 principles you’re about to read are included in that.

But imagine this…how great it would be if you try just one of these “tips every day…within a few weeks you could have all 7 of these incredibly powerful strategies for easing Neck and Shoulder Pain, “in play” and working for you - giving you back the active and healthy lifestyle that you’ve lost or are in danger of losing.

So here’s my challenge to you…now that you have this knowledge in your hands, take time every day to try out at least 1 of these 7 strategies. It really won’t take long and most of them won’t cost you anything but a few minutes of your time.

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much better and healthier you will feel for doing so.

The 7 Ways to Stop Neck and Shoulder Pain From Progressing into Headaches, and Difficulty Sleeping!

1. Choose Sensible Footwear for good shock attenuation28% of women never wear high heels, but 72% of women wear high heels at

some time. Generally it is an age thing. Clinical research reports that 49% of daily heel wears are between the ages of 18-24, while the 50+ crowd wears daily heels only 34% of the time.

If you find yourself wearing high heels, flip-flops, flimsy walking or running shoes or the flat shoes that have perhaps a piece of shoe leather about 1/8” in height, think again.

These shoes offer no shock attenuation during the time when your foot hits the ground. Where does the shock go? It travels up your legs and hips, into your spine and it’s final place to make an impact (no pun intended) is in the skull.

The best shoes are those that fit well, absorb impact or attenuate shock (it is 8 times your body weight when your foot hits the ground that you have to deal with if you are running). Before purchasing shoes, check the following:

a. Is there at least 1/2 inches of sole between your foot and the ground…preferably the type of sole that cushions the impact? I really likeASIC running and walking shoes.

b. Is the heel counter stiff? This attribute of a shoe holds your heel bone snuggly in the shoe which allows your neuromuscular system to sense stability. The heel counter should be stiff enough that youcannot deform the shape by using your thumb and index finger to pinch the sides together nor pinch the top of the counter and the bottom of the sole together.

Well fitted shoes with proper shock absorption and sturdy heel counters could reduce your neck and shoulder tension by up to 25%.

2. Avoid Reading or Watching TV in Bed for longer than 20 minutesThis position requires that the head and neck be bent forward and downward to

see the book, TV or Kindle type of device. It creates more tension in the neck muscles such that after about 20 minutes, the muscle tension limits the blood supply. Without blood the muscles become knotted up…and you know those can be very painful.

Further, if you have been looking downward at your smartphone or holding your head up all day so you can look at a screen, you are adding insult to injury. Those muscles may have a difficult time recovering, even over night ,which leads to waking up with a headache or neck tension. Sometimes this constant neck tension leads to tightness in the shoulder(s) and/or numbness in the hand(s).

3. Use ice (not heat) to Stop PainThough there is no large body of evidence suggesting ice is better than heat,

clinically we know that ice and cold packs can relieve pain, swelling and inflammation from injuries and conditions such as arthritis. I like my patients to use 3 frozen bags of peas placed in a sturdy ziplock bags. You can ice the area 3 times per day, no longer than 10-15 minutes. Just place the unfrozen peas back in the freezer for the next day. For pure muscle and joint stiffness, my idea of heat is a warm bath with epson salts or a hot shower again for 10-15 minutes. Electric heating pads should be used infrequently.

4. Avoid carrying a backpack or purse on one shoulderThe simple act of carrying something on one side of the body, distorts the

position of the spine and pelvis. This distortion causes certain muscles on one side of the spine to tighten up when both sides should be sharing the load. Over time, one side of your body is stronger and one side is weaker. If you look in the mirror, most likely one shoulder will be higher than the other.

It helps to shift the load from side to side, but I am a big fan of wearing the backpack on both shoulders, or trimming down what you carry to something that fits in a pocket. Those old fanny packs were a great idea….not sure why the fashion world made so much fun of them.

5. Sleep with a folded pillow under your ribs and a folded pillow under your head if sleeping on your side

If you sleep on your side, a folded, very thin pillow under your rib cage and head can keep your spine (both neck and back) in good alignment by supporting your spine to avoid stretching it out for prolonged periods while you are sleeping.

Simply…you don’t want your spine to look like a parenthesis ( while you are sleeping…you want it more like a straight line ——-.

Spending 6-8 hours in an awkward position will not get you to your goal of stopping neck and shoulder pain. I often tell my patients…”you are shaped like the thing you do the most of”.. meaning that cowboys have bowed legs from riding horses for prolonged periods and those forward heads and rounded shoulders you promote when sleeping on your back with too high of pillows for 6-8 hours may be creating the posture you are trying to avoid. If you are a back sleeper, choose one small pillow so that your ear is in line with your shoulder and hip joints. Sleeping on your stomach is just a very bad idea. The neck and back joints are in a “closed pack” position which doesn’t allow them to re-hydrate over night….which is the reason we need to sleep lying down.

6. Get your computer screen at the right heightIf you have a desktop computer (whether you are sitting or standing), you want

the top of the screen to be at the same height as the top of your head. This allows your gaze to be downwards and your head to sit on top of your shoulders.

