harmonic-osteopathy

The Benefits of combining Massage with Rhythmic Oscillations

info@harmonicosteopathy.com (Robbie Smith) — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 11:12:37 GMT

Harmonic techniques have been used in body work for centuries and have been rediscovered In recent years as a therapeutic technique for pain relief, muscle recovery, and relaxation. Harmonic techniques, characterised by rhythmic oscillatory motions at various frequencies, provides a unique, non-invasive approach to improving physical wellness. Oscillation massage works by gently vibrating or oscillating the targeted area, reaching deep tissue layers and promoting healing on a cellular level.

In this blog, we’ll dive into the benefits of oscillation massage and explore why it could be a valuable addition to your wellness routine.

1. Enhanced Muscle Recovery

One of the biggest benefits of oscillation massage is its ability to speed up muscle recovery. Whether you’re an athlete or just physically active, intense workouts can cause micro-tears in your muscle fibers, leading to soreness and fatigue. Oscillation massage promotes blood flow to the muscles, delivering oxygen and nutrients while helping to flush out lactic acid and metabolic waste. This accelerates the recovery process, making it a go-to choice for athletes or anyone with muscle tension from regular physical activity.

2. Pain Relief Without Medication

For those struggling with chronic pain, oscillation massage offers a non-invasive, drug-free alternative for relief. The techniques work by stimulating nerve endings, which can disrupt pain signals sent to the brain. Studies have shown that oscillation therapy can be effective in reducing pain in areas like the neck, shoulders, back, and knees. This is especially beneficial for individuals with conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and even migraines, where pain can severely affect day-to-day living.

3. Improved Circulation and Lymphatic Drainage

Oscillation massage is particularly effective at promoting circulation and lymphatic drainage. By stimulating blood flow, it helps the cardiovascular system efficiently deliver nutrients and oxygen to cells while removing waste products. For the lymphatic system, oscillation massage can help with draining excess fluids, reducing swelling and inflammation in areas that may have been injured or are recovering. Improved circulation and lymphatic drainage not only aid in faster healing but also contribute to an overall sense of well-being and energy.

4. Reduction in Muscle Tension and Stiffness

When muscles are tight or stiff, they can restrict movement, leading to discomfort and even joint issues. Oscillation massage helps relieve muscle tension by promoting relaxation and releasing fascia, the connective tissue surrounding muscles. This makes it easier for muscles to relax and lengthen, which can improve flexibility, range of motion, and posture. Unlike traditional deep-tissue massage, which can sometimes be painful when working on particularly tight areas, oscillation massage’s gentle vibrations provide relief without discomfort.

5. Increased Endorphin Release and Relaxation

Oscillation massage also promotes relaxation by stimulating the release of endorphins, the body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals. This not only helps to reduce pain but also improves mood and can combat stress and anxiety. Regular oscillation massage sessions may help alleviate symptoms of stress, leading to better sleep and a greater sense of calm and focus. The rhythm and frequency of oscillation massage also have a soothing effect, making it an excellent tool for unwinding and reducing mental fatigue.

6. Assistance in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

For individuals undergoing physical therapy or recovering from an injury, oscillation massage can be a valuable supplement to their treatment. The gentle, non-invasive nature of oscillation therapy makes it suitable for sensitive areas that might not be able to tolerate traditional massage. By enhancing circulation, flexibility, and range of motion, oscillation massage can accelerate the rehabilitation process. Additionally, the reduction in pain and stiffness it provides makes it easier for patients to engage in prescribed exercises and movement therapies.

7. Cellular Health and Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

On a cellular level, oscillation massage has been shown to promote health and regeneration. By encouraging the movement of fluids between cells, it supports the delivery of nutrients and removal of toxins, keeping cells healthier and more resilient. Additionally, oscillation massage can have anti-inflammatory effects, reducing inflammation in tissues, which can be especially beneficial for individuals dealing with chronic conditions like arthritis or tendinitis.

8. Suitable for All Ages and Fitness Levels

Oscillation massage is a versatile therapy suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels. From children to seniors, and from sedentary individuals to athletes, the gentle nature of oscillation therapy means that it can be adjusted to meet each person’s needs. Whether it’s used to improve mobility, speed up recovery, or simply relax, oscillation massage provides an adaptable and safe way for people at different stages of life to experience its benefits.

