Good morning,

I now have 3 balls and 2 DVD’s but I still need more info.

My problem is that I sit at a desk and keyboard or sew most of my waking hours. This has led to hunched shoulders and forward head ( neck and shoulder strain and pain).

Your ball under the elbow and Neck help with the tension but I need to know how long and how often I should do this.

Also, are there any other positions I should do to help correct this?

Your video seems to need more information. Also the web site doesn’t explain enough about what each covers so I seem to have the same information covered in two different DVD’s. I have the “Stop the Clock” and “The Ball Therapy Kit”

Thank you,

Hi

Have you tried raising the arms up into the air? This is great when done with the breathing sections and then letting the arms hang differently in between movements. Most of us are in these hunched over positions all day and this is a great antidote. When we are hunched over we are cutting or bending our body right where the diaphragm is. It makes it very difficult then to breathe. Our breathing gets weak and then the muscle tension gets worse. This movement, which I believe is in a few places in the materials you have, lifts the ribs off the diaphragm. It is also great for the shape of your waistline. Not that that is most important but it is a motivator as well to look good.

As far as getting more. I need you to get the feeling of change with one movement. I can give you a hundred. It is the way in which we do movement that creates the change. A person must get the experience of giving into the weight whether on the ball or hanging forward. Once that happens you can feel the adjustments. Your body begins to move differently and you can feel a change in your body from the habitual holding. It is the holding in one position that gives us the pain and and increases the aching.

One movement when done well changes the whole body. If I give you many movements done similar to the way you hold your posture right now you may feel you have more to do but you will get less results. Once you experience that feeling of release your whole body will begin to respond. When you get better at it you can get postive responses all day from simple movements done well.

Most of us are holding our muscles and as a result holding our breath. It becomes a vicious cycle. Exhale!

I hope this helps

Best
Elaine
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Dear Elaine Petrone,

I want you to know that the ball therapy is having a positive effect on nocturnal reflux which has haunted me for years and was getting worse. A proton pump inhibitor keeps it in order during the day, but I was being wakened around 2 or 3 in the mornings with terrible reflux. Night time medication didn't seem to work which was the only suggestion my gastroenterologist could offer.

I have had a hiatal hernia for years and years, which goes along with reflux apparently. I have no idea why the ball therapy is eliminating the nocturnal reflux, but it is and I wondered if you could offer a reason. Since reflux is caused by a "relaxed" mechanism which no longer keeps acid where it belongs, I can't imagine why the therapy would help it. Perhaps you have heard of others experience and can offer an explanation.

And I am a beginner! I can't imagine how I'll feel once I become skilled in what you are teaching. I'm very excited about the future because I was having so many aches, especially at night as I lay in bed, which are disappearing. I can't believe the difference already. Thanks so much for working out this easy and pleasant way of handling the problems of aging. I have been exercising for several months to get my neck and upper back to be strong enough so that I could straighten up, but it was having just the opposite effect. I couldn't hold my back straight and was becoming very bent. With your method, my body is relaxing and seemingly going into line by itself. I don't have to struggle to stay upright. I am so grateful at 70 years old to have hope of having good posture instead of being all curved over.

The realignment has caused me to feel strange when I take my walks now because it's as though I have to learn to walk all over again. Before, I walked with my head forward and back curved. Now with my new posture it changes my balance and I have to walk differently! Small adjustments bring big changes!!

My son has back pain and I've bought therapy balls for him. I'll order another for myself and one day hope to get to Stamford and have lessons with you.

Warm regards and thanks!

Thank you so much for your e-mail. There are so many conditions helped by this method other than back or neck pain. One reason you are feeling better is the change in your posture. Because you now are more lengthened in your rib cage you are putting less stress on the part of the body that normally experiences the reflux discomfort. Muscle tension works on all systems of the body not just the muscles. I believe you have taken pressure off these muscles which has also improved your breathing. I hear this all the time and am very pleased. Although I do not have this condition I myself have experienced similar responses in areas I was not intending to improve but was pleasantly surprised. It gives you the confidence you need in your own bodies ability to heal.

All the Best, Elaine
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