Dr. Curtis McElroy

Author: docmac

  • Tech Neck Symptoms

    Symptoms Associated With Tech Neck

    The symptoms of tech neck are easy to identify. It’s important that you catch these symptoms sooner rather than later because they will be much easier to treat and less likely to cause actual damage to your neck. Be mindful of how your neck, shoulders, fingers, and hands feel when you are done using a mobile device or your computer.

    Look for these early symptoms:

    • Soreness at the base of your neck and top of your shoulders.
    • Numbness of your fingers and a tingling when you set aside the mobile device you are using.
    • Pain in the neck and shoulders.
    • The pain occurs only on one side of your body.
    • Frequent tension muscle headaches. These are the dull pain and tender muscles in the neck, scalp, and shoulders. And you feel pressure on your forehead.

    If you have had these symptoms and have ignored them, thinking that they will go away on their own, you may begin experiencing more severe symptoms such as these:

    • Severe neck pain – as if something is tearing or torn.
    • Loss of strength in fingers and hands and no amount of massaging or hand exercises will bring the strength back.

    The minor symptoms are reasonably easy to address.

    The following are some of the things you can do to relieve and stop the pain and soreness:

    • Side neck stretch. Sit on a chair and extend your right arm down towards the floor, place your left hand on top of your head, elbow pointing out to the side. Using your left hand, gently pull your head to the left while continuing to keep your right arm extended downward. Hold for 20 seconds then do the same for the other side.
    • Do a chin tuck. Sit on a chair and clasp your hands behind your head. Settle your hips firmly into your seat. Tuck your chin in toward your chest as you use your hands to begin gently pulling your head down until you feel a stretch to the back of your neck and upper back. Hold 20 then slowly release.
    • Add a new habit of setting aside your mobile device or walking away for 10 minutes, stretching your arms and neck as you move around. This can be done every hour or so and will be very helpful in relieving the pain.
    • And, finally, you can correct your posture so that you have a better posture when using your mobile devices or computer.

    The more severe symptoms will require treatment by a medical professional.

    After X-rays and tests, including an MRI, is done and it is determined that no physical damage to the neck or muscles has occurred, physical therapy will be the recommended treatment.

    There is a possibility, though, that actual tearing of muscles or ligaments has occurred. If that is the case, the medical professional will outline a treatment plan that best serves you.

  • Dealing With Tech Neck

    Dealing With Tech Neck

    What Is Tech Neck?. 2

    Tech Neck Symptoms To Look For 4

    Simple Exercises You Can Do To Prevent Tech Neck. 6

    Bad Posture Habits That Can Cause Tech Neck. 8

    Tech Neck Can Become Painful 10

    Is Tech Neck Reversible?. 12

    Here’s How You Can Start To Correct Tech Neck. 14

    Are You Suffering From Tech Neck Headaches?. 16

    Using Yoga To Treat And Prevent Tech Neck. 18

    How To Prevent Tech Neck Wrinkles. 20

     

     

     

     

     

     

    What Is Tech Neck?

    Imagine that you are working on your computer at your desk, or possibly your laptop at a coffee shop, or maybe your mobile devices like a tablet or smartphone. You have been working for a few hours, getting into the groove and feeling good about your productivity. Then you feel a headache coming on. As you lift your head you realize you also have some neck pain. And, when you stop using your computer or mobile device, you feel a tingling in your fingers. There is no reason to panic as you have just experienced a condition that has become known as “tech neck”.

     

    What Is “Tech Neck”?

     

    As more people use electronic devices for longer periods of time, “tech neck” has become more widespread. It is the neck pain and numbness and tingling in the fingers that occur after using a smartphone or computer for an extended period of time. At one time it was a condition experienced by solely by computer programmers and coders.

     

    This is what is happening: The head, when properly aligned with the neck and looking forward, weighs about 10 pounds. The muscles, bones, and ligaments of the neck are easily holding the head and there is no strain on any part of the neck. As the head is lowered, such as when looking at the smartphone or tablet, the neck is bending forward and the weight it is holding increases. When looking straight down at your phone or tablet, and your chin is close to your chest, your neck is now holding about 60 pounds of weight. This means that the muscles designed to support 10 pounds are now straining to support 60 pounds.

     

    Do You Have “Tech Neck”?

     

    Most people experience symptoms like soreness or stiffness of the neck and shoulders at the end of the day and don’t view it as a problem, mainly because the soreness or stiffness doesn’t happen every day. The problem is that these symptoms can, and do, get worse over time. If you experience a sore neck, headache, or get numbness and tingling of the fingers every day, you should not ignore these symptoms of “tech neck”. The worst case scenario is that these symptoms will progress to you losing strength in your fingers and hands.

     

    When you begin to feel the symptoms, self-massage can and will help decrease the pain and soreness in your neck. More importantly, correct your posture while you are using your mobile devices or laptop. And, limit the time you spend looking down at your devices. If the symptoms are every day and include daily headaches, it is time to seek treatment from a medical professional. Most likely, physical therapy will be prescribed.