Final Thoughts

Oscillation massage is more than just a relaxing treatment – it’s a therapeutic technique that offers numerous health benefits. Whether you’re looking to reduce muscle pain, improve circulation, enhance recovery, or simply relax, this form of massage can be a valuable part of your wellness routine. With increasing research supporting its effectiveness, oscillation massage is set to become a mainstay in both physical therapy and self-care practices.

Shoulder Pain

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:01:56 GMT

Shoulder pain is one of the most common complaints seen in the clinic. Most people will experience a shoulder pain at some point. Shoulder pain, untreated, is 50% likely to not resolve on its own and can lead to further problems like neck and back pain and degeneration of the shoulder

joints and muscles.

The main reason for this is that the shoulder is involved in almost everything we do, it is highly mobile and complex and therefore highly prone to injury and not easily allowed to recover once injured.

But, in spite of this, it is usually quite easy to treat. Because of the same reasons it can easily be injured it can easily be manipulated to encourage healing and repair.

Some common causes of shoulder pain are:

Rotator cuff tendonitis or tear is characterised by pain on the outside of the shoulder especially when raising the arm. It is often the result of repetitive overuse of a shoulder in an unnatural position, e.g. overhead or slumped forward – so even can be the result of static computer postures.

Sub acromial impingement, tendonitis or bursitis . Is similar in presentation to rotator cuff problems and, in my opinion, is mostly caused by slouched postures or over poor exercise technique.

Frozen Shoulder or adhesive capsulitis is often over diagnosed when actually one of the 2 above problems exist. It is a gradual stiffening of the shoulder over several weeks. It can become very stiff and painful in all positions. True frozen shoulder is a self-limiting condition (meaning it will get better on its own) which may take over a year to full resolve. Treatment should be able to speed this up to only a couple of months.

Osteoarthritis of the acromioclavicular joint is common. See the page on osteoarthritis for more info.

Pain in the shoulder is often referred from another area of the body like the neck or upper back. Treatment of shoulder pain, whether referred or not will always include treatment to the neck, arm, upper back and ribs. Because of the nature of the shoulder mechanics treatment will also often involve the pelvis and lower limb.

Neck Pain

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:01:55 GMT

Up to 50% of people in the UK experience neck pain every year. The neck is a very mobile and therefore vulnerable part of the body. Most neck pain is caused by unnatural use of the neck. Poor posture, long distance driving, slouching, stress and tension or bad sleeping habits can all cause the muscles and joints in the neck to become strained or tight. This causes the mechanics to become faulty and may lead to:

Joint impingement

Part of the joint may become irritated and cause sudden sharp pain and muscle spasms. This may resolve on its own but may need some help to remove the muscle spasm and restore normal function.

Trapped nerve

A nerve may become pinched by a misaligned faulty movement in the joints or a disc bulge. It may cause pain and/or pins and needles in the arm or hand. Harmonic treatments can help to restore normal movement in the neck joints and help to take the pressure off the nerve from the disc bulge.

Headaches

Some headaches can be the result of tension or stiffness in the neck and upper back.

Osteoarthritis

OA or “wear and tear” may be more likely and result in an increase in muscular neck pain or joint pain and stiffness.

Harmonic treatments including acupuncture can reduce the muscular tension and improve movement and mechanics in the joints of the neck and upper back. Harmonic techniques reduce the need for more heavy handed “manipulations” that some people dislike.

Lifestyle advice including better posture at work or home and exercise and nutrition is always offered.

Headache

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:01:54 GMT

Headaches are incredibly common. Over 90% of people will suffer from a headache at some point in their lives and 75% of working people had a headache last year. There are several reasons for headache. Most are not serious and can be easily helped. The vast majority are related to the mechanics of the neck and upper back.

Tension Headaches

Tension headaches or cervico-genic (meaning coming from the neck) headaches can be caused by stress, tension, strain or trigger points in the muscles and joints of the neck, shoulders, upper back or TMJ (the joint in your jaw). They feel like a constant ache that affects one or both sides of the head, as though a tight band is stretched around it. harmonic treatments or acupuncture can reduce the muscular tension and trigger points and help repair any strains. Lifestyle changes like work posture or exercise and nutrition will help reduce the build-up of muscular tension.

