WHAT ABOUT PAIN?

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WHAT ABOUT PAIN?

Most of us have a perverse relationship with pain -- any kind of pain – back pain, shoulder pain, knee pain, or neck pain.  If we have it, we don’t want it and we do any number of things to get it to go away – prescription or non-prescription drugs, lifts, braces, wraps, and even surgery – all because we don’t understand pain.

If we can look at pain for what it is – the body’s message system – then we can listen to what message the body is sending us.  So what is the quality of the pain you feel?  Is it the sharp, knife like, electric white-hot kind?  Oh yeah, you have to stop whatever your doing and find a new position and placement.  That kind of pain is the fire alarm so to speak.  But if it’s not that sharp electric kind of pain, if we can look it in the eye, we can learn a great deal about our bodies.  Is it there all the time or can you adjust your position and see it increase or decrease?  Does it come in the morning upon waking or later when you’re tired?  Does it occur while moving and doing things or when you’re more static?  What brings this pain on and can you get it to decrease?

A common mistake we make around pain is to use it as the only measure that we’re doing better when it is only one way of measuring how we’re doing.  Typically, pain is the last thing to change so it’s not the best measure, just the one we want to see the most!  The pain will go away when the body is able to maintain a more equal, bilateral, symmetrical position.   That means you have to start developing your “kinesthetic awareness” – sensing, feeling our bodies from the inside out – which is not something we are encouraged to do in our culture!

As a posture exercise therapist, if I can get you to think about something other than your pain, we’ve made a giant step forward toward getting you better.  To practice kinesthetic awareness, ask yourself these questions:  Where do you feel the weight in your feet?  Is the weight equal left to right or different?  Is it more in the heels or balls of the feet? Is it more toward the arch or little toes?  If you stand with your toes together and heels apart with your legs really straight does that change anything or can you feel what changed?  If you do several exercises and walk around again can you feel what has changed?  Can you feel the position of your shoulders in relation to the rest of you?  Is your head in line with your shoulders and spine or is it more forward?  Can you feel your body with your body (hence, the kinesthetic part) or do you have to look in a mirror to tell (more visual)?  The imbalances you discover and feel in your body can be corrected.  The pain you feel from the imbalance can be alleviated.  It’s what we do at Pain Free.

So, while pain is an important sensation and a clue to misalignment it should not frighten us, but put us on the path to understanding the message.   Acknowledging the pain and correcting the muscle imbalances will stop the pain.  Listening to our pain rather than automatically stopping it with medication or procedures will help us make the necessary changes to live pain free.  At Pain Free Performance we will give you the tools to do just that. 

In good health,

Mackie

What Is Pain Free Performance?

We are a community of people who all share the same vision.  Following our purpose - caring for people - alleviating pain. We are people of integrity, we're smart, trained and experienced - you are in good hands - we know what we're doing.  When it comes to Egoscue centered postural therapy we are the real deal. We practice a sound  evidence based approach that has been helping people get out of pain for over 42 years: Egoscue in it's pure form.

We believe in getting back to the basic design  intended for the human body - your body. It's not about a quick fix, it's a journey to living pain free by restoring muscle balance. It's not something that we do to you - there is some work involved , but it's good work.

People come to us because they  have heard from a friend or a health care provider that we really get to the why of what is hurting you. From the moment you walk through our door you will experience the difference in our approach to treatment.  You will be greeted with a smile, compassion and understanding along with exceptional postural therapy. Our approach is very different.... in fact many things about us are different. We have made a conscious choice to resist the latest trends, current frenzied marketing approaches, credit cards and the traditional medical office experience.  Yes, we are a professional pain management clinic. However, we are care-givers who will be spending a lot of time with you , focused on your body, your alignment, alleviating your pain -- giving you the tools to get back to your life.    

Our true purpose is to guide your body back to your original design.  It's not about orthotics, back braces, medications, injections or surgery.  It's about teaching you how to undo all that has happened in your body due to the world we live in.  Sitting in the car for hours, or just sitting for hours, leaning over while we work, breaking a bone or two, that bad accident, inactivity, overuse - these things wreck havoc on that "original design". All of these things have contributed to your pain.. Our passion is to teach you  how to re-educate your muscles to put your body back in alignment.