If you have a laptop, the same is true, but this may place your arms at a higher level so you end up slumping back into your chair so the eyes and arms seem more comfortable. Neither of these scenarios are good for you now…or in the future. If you work at laptop, consider setting up the screen for your eyes and plug in a keyboard so your arms can rest easily at your sides with a 90 degree angle at the elbows.

More often, I am hearing that workers can be supplied a desk that can be at sitting height as well as at standing height. Make sure you use both positions throughout the day so you can share the fatigue of being stationary. Yep, it is hard work not to move the body.

Please try not to sit longer than 20 minutes at a time as a general rule. You and I were not designed to sit and when we do there is over 4 times more pressure on your spine than if you were standing.

7. Get Physical TherapyThere is no faster way to END neck and shoulder pain than by going to see a

physical therapist. Getting to see a hands-on specialist means you are going to get very fast access to the care that will soothe and relax those tight tight aching muscles, loosen and lubricate stiff and stuck joints and strengthen your body so you can go back to doing the things you love to do.

You can often leave the office of a good physical therapist with a diagnosis and with less pain than you walked (limped) in with in less than an hour.

Combine all of the “tips” in this Special Report” with a trip to see a hands-on physical therapist and you will see a dramatic drop in the neck and shoulder pain and the stiffness your are currently suffering with.

Bonus Section:1. Daily exercise rituals

A good physical therapist can review any of your current daily exercises and modify the ones that may be tweaking your neck and shoulders…just when you thinking that are doing yourself some good. If you do exercises every day, and thank heavens you do, you want them to be the right ones.

If you can get yourself to do a daily routine, you can benefit through every decade of life and not have to “just live with pain and stiffness” which some doctors may have already told you.

Most of us brush our teeth two times per day without the blink of an eye, so we have the inherent skills to add an exercise routine to our day. This becomes so much more important after the age of 40.

2. Join a Pilates Reformer Class taught by a knowledgable practitionerPilates is a 100 year old tradition that gets to the core of things (pun intended).

Yes, it strengthens the core muscles (abdominals, diaphragm, pelvic floor and small spinal muscles). It is a series of exercises done on a machine with springs and ropes and pulleys while lying down, sitting or standing. It is all about muscular control and muscle balance using both sides equally (assuming you are symmetrical in the first place.)

By joining a class, you can steadily increase your muscular control and with it, slowly decrease your muscle tension and pain. My clients use a pilates class at least weekly and always know when they have been away on vacation…

3. Stretch yourself at the beginning and end of the dayI often request that my patients do a series of stretches before their feet hit the

ground in the morning. If you are in the 40+ age bracket, this is a must. Certain muscles will tighten up overnight simply from the inactivity of sleeping…so it is best to get them lengthened and ready to go before standing up into gravity.

4. Stay hydratedThings like coffee, tea, alcohol and energy drinks will make you dehydrated as

consequences of drinking too much of them. Dehydration causes muscle cramps, aches and pains…along with dizziness and fatigue.

Drink water frequently and often throughout the day.

5. Change your mattress every 5 yearsI am frequently asked what mattress is best to sleep on. My answer is “the one

that you can stay asleep on for up to 8 hours”. It is impossible to give a good answer to

that question, but if you have not changed your mattress in 5 years….you might consider it. These days, the TV commercials are grossing us out with all the dust and bed mites that collect in a mattress…furthering inviting one to purchase a new mattress.

Conclusion

So there you have it: 7 things (plus 5 great bonus tips) that you can do TODAY to improve your posture, general health as well as EASE YOUR NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN. There’s obviously so much you can do too and I could go much more in depth on ways to end Neck and Shoulder pain than just the principles I have given you here, but these fundamentals, if you apply them rigorously and are disciplined, will make a huge difference to the quality of your life.

In the weeks ahead I’ll be sending you even more tips and advice on how to restore your active and healthy lifestyle and will share with you how Physical Therapy can make a huge difference to your life.

I hope this is the beginning of a great, long-term relationship where I can become a source of leading edge health advice for you and make a real difference to your life.

Dedicated to Restoring and Rejuvenating Your Health,

Kristie M. BennettSpecialist in Back Pain/SciaticaBoulder, Colorado

Health Advice Disclaimer

I make every effort to ensure that I accurately represent the injury advice and prognosis displayed throughout this guide.

However, examples of injuries/conditions and their prognosis are based on typical representations of those injuries that I commonly see in my clinic. The information given is not intended as representations of every individual’s potential injury/condition. As with any injury/condition, each person’s symptoms can vary widely and each person’s recovery from injury/conditions can also vary depending upon background, genetics, previous medical history, application of exercises, posture, motivation to follow physical therapy advice and various other physical factors.

It is impossible to give a 100% complete and accurate diagnosis and prognosis without a thorough physical examination and likewise the advice given for management of an injury cannot be deemed fully accurate in the absence of this examination.

I am able to offer you this service at a standard charge. Significant injury risk or aggravation of the condition is possible if you do not follow due diligence and seek suitable professional advice about your symptoms. No guarantees of specific results are expressly made or implied in this report.