Migranes

Migranes are less common but more complicated and debilitating. They are usually felt as a severe, throbbing pain at the front or side of the head and may accompany other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and increased sensitivity to light or sound or certain foods. They have been linked to an irritability of the nervous system leading to ongoing or recurrent episodes. Manual therapy (including trigger point therapy, massage, harmonic mobilisation and manipulation) is well-established as a help in the prevention of migraines and reducing the sensitivity of the nervous system.

Dancing and Osteopathy

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:01:52 GMT

Dancing from an osteopath's perspective

Dancing is usually made up of a variety of rhythmical movements in different joints put into a sequence. These can be simple or complicated, involving few, several or all the joints in the body. In order to achieve these movements the joints need to be supple and strong. They also need to work together in organised functional patterns. It is no good being supple in lots of joints in isolation; they need to be supple in chains or patterns.

How can harmonic osteopathy benefit you as a dancer?

Harmonic osteopathy will encourage suppleness, strength and symmetry of movement by relaxing functional chains of movement. We don’t force the muscles to relax with heavy techniques. To achieve lasting suppleness the relaxation should come from within. Our techniques are more neurological and they encourage your body and mind to relax the muscles. Once full body freedom of movement has been achieved strength can be built on top of that. Strength cannot be built on a stiff foundation - compromise will ensue and eventually injury.

Harmonic osteopathy is not just a treatment. It can help to improve performance by increasing suppleness and strength. It can help to reduce the wear and tear caused by intense exercise and reduce the likelihood of injury.

Where can I get treatment?

Robbie holds a specialist Harmonic osteopathy clinic for dancers at Dancebase in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket. Please call Robbie on 0772 584 4000 to make an appointment or find out further information.

Yoga Workshops

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:01:50 GMT

Robbie has teamed up with experienced yoga instructor Polly Rewt to run yoga anatomy workshops that combine practising and analysing various yoga routines to help students understand why they can and can’t perform the various poses.

The purpose of the workshops is to identify if there are any strength, flexibility or movement control reasons for not improving your yoga.

Below is an outline of an example workshop: Sun Salutations. For information about when workshops are run, follow us on facebook for regular updates and forthcoming dates. Workshops will also cover various other yoga routines including extension, back-bending and rotation movement routines.

Sun Salutation Yoga Anatomy Workshop

Composed of forward and backward bending, plus some tricky transitional movements, the Sun Salutation can be both joyful and frustrating. You may be asking questions such as:

> Why don’t my heels go to the floor in Downward Dog?

> Will I ever touch my toes?

We will explore each posture and how to flow: you’ll learn how to break down the Sun Salutation into smaller, discreet movements that help you diagnose why you get stuck – and how to get unstuck.

The workshop is aimed at students who practice Sun Salutations, from either Hatha, Hatha Vinyasa or Ashtanga Vinyasa traditions, in classes and at home. This workshop is suitable for students of all levels, so if you’ve just started in a beginners course or if you’ve been practicing for years you will still benefit from attending this workshop.

Running Pain and Performance

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:01:49 GMT

Like any skill, running technique needs to be learned. Pain or injury that occurs when you are running is most likely caused by poor technique.

We work alongside the only accredited running centre in Scotland of The Running School, London, improvemyrunning.com (they are in the room next door) to rehab you after injury or pain whilst running and then correct your technique.

If you experience pain whilst running please get in touch and we can analyse your technique and correct anything that may be causing the problem.

Functional Movement Assessment and Corrections

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:01:48 GMT

"The treatment has long term benefits as Robbie explores the reason for the pain. By becoming aware of this you can change what you are doing..."

How faulty movement patterns could be the cause of your injury.

The evidence shows that the biggest predisposing factor of non-traumatic injury during sport is previous injury. It used to be taught that this was because the previous injury created a weak area that is prone to re-injury. However, recent research has discovered that this is probably too simple an explanation. In fact injury can create faulty movement patterns that in turn create weak or overused areas and it is these areas that are prone to future injury. Also, there are many other mechanisms that can cause faulty movement patterns that are equally important. But it is not that important to know what these past events are because we can now measure your movement patterns to see where your faults are and create a treatment regime to resolve them. Once you have restored normal movement patterns you are less likely to become injured.