Our door is always open.  Please feel free to stop by, get a tour, meet our staff and see what we are all about. We look forward to meeting you.

In Good Health,

Cindy, Lisa, Mackie and Kat

WE ARE POSTURE PEOPLE!

AT PAIN FREE PERFORMANCE WE ARE POSTURE PEOPLE!  My name is Mackie Boblette and I have spent the last eighteen years helping people restore their posture.  What does that mean?   Are your feet/ankles, knees, hips and shoulders in a straight line and at 90 degree angles?  If not, getting your body aligned in that way is our goal.

Folks come to me everyday with some kind of pain -  which is a symptom.  I want to be very clear -- your pain is not the problem!  Your pain is the body's way of telling you something is not working.  I simply serve as a translator and guide to help you understand what your body is trying to tell you.  So the pain (symptom) is not the focus but it is a clue as to what isn't working and what exercises I may or may not be able to give you to do.  Your symptom gives me the parameters of where we can start working.

For instance, let's take a look at low back pain.  Low back pain occurs mainly because the two halves of the pelvis are torqued, elevated and/or twisted. This means that all the muscles in your back are going to be bearing the brunt of this misalignment - and creating pain. You can take meds, heat treatments, massage and even have surgery but unless you get the the two halves of the pelvis back to being equal and symmetrical, the other treatments will only be a temporary help for the symptom, not the permanent resolution which is an aligned body. 

It's not too late - it's never too late to make a change (unless you're underground and not breathing!) .  Give us a call at 434-296-0600 and let us help you regain your posture and relieve your pain.

I have shoulder pain.....Why are you working on my hips???

When a client comes into Pain Free for an Egoscue session, the therapist will look at the position of the bones. We evaluate:

1. head position
2. neck position
3. shoulder position
4. hip position
5. leg position
6. foot position

Why does this matter?

You can have back pain that comes from a misalignment somewhere else in the body.  You can have shoulder pain that comes from hips that are misaligned.  You can have neck pain that comes from your back being flexed forward.  You can have any number of combinations of imbalances causing pain somewhere else in your body. The point is,  focusing on the area of pain will help treat the symptom but it will not treat the real problem.

I have a client who has right shoulder pain.  He exercises all the time.  He bikes, runs, swims and lifts weights.  He is really fit, however on examination, his head is forward, his shoulders are rounded, his hips are tight, his legs and feet turn outward.

If he had come to see me several years ago when I was working in physical therapy, I would have treated the heck out of his shoulder --therapeutic massage, electrical stim, ultra sound,etc.-----and when he left my clinic, he'd have felt better -- until the next day or the next week or month when the pain returned.  I treated the symptom without addressing the cause of the symptom.

Today, evaluating my client using the Egoscue method, I know that the posterior tilt in his pelvis is driving his back into flexed position which is causing his shoulders to round forward.  Every time he lifts his arm he has muscles that are already being pulled , then they pull even more and his shoulder joint does not line up causing uneven wear in the joint - which causes the pain. To correct his shoulder problem ... I have to get his hips to line up and then get the flexion out of his back.

So when a client asks why are you working on my hips when my shoulder hurts????  The answer.... It's all connected!

New Years Resolution

So..... it's almost February and most of us have decided we should eat right and exercise more now that the holiday binge season is over!  That is all well and good - but be cautious.

If you go to the gym and are weight training a body that is out of alignment then you are setting yourself up for an injury.  How, you ask?  Well ... if a body has muscle imbalances then some muscles are working harder than they were designed to and other muscles are not working hard enough.  When you go to use the weights, the stronger muscles will do more work than the weaker ones and in the long run you end up strengthening the dysfunction.   The result will be back pain, neck and shoulder pain or a million other pains that you were really working to avoid! While weight training has many benefits...you need to GET STRAIGHT ... THEN STRENGTHEN. 

The best way to do this is to have an evaluation by one of our Egoscue therapists.  Let us determine where and why the imbalances are in your body,  correct them so that you can go to the gym and exercise a functional body - pain free!  The Egoscue Method works..... we are offering free screens this month.  Call us to get scheduled.  434-296-0600

NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN RELIEF!!!

