What to do about it, X-rays and MRIs can tell you what condition you have, but not why you have the condition. They cannot they tell you the strength or the flexibility of a muscle. They cannot tell you why your pelvis, spine neck and shoulders are the way they are, and they certainly cannot tell you how your muscles are out of balance.
The only way to identify your imbalances is to go through a physical assessment designed to look specifically for muscle imbalances and associated postural dysfunctions. Once you know your postural dysfunctions, it is very easy to work backwards, because each dysfunction has a certain set of imbalances - almost like a syndrome. That is, it repeats itself consistently and predictably at any age, regardless of gender and regardless of activity level.
The only way to correct your imbalances is with very targeted corrective stretches and exercises tailored to you and your condition. The good news is that even in the worst cases; our bodies are never that far out of alignment. But if you are in pain, those imbalances need to be addressed.
What not to do about it
I advise everyone not to start any exercise program without first knowing your imbalances. Here's why: If you start exercising the wrong muscles, you could strengthen a muscle group that is already too strong and worsen the imbalance. You could even stretch a muscle that does not need to be stretched and make your condition worse.
You may think you're doing yourself a favor by going to the gym and doing yoga or Pilates. You may also think that doing a balanced workout is going to keep you healthy. But that is not the case when your muscles are already out of balance.
Let's not forget about non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Yes, you may need something to ease the pain but remember that drugs do nothing to help you treat the root cause of your condition not to mention they do nothing to help your body heal its self.
Immediate steps to take if you want relief or want to prevent your profession from killing you:
Stop working out until you know where your imbalances are. Doing a balanced workout is going to prolong your recovery and keep you in pain.
Stop doing the sport or any physical activity that you enjoy doing - running, swimming, golfing, yoga, or Pilates until your know where your imbalances are.
Seek professional help from someone who is trained in muscle imbalances and postural dysfunctions - and, no, not all health care professionals know about this approach.
Address your neck pain from many different perspectives because everyone is different and not all outcomes are going to be the same; look for an approach that addresses your condition from a physical, mental, and nutritional perspective.
Look for natural alternatives to your NSAID's.
Keep an open mind about techniques you may not have heard of before, such as Muscle Balancing Therapy
Do your homework. Learn about what works and what does not. When is spinal decompression appropriate for the neck? When will spinal manipulations give you the biggest benefit?
Author Resource:-
The Healthy Back Institute is recognized as one of the leading experts in the treatment of back, neck and sciatic pain. Take advantage of all the free back pain relief videos and articles at www.losethebackpain.com
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