Using a well-researched screening assessment, functional movement, or lack of, can be graded. Depending on what the screen has shown a series of manual techniques and corrective exercises can be used to reduce the imbalances and restore normal functional movement. This will reduce your likelihood of non-contact injury in the future. Because the system is graded your progress can be monitored making your improvements

visible and obvious.

What is Functional Movement?

In simple terms functional movement is how we move in the real world, not just the treatment room. The philosophy behind functional movement follows the same concept as the standard osteopathic philosophy. To create efficient movement, the whole body must be functioning properly. When the body is considered as a chain of muscles and joints rather than a set of individual joints working alone, any weakness or restriction or tension in the chain will cause an imbalance and weaken the entire chain. Over time imbalance increases the potential for weak areas to become irritated or injured and tense areas to become over used or strained.

How do we test for faulty functional movement patterns?

Proper functional movement occurs in co-ordinated patterns, which can be assessed and corrected. Over the past few years much research has been put into how to test for potential future injury. Most has been done in the USA and Australia and a few screening tests have been devised. The best one I have come across is called the “Functional Movement Screen”, developed by a group of physical therapists in Virginia, USA. It is a series of 7 basic movements that are fundamental to normal functional movement. By subjecting the body to these movements any areas of weakness, stiffness or asymmetry and therefore potential for injury are highlighted.

How can we fix these faults?

These dysfunctional areas and asymmetries can be corrected. Physical treatment and corrective exercises can loosen restricted and re-train weak or unstable patterns (not isolated areas) to function in the correct manner. Initially it is important to release off any tight muscles or restricted joints. Once this has been done weak muscles can be retrained to move in the correct, co-ordinated patterns using specialised exercises, which may include assisted movements or resisted movements that can be performed in the clinic or at home.

Why do functional movement patterns become faulty?

In infanthood, we are all programmed and develop to move the same way. Over our lifetime repetitive movements, isolated static postures and over training certain areas create changes in the way in which we move. We learn to use some areas of our body more than others. When this happens we pull ourselves out of symmetrical alignment. Previous pain caused by injury or inflammation will cause a temporary change in the way in which we move. We guard away from the pain. Sometimes, once the pain has resolved, the changed movement pattern persists. All these changes put unnecessary stress on other, weaker areas, which become prone to injury.

Think of it like a car that has a slightly misaligned axle. The tyres will wear down quickly on one side and lead to weakening and potential puncturing of the tyre. It is no use in just replacing the tyre because it will wear down again. The tracking (alignment) needs to be repaired. Similarly this is why a problematic hamstring keeps straining even though it has fully healed. It is similar to replacing the tyre with a brand new one. Eventually the hamstring will go again. The cause of the strain is the faulty way in which the hamstring is functioning. If this is resolved the likelihood is it will not strain again

Pain Whilst Moving

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:01:45 GMT

So you’ve searched google for treatment for your pain and you are wondering who can help.

You have a pain when you are moving or a pain that happened during a movement.

Either way I have the expertise to help. Most acute pain is caused by muscle spasm. This can be debilitating and even immobilising, especially in the low back.

Most chronic pain comes from imbalances in strength and flexibility and alteration to normal movement. Usually caused by low level muscle spasm.

Treatment in both instances should focus on removing the muscle spasm and restoring normal movement again. The passive oscillatory techniques I use are the best non-pharmaceutucal way to do this.

You may know what an Osteopath is or you may not. If you know what an osteopath is then you are probably trying to decide which one is best for you.

Why does sitting at a computer hurt?

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:01:43 GMT

Sitting at a desk all day puts a lot of strain on certain parts of your body. In particular the low back, middle back, upper limb (arm and forearm) and neck.

This strain builds up over the years until the body cannot cope anymore and something becomes painful. You may not be injured as you would be if you suffered an accident or traumatic incident. The pain comes from a cumulative build-up of strain. The treatment needs to reflect this and as such is focused on reversing this build up. The three most common types of build-up are chronic tension, chronic stretch and repetitive strain.

