Pay Attention
Of all the aspects of managing neck pain,
paying attention is the most important.
If you feel even a slight twinge in your
neck or shoulders during a session, stop
what you are doing. Look at your body
mechanics, change your posture, and take
five minutes to follow the Neck Warmer
technique to loosen up those muscles and
give your neck the attention it deserves.
Your body is an ecosystem; when one
area goes out of balance, it affects the entire
body. Listening to your body and nurturing
it is the key to overall balance and well-
being—from your neck to your toes.
Notes
1. Harvard Medical School Special Health Report,
"Neck Pain: A Troubleshooting Guide to Help
You Find Relief," accessed September 2015,
www.health.harvard.edu/pain/neck-pain-
a-troubleshooting-guide-to-help-you-find-
relief; Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality, Healthy Cost and Utilization Project,
Nationwide Inpatient Sample, 2007.
2. Amy Ward Brimmer and Robert Rickover, "The
Alexander Technique and the 'Stiff Necked'
People of the Bible," audio podcast, September
18, 2012, accessed September 2015, http://
bodylearning.buzzsprout.com/382/59957-the-
alexander-technique-and-the-stiff-necked-
people-of-the-bible.
Alison Howland is the
president of Spa Success
Consultants and a
founding member of
Well World Group, which
aids in the development
of beauty, spa, and
wellness organizations'
marketing, training, and growth. She is a
regular contributor to industry publications, a
speaker at national and international industry
events, and a member of the Caribbean Spa
Advisory Board, Touch America Advisory
Board, and the Hydrothermal Initiative for
Global Wellness Institute. Learn more at
www.wellworldgroup.com.
For More Info
There are many resources that address
not only the importance of, but also the
actual physical execution of, proper
body mechanics. Here are a few:
• Body Mechanics for Manual
Therapists: A Functional Approach
to Self Care (Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins, 2008) by Barbara Frye is
available on Amazon.com.
• Check out YouTube for a variety of
helpful videos—just search for
"body mechanics for spa therapists."
• Download Associated Bodywork
& Massage Professionals' guide, "6
Weeks to Better Body Mechanics,"
at abmp.us/6wk-bodymechanics.
• Well World Group teaches body
mechanics and self-care. Contact
info@imassage.com for more
information.
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