Tag Archives: Kathryn Merrow

Self Help, Upper Back Muscle Knots, Upper Back Pain

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

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? →

Neck Pain, Upper Back Pain

What’s The Most Common Cause Of Upper Back Pain?

April 4 Kathryn Merrow 2 Comments

What’s the most common cause of upper back pain? Is it herniated disks?

Is it neck bones that are out of place? Is it your neighbors or your job?

Not likely any of those. It’s muscles! (Well, maybe your job is contributing, too.)

A recent commenter said the knots in her upper back are caused by a herniated disk. But that’s taking things out of sequence. (And that‘s really, really common in the medical field.)

You see, disks cannot move on their own. Neither can bones. So how do they move?

You got it: Muscles! Muscles move bones and disks. That’s their job.

So how do disks get herniated? (We will assume there is not a whiplash or other serious tossing-around injury.)

When muscles get out of balance they don’t hold the bones in a neutral position anymore. Instead the muscles pull or push the bones and disks out of alignment. They can actually push a disk out of place!

“Out of balance” means muscles on one side of your neck or back are too short or tight. On the other side they are too loose or weak.

This means pain in your upper back and neck.

What’s the solution?

In a nutshell, strengthen the muscles on the back side of your body. Stretch and lengthen the muscles on the front side.

And don’t forget you also have muscles on the sides of your body. They probably need lengthening and stretching, too!

Other things such as nutrition can also play a big part in how happy your muscles are. If you eat healthy and exercise and get plenty of water into your body your muscles will be nicer to you in return.

And posture plays a huge role in upper back pain. I created a self-help program for upper back pain and knots and in that program I actually have a video that will help you get straighter and stronger in a simple, easy way.

If you’d like to know more about the upper back pain relief program that addresses ALL of these, please click here: www.KnotsInYourBack.com

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

Testimonial For Getting Rid Of Muscle Spasms In Your Shoulders Naturally

March 14 Kathryn Merrow Leave a comment

Got knots in your upper back? An Occupational Therapist who was suffering with muscle knots in her back sent me the following email: 🙂

> Dear Kathryn, Here’s a testimonial for you:
>
> I am an occupational therapist and I know better. I have preached for
> years that we need to stretch our chests and strengthen our upper
> backs/posterior shoulder girdles. However, I have been having spasms
> between my shoulder blades and spine (mostly on the right), and I have
> spent what seems like endless hours in hot baths, on the heating pad,
> and lying on tennis balls or pushing as hard as possible against my
> shiatsu
> massage chair. These techniques often relieved the spasms, but only
> temporarily; not to mention that it left me with a bruise-type pain for
> days from pushing so hard. One day, feeling beyond frustrated, I
> started searching the web. That is when I came across your site and had
> that AHA moment (in a “duh” fashion for me). I had been missing the thing
> I preach so much about!! (We healthcare professionals are such bad
> patients). I instantly stood and did the corner stretch and doorway
> stretch, then cut a piece of Theraband and started some scapular
> strengthening exercises (specifically external roataion and horizontal
> abduction). Boy, did I feel it on the right, but I kept going and guess
> what? Within 2 days, I was FINE. Pain-free, spasm-free, and H-A-P-P-Y!
> Thanks for the reminder. We all need to be smacked upside the head from
> time to time. =)
>
> ~Katie F.

I appreciate Katie writing and sharing her story. She started out by chasing symptoms. She ended up by attacking the CAUSE of her upper back spasms. And that’s how she got rid of her symptoms. 🙂

So, you see? Look for the cause of your pain.

And, if you’re not an Occupational Therapist, like Katie, and would like an easy to use self-help program, I have just the thing for you! Click here: Knots In Your Back Gone!

You CAN have natural relief of the knots in your upper back. 🙂

SIMPLE BACK PAIN RELIEF