Perfect Poise, Perfect Life
Bring your body into balance and revolutionise your life
By Noel Kingsley
Publisher Hodder Mobius
AVAILABLE HERE
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Painful forearms
A number of people have been to see me recently because they are experiencing painful forearms an wrists as a result of keyboard work on a computer and even a piano. A general course in Alexander Technique will certainly help them make less effort in the activity and to use their arms more freely to avoid strain. A number of specific ideas come to mind.
It's not the activity that's a problem but the manner in which we do it. Two people doing the same number of hours at the same job can find themselves in completely different physical (and mental) states afterwards. Some of us can use far more effort in our arms hands and fingers than necessary so we end up with painful symptoms.
Muscles are my nature 'designed' to contract, pulling one part of us towards another; they cause flexion or extension; we may bend an arm or straighten it. The same applies to our hands or bending fingers. Flexor and extensor muscles work in pairs. A relaxed muscle is at it's longest length and a contracted tense muscle is shortened. The 'give and take' nature of muscles enable us to flex and straighten. If they are over-used, it is possible for them to remain in a contracted state, bunched up within themselves, rather than letting go and releasing their tension to allow lengthening again. So, even when at rest if we have done an excessive amount of tensing muscles they can get 'stuck' and not return to their relaxed state.
In such cases, some physiotherapy sessions can help these contracted muscles release. Even by applying thumb pressure in a modest degree to a bunched up or knotted muscle in the arm can help it release. The pressure is modest to avoid bruising and applied sufficiently long i.e. 30 seconds or a minute to encourage the muscle to release and lengthen.
When our forearms are tense even when at rest, the muscles are in a state of contraction; they are indeed shortened. With Alexander Technique lessons we learn to think how to release unwanted tension and by attending to our overall poise so our neck is free, our head is going upwards and we are lengthening and widening in stature (all by thinking), this healthy and free quality will filter through to the specific areas of tension in our arms and legs. However we can also help ourselves by releasing our arms specifically.
By nature, contracted muscle is shortened and released muscle is lengthened. The former has a squashing and squeezing effect on our body while the latter allows expansion. If we look at the anatomy of our forearms we can see there are two bones running almost parallel from elbow to wrist. If we hold our forearm horizontally out in front and angle it so our thumb is lying on top and our smallest finger is nearest to the floor, we have the Radius bone on top and the Ulna is underneath. There is a small space between them ranging from 1-2.5cm between and this is filled with an Interosseous membane or connective tissue. Many muscles wrap themselves spirally around these bones and extend into our hands. The muscles and tendons from our fingers all go up into our arms. If we can think of widening between these bones it can have a releasing effect on the surrounding muscles.
To help release your forearms, position them as described above so they are horizontally in front of you with your thumb on top. You can rest them on your lap or table when sitting to avoid strain. Think of the Ulna hanging from the top Radius. Think of the space growing or stretching between them. In reality this may only change by fractions of a millimetre, but the thought is enough to have quite an effect by releasing the surrounding muscles.
Ideally we want our arms and hands to be as expansive as possible because in this state the muscles are soft and released. So by thinking of our hands as becoming larger and our forearms becoming wider can help release muscles that get habitually tense, from our hands right up to our armpits.
When we type it's important that we do not put ourselves under unnecessary strain, so avoid typing a laptop while hunched on your bed, or even on your lap (!). Put it on a table at a normal computer height. Raise your chair so your forearms are horizontal to the keyboard or higher so your elbows are slightly above the height of your hands. Avoid typing in positions where your wrists are higher than your elbows as this will cause strain. If you have raised your chair and now your feet are off the floor, get a foot rest so you can relax your legs with your feet flat on a supportive surface. Arrange the keyboard so it's in front of you and your screen is at a height where you can see it without pulling your head back.
The best way of dealing with RSI or forearm, wrist or hand strain is to avoid it happening in the first place. Take a responsible attitude to looking after the working of your body and you can avoid months of pain and frustration. It need not happen in the first place if we look after ourselves.