     

    Do not ignore “tech neck” because it will not go away on its own. Be proactive and take care of your neck now so you can minimize the amount of time it will take to cure yourself of the issue.

     

     

    Tech Neck Symptoms

    The symptoms of tech neck are easy to identify. It’s important that you catch these symptoms sooner rather than later because they will be much easier to treat and less likely to cause actual damage to your neck. Be mindful of how your neck, shoulders, fingers, and hands feel when you are done using a mobile device or your computer. 

    Look for these early symptoms:

    Soreness at the base of your neck and top of your shoulders.

    Numbness of your fingers and a tingling when you set aside the mobile device you are using.

    Pain in the neck and shoulders.

    The pain occurs only on one side of your body.

    Frequent tension muscle headaches. These are the dull pain and tender muscles in the neck, scalp, and shoulders. And you feel pressure on your forehead.

    If you have had these symptoms and have ignored them, thinking that they will go away on their own, you may begin experiencing more severe symptoms such as these:

    Severe neck pain – as if something is tearing or torn.

    Loss of strength in fingers and hands and no amount of massaging or hand exercises will bring the strength back.

    The minor symptoms are reasonably easy to address.

    Here are some of the things you can do to relieve and stop the pain and soreness.

    Side neck stretch. Sit on a chair and extend your right arm down towards the floor, place your left hand on top of your head, elbow pointing out to the side. Using your left hand, gently pull your head to the left while continuing to keep your right arm extended downward. Hold for 20 seconds then do the same for the other side.

    Do a chin tuck. Sit on a chair and clasp your hands behind your head. Settle your hips firmly into your seat. Tuck your chin in toward your chest as you use your hands to begin gently pulling your head down until you feel a stretch to the back of your neck and upper back. Hold 20 then slowly release.

    Add a new habit of setting aside your mobile device or walking away for 10 minutes, stretching your arms and neck as you move around. This can be done every hour or so and will be very helpful in relieving the pain.

    And, finally, you can correct your posture so that you have a better posture when using your mobile devices or computer.

    The more severe symptoms will require treatment by a medical professional. After X-rays and tests, including an MRI, is done and it is determined that no physical damage to the neck or muscles has occurred, physical therapy will be the recommended treatment. There is a possibility, though, that actual tearing of muscles or ligaments has occurred. If that is the case, the medical professional will outline a treatment plan that best serves you.

     

     

     

    Simple Exercises You Can Do To Prevent Tech Neck

    Prevention of “tech neck” is better than treatment any day. If you begin using these tips and exercises now, you can prevent actual damage that will need medical attention. Here are a few tips and exercises you can do to prevent “tech neck”:

    Walk away. Really. Put down your mobile device, walk away from the laptop or desktop and go for a walk. Or stretch your arms and legs to release the tension. It would be a great time to go for a 15-minute walk around the house, the park, the parking lot. If you have a favorite exercise like yoga or hula hoop, do it.

    Skincare. Just as you take care of your face with moisturizers and cleansers, do the same with your neck. Neck skin is delicate and two times thinner than the skin on your face. This is why neck wrinkles will happen before facial wrinkles will. And, “tech neck” certainly contributes to wrinkles on the neck. So, take care of your neck as you do your face.

     

    Stop resting your chin on your hands. When looking at your laptop or desktop monitor, resting your chin on your hands leads to stretching the skin around your neck. The same is true when you bend your neck to hold your phone while taking phones calls. Use headphones, prevent wrinkles.

    Side stretch neck exercise. Place four of your right-hand fingers on the left side of your forehead, and then place your left hand on your shoulder. With your right elbow parallel to the floor, gently pull your head to the right and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

    Tilt stretch neck exercise. You will need a hand towel. Hold the ends of the towel in each hand, wrap the middle of the towel around the back of your head, gently pull your head down and use your neck muscles to resist. Repeat 8 times. Do this gently and slowly.

     

    Neck and hand stretch. Stand with your feet in line with your hips. Put the palm of your hand against the side of your head. Your elbow is in line with your shoulder and your upper arm is in line with the floor. Standing straight, gently push the palm of your hand against your head, pushing your head toward your shoulder. You will feel a gentle stretch in your neck. Hold for 10 seconds, and then slowly return to the starting position and switch sides. This should be painful – if it is, you are pushing too hard or holding longer than 10 seconds.

    Do these tips and exercises now and you will not only prevent “tech neck” but you will develop a healthy physical routine that will benefit your mind and body for years to come.

     

     

    Bad Posture Habits That Can Cause Tech Neck

    Your posture, the position you hold your body when standing or sitting, will determine your long-term back and neck health. Low back pain, rounded shoulders, shoulder pain, neck pain, and ultimately “tech neck” are all a result of poor posture.

