Workplace Factors That Lead To Shoulder Pain

Studies are always trying to shed more and more light upon the question of joint pain, and the different contributing factors. In a recent article in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases by Bone and Tooper, looked at how prolonged exposure to repetitive activity at work contributes specifically to shoulder pain. In their study, they noted that population based studies suggest a lifetime prevalence of over 70 percent for neck and shoulder pain.

They found that shoulder pain was second only to back pain in workers compensation insurance claims. Their study also found that the risk of developing shoulder pain when starting a new job is related to the amount of over-the-head lifting and the monotonous nature of the work. They concluded that shoulder pain is a common problem among working age adults and is a large contributor to sick leave.

The study was able to identify some of the workplace factors that contribute to shoulder pain. The researchers were able to identify prolonged abnormal posture and repetition as significant contributors to shoulder pain. They also noted that more recent studies have considered the psycho-social influences such as monotony of work and the amount of stress might also contribute to shoulder pain.

In their conclusions, they call for more studies looking at psycho-social stressors as wells as repetative movement and how it can be modified in order to prevent further injuries to the shoulder in the workplace setting. Such a finding could greatly benefit the 70% of the population that suffers from some sort of work-induced joint pain.

Michael Carroll, MD is a board certified family physician with a special interest in sports medicine. He is the founding partner of Creekside Clinic, LLC, a progressive primary care center in Traverse City, Michigan and a member of both the American college of Sports Medicine, and the American Academy of family Physicians.

He also holds special interest in shoulder pain and rotator cuff injuries specifically with regard to cutting-edge treatments and is the author of a Shoulder Pain Talk.

Yoga Teacher Certification Thailand

Exercise and Lifestyle Changes for a Healthy Colon

The old adage that a person is what they eat rings true when it comes to colon health as well. In addition to a balanced and healthy diet, every individual should be aware of what other lifestyle changes are necessary in order to ensure they have a healthy and properly functioning colon. To keep the colon as healthy as possible everyone should:

Have a regular rectal exam. A physician will be able to diagnosis if polyps are present during a physical exam. Polyps are often a precursor to colon cancer. Having a regular physical examination that includes a rectal exam is important for both men and women.

exercise daily. Although many people believe that have to endure hours at the gym in order to reap any benefits from their exercise regime, this simply is not true. Something as simple as a daily walk or a swim can greatly improve colon health.

Give up smoking. Smoking has many negative effects on the body including causing colon problems. There are many great programs in place that can aid people wanting to break an addiction to nicotine.

being aware of your family health history. Colon cancer can be hereditary therefore it's imperative that every person have a thorough understanding of the colon health of their ancestors. many families do not openly discuss health issues, particularly those involving the colon. Ask your family members about their colon health to ensure you are aware of any potential problems.

Report any potential problems to your physician. If you are suddenly constipated when you have always been very regular with your bowel movements or if you are stricken with what feels like an unending case of diarrhea, mention this to your doctor as soon as possible. The same is true if you experience abdominal pain or blood in your stools.

Maintain a healthy body weight. many health problems are attributed to obesity, and colon cancer is one of them. If you are overweight, the process of losing weight should be started as soon as possible.

Strive to be stress free. Feeling extreme levels of stress can lead to constipation which is one of the contributing factors to colon problems. Meditation, exercise and yoga are all helpful ways to deal with stress.

Get adequate sleep each night. The entire body functions better when a person is well rested. many experts recommend retiring at the same time each night of the week as well as waking at the same time. In addition, short naps during the day can prove beneficial to many individuals.

Reduce alcohol consumption. Although a glass of red wine each night has proven beneficial to both heart and joint health, drinking too much can lead to health problems. Alcohol should be consumed occasionally and in moderation.

In an effort to keep the colon healthy, every individual should make any necessary lifestyle changes. Although it can be a challenge to trade a diet high in fat and sugar for one that is based around fruit, vegetables and whole grains, it is essential for good all around health.

Note: Statements in this article may not be approved by the FDA, and should not be considered as professional medical advice.

2007, Kathy Burns-Millyard. Would you like to know more about natural colon cleansing? Our free, in-depth special report explains much more about how important colon cleansing is to your health, plus it provides easy techniques for using foods, water, and specific herbal supplements too. Visit http://www.amoh.org/Colon-Health/ to read the report now!

International Yoga Journal

The Benefits of Meditation: Tips and Techniques

Meditation is healthy, safe and affordable. In fact its free. The only expense youll have is a meditation mat, which isnt especially necessary-at least from my experience. Meditation has been around for 5,000 years, and was originally a spiritual component of yoga. Through the years non-yogis adopted it, intuitively sensing and connecting the practice with greater peace of mind. Personally, I cant say enough good things about meditation. Its use has rewarded me with less worry and much more energy. But Ive never been one for anecdotal evidence. Lets get to the science

Transcendental Meditation

Recently, theres an incredible amount of science tied into the benefits of meditation. The studies are endless and cover a variety of meditative practices. On Transcendental Meditation alone (mantra repetition) there are over 500 studies. Some are more noteworthy that others. A study in the Japanese Journal of Public Health found that through Transcendental Meditation, industrial workers sleep improved and their smoking decreased. Another study conducted at the MERU Research Institute, in Buckinghamshire, England found that the length of time practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program correlated with younger biological age and younger functional age.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation, which asks us to focus on our breath to facilitate awareness of the present moment, is another widely studied meditation technique. After studying the effects of 8-weeks of mindfulness meditation on participants, a 2003 report in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine concluded: A short program in mindfulness meditation produces demonstrable effects on brain and immune function. Impressive, but fairly vague. To get a more committed response to the benefits of meditation we have to turn to taiwan. In 2002 their journal Chang Gung Medicine reported that training in MM may be a medically superior and cost-effective alternative to pain medication for the control of headaches with no underlying organic causes in highly motivated patients.

