All posts by Kathryn Merrow

Tip For Better Posture To Get Rid Of Upper Back Muscle Strain And Pain

Want to know how to get rid of upper back muscle strain naturally? Grow better posture.

I said ‘grow’ because you can do that. I’ll share how later.

When muscles are strained they complain. They give you pain.

Do you know what strains the muscles in your upper back? Poor posture!

And things like this: A heavy head pulling on them. Muscles don’t like that. They get strained. Strain = pain. 🙁

The job of your neck and upper back muscles is NOT to hold your heavy head from falling to the floor. Their job is to let you move your head comfortably in many directions.

You can get a “forward head” from sitting in chairs and car seats that lean back. They make you press your head forward.

Also, slouching or slumping with a rounded back causes a forward head and upper back pain.

A rounded back is a weak back and we need Continue reading Tip For Better Posture To Get Rid Of Upper Back Muscle Strain And Pain →

Causes of Back Pain, Self Help, Upper Back Pain

How To Walk To Help Get Rid Of Upper Back Pain

May 25 Kathryn Merrow Leave a comment

Walking “wrong” can cause upper back pain and strain. Walking with poor body mechanics can also cause neck strain and headaches.

There are ways to walk correctly and avoid pain. Let’s talk about them!

This walking tip will help your poor upper back start to feel better. It will help you use your muscles in a way that warms and balances them instead of straining them. You know, after all, your ARMS are attached to your back and shoulders. 🙂

The proper way to swing your arms when you walk:

Thumbs up!

Just as though you are going to shake hands.

Stand up and look down. If the backs of your hands are facing forward, that means the muscles in the front of your body are short.

Those short muscles are turning your hands like that.

Now, try to hold your hands thumbs forward. That is neutral position.

We WANT to be in neutral! Neutral = no pain. 🙂

1. When you walk, swing your arms from the shoulders with your thumbs facing forward.

2. Let your arms swing freely at your sides rather than crossing in front of your body.

It may help if you think about walking with your arms in the position that a robot would use. That will use your upper body muscles in a more neutral position and they will be happier!

If you are used to using poor posture when you walk this may feel strange or even uncomfortable at first. But as your posture becomes better you will have less and less upper back muscle pain.

Walking correctly can help you get rid of your back pain naturally!

Self Help, Upper Back Muscle Knots, Upper Back Pain

Let’s Get Rid Of The Knots In Your Upper Back

May 24 Kathryn Merrow Leave a comment

You are not stuck with those miserable knots in your shoulders. You can get rid of them naturally but you have to take action. Discover how now:

Get rid of muscles knots in your upper back naturally!

Actually, taking action is the key to unlocking most of the pain and dysfunction that people suffer from.

First, find the cause of your knots. It’s often not where you hurt.
Second, take action! There are things that you did to create your muscle knots. There are steps you will have to take to get rid of them.

Muscle ‘knots’ form when muscles are in spasm or contraction. There are basically two things you may be doing that started the whole knot process.

1. Maybe you hold the upper back/shoulder blade area tightly. This happens when you are carrying something or even when you do a repetitive motion that uses those muscles. The muscles get used to being contracted and short and so they stay that way. At least temporarily.

That’s the easiest type of muscle knot to get rid of.

Tennis ball therapy usually will work quite well for these knots. (Place the ball behind the knot and lean onto it.)

2. Or, your upper back and shoulder blade muscles are in spasm because Continue reading Let’s Get Rid Of The Knots In Your Upper Back →

Lower Back Pain

What’s the Most Common Cause of Lower Back Pain?

May 24 Kathryn Merrow Leave a comment

Do you know the most common cause of pain in your low back? Pain in your lower back is almost always caused by muscles.

Here’s what muscles do:

Muscles move bones, joints and disks in your spine. Bones, joints and disks cannot move unless muscles move them.

Muscles are the prime movers of your body! You can only move because you have muscles.

But sometimes your muscles get out of balance–that means they are too strong on one side of your body and too weak on the other side.

That’s a problem. It causes back pain as well as head and neck pain.

Well, it’s not their fault. They wouldn’t be unhappy and complaining if we did everything perfectly in all of our movements.

But we don’t. 🙁 But we can change. 🙂 Here’s how:

We can add movements that balance our muscles better. We can use ALL of our muscles instead of the same old ones over and over. That causes low back pain.

But using All of your muscles will Continue reading What’s the Most Common Cause of Lower Back Pain? →

Self Help

How To Stretch Your Back For Natural Back Pain Relief

May 23 Kathryn Merrow Leave a comment

Are you familiar with the stretches called “cat” and “dog?”

These stretches are done on the floor, on all fours. They are good because they get your spine moving and they warm the muscles of your back and whole torso or trunk.

And don’t panic if you cannot get on the floor. I will share the seated version.

Here is a seated version of the cat and dog stretches.

Move to the the edge of your firm seat. Sit with your feet flat on the floor, one in front of each hip bone, toes pointing straight ahead.

Point your thumbs forward and rest your hands at the side of your chair, hanging your hands near your thighs.

Slowly squeeze your shoulder blades together while you “stick your butt out” and lift your chin toward the ceiling.

This movement should make your back be a “C” shape. Move slowly and thoughtfully.

Pause there for a second and then start to reverse the move.

