Month: June 2022

Vicious Cycle of Poor Posture

Poor posture and relative lifestyle habits are a topic I write about often, as these are such integral components in avoiding chronic pain. Chronic ailments can often escalate to other mental and physical health issues. Coping with chronic pain eventually takes its toll on the individual and those around them.

Posture is the relative placement of the human body and its components such as, but not confined to, the spine and limbs. Many people in the United States experience some type of chronic pain at some time in their lives. Causes of pain can vary depending upon the individual and their circumstances. Poor posture can be responsible for many ailments ranging from ankle, knee, hip and back pain. A spinal misalignment, due to improper posture, an injury, hereditary or even congenital conditions, can have an eventual ripple effect throughout the human body. A shift of .375″ (13mm) can cause the many ailments. A simple habitual tilt of the head or shift in the body weight over time, changes the alignment of the spine. This re-alignment begins to effect the muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves causing a total imbalance within these body systems. An injured ankle or knee can become the spark that cause a ripple effect literally from head to toe.

Common causes of poor posture:

  • Poor standing habits
  • Driving with one arm forward, back hunched, knees higher than hips
  • Head and shoulder pinching together to hold telephone
  • Sitting or standing cross legged
  • Short leg syndrome
  • Lack of muscle tone and core strength
  • No regular exercise schedule

NOTE: Occasional execution of the a fore mentioned practices, doesn’t necessarily lead to pain and other problems. It is the repetitive and accumulative effect over years that seem to cause the dysfunction.

Straining the neck forward to see closer, puts strain on the neck and upper back. This leads to hunching forward of the spine and a gradual realignment of the 3 natural curves (cervical, thoracic & lumbar).

Poor posture, combined with long hours sitting stagnant in a chair working or driving, can cause muscles within the legs to shorten and tighten over time. These muscles, specifically the hamstrings, cause the pelvis to tilt the tailbone forward. Or the quadriceps can tighten causing the tailbone to tilt backward and the lumbar spine to arch even more forward.

Habits of stress on the cervical spine caused by posture and position of the head, specifically an increase in forward head position. This increases the weight on the cervical spine especially in the C-7 to T-1 vertebrae. Addition bone mass is accumulated in this area to compensate for the extra strain on the muscles, tendons and ligaments within the neck.

Anterior head position can cause permanent damage resulting in:
– Back, neck, shoulder arm pain
– Decrease in spinal curves
– Gastrointestinal problems
– Headaches
– Lung capacity decreased
– Muscle damage
– Nerve damage
– Spinal disc compression
– Spinal disc herniation

What is the solution to these issues?

  • get up out of the chair more often
  • become more active
  • consult with your physician or chiropractor
  • have your posture checked
  • stretch regularly
  • perform non-specific symmetrical exercises
  • inspect footwear for uneven wear patterns
  • evaluate poor posture habits and adjust
  • review career choices if necessary
  • exercises from tai chi, yoga and qigong offer methods that specifically focus on balancing poor postural habits.

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I write often about topics that affect our health and well-being. Additionally, I teach and offer lectures about qigong, tai chi, baguazhang, and yoga.

For more info, contact Jim Moltzan at info@mindandbodyexercises.com, 407-234-0119 or through my site at http://www.mindandbodyexercises.com

Moxibustion – Basic Theory

Traditional Chinese Medicine Method of Moxibustion

Moxibustion is the method of burning Mugwort (Ai Ye) or other herbs on, around, or above Acupuncture points. The leaves of the Moxa plant, as Mugwort is sometimes called, are usually dried in the sun, finely ground to a texture like wool or cotton, and then sifted until a fine, soft, and light green consistency is obtained. Moxa holds together well, burns evenly, and is relatively inexpensive. Moxa can be rolled into balls, shaped into cones, or purchased commercially in small or long rolls. The moxa balls and cones can be burned directly on the skin, or indirectly on a medium in between the Moxa and the skin. Small balls can also be used on the end of a needle as in the Warm needle techniques. Tiny pre-rolled Moxa or “Shish” Moxa can be purchased commercially, and is sometimes used at the end of a needle in place of loose Moxa. The longer moxa sticks, eight to ten (8-10) inch are usually used in a circular or “sparrow pecking” (rapidly moving the burning end near and far from the skin) motion around an Acupuncture point.

INDIRECT MOXIBUSTION
Practitioner places burning moxa wool on the top of the acupuncture needle. After the desired effect is achieved, the moxa is extinguished and the needle(s) removed. Indirect moxibustion is the more popular use of moxibustion because there is a much lower risk of pain or burning. Indirect moxa is probably the most commonly used as it can warm a greater area of the body with greater comfort. This too can be further broken down into the two most commonly used forms: warming needle and moxa pole. The moxa pole looks a lot like a cigar. It is lit at one end until it is smoldering hot, and then it is held over an acupuncture point or region of the body to warm it. In warming needle, an acupuncture needle is placed into a point on the body, and then a small ball of moxa is placed on the head of the needle. The moxa is then lit, so that the entire ball of moxa burns and smolders completely, thereby warming not only the surface of the skin below the moxa, but also the needle itself, and in turn the qi deep within the acupuncture point.

DIRECT MOXIBUSTION
A small, cone-shaped amount of moxa wool is placed on top of an acupuncture point and burned. Then it is extinguished or removed before it burns the skin. With direct moxibustion the patient will experience a pleasant heating sensation that penetrates deep into the skin, but should not experience any pain, blistering or scarring. Direct moxa means the moxa is applied directly onto the body. This is further broken down into what is called the scarring and the non-scarring methods. Most practitioners these days don’t perform scarring moxa anymore. It is very strong and quite effective! The non-scarring is the more common direct moxa method, and involves a small bunch of moxa being put onto the body, usually in the shape of cone, and burned down until the warmth is felt by the patient, and then removed. Many rounds of this would be done until a very strong sense of heat was felt at the point.

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I write often about topics that affect our health and well-being. Additionally, I teach and offer lectures about qigong, tai chi, baguazhang, and yoga.

For more info, contact Jim Moltzan at info@mindandbodyexercises.com, 407-234-0119 or through my site at http://www.mindandbodyexercises.com