On 2/3/2010 10:21 AM, Chris Barker wrote:
> Thanks for all those suggestions, Brian.
>
> My chiropractor (also a lovely one ...) has advised me to avoid exercise for
> the moment, while she smooths the knots in the muscles around my back.
> However, I have some exercise classes booked with her at the end of the month.
>
I'm glad you are getting help. And Brians' suggestions seem sound
enough, although actual exercise would be unlikely on my part until all
other possible alternatives had been tried.
I'd like to add my few cents worth. A few years ago, I was having
chronic problems with my left hand, pain, numbness, and with tightness
and pain down the left side of my back. It drove my massage therapists a
bit batty, as they didn't know the cause and could only give temporary
relief.
One day, I was happily sitting reading in my little pool of light in the
night when I noticed how I was holding the paperback. I was using the
left hand by itself to both hold the book up and hold it open with a
slightly awkward and tense use of the fingers - for hours at a time. Doh!
I took to holding my books quite differently, alternating hands, using
both hands, changing my position, etc. All the problems went away. I've
since come to the conclusion that many, many people in our society
habitually hold their bodies in unnatural ways. I think a lot of
complaints treated by various kinds of practitioners could be avoided by
the simple practice of checking in on how one's body is being held and
how it feels on a regular basis.
I'm quite sure that if I had first just run off to the doc, many hours
and some thousands of $ would have been spent on tests, specialists,
drugs, maybe even - aaa - Procedures.
My personal experience is that when I carry a shoulder bag with the
strap on the same side, I unconsciously hold that shoulder slightly up
and tense. If there is any weight to speak of, I also find that I hold
my spine slightly bent to the side, to counter balance the weight, as
well as prevent the strap slipping. It's pretty much impossible to stand
and walk straight without the weight of body and luggage balanced across
the pelvis.
Bent back, pressure on the shoulder, long periods = trouble in the form
of aches and pains that may have fancy names from docs and/or require
adjustment by bone and muscle manipulators. For my body, I've found that
simply lengthening the strap and putting it across to the other shoulder
makes a big difference. It's still awkward, but doesn't cause the same
problems. A back pack is even better, but way too inaccessible for many
uses.
For photography, I mostly use a waist pack. I find it has much less
impact on my body. I can rotate it around back for balance when not
needing access, front for tight spots where I want access and to the
side much of the time. They also have shoulder straps. With one across
the opposite shoulder, it's easy to adjust the weight between shoulder
and hips.
I use Lowepros 'cause they've fit my needs, a PhotoRunner for OM and an
Inverse 200 AW for the DSLR. It easily carries my standard kit, 5D with
28-300 attached, 90/2.8 macro and 17-35. With camera around neck, I have
easy access to the other two lenses and an empty bay to drop a lens
being swapped into. I wish it were a little easier to squeeze in the
50/1.8...
A sling pack is another possibility. The one I've tried, a SlingShot 200
AW does a good job of keeping weight centered on the back and access is
way better than a back pack, but I can't say I've fallen for it.
Different body, different bag, who knows?
As to that camera around the neck, it can also cause apparently
unrelated problems. A harness like this can do a great job of spreading
and redirecting the weight of camera and lens and centering it on the
body. I had a friend who had a very tender neck and some shoulder/back
problems that were cured with such a thingie.
<http://galleries.moosemystic.net/MooseFoto/index.php?gallery=Miscellaneous&image=IMG_1277ptlcrni.jpg>
I also think that regular therapeutic massages, with a practitioner who
"gets" your body help the body to stay in a state where it can more
easily adapt to the pressures of our lives without strain and pain. As
soon as he could afford it, Bob Hope started having a massage every day!
Whatever one may make of his humor, acting and politics, he sure lived a
long, healthy life.
I used to get a massage once a week. Now I'm amazingly lucky to live
with a great massage therapist and get one every week. Aaaaaaahhh. I
beleive it has a profound positive effect on my health.
A. Relaxed Moose
--
_________________________________________________________________
Options: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/listinfo/olympus
Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
|
