social distancing

Back, neck, and joint pain may be flaring up for many of us, especially those who have come to depend on palliative interventions such as massage, chiropractic, and physical therapy.

Does it seem to anyone else like the ribbon of life just tangled dramatically? It makes sense to feel this way — we’re living in a rapidly changing world with new information coming our way all the time. One way we may be physically experiencing that change is in our daily pain levels, which can increase due to myriad reasons: working from home on unfamiliar furniture, stress manifesting as tension in the body, eroded sleep quality from anxiety flare-ups, childcare we are suddenly having to do unassisted. Now, more than ever, we are forced to visit the root of the problem because our usual methods for temporary relief — such as massage therapy and chiropractic — are unavailable or inaccessible. These are marvelous interventions, but now we have an opportunity to address things ourselves. What do we do when we can’t physically visit our massage therapist or chiropractor or physical therapist and our aches and pains are spiraling out of control?

Massage is a worthy therapeutic intervention, but largely inaccessible during shelter-in-place restrictions. Posture re-education, on the other hand, is something you can learn online and put into practice immediately.

This is actually the perfect time to learn, revisit, and refresh skills to relieve your own back, neck, and joint pain without relying on recurring treatments from outside professionals. In the new world of COVID-19, the ancient wisdom and Primal Posture of the Gokhale Method are even more relevant than usual. We’ve had these tools on our side for decades, and our ancestors and forebears have had them for countless generations. Let’s now put them into practice with the goal of self-sufficiency.

To help with this, we’d like to remind you of our no-cost offerings which you can regularly access from your home. Here’s an example to introduce (or re-introduce) you to the fundamental Gokhale Method technique of stretchsitting, a way to gently lengthen your spine through traction and take pressure off compressed discs, nerves, and tissues. You can use equipment already found around your house, such as a rolled-up towel, or a Stretchsit® Cushion if you have one available. If you are even more fortunate, you own a Gokhale Pain-Free™ chair. Even if you’ve learned stretchsitting previously, refreshers are great at a time like this.

In the coming weeks, we’re further expanding our online offerings to include practical new material you can access from the comfort of your own home. Join us for new free teleseminars, posture workshops, online consultations, and online lessons to improve your quality of life without putting others or yourself at risk. Due to high interest, our next free teleseminars (taking place today, April 2, 2020) will revisit the topic of exercise breaks for calm and productivity. Each of our teleseminars is offered multiple times on the same day for ease of scheduling. Coworkers, friends, and family are welcome!

Social distancing can be a perfect time to learn some practical new posture skills alongside those in your household.

We also hope to support many of you with one-on-one online posture sessions, where our qualified teachers can provide personalized coaching on leading a pain-free lifestyle. Email our Customer Support team today so they can connect you with Gokhale Method teachers experienced with online teaching. Your body and mind will thank you, long after restrictions have been lifted. Consider it a gift to your future self and to future generations. Wishing you good health!

We’re all in this together. Hang in there!

Coronavirus is a quickly-developing story, and one we’re doing our utmost to address.

We’ve all had a rough week. The spread of coronavirus has led to major disruptions in our existing routines. Schools in many locations are closed and parents are navigating homeschool and childcare without as much support from teachers and caregivers as they are used to. Students and workers, whenever possible, have had their environments shifted from the physical to the virtual classroom and workspace. Countless workers in the service industries and in the arts are facing the sudden dissolution of their livelihoods with minimal safeguards. And healthcare workers are on the frontline of the fight to slow and contain the spread of COVID-19.

While we minimize contact with others, it can be tremendously helpful to optimize our new environments and changed routines and find a way to make our limitations more healthy and sustainable.

Working, attending class, and socializing only through a laptop is a new experience for many people. We’re finding and sharing ways to help you do these activities with less pain.

If you’re newly working or studying from home, you may have found that you’re having trouble settling into your new surroundings comfortably. Working hunched over a laptop can be a quick road to neck and back pain. Different table or desk heights and chairs than you’re used to can make a major difference in how you hold your body.

Similarly, if you’re suddenly faced with days structured very differently from the routines of your usual workplace or campus, you may find yourself sitting in one spot for hours at a time and not changing posture or moving. Or, if you find yourself temporarily unable to work as your workplace has shut down, you might fall down the Netflix wormhole. Hours can pass without noticing, and this is an easy way to end up with stiffness, pain, and even emotional issues like feeling lonely and isolated.

Higher-than-usual screen time can spell trouble for our mood and energy levels. Thankfully, there are healthy interventions available.

In light of these unique challenges, we are proud to debut two special teleseminars, both free, designed to combat cabin fever and help people settle into a new, healthy routine. There are two topics we’ll address:

• How to Set up Your Home Office in a Healthy Way, and
• Stir Crazy? Exercise Breaks for Calm and Productivity.

We hope you can join us today, March 20, for How to Set up Your Home Office in a Healthy Way and on Monday, March 23, for Stir Crazy? Exercise Breaks for Calm and Productivity. Each will be offered a total of 5 times over the course of the day. You can learn more and register here.

We look forward to making your new routine a more pleasant one. Please stay tuned for further upcoming streaming exercise offerings in the near future to help you stay active and healthy.

Some family members may be especially happy to have you home more than usual.