Is your neck and shoulder pain becoming debilitating?  Perhaps you are constantly twisting your your head side to side, shrugging your shoulders, trying to find a neutral position to take you out of pain.  Maybe you try to stand up straighter, you get your spouse to rub your shoulders at the end of a long day, you take an Advil (or three), and it all helps - for a little while.  The next morning you have the same pain and you start all over again.  You wonder what you "did" that made you hurt.  Did you lift something too heavy, twist a funny way, reach for something, or was it sitting hunched over at your desk all day?  Most likely, even if one of these scenarios brought on your current discomfort, the real answer is found in one word:  balance, or in this case, imbalance!  Not the kind that the gymnast shows while traversing a balance beam, but the balance in your musculo-skeletal system, the alignment of your body.

How do you restore balance to your body and relieve your pain?  The Egoscue Method.  Pete Egoscue developed this method as a result of pain he suffered with after serving our country in Vietnam.  He was unable to find anything but temporary relief through typical channels; doctor visits, medication, traditional hands-on symptom based treatments.  Sound familiar? 

Egoscue began thinking about the actual cause of his pain and determined that if the body is  aligned properly, it becomes pain free.  He also created this method to be a self-treatment approach -- empowering all of us to keep our bodies in optimal alignment and function!

So, what is the Egoscue Method?  It is a series of positions, stretches and strengthening exercises that help reposition and realign your musculo-skeletal system.  This allows the load-bearing joints to line up along the line of gravity.  After a thorough evaluation by a trained Egoscue Certified therapist you are prescribed personalized programs for your body issues.   You actually train your body to rest in vertical alignment.  So, like breathing, you don't have to think about standing up straight or moving a certain way -- you just do!   As your body becomes aligned,  your pain subsides. 

If you'd like to learn more, give us a call at 434-296-0600!  We even have  free screening appointments available if you'd like to see our studio space, meet us and learn more about Egoscue!

In Good Health,

Cindy Meyers    

TREATMENT FOR BACK PAIN

If you have suffered through a severe back spasm you know just how excruciating back pain can be! Treatment for back pain usually takes you to the doctor to get muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatory medications and perhaps a referral for physical therapy, massage or chiropractic.  I know..... I spent years in physical therapy treating patients with back pain using hands-on techniques, exercises and other treatments.  Don't get me wrong... I am not against taking appropriate medication or having hands-on work directly on your symptom.  The problem with that approach is that you never correct the actual underlying cause of the back pain. The real cause of back pain; neck and shoulder pain; hip pain or most muscle pain is musculoskeletal imbalance in the body.

Our muscles are designed to do a certain job.  When muscles are out of balance,  some muscles are working too hard (causing them to get over-developed, tight and painful) and other muscles get weak.  These imbalances can pull our bones out of alignment and cause wear and tear on our joints. So what is the best treatment for back pain, neck and shoulder pain; hip pain or any muscle pain?  The Egoscue Method!  

The Egoscue Method focuses on muscle imbalance. Sometimes where you hurt isn't why you hurt.  Let me give you one example (out of 100's of possibilities) of how misaligned hips can cause back pain!  Let's say you sit all day at the computer. This causes the hip muscles to shorten and get tight.  These hip flexor muscles are now pulling the pelvis  into a tipped forward position.  Now, every time you get up and walk, the changed pelvic position causes the muscles of the buttocks and the back of the thighs to become weaker, creating imbalance. This imbalance pulls the low back  into a swayed position, the leg bones and feet are pulled outward  and the upper back will eventually round forward pulling  the head and shoulders along with it. The result?  Back pain!

The good news is you can bring your body back into balance by doing corrective exercises that will allow your injuries to heal.  The key to the Egoscue Method begins with a thorough evaluation of your body.  By examining photos, looking at the way you move and function,  we can determine which muscles are too tight and which ones are too weak.  This gives us the information about your body to design corrective exercises to restore your body to proper alignment.  The result?  Improved function, and NO PAIN!

