Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1279181
M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S I 13 H EA LTH BY PAULETTE VICTOR LIFTON MPSE 8 Hours in a Chair F ive years ago, I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease. Painful? Yes! It's a sign of aging I was told. But what my orthopedic doctor failed to tell me is that too much sitting can cause this disease as well. So after I was prescribed epidurals, prednisone, and weekly physical therapy, I walked out of that offi ce and started therapeutic yoga and MELT (Myofascial Energetic Length Technique) and never looked back. When I started this self-prescribed method, I could barely move, much less bend over, and within a month, I was pain-free. No more freeze spray, ice, or painkillers. We all know that sitting too long and not counteracting those effects can lead to obesity, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. In the article by Online Tech Tips, it outlines the frightening issues that I did not know about until I started researching this issue. What I want to share with my MPSE editor friends about premature degeneration of the spine is the most effective way to prevent and help rehabilitate without drugs or shots. Just in case you aren't aware, here are the e ects of sitting for long times on your back and spine. • Tight hip fl exor muscles, which can reduce your fl exibility over time. • Slows circulation to buttock muscles, can contribute to lower back pain. • Leaning toward a screen can lead to strain on the discs and spine. There are a number of easy steps that you can do that will help: Stretching: Prevention magazine offers excellent stretches for this. Here is the link https://www .prevention.com/fi tness/a20480347/6-best-body -stretches-if-you-sit-all-day/ Ergonomic Equipment: Alternate to a standing desk and/or ergonomic offi ce equipment. Yoga and MELT: My personal preference is a mix between therapeutic yoga and MELT Therapeutic yoga is nothing like the downward dog stuff that you think it is. The best solution with over 100 classes daily is live online through YogaWorks. Therapeutic yoga provides an instruction that starts with baby steps that break down larger movements, exercises, and poses allowing one to gradually work through pain, scar tissue, rotation of the joints and with gradual increase of strength development through gentle exercises. When you are pain-free, you can add more advanced yoga to your practice. The other little known method for this problem is MELT The MELT Method® (MELT®) is a simple self-treatment method you only need to do for 10 minutes three times a week. It can reduce the effects of accumulated tension and stress. This full-body method of self-care can be customized to your particular needs—from improving performance and decreasing the risk of repetitive stress injuries to eliminating chronic pain, regardless of what's causing it. It hydrates your joints and can help you through your entire life no matter what age. You only get one body, so get off your chair, walk, exercise, stretch, practice yoga, MELT, but most importantly, take care of yourself. M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S I 13 importantly, take care of yourself.