    For “tech neck” the most obvious posture issues are slumped shoulders and looking down at your phone with your chin just an inch or so away from your chest. While these sound harmless, they are in fact not. In reality, the “tech neck” of stiff, sore, and slightly painful neck muscles and tired shoulder muscles also affect the rest of the body and muscle groups.

    Poor, or bad, posture is the result of muscle and skeletal distortions in the neck, and lower and upper back. Most people think of poor posture as simply slumping over, but that is not necessarily the case. While it is true that “tech neck” is caused by this slumping, other signs of poor posture include a bit of a pot belly, soreness in the hip area because slumping of the back puts pressure on the hip joints. Sitting at your computer with slumped shoulders and curve back is definitely poor posture. Looking down at your phone or mobile device with your chin just an inch or so away from your chest is definitely poor posture.

    How To Improve Your Posture

    Begin with understanding that when the back and neck and hips are aligned correctly, you are sitting and walking in a healthy manner. When you have good posture while using your mobile device, computer or laptop, you will feel less tired and you will greatly reduce the likelihood of having “tech neck”.

    Some things you can do to improve your posture:

    Think string. Imagine that you have a string coming from the top of your head that is pulling you gently up, toward the ceiling.

     

    Have someone tape an X on your back from shoulder to opposite hip. Then close the top of the X with a straight line of tape across your shoulders. Wear this during the day. You will become aware of how you sit, stand, and walk throughout the day and can begin retraining yourself so that you have better posture.

    Avoid the slouch. Imagine that you have a book on the top of your head and that you must keep that book balanced. Do this while using your mobile devices, computer, and laptop and you will prevent the soreness that comes from “tech neck”.

    Sit up straight. Align your back with the back of the chair. This will help you avoid slouching or leaning forward.

    Take standing breaks. Stand up and stretch, walk around, do a little exercise, or just stand there for a few minutes. Your body was not designed to sit all day.

     

    Tech Neck Can Become Painful

    Does this sound like you?

    You use a smartphone or tablet a lot. Every day. Sometimes for a few hours or more each time you use them. Maybe you’re texting friends or business associates. Maybe you’re browsing the internet looking for great deals. Maybe you’re exploring new apps. Or maybe you’re using an app to read a book or document. A few hours have passed and you notice a bit of pain behind your eyes. You look away from your device and realize that you have a small headache. Then you raise your head. That’s when you feel the soreness and stiffness. You set aside your phone or tablet and begin to massage your neck as you look up and stretch a bit. When you feel relief, you pick up your phone or tablet and get back to doing what you were doing.

    If this is you, then be very careful. The small soreness and headaches will become much more painful and other symptoms will appear.

    The headache will become unbearable. It will begin at the back of your head and settle behind your eyes and will distract you to the point of not being able to concentrate. You can take aspirin or a pain reliever, but it will be a temporary fix.

    The pain the neck will be more than just a bit of soreness that a hand massage or stretch can relieve. It will become a hot pain that doesn’t go away with a simple massage or even through various stretching techniques. It will actually become more painful as you attempt to stretch it away.

    Your upper back, between your shoulders, will feel very sore and that soreness won’t be relieved with anything less than a deep massage or physical therapy.

    The small of your back will be sore throughout the day, whether you’re on your mobile device or not. Trying to relieve the soreness with a lumbar support or pillow or heating pad may work, but it won’t make the pain go away.

    Another symptom of “tech neck” you aren’t likely prepared for is the numbness and tingling of your fingers. The kind of numbness that really doesn’t go away even after you’ve stopped using your mobile device, massaged and stretched your fingers. This lead directly to loss of strength. Not enough that you can’t hold your mobile device, but enough to not be able to open jars or move stacks of books on your desk. It will be noticeable.

    Prevention begins with awareness. Now that you know what is causing the pain you are experiencing, you can take action to stop it from becoming worse.

    Is Tech Neck Reversible?

    Tech neck is simply the soreness you feel in your neck when you’ve spent too much time looking down at your mobile device. More than just soreness, you may be experiencing actual pain in your neck and upper back. It’s become more common now that smartphones and tablets are used by more people around the world. The soreness and pain can become chronic if not treated, and sometimes require the help of a medical professional and physical therapy.

     

    It can be reversed!

     

    Before it becomes medically necessary to feel relief, you can do a few things yourself to reverse “tech-neck” and the symptoms. These include:

     

    Limit your device usage. It really is that simple. Be aware of how much time you’ve been spending on your device and make a point of setting it aside for a few hours.

     

    Take micro-breaks. Set an alarm on your device for every hour and when it goes off, set the device down and walk away. Take a micro-break of 1-2 minutes. Stretch your body and give your neck a break.

