Question
Mr. Gold,

BACKGROUND:
About 5 years ago, I had a spinal compression injury which slightly misaligned a lower vertebra.  A few chiropractic treatments successfully realigned the vertebra, but then muscles all over my back suddenly contracted and began causing me constant discomfort, especially while sitting.  I then sought physical and massage therapies in addition to chiropractic, and have applied varying combinations of these therapies off-and-on ever since the injury.  I've recently added stretching and somatic exercises to my routine.  While these therapies usually provide some degree of temporary relief, and while my condition has become more tolerable over time, the para-spinal muscles (particularly on my right side) remain palpably and constantly contracted from my buttocks up through my mid-back and into my neck.  

QUESTION:
In a recent post, you advised a reader to discontinue massage therapy, stating that it could worsen muscle contractions.  Do other therapies (chiropractic, stretching, yoga, physical therapy, muscle relaxers, etc.) counteract the effects of somatic exercises?  Should any or all of these therapies be avoided while applying somatics?  Are any therapies allowed or recommended in conjunction with somatics?

Thank you for your time,

Russ

Answer
Dear Russ,

Bones go where muscles pull them.

Stretching and chiropractic can trigger "rebound" spasms and interfere with the self-teaching benefits somatic exercises; massage therapy can provide partial and temporary relief, with very slow improvement over time.  Drugs have usefulness for emergency and short-term use, only.

Somatic exercises work quickly and cumulatively.  Apply the time spend in stretching and yoga to somatic exercises, instead.  You don't need a "shotgun approach"; you need a pertinent one.

Work with either Outgrowing the Myth of Aging (preview email: [email protected]) or Free Yourself from Back Pain (preview [email protected]).

with regard,
Lawrence Gold

with regard,
Lawrence Gold