Morning stiffness

September 30th, 2009 by Matvey Kipershtein

Many people I talk to complain that they have started to experience general body stiffness after the age of 30. I used to brush these remarks off until I started to experience it myself.

Morning stiffness if accompanied by sharp joint pains and lasts more than 45 minutes can be a sign of arthritis or fibromyalgia. However, from my personal experience and from taking many health histories of my patients I realized that in most cases there is nothing to be worried about. There are few simple steps you can take to alleviate these discomforts.

Typically, a very simple physical activity will take care of it. I have been doing yoga for many years, and right now I find it very helpful for my morning stiffness.

Usually a few rounds of sun salutation will get my body limber and mind fully awake.

Take a look at this website for instructions on how to perform this routine. http://www.santosha.com/asanas/suryanamaskar.html

As with any physical activity keep in mind your limitations. Don’t push it, especially if you are new to yoga. Besides, it is your first warm up for the day. It should never hurt. Feel the nice, comfortable tension with every stretch. A sharp pain tells you that you went too far. Your yoga postures don’t have to look exactly like the pictures you see on the website. Nobody is judging you; you are doing it for yourself. If you can’t reach the floor with your forward bends, use a stool or a table to support your arms.

On the last note… Some people do have arthritis or another inflammatory condition that makes their mornings the worst time of the day. If you are worried about it, don’t wait till it goes away by itself. Book an appointment with your massage therapist; see someone with an expertise in the field to get a professional opinion.

Tags: massage, muscle, Physical exercise, stretch, wellness
Posted in Health, Massage Therapy | 2 Comments »