Stress Reduction and Meditation

What causes these positive physical changes? To answer this, other research has looked at the specifics of what happens in the body during meditation. . Researchers at the Maharishi School of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, found that meditation has an enormous impact on stress reduction. When they examined a group who had meditated for four months they saw that they produced less of the stress hormone cortisol. They were therefore better able to adapt to stress in their lives, no matter what their circumstances were.

Having balanced cortisol levels is essential to mental and emotional health. Notice I say balanced rather than none. We dont want to completely eliminate cortisol. If we did wed be dead. Even low cortisol levels can be dangerous. Not enough cortisol is the identifying trait of Addisons disease. John F. Kennedy had this condition, which he denied passionately during his presidency. Yet during his term he regulated his levels through hydrocortisone (synthetic cortisol). The reverse of JFKs condition is called Cushings Syndrome.

The five most common and noticeable changes of this condition include; red face and puffy cheeks; excess fat surrounding the collar bones, muscle weakness, and hypertension. But we dont have to have Cushings Syndrome to be damaged by extra cortisol. The changes we experience may be subtle variations of these. Plus, the changes caused by excess cortisol are age dependent. Young people may stop growing and teenagers can develop acne. The mature among us arent safe either. Since excess cortisol damages bone-tissue those over age 60 may develop fractures related to osteoporosis. So its evident that if we can regulate cortisol, especially through a natural process, we owe it to ourselves to try.

Other benefits of Meditation

Regina Drueding, MD, is a meditation instructor at life Circles in Utah, USA. She quotes the benefits of meditation as follows: more energy, improved quality of sleep, decreased anxiety, lessened chronological aging, improved concentration, improved visual acuity, increased alertness and heightened immunity. She writes: Besides the benefits mentioned earlier, meditation results in improvement of hypertension, sleep disorders, headaches, heartrhythm disturbances, chronic pain pain due to cancer, infertility and irritable bowel syndrome. Following meditation, mental and physical refreshment result and benefits are cumulative with regular practice.

How to Meditate

Meditation is both simple and complex. Its like defining the color orange: When you see it you know it. Similarly, the experience of meditation is best, wellexperienced. In an article in New View magazine, Shippensburg Universitys Dr. C. George Boeree describes the basics of buddhist meditation. In summary, the beginners technique is as follows:

1. Sit or kneel comfortably.

2. The hands are loose and open with the palms up, one atop the other and thumbs lightly touching.

3. Head is upright. Eyes may be closed or open. If open they should focus on your hands or a spot nearby.

4. Beginning meditators should count upwards to ten on each exhale. Breathe in a relaxed and natural way. Then begin again at one and repeat. Continue to breathe naturally.

5. Continue for 15 minutes.

In my personal experience, I dont find that the specific length of time is as important as repetition and persistence. To paraphrase, 10 minutes daily beats 15 minutes once a week. This brings me to another point: We all have different personalities and as such, different meditation approaches suit some more than others. Thankfully there are many varieties of meditation. Some varieties have sub-varieties.

Mindfulness meditation is one of these versatile practices. Perhaps its because its essence-awareness of the present moment-is so versatile. Mindfulness in our daily life can be practiced by slowing down and attending to our surroundings. What are our 5 senses telling us? We can use mindfulness in the middle of a hectic day, such as paying attention to our breathing when stopped at a traffic light. We can also use other everyday events as triggers for mindfulness. Buckling your seatbelt? Make this a reminder to return to the present. Really think about what youre doing and the details of the experience.

The more traditional may benefit from a more formal mindfulness practice. You may sit in the identical form as in traditional buddhist meditation- on a chair or kneeling. However, you may also sit with your legs crossed. Your eyes are closed and your posture is both straight and relaxed while your head remains upright. Focus on your breath and allow mental chatter to float by without regard. Thoughts, emotions and sensations will come, but dont be influenced by them. Keep focused on your breath. If you are getting involved with your thoughts dont worry-your efforts arent destroyed. The key thing is to bring your attention back to breathing and continue. This can go on for 5 minutes to 5 hours. Its up to you.

Transcendental Meditation is another popular form of meditation. Generally, this type is practiced twice daily for a period of 15-20 minutes. Again, this technique involves sitting comfortably. Yet in contrast to basic buddhist the eyes stay closed. Each student is given a mantra and is instructed to induce relaxation through use of this mantra. Since many of either cant or wont go to a formal TM class, a no-fail mantra I recommend is the classic OM. In The Heart of Yoga, T.K.V Desikachar writes that repetition of "OM" enables us to maintain mental and emotional calmness, overcome obstacles and enable understanding. It is the shortest of the mantras, and is said to be suggestive of God. If youre uncomfortable with the religious aspects of OM I suggest a word that has positive meaning for you, such as love, calm or peace. Calm is an ideal substitute, since vocally it resembles OM.

Final word

You may never, ever choose to meditate. Yet if this is your choice it may be valuable to question why. For a long time I was reluctant because of images of the dropout hippie 60s. Yet when I tried it the experience overcame my reservations. If you try it the same may happen to you. If it doesnt you havent lost any money, and youve gained a new experience.

Resources:

Getting in the Gap: Making Conscious Contact with God Through Meditation (Hay House Inc., 2003)

The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh (Beacon Press, 1975)

Galina Pembroke

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