Small Changes, Big Differences: Preventing Injury And Chronic Pain in Everyday Life Francesca Biasucci, MPT Preventing Injury And Chronic Pain in Everyday Life Francesca Biasucci, MPT

Common Pain Syndromes low back pain neck pain headaches and migraine upper back pain sciatica shoulder/shoulder blade pain low back pain neck pain headaches and migraine upper back pain sciatica shoulder/shoulder blade pain

Chronic Pain Causes Traumatic Injury car accident sports injury fall

Chronic Pain Causes Congenital Conditions scoliosis leg length difference bony anomalies Congenital Conditions scoliosis leg length difference bony anomalies

Chronic Pain Causes Repetitive Strain Injury sports work home/childcare Repetitive Strain Injury sports work home/childcare

Poor Body Mechanics liftingbendingtwistingkneelingrising Chronic Pain Causes

Poor Posture standing sitting walking Poor Posture standing sitting walking

Traumatic injury Congenital conditions Repetitive strain injury Poor body mechanics Poor posture Traumatic injury Congenital conditions Repetitive strain injury Poor body mechanics Poor posture Review: Chronic Pain

Which can you control? Congenital conditions Poor body mechanics Poor posture Repetitive strain injury Traumatic injury

Poor Posture : What’s the Problem? Headaches & neck pain Upper back and shoulder pain Low back pain Degenerative bony changes Degenerative soft tissue changes: discs, muscles, fascia, tendons, etc.

Today’s example: Head and Neck Position Forward Head Posture

Consequences Adaptive muscle shortening of suboccipitals Adaptive muscle lengthening of interior neck muscles Compensatory shifts in alignment below the neck: upper back, low back, pelvis Adaptive muscle shortening of suboccipitals Adaptive muscle lengthening of interior neck muscles Compensatory shifts in alignment below the neck: upper back, low back, pelvis

Compressed vertebrae and intervertebral discs Compressed nerve roots affecting neck and arms/hands Muscle pain, referred pain and over time, chronic pain in head, face, neck and shoulders Respiratory effects Compressed vertebrae and intervertebral discs Compressed nerve roots affecting neck and arms/hands Muscle pain, referred pain and over time, chronic pain in head, face, neck and shoulders Respiratory effects

desk work driving watching t.v./reading walking listening to a lecture Who, Me?

What Can We Do About It? Develop “postural awareness” Learn postural corrections Practice, practice, practice! Develop “postural awareness” Learn postural corrections Practice, practice, practice!

Postural Awareness Body Check: Check your head and neck posture periodically throughout the day. Repeated often, the body check will become second nature. Body Check: Check your head and neck posture periodically throughout the day. Repeated often, the body check will become second nature.

Learn Postural Corrections Learn how to correct what you find in your Body Check Do this 1000X/day... Corrected posture becomes the new normal over time Learn how to correct what you find in your Body Check Do this 1000X/day... Corrected posture becomes the new normal over time

Awareness: What Am I Looking For? Head & Neck Posture: 1.Where is my ear? 1.Where is my face pointed? Head & Neck Posture: 1.Where is my ear? 1.Where is my face pointed?

Correct alignment

Where is my face pointing? The sunflower concept

Where Should It Be Pointing?

Correction Chin Tuck Practice: Car seat headrest Up against a wall Pushing towel roll into floor (lying down) Chin Tuck Practice: Car seat headrest Up against a wall Pushing towel roll into floor (lying down)

Chin Tuck: Why? realigns cervical spine to more efficient position stretches shortened front and back of neck muscles strengthens weak and stretched interior neck muscles relieves pressure on nerve roots realigns cervical spine to more efficient position stretches shortened front and back of neck muscles strengthens weak and stretched interior neck muscles relieves pressure on nerve roots

Breathing Effects The Breathing Experiment

Francesca Biasucci, MPT The Madison Challenge Seminar Series February 2009