Chronic Tension

With chronic tension, which occurs mainly in the upper back, shoulders and neck, the cause is holding yourself in a static posture for prolonged periods of time. The muscles contract to hold you in this posture and begin to learn to be contracted. Muscles learn to perform a task that they do repeatedly. For example learning to write: at first it is very difficult but the more you practise the easier it becomes until you can do it without thinking about it. The muscles have learnt to perform that detailed task. Similarly, muscles learn to be statically contracted. If they perform this task for long enough (all day every day) it becomes normal for them to perform this task and they do it instinctively. Once this has happened it will be normal for them to be tense. You haven’t forgotten how to be un-tense but the default setting is for them to be tense. As the tension builds up the muscles start to become fatigued and eventually painful. The treatment is to re-teach you how to be un-tense. To reset the default setting to un-tense. Then the muscles can recover and the pain disappears. This sounds very easy and it is with help. But it is very hard to do on your own.

Chronic Stretch

With chronic stretch, which occurs mainly in the low back, all the supporting structures are constantly being stretched. When you sit slouched, all the structures at the back of the body are being stretched. If they are stretched for long enough they elongate and weaken. When they are elongated their structure changes and the body senses this as pain. When they are weakened they are easily damaged, which is painful. The treatment is focused towards changing the structure back to normal.

Repetitive Strain

With repetitive strain there is repeated, cumulative overuse of certain areas and is generally associated with poor posture. This commonly occurs in the wrist, elbow and shoulder. Our bodies are designed to move and when they do so correctly there is very little effort or strain. When they do so poorly there is some, or a lot, of strain. Think of it like a car tyre. If the steering is slightly out the tyres will wear down on one side prematurely. If the steering is straight they will wear out evenly. Similarly when we move we will “wear out” but, unlike the tyre, we can recover. If the balance between use and recovery is equal or in favour of recovery then all is well. If we move “out” we put increased strain on certain areas and the balance of use to recovery becomes increased in favour of use and so we “wear out”. This is when injury occurs. The treatment for this is to “straighten out” the movement using manual techniques and ergonomics. The advise I give is personalised and far outweighs the regulatory requirements of the Health and Safety Executive.

How to work from home temporarily

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:01:41 GMT

Most of us are now working from home - if we are working at all!

I have scrolled google for tips about how to work from home and there are hundreds. They pretty much all relate to how you can do it effectively but don't focus on how to do it comfortably. Those that do assume you can create your office at home can follow the normal ergonomic advice for when you are in the office. Which, by the way, I don't necessarily agree with anyway.

So I shall not give you advice such as: establish a routine, get a separate work area, put on your work clothes etc. Advice like this is ten-a-penny and may be doable only if you are going to work from home permanently. I shall also not advise about legislation and other factors involving working at a PC. This advice can be gained from the HSE web site and you should already know this from your previous in-office DSE workstation assessments.

I shall assume you are at the kitchen table or on the couch or easy chair.

The first thing to remember is that most people, when in their office, do not sit as advised by all the ergonomic specialists (Top).

The best thing to do is to try to recreate the posture you normally adopt at work. Unless, of course this already gives you back pain – in which case you should be giving me a call or dropping me a message to see why this is!!

The advice I give to workers in the office will be the same when you are at home. Be aware of the strains on your body. Most of the latest research shows little link between “ideal” posture and pain prevention or relief. This is because this posture is modeled on a theoretical ideal based on complicated mathematics and vector physics and doesn't translate to real life. Also, it is one posture and is always the same. There are many "ideal" postures and actually the more you adopt the better. Maybe being at home will be a benefit because you may need to move around a bit more to dodge the kids or the chores.

So I shall highlight the strains, show a few images of where these strains will be and give some tips as to how to alter your posture to relieve them a bit.

I should advise anybody working with a laptop to get either a separate keyboard or monitor and a keyboard stand; lots of cushions; take as many breaks as you can; and work from several different places so as to change posture often.

The Strains

Strains caused by sitting can generally be grouped into 2 categories. They are usually very low intensity and cumulate without you realising until they have reached a level of pain.

Stretch. When we relax, if we are not supported, our joints will reach the end of their natural range. Further movement is limited by ligaments. Think of ligaments as very strong and stiff elastic bands. If an elastic band is held on full stretch for long enough it will lose elasticity and eventually snap. Similarly will ligaments, especially those in the lower or mid back, when we sit slouched (the same happens to the spinal discs but takes a lot longer than the short term you will be working from home). Try to support your spine with cushions and don’t allow it to rest on itself.