What a better way to start your New Year than being Pain Free!  

In Good Health,

Cindy Meyers

P.S.  --Give me a call @ 434-296-0600 and learn more about how we can help you

Meet Kat Drageo

December 21
Early morning, no one else awake... and visions of sugarplums ricochet in my head...... how do I make everything happen AGAIN this year?  Unable to face the complexity of the next three days, I focus on how I will fit exercise into my schedule today.  At 53 this has become a non-negotiable.... some sweat and some Egoscue are daily essentials.  I'd love to get to a class at the gym, but a 20 minute In-The-Basement-Workout is more likely what will develop.

Good enough.

Fitness passion came upon me thirty years ago, after the birth of my first child.  Once baby daughter was tucked into her crib (with the indispensable Hug-A-Bear) I would gratefully head out for an hour of good old aerobics.  Slippery Keds on the linoleum of an elementary school cafeteria.

Since then I have had the deep pleasure of immersing myself in the world of fitness, deepening my knowledge and developing a career in group exercise, personal training and (la piece de la resistance) Egoscue therapy.  This January I will be bringing my love for and experience with these different dimensions of fitness to Pain Free Performance with special week-end classes.  Check back with the blog next week for specific details about these week-end opportunities:   Primitive Patterns, Week-End Workout, and Home Gym.

I'd like to know what kinds of workouts you have loved, valiantly endured or wished you could find.  Please feel free to add your perspectives and experiences on  the blog!

Talk to you soon.

Kat

Mackie is Egoscue's SPOTLIGHT of the month!

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Would you like to be featured in Student Spotlight? Contact the University. [ View Archive ] Mackie Boblette Having studied and worked for many years in dance and theatre, yoga, Laban Movement Analysis, Pilates and massage, when I discovered Pete's book Egoscue Method of Health Through Motion, I was delighted and intrigued. Finally, a straight forward book about health through movement. My intrigue took me to San Diego to learn more about the method and so began an amazing journey that continues today. I had the great fortune of beginning to learn the Method firsthand through on-the-job training at the San Diego clinic which at that time was the only clinic. Pete soon published his book Pain Free and word started to spread, friend to friend, family to family. We then began monthly travel trips to several cities to attempt to stay as close as possible to our clients. Realizing we could not reach everyone, Egoscue University was formed to teach all who were interested in the Method and enlist them to help empower their clients, friends and families to take ownership of their health and healing. For the last eighteen years I have had the honor, privilege and blessing to be a part of this amazing and wonderful process of growing a world-wide Egoscue community that enlivens and empowers our fellow man to live life without limitation. There have been challenges and trials of all sorts, but more importantly there has been a truly phenomenal amount of joy and laughter, learning and growth and love and trust as clients became friends and even family. What an inspiration to be able to witness and experience this kind of heartfelt connection between people. Growth requires willingness to change and my newest path leads me back to the land of my grandfathers where I work with a wonderful team of Egoscue affiliates at Pain Free Performance in Charlottesville, Virginia. I am excited to share my experiences with my colleagues and this new community as each encounter with clients brings an opportunity to continue learning and sharing more about the impact of posture on our well being.

Pain Free Performance Testimonial from Andrew Boninti

Here is the link for our latest testimonial and recent local commercial...  Enjoy!

WELLNESS RETREAT ...A GREAT SUCCESS !

A huge THANK YOU to all of the participants and practitioners that joined us at Montfair Resort Farm for a day of WELLNESS!

It never ceases to amaze us  how many gifted practitioners we have working in Charlottesville and the surrounding areas. 

Our day started with an Egoscue class to bring our bodies into proper alignment.  This was followed by a Restorative Yoga session.   After we were aligned and stretched,  various gifted practitioners shared information about their specific treatment techniques.  These  included Acupuncture, Chiropractic Care, Craniosacral Therapy,  Tai Massage,  Structural Integration, Acupressure and  MELT (myofascial elongation). 

We enjoyed a healthy lunch followed by some time to visit and enjoy the beauty of the surroundings.
The picture above is from our  experience  of Tai Chi in the great outdoors.  We followed this with a session on self hypnosis.  After everyone was aligned, stretched, fed and filled  with the peace of meditation,  we had the opportunity to experience a variety of hands on work.