     

    Bruegger’s. This is an exercise you can do during each break you take. Sit at the edge of your seat. Spread your legs hip wide and turn your feet out at a 45-degree angle. Let your arms hang loosely at your side. Have your palms facing forward. Sit up straight in a neutral position (neither leaning forward or backward). Tilt your head back so it is directly over your shoulders (align your head with your neck with your spine). Take 5 deep breaths, slowly inhaling and slowly exhaling. Repeat as needed. Doing this every hour for 1-2 minutes should provide great relief. Make it a habit and you should stop the “tech neck” symptoms.

     

    Neck stretches. Start by relaxing your shoulders and lightly holding on to your thighs or your chair. Tilt your head toward your left shoulder and hold for 15 seconds. Use your hand to gently pull your head toward your shoulder. Let the weight of your head stretch your muscles. Repeat 2 to 4 times toward each shoulder.

     

    Diagonal neck stretch. Turn your head in the direction toward your right. Tilt your head down toward your chest while on a diagonal and hold for 15 seconds. Keep your breathing steady. Do the same as you look toward your left. Repeat 2 to 4 times each side.

     

    Use a Cervical Roll. The neck naturally has a C-shaped curve and it can be flattened or reversed by “tech neck”. A cervical roll is a simple way to get the curve back. Take a small hand towel and roll it lengthwise. Rubber band or tape it to keep the roll tight. Lay on your back on a flat surface and place the roll at the base of your neck. Don’t put it under your head. Relax and rest on the roll for 15 minutes a day.

     

    Get adjusted. Chiropractic adjustments help restore normal joint and skeletal functions, relieving and eliminating muscle tension. Getting a neck adjustment is a simple treatment that will help reverse the effects of “tech neck”.

     

     

    Here’s How You Can Start To Correct Tech Neck

     

    What is “tech neck”?

     

    “Tech neck” is the neck pain and numbness and tingling in the fingers that occur after using a smartphone or computer for an extended period of time. Additional symptoms include headaches and upper back pain.

     

    How does it happen?

     

    The head, when properly aligned with the neck and looking forward, weighs about 10 pounds. The muscles and bones of the neck are easily holding the head and there is no strain on any part of the neck. As you lower your head, such as when looking at the smartphone or tablet, your neck is bending forward and the weight it is holding increases. When looking straight down at your phone or tablet, and your chin is close to your chest, your neck is now holding about 60 pounds of weight. This means that the muscles designed to support 10 pounds are now straining to support 60 pounds.

     

    You can correct “tech neck” with stretches and prevent it by changing some of your current habits when using mobile devices.

     

    Get a pillow. There are neck pillows that you can use to help keep your neck in proper alignment with your body. They look like the travel pillows you may be familiar with – a U or C shaped pillow with more padding at the base of the neck. Used while you’re using your mobile device it will help keep your neck aligned with your body. Used for sleeping, it will help keep your neck in the shape it is meant to be. Either way, relieving the stress and tension will help.

     

    Use a Cervical Roll. The neck, when properly aligned, has a C-shaped curve. It can be flattened or reversed by “tech neck”. A simple way to get the curve back is to use a cervical roll. Take a small hand towel and roll it lengthwise. Rubber band or tape it to keep the roll tight. Lay on your back on a flat surface and place the roll at the base of your neck. Relax and rest on the roll for 15 minutes a day.

     

    Take micro-breaks. Set an alarm on your device for every hour and when it goes off, set the device down and walk away. If you’re sitting, then stand up and stretch your body. Take a break of 1-2 minutes. Stretch your body and give your neck a break. Make this a part of your daily routine.

     

    Neck stretches. Start by relaxing your shoulders and lightly lay your hands on your thighs. Tilt your head toward your left shoulder and hold for 15 seconds. Use your hand to gently pull your head toward your shoulder. Let the weight of your head stretch your muscles. Repeat 2 to 4 times toward each shoulder.

     

    A bit of prevention now will correct any issues you are having with “tech neck”.

     

     

     

    Are You Suffering From Tech Neck Headaches?

     

    A headache is a headache, right?

     

    Did you know that there are 150 types of headaches? They include tension-type headaches, migraines, cluster headaches, sinus headaches, and hormone headaches with each having a list of causes and treatments that work specifically for that type of a headache.

     

    Tension-type headaches are the most common type of a headache among adults and teens. They cause mild to moderate pain and come and go over time and usually have no other symptoms.

     

    Migraines are often, but not always, intense headaches and are described as pounding throbbing pain. They happen often, anywhere from one to four times a month. With the pain there are other symptoms such as sensitivity to light, noise, or smells; nausea and/or vomiting; loss of appetite; and upset stomach or belly pain.

     

    Cluster headaches are intense and feel like a burning or piercing pain behind or around one eye. On the side of the pain the eyelid droops, the eye reddens, the pupil gets smaller. They tend to happen in groups with people getting them one to three times per day with each headache lasting 15 minutes to 3 hours.

     

    So what is a “tech neck” headache?

