Neck exercises and pain

[Guest guest]

Good morning Clora , Shirley and group,

Hope you will have a good day. It is a lovely autumn day here.

Just feel I should mention a word of caution when talking about doing neck

exercises with RA, though I do think they are important.

Ideally I think the precise exercises should be personally reccomended by a

physiotherapist for each individual after the neck has been assessed for

stability,limitation of movement etc, and review of a recent neck X-ray by the

doctor.

Certainly slow and only to the beginning , not through any pain, unless given

the medical OK

Ra involving the neck can cause an instability in the way the joints sit on one

another,a bit of slippage, especially just at the base of the skull. Doing

inappropriate exercises could aggravate this andd cause a pinching of nerves or

blood vessels for example.

Shirley I believe you have had neck surgery? Of course after stabilisation then

a wide range of movements is desirable in recovery.

Talking about neck pain and stiffness, it is also good to remember that the head

is a heavy object to support. Taking the strain off the neck while sleeping is

important. One tip a physio gave my mother was to firmly and neatly roll up a

smallish very soft hand towel and tie it tightly with a band of some kind in the

middle.

(Just a lateral thought here popped into my butterfly mind, a giraffe still only

has 7 neck vertebrae!)

Then when settling to rest tuck it behind and around the neck as comfortably as

possible on the pillow, to support and stop too much head rolling! (lol). Then

snuggle in.(also works when resting in a high backed chair.

Best wishes and good luck

UK

for new posters:

(Retired doc, non rheum)

[Guest guest]

Thank you for the input. You are such an asset to this group.

I think I read in another post that you are going to be a

grandmother?

You have a good day too,

Shirley

>

> Good morning Clora , Shirley and group,

>

> Hope you will have a good day. It is a lovely autumn day here.

>

> Just feel I should mention a word of caution when talking about

doing neck exercises with RA, though I do think they are important.

>

> Ideally I think the precise exercises should be personally

reccomended by a physiotherapist for each individual after the neck

has been assessed for stability,limitation of movement etc, and

review of a recent neck X-ray by the doctor.

> Certainly slow and only to the beginning , not through any pain,

unless given the medical OK

>

> Ra involving the neck can cause an instability in the way the

joints sit on one another,a bit of slippage, especially just at the

base of the skull. Doing inappropriate exercises could aggravate

this andd cause a pinching of nerves or blood vessels for example.

> Shirley I believe you have had neck surgery? Of course after

stabilisation then a wide range of movements is desirable in

recovery.

>

> Talking about neck pain and stiffness, it is also good to remember

that the head is a heavy object to support. Taking the strain off

the neck while sleeping is important. One tip a physio gave my

mother was to firmly and neatly roll up a smallish very soft hand

towel and tie it tightly with a band of some kind in the middle.

>

> (Just a lateral thought here popped into my butterfly mind, a

giraffe still only has 7 neck vertebrae!)

>

> Then when settling to rest tuck it behind and around the neck as

comfortably as possible on the pillow, to support and stop too much

head rolling! (lol). Then snuggle in.(also works when resting in a

high backed chair.

> Best wishes and good luck

> UK

> for new posters:

> (Retired doc, non rheum)

>

[Guest guest]

Again, great practical advise. I was reading this thread thinking to

myself, if I tried that I'd end up in a neck brace and in bed for a

week. We all need to know our own limitations and take what we read

here sometimes with caution with those limitations in mind. When you

start messing with your vertebrae you could end up with serious

consequences. Speaking from experience here. Fracture of L1 in

1965.

Bob

>

> Good morning Clora , Shirley and group,

>

> Hope you will have a good day. It is a lovely autumn day here.

>

> Just feel I should mention a word of caution when talking about

doing neck exercises with RA, though I do think they are important.

>

> Ideally I think the precise exercises should be personally

reccomended by a physiotherapist for each individual after the neck

has been assessed for stability,limitation of movement etc, and

review of a recent neck X-ray by the doctor.