                                                               An incredible day! 

CINDY GETS MELT CERTIFIED

What is M.E.L.T ??    
Six years ago everyone was asking......

"What is Egoscue"??   Well.... Here I go again....

In my quest for understanding all that I can to empower my clients with tools that will offer them the best care possible, I discovered a method called MELT. This stands for Myofascial Energetic Length Technique. This technique involves the connective tissue in our body.

What exactly is connective tissue?

If you ever pulled the skin off of a piece of chicken before you cooked it, you will see a thin, white sheath...that is connective tissue. And as our manager so kindly pointed out... vegetarians can think of peeling an orange and seeing the protective coating over the fruit as the connective tissue. Connective tissue covers every cell, nerve, muscle, bone and organ in our bodies.

When the connective tissue becomes dehydrated, it loses its buoyancy and can no longer do its job to support and protect our muscles and joints. In addition, the nervous system becomes over-stressed and the tissues cannot act as a communication network. That leaves you with tissue that is now bound down to the muscles and a nervous system that stays in a state of "dis-ease" (meaning the body can't rest). When you go to move, the muscles still move but the connective tissue is pulled causing that stiff/painful feeling.

When you MELT you push fluid back into the tissue and your proprioception (how your body senses its enviornment) improves. At PAIN FREE PEFORMANCE, we are combining MELT with Egoscue to enhance the body's ability to RESTORE POSTURE.... CREATE BALANCE....LIVE PAIN FREE!

We are offering a MELT class on Wednesdays at noon... come try it out. If you want to learn more feel free to call me at 434-296-0600

WELCOME MACKIE

Mackie Boblette joined Pain Free Performance in July 2011.  He was trained 17 years ago by Pete Egoscue and worked at the main Egsocue headquarters for 15 years before running the Egoscue Franchise in Chicago.   If you are considering the Egoscue Method for the first time or have been using the method for years, you will benefit from Mackie's insights and depth of experience.

WELLNESS RETREAT DAY

Saturday, October 22, 2011

MONTFAIR RESORT FARM- CROZET, VIRGINIA

Please join us in an awesome opportunity to experience WELLNESS!  We all know that it takes more than trying to eat healthy and tossing in a little exercise….WELLNESS is a combination of body, mind and spirit.   We are so fortunate in this community to have so many experienced practitioners who are passionate about improving our health and wellness. We are joining together to create an experience you will never forget!  Energize your body, mind and spirit while you enjoy a fun-filled day surrounded by panoramic mountain views.

9:00 am           We will begin with an  EGOSCUE exercise class:  a gentle yet powerful way to restore muscle balance throughout the body, improve alignment and posture.

10:00 am         RESTORATIVE YOGA  will  include graceful movement patterns to restore core strength and muscle balance.

11:00 am         BODY WORK EDUCATION:  Learn about various techniques including  Massage, Schatz Technique, Structural Integration,   Rolfing, Cranio-sacral therapy,  Zero-balancing,  Chiropractic Care, Muscle Elongation Therapy (MELT),  Acupuncture,  Acupressure,  Cranio-Sacral therapy, Reflexology.

12:00 noon     HEALTHY COOKING DEMO and lunch provided by an experienced nutritionist!

2:00 pm           TAI CHI:  an introduction to the martial arts characterized by soft, flowing movements of the torso and arms coordinated with weight shifts and balance.

3:00 pm           MEDITATION:  learn the benefits of self hypnosis and meditation

4:00- 5:30 pm  BODY WORK EXPERIENCE :  Sample “hands on” work for your body with the

                                                                         techniques noted above.

5:30                 Wine Tasting at White Hall Vineyards for those who would like to join!

COST:  $75 (includes lunch)                             RSVP:  PAIN FREE PERFORMANCE:  434-296-0600

Space is limited                                                  email:  painfree@painfreeperformance.org

Pain Free Performance adds Kat Draego to the staff

"the tower"

The Supine Groin Exercise often uses a piece of equipment called "the tower".  This particular exercise creates powerful changes throughout the body.  It will help restore your alignment and help to retrain your gait pattern.


here's a helpful video that further explains what the tower is and how it works!

http://www.youtube.com/egoscuesd#p/a/u/2/zBSeycBZ9V8

e-cise of the day!