    “Tech neck” headache falls under the tension headache and is reasonably easy to deal with. The cause of “tech neck” headaches is the strain being placed on the neck muscles as you bend your head forward to look at your mobile device. The headache begins as a dull, aching head pain with a sensation of tightness or pressure across your forehead or on the sides and back of your head, and there may be tenderness on your scalp, neck and shoulder muscles.

    Why do these headaches occur?

    According to Kenneth K. Hansraj, MD, chief of spine surgery at New York Spine Surgery & Rehabilitative Medicine, they happen because of the strain on your neck as you bend your head forward to view your mobile device. When your spine is in a neutral position, with the head aligned with neck and aligned with your spine, the head weighs about 10 pounds. At 15 degrees forward, the neck is now holding 27 pounds. At 45 degrees, it is holding 49 pounds, and at 60 degrees it is holding 60 pounds. That is 60 pounds of weight held by the neck muscles that are meant to hold 10 pounds. That much of a load can do a lot of damage over time.

    If you are experiencing neck soreness with headaches while using your mobile device, now is a good time to take notice and begin taking breaks from your smartphone or tablet. And, to prevent these types of headaches, be aware of your posture, sit or stand straight with your shoulders back while you use your phone.

     

     

     

    Using Yoga To Treat And Prevent Tech Neck

     

    “Tech neck” is a series of aches, pains, and stiffness in the shoulders and neck after working on a smartphone or tablet. It happens because the posture in the upper back and shoulders are hunched forward for long periods of time. Include the chin being just a few inches from the chest and you can see why the muscles in the neck and shoulders feel strained.

     

    Yoga can help counteract these painful symptoms. Here are a few poses to get you started (after you’ve set aside your smartphone or tablet):

     

    Forward Fold With Clasp

     

    • Stand, clasp hands behind back, and inhale deeply to open the chest.
    • On the exhale, relax the knees and fold forward, letting your head fall toward the ground and gently releasing the neck.
    • If you feel comfortable, bend one knee and then the other, getting more into shoulders.
    • Turn head right to left to release neck. Stay here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

     

    Throat Lock

     

    • Kneel with hands lightly resting on thighs.
    • Lift sternum and drop chin lightly, lifting through the top back of the skull as if someone had a string on the back of your neck and was lifting you up.
    • Lengthen through the back of the neck and keep shoulders down.
    • Breathe here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

     

    Camel Pose

     

    • Begin in a kneeling position with hips over and lined up with knees, and weight supported by shins and the tops of feet.
    • Place palms on the lower back, on the triangular bone the two hip bones of the pelvis, draw elbows into one another so that they aren’t winged out.
    • Keep thighs pulled inward and pull shoulder blades toward one another and down back. Look to the ceiling as you lift chest upward.
    • Release hands to heels and arch spine. Tip head back to keep the whole spine in extension.
    • Breathe here for at least 5 deep breaths.

     

    Tips as you get started on the yoga sequence above:

     

    Coordinate your breath with each movement. It should help you feel the movement in your spine, not hinder you or be the entire focus of your attention.

     

    Don’t overdo any of the poses. Be sure that they serve you, not challenge you. Your goal is to use them as a tool to help you release the tension in your back and neck and to treat and prevent “tech neck”.

     

     

     

    How To Prevent Tech Neck Wrinkles

     

    “Tech neck” is the pain and wrinkles that affect your neck thanks to all the time spent on the phone and computer. As you bend your neck to use the phone, tablet, laptop, or other mobile device creased in the neck form and deepen over time.

     

    Though neck wrinkles are normal as you age, they occur earlier when you have bad posture while using technology. The wrinkles appear because the skin on the neck is thinner than the skin on your face. More like the skin around your eyes and this means that when you lean your head forward you are stretching the skin on your neck. The skin doesn’t bounce back and tends to crease.

     

    To prevent these wrinkles from appearing, it is necessary that we have good posture while sitting and standing. In addition, we should be very careful to be actively in good posture while using our mobile devices. This means that our head it to be aligned with our neck which is aligned with our spine. Push the chest forward a bit, lift the chin so that is it parallel to the ground and straighten the back so that the shoulder blades are slightly in line with the hips. You will feel the muscles in your back and neck ease as you slip into a good posture. Now the trick is to keep that good posture throughout the day. Slouching, hunching over mobile devices, and leaning your head forward so that your chin is an inch or so away from your chest will increase the neck wrinkles and muscle tension in your body.

     

    If you currently have neck wrinkles, improve your posture now to prevent them from getting worse. And, know that there are a number of ways to reduce these wrinkles, with lasers and injectables like Botox being a few. A less expensive and easier way is to have a proper skincare routine. A good routine would be to gently exfoliate your neck and upper chest area once a week, followed by a moisturizing mask and a retinol serum, then finished off with a targeted cream made specifically for the neck. Interestingly enough, the way we apply the products can make a difference. It is recommended that we begin at the upper chest, work our way up to the jawline with two hands in a firm upward motion, all the way to the back of the neck. This way we get all of the neck skin.