> Certainly slow and only to the beginning , not through any pain,

unless given the medical OK

>

> Ra involving the neck can cause an instability in the way the

joints sit on one another,a bit of slippage, especially just at the

base of the skull. Doing inappropriate exercises could aggravate this

andd cause a pinching of nerves or blood vessels for example.

> Shirley I believe you have had neck surgery? Of course after

stabilisation then a wide range of movements is desirable in recovery.

>

> Talking about neck pain and stiffness, it is also good to remember

that the head is a heavy object to support. Taking the strain off

the neck while sleeping is important. One tip a physio gave my mother

was to firmly and neatly roll up a smallish very soft hand towel and

tie it tightly with a band of some kind in the middle.

>

> (Just a lateral thought here popped into my butterfly mind, a

giraffe still only has 7 neck vertebrae!)

>

> Then when settling to rest tuck it behind and around the neck as

comfortably as possible on the pillow, to support and stop too much

head rolling! (lol). Then snuggle in.(also works when resting in a

high backed chair.

> Best wishes and good luck

> UK

> for new posters:

> (Retired doc, non rheum)

>

[Guest guest]

Bob and Group - I just would like to clarify that I would never

recommend anything just off the top of my head. This was a stretching

exercise that was given to me by a licensed Physical Therapist (Chris

called them a " physio " ) and wholeheartedly recommended by my

Rheumatologist. The intent with discussing these stretches is not to

" mess " with the vertebrae in any way - only to keep the neck muscles

limber and moving freely. In my personal case, the less that I do

these stretches, the more my head feels like it is just plain too

heavy for my neck, then it gets stiff and I end up in more pain.

As with any of the recommendations made here on this board, it is

important to discuss them with your doctor first. As I mentioned in

the very first post where I suggested these neck stretches, it should

NEVER cause any pain while doing them and they should be done slowly

and without force of any kind.......Doreen

>

>

> Again, great practical advise. I was reading this thread thinking

> to myself, if I tried that I'd end up in a neck brace and in bed

> for a week. We all need to know our own limitations and take what

> we read here sometimes with caution with those limitations in

> mind. When you start messing with your vertebrae you could end up

> with serious consequences. Speaking from experience here. Fracture

> of L1 in 1965.

> Bob

>

[Guest guest]

Good Afternoon All,

When I was going to PT awhile back, she had me doing inner core stabilization

exercises. They we were very helpful in strengthening the girdle so to speak.

They are very helpful to me. I have included a link to help explain this

further.

http://tinyurl.com/3ldvto

Wishing all a pain free day,

Audrey

http://windowslive.com/connect/post/jamiethomson.spaces.live.com-Blog-cns!550F68\

1DAD532637!5295.entry?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_domore_092008

[Guest guest]

Doreen and group;

Doreen I am so sorry if I started anything. I know your intent

wasn't anything but helpfulness... I have been doing the exercises

like you said and it is great. I think Chriss was talking about the

lady who just had neck surgery that I told the exercises to.

You had nothing to do with that.

Doreen I fell great because of your suggestion. Everyone be happy

and have pain free days.

gentle hugs

Clora

> Bob and Group - I just would like to clarify that I would never

> recommend anything just off the top of my head. This was a

stretching

> exercise that was given to me by a licensed Physical Therapist

(Chris

> called them a " physio " ) and wholeheartedly recommended by my

> Rheumatologist. The intent with discussing these stretches is not

to

> " mess " with the vertebrae in any way - only to keep the neck

muscles

> limber and moving freely. In my personal case, the less that I do

> these stretches, the more my head feels like it is just plain too

> heavy for my neck, then it gets stiff and I end up in more pain.

