Strengthening vs stretching
Alex Hutchinson reports in today’s Globe and Mail on a study completed at the University of Calgary’s Running Injury clinic which showed that a program to help runners with iliotibial (IT) band syndrome to strengthen their hip muscles was more effective than stretching only. The IT band runs along the outside of the leg from […]
A perspective on healing a bum shoulder
A large number of the people I see in my practice have had recurrent episodes of back, neck and shoulder pain. When I work with them in an individual session we explore patterns of movement of the affected area as they relate to the whole body. We are looking for ways to make movement in […]
Hopping for health
In early May we talked about the importance of good balance for safe hiking, as well as its role in many other activities. Now more evidence of the importance of maintaining balance as we age. According to Dr. Larry Dian, a well-known Vancouver Geriatrician, an important part of healthy aging for individuals 75 and older […]
Gardening with pleasure
As this weekend’s Vancouver Sun pointed out gardening season is upon us. In order to prevent injury or lower back strain from bending down for a long time and repeating the same movements we need to learn how to take care of ourselves. The article has some great tips on managing how to use your […]
Playing with Balance
On the weekend while hiking the very beginning of the famous Stawamus Chief trail near Squamish, I was once again reminded of the role balance plays in not only helping us stay upright while climbing or descending a steep hill but its importance for everyday activities such as walking and sitting. Try the following short […]
Learn and be happy
A recent report suggests what many of us already know: people that are educated and continue to learn are happier and report greater overall well-being. Generally people with more education have higher incomes. In the report, the authors discuss whether this greater earning power is responsible for the reported higher levels of happiness. They also […]
Pain in the neck
Millions of people worldwide are using computer tablets and with their growing use more is being written about the associated ergonomic hazards. Last week the LA Times reported on a Harvard study that looked at how different positions assumed by tablet users and various placements of the tablet on a table or user’s lap affected […]
Relax your face to relax your body
This weekend we held a new workshop, Feldenkrais® Facial. Rather than applying creams and gels to our faces we did several Awareness Through Movement® lessons related to the face, neck, jaw and eyes. We evoked several feeling states such as happy, sad, angry and pain and discovered that each sentiment brought forth different sensations in […]
Increase sensitivity in your hands and fingers
We use our hands a lot during the day, especially our fingers for typing and texting and as a result more and more people are experiencing tension and pain in their wrists and fingers. Take a few minutes several times a day to move away from your computer or smart phone. In Feldenkrais practice we […]
Change Your Age
How old we feel is often dictated more by our movement habits and our ability to move with ease than by our chronological age. We can unlearn many of these restrictive habits and create new ones to help our bodies and minds feel younger, stronger and more agile and flexible. Here is a sample movement […]