     

     

  • Mobility Is The Key To Aging Gracefully

    How To Stay Mobile As You Age

    When you were a kid, you bounced out of bed in the morning and ran out the door to play with your friends without a care in the world. No aches, no pains, no worries about being able to run, stretch, reach and no worrying about injuries or if you can achieve some level of physical activity.

    When you were young your bones, ligaments, and muscles were strong and lucid; you were flexible and never worried about falling and breaking a leg or having trouble getting up out of the chair.

    You can choose to accept the inevitable and deal with it or you can take preventative action to strengthen your body and mind to maintain or even improve your mobility as you age. As always, the choice is yours.

    As you age your body becomes weaker; bones are less dense, tendons and ligaments naturally lose their elasticity, the mind loses its sharpness, balance and coordination dwindle, and your aches and pains become more prominent.

    Exercise Every Day

    Fitness experts report that just 15 minutes per day of exercise will help decrease the mobility issues that go hand in hand with aging. There’s no excuse to not go for a walk, bike ride, swim, hike, or tend to your garden or play a round of golf. Figure out something physical you enjoy and get to it!

    Strength Training

    WebMD reminds us that as we age our muscle naturally breaks down; which weakens the body and decreases mobility. Just 15 minutes 3 times a week of weight training or strength training will counter the aging process and build your body stronger and more agile.

    Daily Stretching

    If you snooze, you lose! There’s no way around this one, if you don’t actively make a point of taking 5-10 minutes to work on your stretching each day, you’re ligaments will shorten and your muscles and joints will get tight. This will leave you stiff, sore, and less mobile. Prevention is everything. Stretching on a regular basis helps you loosen your joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, increasing your range of motion and strengthening your mobility. Be sure to warm up with a quick walk or even a few squats in place, just to get the blood flowing, before you start stretching. This will decrease your risk of injury.

    Exercise While You Sit

    Even if you don’t have very good balance and already have limited mobility, you can still get that cardio exercise in. You can exercise while sitting down in a chair to help improve your mobility and overall health and wellness.

    Reach Up High Over Your Head And Down To Your Toes

    An excellent way to start your day the second you step out of your bed in the morning is to stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent, while reaching as high as you can above your head. Then slowly reach down as far as you can towards your toes.

    Sign Up For A Yoga Class

    Yoga is fantastic for strengthening the body and improving mobility; and you can have fun doing it at any age. Yoga is a low impact, safe and effective way to keep your body limber and agile for life.

    Aqua-Fit Classes Are Excellent

    The advantage to exercising in the pool is you have zero stress on your joints. In addition, the natural resistance of the water gives you both the cardio and muscle building exercise. Exactly what you need to strengthen your heart, improve balance, and of course improve motility.

    Get A Massage

    Targeted massage therapy remobilizes the body. By relaxing your muscles, you reduce tension you give your muscle and ligaments more elasticity, and your joints more flex or range of motion.

    Go See A Physiotherapist

    A physio specialist can assess your body motion and provide suggestions and exercises to help you deal with mobility issues and improve and strengthen your body as a whole.

    Do Squats

    Bodybuilding.com trainers say that when performed correctly, squats will increase your mobility, longevity, range of motion, and flexibility. Make sure you have an experienced trainer show you how to perform them correctly to avoid injury. Even if you have a chronic knee or hip injury, you can do a modified squat that is still beneficial.

    Go Swimming

    When you swim, you’re removing the stress on your joints, lessening pain and making it easier to challenge your range of motion and mobility. Even just slipping into the pool and swimming a few laps is better than nothing.

    Get A Trainer

    If you want to stay mobile as you age it’s well worth your while to invest in a personal trainer. This just means you know they will keep you on track and they can set up a program that suits your preferences and tolerances. You’ll never get bored and because you’ve got your trainer to answer to you will always have an inspiring measurement tool to make sure you stick with the program.

    Soak In A Hot Tub

    When you heat your body, you naturally relax your muscles and joints; they become softer and less brittle. This of course eases aches, pains, and makes it easier for you to stretch and test your mobility without straining yourself. Make sure to get your doctor’s approval before using hot tubs.

    Go In The Steam Room Or Sauna

    The same thing applies to the steam room or sauna. A great stress reliever in particular for sore muscles after a workout, giving your muscles a jumpstart for repairing and gaining strength. Just make sure you don’t ever stay in longer than 15 minutes at a time just to be safe, and ask your doctor if saunas are safe for you.

    Go Dancing

    Dancing is fun and it gets you moving in a relaxed atmosphere. Having fun socially while you are challenging your mobility is an awesome way to decrease your age-related aches and pains and test your limitations mobility-wise.

    Have A Drink

    This doesn’t mean you should go get drunk, but studies show having a glass of wine with dinner releases endorphins and gives you that “feel good feeling,” increasing the chances you’ll get more active. Not to mention having a drink is usually part of a social engagement; which means it’s giving you a reason to get up off the couch and move it!