2. Tension. This occurs mostly in muscles and is caused by prolonged static holds. If you hold your arm out horizontally whilst holding a tin of beans you will eventually tire your shoulder and put your arm down. It may take anything from 5 – 20 mins depending how strong you are. If you hold the same straight arm without beans you will last longer. It takes longer for the muscles to tire. The same effect happens if you hold a static posture for long enough, but with one crucial difference: the muscles tire so slowly you don’t realise they are tiring. They become slowly and cumulatively damaged until they are constantly sore even when you rest. This is very common in the shoulders and necks. It is important to try to sit as relaxed as you can without allowing stretch to occur.

Examples

Both of these people have too much strain in the top of their back and neck. They are holding the weight of their head (about 5kg) in a static hold. The muscles will become tense and eventually painful. They need to prop their laptop on a pillow or cushion so they don't need to look down so far.

Both low backs seem supported enough to be comfortable for an hour or so. The girl on the left would possibly benefit from an extra cushion

in her low back.

Compare these 2 images. Both postures seem similar. However, the chap on the right is more comfortable for one crucial reason - he is more relaxed. The intensity of the man on the left is creating tension in his shoulders, forward head posture and probably tension in his hips. His wrists are over-extended causing tension up the back of his forearms. This is a leading cause of tennis elbow.

As long as the chap on the right has a supported lower back he has very little strain. Also, any increase in intensity or stress will aggravate any strains.

I hope this is helpful. Remember if you need further advice or a full working from home DSE assessment then just drop me a message.

Office Workers – is work a pain in the neck?

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:01:39 GMT

“If you work at a desk for any length if time chances are you need this treatment….ideal if you lead a stressful life and feel tight and tired…”

STIFF, SORE, STRESSED?

Yes, this applies to most of us! Hunched over a desk, pc or steering wheel all day inevitably leads to some sort of pain, stiffness, soreness or discomfort. We all do it, but do we know what to do about it? And how can we stop our habits leading to long term musculo-skeletal problems?

Having spent the last 16 years treating the office workers in Edinburgh I'd like to think I am an expert in treating the acute or chronic back, shoulder, neck pain, postural problems and tension headaches from your stressful or tiring job. I can help to reduce time spent off work as a result of these problems, and as a trained and qualified ergonomic consultant, I can help you understand and prevent problems occurring in the future with personalised practical advice and information about your work station set up.

My treatment methods are particularly suited to treating the tension, stresses and strains caused on your bodies from repetitive and static postures.

So don't delay, please call and find out how I can bring some relief and relaxation to your day....

I am also able to provide "Well-being Sessions", at lunch times for instance, to companies and organisations to help educate staff about office ergonomics, to help people to understand how to help themselves and reduce time spent off work as a result of muscle/joint pain. We can also provide some "hands on" taster treatment sessions. Get in touch on 0772 584 4000 if you would like to find out more.

How to sit properly when you’re working from home

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 13:55:53 GMT

Most of us are now working from home. Or, perhaps, playing football in the garden with your kids.

So how can you make your home a comfortable place in which to work? Here I will try to give you some simple advice and highlight the reasons most people get sore and stiff from sitting at a desk.

I will highlight the main body tissues involved and why they get sore; give some advice for good posture and behaviour; some legislation you should be aware of and dispel some myths.

The first thing to remember is that most people, when in their office, do not sit with the posture advised by all the ergonomic specialists (right).

Don’t waste your money a on paid-for self-assessment software kit. You can download one for free from the Health and Safety Executive (“HSE”) web site: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ck1.pdf

You’ll notice it doesn’t concentrate much on posture, but much more on the functionality of the equipment and your ability to move about or change posture. This is because most of the latest research shows little link between “ideal” posture and pain prevention or relief. It is more important to be aware of where your strains are so you can adopt a more comfortable posture, and to move more often.

Legislation

In a nut shell you have the same rights and protections when you are working from home as you have if you are working in your office. Your employer is obliged to help and support with whatever is reasonably practical.

The HSE has a brief guide for employers but employees would benefit from reading it also:

https://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/workers/home.htm

Strains

Strains caused by sitting can be generally be grouped into 2 categories. They are generally very low intensity and cumulate without you realising until they have reached a level of pain.