>

> As with any of the recommendations made here on this board, it is

> important to discuss them with your doctor first. As I mentioned

in

> the very first post where I suggested these neck stretches, it

should

> NEVER cause any pain while doing them and they should be done

slowly

> and without force of any kind.......Doreen

>

>

>

> >

> >

> > Again, great practical advise. I was reading this thread

thinking

> > to myself, if I tried that I'd end up in a neck brace and in bed

> > for a week. We all need to know our own limitations and take

what

> > we read here sometimes with caution with those limitations in

> > mind. When you start messing with your vertebrae you could end

up

> > with serious consequences. Speaking from experience here.

Fracture

> > of L1 in 1965.

> > Bob

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Doreen - No harm, no foul. I know you would have never posted it if

you thought there was the slightest chance it might harm someone. My

reply was meant more in jest over knowing my own personal neck

situation. I have lost a considerable amount of mobility in my neck

side to side and it was really more humorous to me just thinking

about trying to get my head to move in that direction. Actually I

just had my first visit to PT today to start on a program trying to

regain some mobility and reverse some of the atrophy cause by the RA.

I really value your postings and have learned a lot from reading your

posts. Please don't let my ill fated attempt at humor change your

willingness to share so honestly and openly. Thanks.

Bob

>

> Bob and Group - I just would like to clarify that I would never

> recommend anything just off the top of my head. This was a

stretching

> exercise that was given to me by a licensed Physical Therapist

(Chris

> called them a " physio " ) and wholeheartedly recommended by my

> Rheumatologist. The intent with discussing these stretches is not

to

> " mess " with the vertebrae in any way - only to keep the neck muscles

> limber and moving freely. In my personal case, the less that I do

> these stretches, the more my head feels like it is just plain too

> heavy for my neck, then it gets stiff and I end up in more pain.

>

> As with any of the recommendations made here on this board, it is

> important to discuss them with your doctor first. As I mentioned in

> the very first post where I suggested these neck stretches, it

should

> NEVER cause any pain while doing them and they should be done slowly

> and without force of any kind.......Doreen

>

[Guest guest]

Awww, Clora - you didn't start anything. Nobody did, really. I just

felt the need to clarify where I was coming from based on Bob's

comment. That was it - nothing towards you or Bob. My friend tells me

I tend to get up on my soapbox at times, but she says she loves it

because she always knows where I'm coming from *lol*. No harm done.

& #9835;Don't worry, be happy & #9835;..............Doreen

>

> Doreen and group;

>

> Doreen I am so sorry if I started anything. I know your intent

> wasn't anything but helpfulness... I have been doing the exercises

> like you said and it is great. I think Chriss was talking about

> the lady who just had neck surgery that I told the exercises to.

> You had nothing to do with that.

>

> Doreen I fell great because of your suggestion. Everyone be happy

> and have pain free days.

>

> gentle hugs

> Clora

[Guest guest]

Bob - Its ok...I understand and I'm sorry. As it turns out, yesterday

was not such a good day for me. One of those days where I would have

been better off not saying anything to anyone. By the time hubby and

daughter got home, I was taking issue with everything they were

saying, too. I don't know what was going on with me. I ended up going

to my room early and just staying away from everyone. It seemed safer

that way <G> But like I told Clora, & #9835;Don't Worry, Be Happy & #9835;. Ok,

all

- now let's sing it together. & #9835;Woo, ooo, ooo, ooo & #9835;Don't Worry, Be

Happy & #9835;.....***LOL***...Doreen

>

> Doreen - No harm, no foul. I know you would have never posted it

> if you thought there was the slightest chance it might harm

> someone. My reply was meant more in jest over knowing my own

> personal neck situation. I have lost a considerable amount of

> mobility in my neck side to side and it was really more humorous to

> me just thinking about trying to get my head to move in that

> direction. Actually I just had my first visit to PT today to start

> on a program trying to regain some mobility and reverse some of the

> atrophy cause by the RA.

> I really value your postings and have learned a lot from reading

> your posts. Please don't let my ill fated attempt at humor change

> your willingness to share so honestly and openly. Thanks.

> Bob

>