    Play With Your Kids Or Grandkids –

    An excellent way to have fun while getting sore and stiff joints moving is to play a game of soccer or ball with your kids or grandkids. Kids are loaded with energy and letting some of it brush off on you is only going to help you strengthen your mobility to build your body and mind stronger.

    Reach Up For That Top Shelf

    You may be hesitant to reach up for that bowl on the top shelf just because you feel some tightness when you do. Newsflash – If you don’t reach for it, you are only going to feel more pain and tightness over time. You have to mentally challenge yourself to reach a little bit further each time in order to increase your mobility and decrease your pain associated with it. In other words it won’t’ go away on its own.

    Always Change Up Your Exercise Routine

    Diversity is king when it comes to keeping your mind and body agile and alive. If you are bored, you’re much less likely to get moving. Make a conscious decision to change up your exercise routine so you are never stuck in a rut or plateau.

    Challenge Yourself

    You know your limitations and if you don’t set your thinking to always challenge yourself you will lose your mobility faster that you should. If you normally walk for 30 minutes a day try adding 5 minutes on or increasing your pace. If you normally hire someone to cut your lawn, why don’t you try doing it yourself? Your only limitations are the ones you create.

    Record It

    Seeing is believing. A natural tool of inspiration is to record all your accomplishments so you can look back on them to actually see how far you’ve come. Psychology.com experts report this is an invaluable tool in the name of health and wellness.

    Lift Soup Cans

    What many people don’t realize is you can work on your mobility and motility by using items around the house. When you’re in the kitchen waiting for the water to boil you can use two soup cans to do bicep curls. This is helping you gain strength and build muscle, which in turn supports improved mobility.

    Have More Sex

    The health benefits of having more sex are truly incredible, from boosting immune system function and energy, to strengthening your mind, confidence, and ability to get moving. Sex is a physical act, which means when you are having sex you are indeed improving your mobility.

    Get A Dog

    Experts report that seniors who own a pet can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, increase social interaction, and improve strength and mobility, not to mention the mental stimulation.

    Join Walking/Biking/Running/Hiking Group

    By committing to some sort of activity group, you are increasing the odds you will get more activity in your life. Studies show when people interconnect the social with the physical, the results are more positive and longer lasting.

    Volunteer At A Local Hospital

    When you make the time to help a good cause, you naturally feel obligated to step up to the plate, rather than just sit at home and do nothing. Working as a runner at the hospital is a great way to get more exercise into you day by running errands around the hospital and taking patients to different procedures.

    Focus On Improving Balance

    Having confidence in your ability to not tip over is ultra-critical in ensuring you don’t try to convince yourself to take the “safe” route and just stay put. That’s one of the worst moves you can make. There are all sorts of safe exercise you can practice to strengthen your balance, improve coordination and make it easier for you to get more active.

    Use Walker/Cane When Necessary

    If you already have mobility issues, it’s a good idea to make sure you use your walker or can when you need it. This means you aren’t using your limitations as an excuse not to get up and move. If you need your cane to stabilize yourself while you get the mail then use it. That’s a much better choice than not going at all

    Invest In A Walking Stick

    There’s no doubt that the older we get the less stable we are on our feet. Therefore, if you do a lot of walking it’s always a good idea to use a walking stick just to ensure you don’t lose your balance and crash. This is also a peace of mind that encourages you to walk more.

    Lose Weight

    When you lose weight, you are naturally increasing energy and decreasing the tremendous stress on your joints. Studies show by losing just 5% of your body weight you will increase mobility and decrease your risk of developing serious disease like heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

    Do More Things Yourself

    The only activities you really can’t do are the ones you choose not to do. Where there’s a will there’s a way, an oldie but a goodie. Perhaps you have a cleaner that comes in once a week to do all your cleaning. Maybe you should try having her come once every two weeks so you can do some of the cleaning on your own? Maybe you should tend to the garden instead of hiring someone else to do it for you? Things to think about when you are looking for ways to improve your quality of life by improving your mobility.

    Get Good Quality Shoes

    One of the worst things you can do for yourself is walk around in cheap shoes with no support. This places unnecessary stress on your joints, making it uncomfortable for you to get active. Get yourself a really good pair of shoes and it may even be worth your while to get a pair of orthopedic shoes, something important to think about.

    Eat Healthy

    Doctors from WebMD report that eating a healthy diet full of fresh veggies and fruits, lean protein, and complex carbs will help to support optimal health, increased energy, and improved mobility. Moreover, what many people don’t understand is that lack of fluid intake or dehydration is often prevalent in people with decreased mobility. Usually this is because it may be troublesome to go to the washroom. All this does is steal your energy and ability to move around, which naturally decreases overall mobility. Drink 6-8 glasses of water EVERY day to ensure you give your body and mind the power to improve mobility.

