One of the more common complaints I hear from people when they come to see me is of a chronic pain, one right between or just below the shoulder blades in the upper back. It’s usually dull, but can sometimes be sharp, and is usually at it’s worst later in the day. While it is most often found in writers, students, and people who spend long periods behind either the wheel or the keyboard, it has also shown up in dancers, athletes, and hobbyists of all kinds. Continue reading
Category Archives: The Body and Its Parts
Digestion 101
One of the most idiosyncratic things about American culture is its relationship to food. The citizens of the United States are some of the most diet-obsessed people in the world, counting calories and and studying ingredients while at the same time battling out of control obesity rates. Continue reading
What is “The Core”?
Maybe it was in a yoga class or an advertisement on television promoting the latest workout craze, but it’s a safe bet that most people have at one time or another have heard that there is something called “the core” and that it’s something they need to exercise. But how many of those people actually know what “the core” is and whether or not they need to work on theirs? Continue reading
Circulation 101
A lot of news stories have been coming out lately speaking to the health complications that can arise from having a lifestyle that doesn’t involve a lot of movement. Working in an office environment, commuting, working at a computer, playing video games, watching TV – many of the modern activities that people engage in, especially in America, just don’t involve as much movement as the generations proceeding this one. Continue reading
Stair Calf Stretches: A How-To
As most people have probably experienced, the calves hold a lot of tension. This can occur because of posture issues, the way people sit, nutritional issues, athletic activities, and clothing. Unfortunately, the calves are also one of the most difficult muscles to adequately stretch and relax on one’s own. Continue reading
The Back – Additional Stretches, Exercise, and Advice
As important as treatment can be in resolving low back injuries and pain, the most vital part in reversing these conditions is the work that a patient does at home. With that in mind, here are some more stretches and exercises that can be very helpful in stretching the muscles involved in chronic back discomfort. Continue reading
The Neck: How it Works and Why it Hurts
After several years of working on the human body, there is one observation that always seems to hold true: with the exception of people who have issues with being touched, everyone loves neck rubs. Seriously, both people and animals will stop whatever they are doing when someone skilled with his or her hands starts to work on their necks. Why is this? Continue reading
How to do a Safe and Core-Based Abdominal Crunch
Abdominal crunches are a great core-strengthening exercise that requires minimal equipment and space. It is just too bad that a lot of people are doing them incorrectly. Continue reading
A User’s Guide to the Human Body – Scarcity, Dieting, and Exercise
When it comes to addressing weight loss in the developed world, one of the great ironies is that even though people now have unprecedented access to fitness facilities and healthy foods, obesity is the number one health problem facing many of it citizens. What has changed in recent years that makes it so much easier for people to gain weight but simultaneously makes losing that so difficult? Continue reading
The Shoulder: How it Works and Why it Hurts
What causes shoulder pain?
There are many reasons that the shoulder can hurt. Traumatic injury, arthritis, and inflammation are all extremely common causes for chronic discomfort in the shoulder joint. Continue reading
