Almost 10 million Britons suffer enough pain on a daily basis for it to impact on their quality of life. Jonathan Hunt, founder of Somatic Living, says: “In times of pain and physical or emotional stress, the brain sends messages to muscles to contract, which make it difficult to move and can lead to chronic tension and more pain. It is therefore important to re-educate the brain to stop sending these messages.”
To recapture control of tight muscles, start and finish the day with some easy exercises to lengthen muscles and prevent damage from sudden movements. Gentle stretches and walking will loosen tight limbs in the morning; concentrate on completely relaxing each part of your body bit by bit in the evening, and try to fit in some movement-based exercise, such as yoga, during the day.
Focus on maintaining a good posture throughout the day, and ensure you don’t stay in the same position for too long: distorted postures arise because muscles become chronically contracted due to repetitive movements, injuries or stress.
