One of the most common complaints health care professionals see from patients today is neck pain. Our modern lifestyle, including computer and cell phone usage, has a significant role in this problem—as we use our cell phones, we are engaging in unnatural posture. Not only are we constantly looking down, straining our neck and trapezius, we are also rounding our shoulders. Even doing work with our hands in front of us for prolonged periods, such as cell phone use, working on computers, and driving leads to an imbalance in the structure of the body.
The prolonged forward positioning without much involvement of the back muscles leads to poor posture. With our arms in a sustained position in front of the body, our pectoral muscles begin to contract and shorten, eventually pulling our shoulders into a rounded position, which in turn causes the head to come forward. This poor posture then strains the muscles of the upper back and neck.
Regain Your Flexibility
The pectoral is a large muscle, covering the chest and ribcage, beginning at the sternum and attaching to the joints in the shoulder and along the ribcage. The main function of the pectoral muscle is to provide range of motion to the arms and facilitate actions such as pushing or pulling with the arms and raising and lowering of the shoulders. As this large muscle shortens, it pulls on other smaller muscles.
Our muscles start off long and pliable, giving us the ability to move freely and allow us full range of motion. As we engage in repetitive motion or certain postures our muscles start to contract, not only shortening the muscles but also causing them to lose their flexibility. Large muscles in the body are difficult to relax once contracted. It takes pressure to soften these muscles, but generally, neither stretching nor manual massage can apply enough sustained pressure to release the pectoral muscle. The problem is that once we have this posture, it tends to be difficult to correct.
Healing under Pressure
Robotic Muscular Therapy can give us back our flexibility. Using a computerized robotic arm, this non-invasive, passive therapy involves a machine that applies gentle static pressure to a specific area of the muscle at programmed intervals. This gentle but sustained pressure to the pectoral muscle relaxes and softens the tissue, lengthening the fibers of the muscle and returning the muscle to its natural shape. This allows for better posture—as the shoulders are no longer being pulled forward, the pressure is taken off the upper back, allowing the head to come back into more natural alignment, alleviating stress on the neck.
This lengthening process not only relaxes the muscle but also alleviates the tension on the bone structure and nerves. Once this occurs, mobility is restored and pain is alleviated. The therapeutic value of this technology is beneficial in many ways. Not only are tissues returned to their normal state but normal circulation returns, toxic waste build-up is released, and the body can begin to heal. In a relatively short period of time, this therapy helps people recover faster with less pain and offers long-lasting results.
Considering the physical effects of our modern lifestyle, Robotic Muscular Therapy is something everyone should experience. In addition to correcting imbalances and alleviating pain, we see reduction in tension, improved sleep, and a general feeling of well-being.
Theresa Edmunds is a Certified Health Coach and co-owner of Precision Robotics Muscular Therapy. She is passionate about helping people feel better inside and out. In addition to bringing this patented muscular technology to the Naples area, she enjoys coaching individuals and family to a healthier lifestyle. To make an appointment for Robotic Muscular Therapy or for a free 20-minute health coaching session, contact Theresa at 734.308.7105 or [email protected].