Stretch. When we relax, if we are not supported, our joints will reach the end of their natural range. Further movement is limited by ligaments. Think of them as very strong and stiff elastic bands. If an elastic band is held on full stretch for long enough it will lose elasticity and eventually snap. Similarly will ligaments, especially those in the lower or mid back when we sit slouched. Try to support your spine with cushions and don’t allow it to rest on itself.
Tension. This occurs mostly in muscles and is caused by prolonged static holds. If you hold your arm out horizontally whilst holding a tin of beans you will eventually tire your shoulder and put your arm down. It may take anything from 5 – 20 mins depending how strong you are. If you hold the same straight arm without beans you will last longer. It takes longer for the muscles to tire. The same effect happens if you hold a static posture for long enough, but with one crucial difference: the muscles tire so slowly you don’t realise they are tiring. They become slowly and cumulatively damaged until they are constantly sore even when you rest. This is very common in shoulders and necks. It is important to try to sit as relaxed as you can without allowing stretch to occur.

Tips

If you have a dedicated room or area that you are going to use as a study then great. You can try to replicate your office here as much as possible.

But if you find yourself sitting on the couch or at a kitchen table then try to remember these points:

Cushions are not for aesthetics (regardless of what my wife tells me). Use them to support your lower back. If you are sitting at the kitchen table use a chair with a backrest, stick a cushion in the small of your back and sit back in the chair. By minimising the slouch you will reduce the static strain on the lower back, which is one of the key factors leading to soft tissue strain mentioned above.

Avoid sticking your chin forward. This is the most common posture error when working with a pc, especially a laptop.

Try to balance your head on top of your neck. If you are sitting back then you will to tilt your neck so as to give yourself a double chin.

If you are on the couch use as many cushions as you need to support your lower back. A cushion (or teddy) behind your neck will help to avoid you sticking your chin forward. Not too dissimilar to one of the most advanced ergonomic solutions on the market (below left):

If you are using a laptop at the dining room table then a separate keyboard and mouse are advisable. Prop your laptop on a box or a couple of large books so that it is higher. This will make it easier to not stick your chin forwards and be able to sit back in the chair.

Often the kitchen table is higher than you will be used to. This may cause you to shrug your shoulders. The single most important reason for shoulder and neck pain is tension. Whether caused by stress, or posture, or both. You can sit on a cushion to raise yourself up and use a footrest, or another book. Or a simpler solution, which I quite like and is not found in most ergonomic manuals, is to prop your keyboard or laptop at an angle at the edge of your table. Use a cook bookstand or something that resembles a lectern. You can buy a laptop stand for less than £20. This way you can sit back in the chair and relax your shoulders. You need to maintain the straight angles of your wrists by flexing your elbows more. As long as your wrists are straight you can flex your elbows as much or little as you like. On the couch you can simply use another cushion on your lap to angle your laptop accordingly.

Lastly and probably most importantly, take time away from the screen. This will help to limit the build-up of cumulative strain. Each time you have a break you are recovering from the strain. You will also reset your posture to either a different one with different strains or to the same one “pre- slouch.” The more often the better. It is generally advised to have a break every 20 mins, even if it to just stand up and walk around the room.

Every time you take a phone call you should get up and walk around. Drink plenty. It will keep you hydrated, which aids concentration, and encourages you to get up. It doesn’t need to be water. Any fluid is fine (wine is not really what I am talking about!). Although limit coffee to 3 cups per day.

Stretching is also important and helps to break up the accumulation of strain. There are some good stretches here that can be done sitting or standing: https://www.healthline.com/health/deskercise .

Be sure not to push too hard into the stretch. Treat it more like a loosening off movement rather than a stretch. Having said that it is better to just get up and move around loosely. So don’t feel guilty about spending some time playing football with your kids when you should be working!

I hope this helps to make your working from home a little more comfortable. If you are struggling I am available for one to one consultations to help you find more comfortable solutions.

I’ll be sending out some more tips in due course. If you have anything you’d like me to write about just drop me an email: info@harmonicosteopathy.com

Learn Harmonic Techniques

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 10:42:56 GMT

We run 2 courses: for hands on therapists and for hands off trainers

Harmonic techniques for hands on therapists can be learnt by already qualified and currently insured therapists if you have at least an ITEC or equivalent NVQ Level 3 in A&P and Massage.

flier_HRM 2 days

For hands off trainers there is a pre-requisite of a recognised and insurable personal trainer qualification equivalent to REPs level 3.

flier_HRPT

For more information continue the dedicated harmonic release site (click)