Many of us that sit at the computer for a good part of the day experience tension between our shoulder blades and at the neck, partly because we sit too long or don’t sit in the most supportive way. And we stare at the screen for long periods of time.
The most important thing you can do is to stop working for moment every 20 minutes and stand up. If you have time, walk around for 1 minute.
To relieve that nagging neck and upper back tension, move away from the computer and try the following movement sequence:
- Sit at the front of a chair, your feet flat on the floor and hip width apart.
- Gently turn your head to look right and then to look left. Sense the movement in your neck.
- Make a small movement to tilt your right ear down toward your right shoulder. Do it slowly and gently and don’t try to touch your shoulder. Notice if you are also lifting your shoulder up to your ear. Are you able to leave your shoulder down? Repeat several times, breathing easily.
- As you repeat the movements feel your ribs on the right side of your trunk and sense if they fold together or open apart.
- How does the weight change in each sitting bone as you tilt your ear to the right?
- Do you have any sense of movement in the upper vertebrae in your neck?
- Rest for a few moments.
- Repeat with your left shoulder. What is different on this side?
- Alternate tilting right and left.
- Rest for a moment and then gently turn your head to look right and then left again.
- How far and how easily does your head turn now? How does your neck feel? What is the sensation between your shoulder blades and in your upper spine?
To learn more about being comfortable at your computer, plan to attend our last scheduled workshop for this Spring.
Compute with comfort
A Feldenkrais® Workshop
Taught by Vita Kolodny, Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner
Sunday June 23, 10 am – 1 pm at the Feldenkrais Centre Vancouver
To register call 604.729.0060 or click here