    Get Your Eyes Checked

    If you can’t see then you aren’t going to be moving around much. Have your eyes checked regularly and if you need glasses get them. This is going to remove the stress of falling or bumping into something and give you confidence to consciously and persistently work on your mobility.

    Take Action To Prevent Falls

    If you are a little unsteady on your feet, make sure you take action to stop an accident from happening. Install handrails if necessary around your house to start. If you need a cane or walker to inspire you to walk then get one. Do whatever it takes to set yourself up for confident success in moving around as much as you can.

    Stay Positive

    Age is just a number – mind over matter. Research shows the power of positive thinking is invaluable in the big picture of life. If you let your age get you depressed and feeling sorry for yourself, then you’re much less likely to focus on staying active, which prevents all possibilities of improving your mobility.

    Challenge Yourself But Acknowledge Your Limitations

    It’s always good to push yourself outside of your comfort zone but on the flip side, it’s essential that you know when to stop. Too much too soon can lead to serious injury. If you normally walk for an hour each day and want to do more, add an extra 5 minutes each day instead of 30 minutes. Work your walk up slowly to your new goal. Slow and steady truly does win the race. Always ask your doctor before starting any exercise to be sure it is a good fit.

    Strength Train At Any Age

    Lifting weights at any age is a good move. In order to combat natural imitations age puts on your body; muscle and bone loss and decreased joint strength and mobility, you need to build new muscle. By implementing regular strength training into you day you are setting yourself up for long-term improved mobility and overall better health. Just 15 minutes per day, 3 days a week, makes a huge difference. There are also many strength training chair exercises available.

    Play With Your Grandkids Kids help us stay active because they are so naturally, make sure to have those grandkids over as much as possible and they will keep you on your toes and physically active for hours.

    Join A Different Exercise Club Each Month

    When you challenge your body and mind, you are renewing your investment in great health. This also inspires you to take action to naturally trick your body and mind into new physical challenges. If your body and mind know your routine by memory, you’re going to decrease your overall benefits. Change is good on all levels, particularly when it comes to strengthening mobility.

    Cut Your Own Grass

    This is an easy one. Even if you just do the trimming, you are making a point of actively challenging your body to improve your range of motion and that will serve you well down the road.

    Don’t Sit For Long Periods Of Time

    When you sit for long periods of time, particularly when you’re older, you start to seize up and the longer you set the less mobile you become. Make a point of getting up out of your chair every 5 or 10 minutes to go for a quick walk or to do some stretching. Just make sure you are never stuck in one place for long periods of time.

    Exercise While Sitting Down/Watching T.V.

    Believe it or not you can be lazy and still active. When you’re sitting down to watch your favorite show make sure you do some simple exercises. Something as simple as shoulder rolls or reaching down and touching your toes is only going to help!

    Park Further Away From Destination

    If you park right beside the entrance to the grocery store, you make it easy. However, if you make a point of parking a few blocks away from your destination and walking the rest of the way, you force yourself to put in the extra effort. Little bits add up. Start small and work your way up.

    Use Stairs

    Escalators and elevators are lazy, when you can take the stairs just you get your body moving that little bit extra. It may take you a few minutes longer but that’s a few very important minutes invested in your long-term good health.

    Get Dropped Off Further Away

    If you don’t drive and normally are dropped off to do errands, ask to be dropped off a little bit further away from your intended destination. This forces you to challenge yourself physically and improve your mobility in the process.

    Book A Trip With Lots Of Activity

    Everyone needs a vacation from time to time and when you book your next trip make sure it’s chalk full of activities. What this is going to do is give your mind and body many opportunities to get up off your butt and move. You snooze you lose! Sign yourself up for a walking, hiking, or biking tour and you’re off on the right foot.

    Get A Good Night’s Sleep

    Sleep is the cornerstone to great long-term health. Your body needs adequate time each night to shut down and recharge, according to sleep experts at Psychology Today. When you get good rest, you have more energy and focus and this does wonders when it comes to strengthening your mobility.

    Get Creative Throughout The Day

    If you consciously remind yourself to work on mobility each day, you will. Look around you and think of ways you can get more active and strengthen your body and mind to better stand the test of time. Take a few extra trips up and down the stairs to do laundry. It doesn’t hurt to run the vacuum through the house twice. In addition, when you are cooking you can incorporate some light exercises like squats, lunges, and overhead presses, to make the most of your time. It all helps!

    Do Not Stop

    Even on days that you are tired it’s very important to do at least 10 minutes of exercise. Something is always better than nothing!

    Improving your mobility as you age is all about creating that conscious desire to continuously work at it. When you mentally acknowledge the benefits of your actions you are increasing the odds tremendously that you’ll stick with it and continue to look for ways to decrease your aches and pains and increase your flexibility, ability, mobility, and desire to get more active.

     

Copyright @ 2017 DrCurtisMcElroy