4 Signs Your Back is About to Go Out

Well, I did it again...I "threw out" my back. The weird thing is I don't even know how I did it. I did my normal routine and after my shower, boom. The sharp pain, the inability to move, the agony!

I'm already wondering what I'm going to do tomorrow to keep things moving smoothly. I've been icing every hour for 15 minutes and I've got my TENS Unit on. Thursday I'll take an Epsom salt bath. However, this really got me thinking, are there any signs that you're about to have a problem.

Well, after my Google search, turns out there are!

4 Signs Your Back is About to Go Out
I love these guys. They're so friendly and knowledgeable about your physical body. This video is great and make sure you subscribe to their channel!

Yoga for Shoulders Part 2

As per the advice of my chiropractor and physical therapist I'm desperatly trying to strengthen my arms, traps, and romboids. All of the physical therapy is keeping me from my favorite activity, yoga.

I found out the hard way that I can't do my yoga practice and do PT. I'm as strong as they come, but this chronic pain warrior has an energy bank that zero's out when I do both.

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I kind of need to be able to cook a healthy dinner too. Stumbling to the kitchen in a daze to eat Annie's Organic Gluten Free Mac and Cheese is happening waaaay too much.

Behold my surprise when I found this gem of a yoga routine that I feel adquatly replaces my off day physical therapy "homework." Brett Larkin Yoga is one of my favorite go-to's. You should totally subscribe.

Yoga for Shoulders Part 2

How to Fix Your Posture

This morning I was talking to my Chiropractor about my extreme shoulder issues. Insert eye roll here. Seriously, I feel like I'm taking 2 steps forward and 3 back. I was telling him how every time I do the shoulder physical therapy exercises I piss off my rhomboids and traps. Come on, cut a girl some slack. I just need a win!!!

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I will say he agreed with my physical therapist that my problem is too much flexibility and not enough strength. If I start practicing proper posture, keep up with the trigger point exercises from last weeks post, and continue to strengthen, I should see some relief in 6 weeks.

So how does one practice proper posture?
How to Fix Your Posture

Well, I'm going to go back to my new BFF Tone and Tighten on YouTube. Seriously, subscribe to his channel!

10 Things to Try for Knots in Your Neck and Shoulders

Knots in your neck and shoulders, we all have them, and lately because I've been working on healing my rotator cuff injory, mine are really talking to me.

There was one night this past week where my traps were so tight and my knots so painful I couldn't even lower my shoulders. All I wanted to do was stab something into this spot of tension between my shoulder and neck.

I knew something had to give because I was not backing down on my shoulder physical therapy. Remember the "to the cloud" commercials? I always think that when I go to YouTube.

To the YouTube!

10 Things to Try for Knots in Your Neck and Shoulders

Seriously though, they have everything. Want to knit a hat? They've got it. Learn to prepare eel? They've got it. YouTube is amazing and it's no wonder Google owns it. For me it's the new Google, mostly because I learn visually, to watching a video is a sure fire way for me to make sure I've got something down.

I found this gem in a moment of despiration and after doing all the things listed in the video I actually did feel temporary relief. I also made a reflexology appointment, chiropractor, and acupuncture appointment. Did I say I was so over my shoulder pain because I sure as hell meant it. Anyway, this guy is brillant. Like his video, subscribe to his channel Tone and Tighten, and click the bell to get notified of his new videos. I can't wait to dig through his library to see what else he has.

Yoga for Shoulder Pain Part 1

I hurt my left shoulder in yoga April 2018 and it's been a rocky road since. However, I've dedicated February 2019 to kicking it's ass and getting on with my life.

I've committed to yoga everyday but part of that commitment is listening to my body. While I can't control what a yoga teacher decides to do in class, I can control my YouTube channel and it's free!

I'm also doing another round of PT for my shoulder. That has made keeping up with daily yoga a very big challenge.

On days that I have Physical Therapy, I'm doing yoga flows that do not use my shoulder to give it a rest. I need to rest it so I don't undo the progress I have made.

Ugh! I thought my knee problems were bad.

Here is one of my favorite non-shoulder yoga flows from one of my favorite YouTubers Yoga with Kassandra. Subscribe to her channel!

Yoga for When you are Sick Part 2

Last week I talked about doing yoga while sick or that phase of getting sick. You know that terrible feeling you have that something is just not right, no it's not a poltergeist, it's the beginning of a cold or flu or bronchitis. Ugh, the worst. I shared an awesome YouTube yoga session for just that occasion.

Yoga for When you are Sick Part 2
This week I want to share another awesome YouTuber, Yoga with Adriene.

I love this woman. I, of course, found her by one of my searches...yoga for shoulder pain. She had an amazing no shoulder class which I desperately needed at the time (still do). I had an inkling she was a fellow Texas girl and come to find out that yes, she is. I could tell by her colloquial phrases. Texans have some amazing catch phrases.

Anyway, her Yoga for When you are Sick is much more low key. I found it helpful when I was in the middle of the "I'm going to die" part of being sick. This flow is gentle and relaxing, plus Adriene's voice is very soothing, especially when she talks about honoring your body and your immune system.

Definitely check her channel out and subscribe to her videos because they are amazing.