For people who sit for a long periods of time, such as computer users, they often suffer from shoulder and back pain. To relieve these symptoms, the following exercise may help. Find a quiet place with enough room to move your arms. Raise both arms in front of you, shoulder height and width apart, palms facing each other. Rotate your arms in circles, with each arm rotating in opposite directions. First, raise your right arm and rotate it forward, at same time rotate the left arm backward. Do these movements 49 times. Then, reverse the rotation. Raise your left arm and rotate it forward and rotate your right arm backward. Repeat these movements 49 times. This movement takes some coordination and the first week of exercise is the most difficult. The soreness and pain from the exercise will be heightened in some cases, but the pain and soreness will go away with time. Don’t give up; this exercise will help release the tension in your arm and shoulder. If you can’t do 49 times, do the exercise with same number of repetitions in both directions and gradually increase the number until you can reach the ultimate number 49.
Often times, people who suffer from back and shoulder pains are also the victims of stress. From the standpoint of traditional Chinese Medicine, the stress causes liver qi (or energy) stagnation. To release the excess liver qi, the following exercise is recommended. First, raise your left forearm, bend your thumb toward your palm, underneath your ring finger. Make a fist, and place your hand under your right breast. Stretch your left arm straight and above your head. Turn your right palm up, facing the sky. Lift your head and focus your eyes on the back of your right hand. Stay in this position for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat with your other arm. Do this five to 10 times. The excess of liver qi may cause your fingers to have a tingling, soreness or heaviness sensation or nothing at all. They are all perfectly fine. The main point is you are away from your stress and in a relaxed stage. An acupuncturist would recommend to take at least five to 10 minutes for yourself, daily.
To learn more about treating pain, please contact Sui H. Zhao or Amy Lee at 661-298-9298.