Allow your chin to tuck toward your chest and your back to round outward (in the opposite direction of where you were.)

Hold in your stomach while you move forward, too.

You can continue doing these “C’s” and “reverse C’s” in a sequence, one after the other.

But, always pay attention to your body and move slowly and thoughtfully.

These two moves improve flexibility and warm the muscles around your spine with increased circulation and also strengthen your whole upper body.

We are all supposed to be able to move like this. You could when you were little. With some help from you, your body can become more flexible again.

NOTE: If either move causes real pain in your back, only flex to that point but not into the pain. You can tell whether it’s a ‘feel good’ pain or whether it’s not appropriate. With practice, it will become easier.

You will probably find it easier to do the forwarded rounded move but that’s the position that’s most likely causing your back pain. Focus more on the movement that opens up the front of your body.

Oh, doing these moves will also help you be more comfortable.

Stretching is great but having a strong back is awesome! I have included the Simple Strengthening video in the (click here–>) Knots In Your Back Program.

The video will help you learn how to get a strong back and get rid of your back pain naturally…in bed!

Natural Back Pain Relief, Self Help

Get Rid Of Your Back Pain Naturally

May 22 Kathryn Merrow 2 Comments

You can get rid of your back pain naturally.

I love it!

You see, your body wants to be well. It just needs a little help from you. And sometimes from others who understand how bodies work.

Don’t be afraid to test your own abilities. You have a smart body.

And don’t be afraid to look outside of conventional medicine. Doctors are really smart but they know only what they know.

I seriously do love doctors but most aren’t trained to understand the roles of muscles in causing pain.

And if muscle knots in your upper back are a problem for you, they’re caused by muscle imbalance, too. Muscle imbalance can be fixed. 🙂

Causes of Back Pain, Natural Back Pain Relief, Self Help, Upper Back Muscle Knots

Do The Knots In Your Back Keep Coming Back?

May 21 Kathryn Merrow Leave a comment

Can you get rid of the knots in your back for a while but they keep coming back? Or can you NOT get rid of them at all?

Let’s look at some possible reasons that those nasty muscle knots keep coming back.

Maybe we can figure out the cause of your back pain and get rid of the cause.

It could be posture-related. Do you slouch or slump?
It could be that you always lean into the same corner of the couch.
It could be your heavy book bag that causes you to lean forward.
Do you carry a wallet in one back pocket?
Do you carry a heavy purse over one shoulder?

It is something and that something needs to be changed so you will stop getting these miserable muscle knots.

Did you know that muscles need minerals to function their best?

Do you eat a good diet that supplies lots of vitamins and minerals or do you eat mostly pre-packaged, highly processed foods and fast foods? They cannot supply what your muscles need. 🙁

You cannot fool your muscles with fake foods.

And I’m a big supporter of mineral and vitamin supplements. They have made a huge difference for my health and wellness.

Here’s another tip:

The knots in your back may be caused by Continue reading Do The Knots In Your Back Keep Coming Back? →

Scoliosis

What Is The Cause Of Your Scoliosis?

May 20 Kathryn Merrow 2 Comments

Scoliosis is an incorrect curvature in the spine. The spinal curve may be going side to side or front to back or even causing the spine to rotate.

Let’s talk about what might be causing your scoliosis.

Is there a cause for your scoliosis? Well, bodies are logical. Things happen for reasons.

Makes sense, right?

It could be that your foundation is tilting.

But many doctors say the curve in your spine is idiopathic.

“Idiopathic” means “no known cause.” But almost everything has a cause.

One reader told me the doctor said his curves were idiopathic and that meant natural. He said there was nothing to do because the bones in the spine were nicely shaped. He did not see a Continue reading What Is The Cause Of Your Scoliosis? →

Natural Back Pain Relief, Self Help

Examples Of How Back Pain Heals Naturally

May 19 Kathryn Merrow Leave a comment

Your back pain can get better naturally! How do I know?

Bodies heal all the time.

You skin your knee. It heals.

You break a bone. It heals.

You catch a cold. You get better.

But sometimes bodies need some help. Sometimes you will need outside help to get better.

And most likely YOU will need to be the deciding factor. YOU will need to take action just like a certain “disabled” vet and a former Pro Wrestler did.

After you read the information below, I hope you will have a better understanding of how bodies and back pain can heal naturally. Especially read the last paragraph.

From wikipedia:

The birth of the Yoga for Regular Guys Workout came in 1998 while Diamond Dallas Page was recovering from ruptures to his L4/L5 discs. He was reluctantly Continue reading Examples Of How Back Pain Heals Naturally →

Natural Back Pain Relief, Self Help, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Upper Back Muscle Knots, Upper Back Pain

Do Knots In Your Upper Back Also Cause Headaches?

April 22 Kathryn Merrow 2 Comments

Do you have knots in your shoulders? Do you have headaches? Did you know they can definitely be related?

Here’s a question from a reader:

I’ve been suffering with awful headaches for years now. I have what i call “knots” in my neck, upper back, shoulder blade area, and shoulders. All of this is on my right side. I’ve been to many doctors, I’m in physical therapy right now, and nothing has helped. I’m looking for exercises that I can do to break up these “knots”. The Continue reading Do Knots In Your Upper Back Also Cause Headaches? →

SIMPLE BACK PAIN RELIEF