This e-cise is almost everyone's favorite. it's simple and is called Static Back:

Find your favorite couch or ottoman, and put your legs up so that the hips and knees are at 90 degrees.
Notice where the back of your head contacts the floor, take note if your shoulders are resting comfortably on the floor or are they rounded forward.  Is your low back touching the floor?   After about 5 min., notice if anything feels different........  This exercise begins the realignment of the shoulder girdle with the pelvis. 

Kean

This post is neither Pain Free nor Egoscue related.

We would simply like to share a photo with you that made us feel proud, touched and honored.

This is one of our clients. His name is Kean. Each time Kean comes into the office, he brings us gifts. Be it flowers, fresh apple cider or even jelly beans, Kean's gifts are reflective of his big ole heart. Kean is holding a photo of his son, also named Kean, who is serving our country overseas. We would like to honor both Keans for serving us as individuals and as a country.

Both of these men enrich and inspire our lives.

Gumby does Egoscue

As you can see, Gumby did static back this morning:

He also practiced his assisted hip lifts:

We have fun here at Pain Free Performance. You should come visit!

Why do so many suffer from back pain???

Here is an article from Egoscue.com on how our backs work, and how we can ease our bodies into a more natural (and less painful) posture while still being productive:

Lower Back Pain Relief

The symptoms of back pain can vary from low grade aches to full blown back spasms.  The urgency to solve the back pain consumes your life and drastic treatment procedures are pursued without a second thought.  Anyone who has suffered through a severe back spasm knows how excruciating it really is.  These spasms are so intense it seems this kind of pain is in a class of its own.

This type of pain is so unbearable that it has been known to prevent people from being able to think straight.  One of the best ways to treat back pain is to stop it before it happens and when it does happen, find a way to break the spasm before it accelerates to full blown.  The best way to prevent back pain without drugs, surgery or manipulation is knowing the correct way to exercise and function in every day life. 

When you know what the cause of your pain is, only then will you have the ability to know how to prevent it.  Keeping your body healthy and flexible is key, it’s all about knowing how to take care of yourself.  Proper nutrition helps in the flexibility of muscles and allows them to heal faster should they get pulled or torn.  Also, certain stretching techniques and having proper posture while exercising is essential to preventing back spasms and residual pain.

For those who suffer from degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, spinal fusions or scoliosis embody the symptoms of a chronic condition.  Sufferers can help their conditions by focusing attention on the muscles involved in stabilizing the body’s skeleton.  These very important muscles should be kept strong, flexible and balanced in all movements.

The spinal column is composed of 33 individual vertebrae, stacked one on top of one another, and threaded with the spinal cord.  The spine can be looked at as the drive shaft as its unique shape allows the body to pull off extraordinary balancing acts on a daily basis.  However, the muscles are also essential, not only to retain the spine’s shape but to hold it erect.  Conversely, inactive, atrophied, and compensating muscles alter the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spinal curves.  Over time in the body’s improper movement and malnourished lifestyles, the magical S-Curve diminishes, taking with it the spine’s flexibility, load-bearing strength and shock-absorbing capacity.

Abandoned by the muscles, and losing the integrity of its curves, the spine is at the mercy of gravity.  Rigidity sets in and the body does what it does best and protects itself by throwing the muscles into contraction.  Eventually, the spine reaches its limits and it begins to stiffen the posture in a compromised flexion position.  The result is chronic back pain; the cure is proper nutrition and knowing your body’s limits. 

Don’t push yourself; if something’s too heavy than don’t lift it; if you feel yourself experiencing pain while sitting at your desk everyday, adjust your surroundings.  Make sure your chair is properly positioned so your elbows are at a 90 degree angle on the desk and your eyes are parallel with the computer screen.  These small gestures can go a long way in preventing future chronic back lower back pain.  

this article is from http://www.egoscue.com/about/articles.php