Secrets Of Neck Pain Prevention With Pilates
Yes, pilates can be used to prevent neck pain
Yes, pilates can be used to prevent neck pain. The primary principle of Pilates is to maintain proper posture. Pilates helps keep the body balanced and provides support to the cervical spine through strengthening of core muscles, breathing awareness, and correct alignment. Pilates is also one of the latest words to be thrown around the water cooler. Yes, Pilates is firmly entrenched in the daily psyche of the average American psycho!
So go ahead and order that double skinny frappachino maraschino, hold the froth, not too hot from the one of the neighborhood Bucs and get your not-so-skinny ass down to the local gym, head shop, living room or doctors office that just happens to offer Pilates. Neck Pain Prevention is just one of the benefits of this group fun exercise program.
Proper aligment with Pilates principles
All joking aside, Pilates has proven to be effective ever since it was introduced by Joseph Pilates during WWI to help returning veterans. Pilates believed that the mind and the body were interrelated (a revolutionary concept at the time). The German recommended a combination of stretching, strengthening and stabilizing key muscle groups. The so-called Pilates Principles were created to address the entire body; proper alignment, control, breathing, centering, precision and a flowing movement. Mr. Pilates was way ahead of his time!
He studied the Eastern disciplines of martial arts and yoga, and blended them with Western physical activities such as: bodybuilding, gymnastics, boxing, and other recreational sports. At age fourteen he had sculpted his physique so well that he was posing for anatomical publications. A modern day Michelangelo! (or Matthew McConaghey for the young readers)
Before actually entering the somewhat intimidating world of Pilates, you must possess a minimal amount of self-awareness. No we are not talking about great cosmic universal awareness, just the basics- 101 remember!
Self-Assessment, proper neck alignment
Check to seeing if you have proper neck alignment is the first step for neck pain prevention. Alignment is fairly easy to ascertain. Simply take a look in the mirror. I know how hard this is when those crows feet wrinkles seem to spread out exponentially by the day, but focus on the alignment of the neck! The goal of your cervical self-assessment is to realize a neutral position - the chin is raised slightly, and vertical alignment is straight. If the chin protrudes upwards, or angles down or to one side, you will need to it move back to the neutral.
As simply as it seems, this is the single most important piece of advice any article could ever give you on Neck Pain Prevention. All you need to do is stay relaxed and in the neutral position at all times, and most of the common ailments of the neck can be avoided. EASIER SAID THAN DONE! There are just too many variables in life, right? Stress, Aging, Injury & Disease! Okay, you already knew that, so let us carry on
Selected Pilates Exercises for neck pain prevention
There are numerous Pilates exercises, stretches, breathing exercises, moves and programs available, from the basics (which we will discuss further here) to advanced movements that include sophisticated machines and training manuals.
When it comes to the neck, the Pilates exercises can be relatively simple. I will lay out four basic moves for your stretching pleasure!
1. Shoulder Lifts- Sitting in a chair, feet flat on the floor, back straight and chin in a neutral alignment; relax arms to the side of body. Inhale and lift shoulders to ears and roll shoulders backward. Exhale. Repeat: 5X
2. Head Rotations- Still sitting, with neck in neutral position, Inhale and gently rotate neck to one side as far as is comfortable. Exhale and return to center. Inhale and roll neck to opposite side. Exhale and return to center. Repeat: 4X
3. Neck Stretch- Relax in the chair and let arms go on both sides. Imagine that you have a heavy shopping bag in one hand and then bend neck to opposite side. Inhale and breathe into the stretch. Repeat on opposite side 4X; 2x on each side
4. Chin Nods: Start with the neutral position of the neck. Rest hands on thighs. Lower chin as far as it is comfortable (no pain), then back to neutral. Tilt neck back as far as comfortable and then back to neutral. Repeat 5X
Like I said earlier, just keep that old neck of yours in the neutral position when sitting, standing, driving or sleeping will get you on the Neck Pain Prevention wagon, smoothly rolling along the rough road of life. Believe me, going the exercises above on a daily basis, will assure a much better road!
by: Fit Gizmos
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