For us boomers, back problems seem to be epidemic that it almost seems chic to suffer. Yet, using common sense and a few simple techniques can go a long way towards making you and your back feel better. Below are a few of these ideas and how they helped transform a nasty ski accident into, among other things, a stronger, healthier and more flexible back.A number of years before my skis stopped before I did, I started practicing a form of body work called Body Harmony®. Being an international sales manger with an incredible thirst to understand us humans better, I saw bodywork as a way to go beyond
intellectual bottle-neck of our "knowledge based society". Beyond obvious professional benefits of better “buy signal recognition”, I realized I might even get a bit healthier from this learning process. I did!
Don McFarland, Body Harmony’s founder, taught us various healing methods based upon little more than compassion, common sense and daring to gently touch a fellow human. Having gotten good grades in High School biology, I already "knew" what he was talking about. Yet, with his “hands-on” demonstrations”, it became apparent that these were viable alternatives to remedies available from local drug store. A gentle, inquisitive touch was a lot longer lasting, non-addictive and a lot more fun to apply! We learned simple breathing techniques; combined them with a compassionate and curious touch that always ended up bringing a smile to our faces and a laugh from our hearts. Upon reflection, I cannot think of one pill or shot I have taken that gave me same healing effect.
One day I was skiing down a rather icy slope trying to catch up with some of "the guys" when my skis stopped and I didn't. My head flew straight forward while my feet broke loose from bindings. In sort of a forced forward roll, I landed on my head just past top of my skull and then, as if in slow motion, I heard every piece of cartilage between each vertebrae in my upper back go “pop, pop, pop, pop”! It was incredible how calm it felt for first few milliseconds after I came to rest.
Like a good boy scout, I immediately checked my fingers and toes to see if there was movement and, thank heavens, there was. Then I started breathing like I had learned with my bodywork and have yet to stop! Figuring everything was all right and knowing my friends would be waiting for me, I attempted to get up. I hope I never again have to feel kind of pain I felt when I tried to stand up.
After a ride on backboard to local infirmary I was given an X-Ray. When slides were developed, there was serious concern about a dark spot on second neck vertebra. In Doctor’s professional opinion, it looked broken. With that concern, I was immediately taken by ambulance to regional hospital 70 miles away. During journey, I was offered morphine and in retrospect it would have been interesting to experience that. It might have even changed my opinion about shots and their ability to produce smiles... But instead, I went back to my breathing and healing techniques plus experiencing where pain was and how it felt.
12 hours after first X-rays were taken second set came back. These no longer showed any signs of dark spot or any breakage at all! Even so, I was bedridden for next six weeks anyway with a very stretched and sore trapezius muscle.
I kept practicing my healing techniques.
To make a long story short, I now have more movement and flexibility in my shoulders and neck than I had before accident and in process have become keenly aware of how stiff most of us are in this area of our bodies. Funny enough, I now also do not have same stressed feeling about all shoulds and needs in my life. Have you ever thought about that word shoulder comes from word should? I urge you to look around at your fellow man and if you dare, peek in mirror. See if you don't see same connection between stiffness in your upper back and amount of shoulds, musts and have tos in your life.
