Kayak Session Magazine – December 01, 2019

In thiscolumn,JessieintroducesNeuralFlossing,a techniqueof coordinated

movementsto helpridyourselfof neck, shoulder, and arm pain.

DOCTOR RIVER

WHAT’S UP DOC?

By Dr. Jessie Stone

ORIGINSOFPAIN,NUMBNESS,ANDTINGLINGIN THENECK,SHOULDERS,ANDARMS!

Painin theneck,shoulder,andarm,accompaniedbynumbnessandtingling,canhaveits

originsin nervesthatservethemusclesin thoseareas.Thenervesthatworkoutsideof our

brainandspinalcordorcentralnervoussystemareknowncollectivelyasourperipheral

nervoussystem.Theperipheral nerves that operate in the shoulders and arms are referred

toasthebrachialplexus.

Stimulationofperipheralmotornervescausesthemusclestheyinnervatetocontract.If

nervesareover-stimulated,theycanbecomehypersensitive.Overstimulationcanresult

fromoveruseofmuscles,poorposture,orinjurytoperipheralnervesthemselves.Once

thesenervesbecomehypersensitive,themusclessurroundingthemcontractinorderto

protectthem.Hypersensitivenerves,togetherwithprolongedcontractionof thesurrounding

muscles,createhighneuraltoneornervetensionin themuscle.Highneuraltoneleadsto

tightandstiffmuscles,whichcannotproperlyperformtheirfunctions.Whenmusclesare

notfunctioningproperly,limbsdon’tmovecorrectly,andjointsareimpacted.Numbness,

tingling,andpainareallsignsthatnervesthemselvesarenotmovingproperlythrough

theirnormalpathway.Besidesincreasedpain,numbness,andtingling,overtime,improper

movementpatternsleadto jointproblemsandultimately,moreinjuries.Sound like a vicious

cycle?Well,it is;however,thereis something you can do about it!

NEURALFLOSSING– WHATISIT?

NeuralFlossingis a techniqueofcoordinatedmovementsthatmobilizenerves,allowing

free,un-impingedmovementof thesenervesthroughtheirpathway.Thiscoordinatedseries

of movementsallowsyourperipheralnervesto gaintheirfullrangeof motionandperform

optimally for your body, in turn enabling muscles and joints to regain their full range of

movement!Neuralflossing,similartoflossingyourteeth,is mostbeneficialif donedaily.

Thefocusoftheneuralflossingexercisesisdirectedatthreenerves(themedian,the

radial,andtheulnarnerves)inthebrachialplexus.Repeatedpracticeofneuralflossing

exerciseswillhelpyouregainpropermovement of the above nerves, and subsequently,

themusclesgroupsservedby each.

HOWDOESIT WORK?

Oncethenerveis movingfreely,themusclessurroundingthenervewillnolongerbein a

prolongedstateofcontraction.Oncethenervesarenolongerhypersensitive,themuscles

willstopcontractingtoprotectthenerves,significantlyreducingtheirneuraltone.The

nervewillthenbefreetostimulatethemusclestofireastheyaremeantto.Thisreduction

inneuraltoneandincreasedrangeofmotionwillreducepain,numbness,andtingling

inthearm.It soundstoogoodtobetrue,buthereis thecatch– you need to do neural

flossing exercises 5-7 days per week to get their full benefit!

WHATARETHEEXERCISESFORTHENECK,SHOULDERS,ANDARMS?

Thethreebrachialplexusnervesthataffecttheshoulderandarmarethemediannerve,

theradialnerve,andtheulnarnerve.Thereis oneflossingexerciseforeachnerveandone

fortheneckaswell.Forthebestresults,do 30 repetitionsofeachexerciseoneachside

ofyourbodydaily!Youwillnoticea differencewithinoneweektotendaysofrepeatedly

doingtheexercises.It is vitalthatyoupaycloseattentiontothecorrectpositionofyour

handandheadtodotheexercisescorrectly.Likeanyotherexercisesituation,if youfeel

sharpshootingpain– stop!Youmayfeelsomediscomfortasyoubegin,butit shouldnot

bepainful.Maketheseexercisespart of your daily warm-up routine! Good luck and look

forwardtofeelingbettersoon!

MEDIANNERVEFLOSSING

Beginwithonearmextendeddirectlyouttoyoursideata 90-degreeangletoyourhead

andneck,palmfacingtheceiling.Claspyourfingerstogethergentlyanddropyourear

towardyourshoulderasyouopenyourpalmandpointyourknucklestowardthefloor.Come

backtothestartingpositionand continue for 30 repetitions. Repeat on the opposite side.

RADIALNERVEFLOSSING

Beginasyoudidforthemediannerveflossing,withyourarmextended 90 degreesfrom

yourheadandneck.Thistime,yourpalmfacesdownwhilefingersareextendedstraight

out.Asyoudropyoureartowardsyourshoulder,bendyourwristsothatyourpalmand

flathandfaceyourbody.Next,extendyourwristsothatthepalmandfingerspointdirectly

upwardstowardstheceilingasyoubringyourhead back up and towards the opposite ear

asyoucan.Do 30 repetitionson each side.

ULNARNERVEFLOSSING

Beginbyputtingyourthumbandindexfingertogetherononeside.Dropyourheadtorest

inyourhandwiththethumbandindexfingertouchingandthenextendthearmto 90

degreesanddropyour head towards the opposite shoulder. Do 30 repetitions on each side.

NECKFLOSSING

Keepyourarmsbyyoursideandexternallyrotateyourarmssothatyourpalmsarefacing

out.Fromthisposition,dropyoureartowardsoneshoulder and hold for a count of 3. Come

back to neutral and repeat 30 times each side.

NEURAL FLOSSING:

HOWTO FREEYOURSELF FROM

NECK, SHOULDER, AND ARM PAIN

JessieStoneis anMDandkayaker.Sheis a graduateof NewYorkMedicalCollegeanda four-timemember of the US Women’s Freestyle Kayak Team. She is also a factory team paddler for Jackson Kayak and the founder of Soft Power Health,

a non-profit healthcare delivery organisation based in Uganda. Words and photos: Jessie Stone

“NUMBNESS,TINGLING,ANDPAINAREALLSIGNS

THATNERVESTHEMSELVESARENOTMOVING

PROPERLY THROUGH THEIR NORMAL PATHWAY.”

TECHNIQUE