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There are multiple reasons why I hate back and shoulder pain. And it’s not just the PAIN, which prevents me to enjoy the life.
It’s also the constant reminder, that my body is getting older and I’m going to die soon. Of course I have a plan how to prevent that, but lets talk about backpain.
first.
Ergonomic Mouse and Shoulder Pain
It all has started in 2017. I’ve been working behind the desk for 20 some years and started to notice, that nothing in my back and shoulders feels right. And so I decide to take the first step and buy myself a fancy ergonomic mouse, which they say helps with posture and should resolve all my problems.
$27 dollars and 2 days later, the new mouse is in my hands, and it feels pretty cool. But is it helping? It almost feels like it does…
But then a few month later, I realize that nope, it doesn’t and we are back at square zero.
Can Chair Help with Back Pain?
The struggle continues and in 2018 I decide to make a slightly bigger investment. After a bit of research I locate the most advance and adjustable chair of them all. Herman Miler Aeron.
One problem, it’s freaking expensive… but for some reason a lot of people sell it on Facebook marketplace for the fraction of the cost. All right, I’ll take it!
$400 later I’m a happy owner of an almost brand new chair! Still have it to this day. Great chair. Not a smidge of improvement in the shoulder or back pain department.
Perfect Mattress
November 2019. Finally I decide to make the ULTIMATE investment, which should work for sure this time!
Everyone knows that backpain is driven by the quality of the mattress you sleep on and how good the sleep is. It took me some time to arrive here, but finally I’m ready to upgrade.
But I’m already on my anti aging and longevity journey by that time, so I’m also into sleeping in a dark cold environment.. Well I’d like to, except that my wife disagrees to sleep “in a freezer”.
Good news – technology can already make it happen, cold for me, hot for her, kinda expensive though. 2 grands like.
But then I start to think.. I spend almost a 3rd of my life in the bedroom. Significantly more then in my car for example and car doesn’t revert the daily damage of life, like a good sleep does.
So I do some mental gymnastic, adjust for the cooling and heating savings, find a coupon and pull a trigger!
In a few days I’m a happy owner of the most cool (pun intended) health and sleep gadget on the planet.
My sleep quality, which I measure every day, with an Oura ring, skyrockets! My deep and restorative sleep improves, I feel rested and energetic.
My back pain.. Uh, my back pain, doesn’t improve a single bit.
COVlD to The Rescue
Welcome to 2020! What a Year.. If you know what I mean.
Bad news – pandemic, god news – I work from home and have some extra time on my hands. So I spend it on educating myself on physiology of the human body and evolution. As it happens I read the book by Dr. John Kirsch about benefits of simple hanging, which is one of the most fundamental primate movements. Every single review says that it helped tremendously with the shoulder pain and improved back pain symptoms. What’s better – it all make sense!
And so – that’s what I start to practice every single day! (and even create a channel called Smart Monkey)
But also this time I decide to not spend any more money, so I just get an old shovel to hang on. Later I got some rings too, but that’s a separate story.
And I find another another primal position, which we are all missing in our modern lives – the deep squat. Evolution has never intended us to sit like we do in chairs. But guess what you can sit in a chair in a deep squat. Honestly.
Remember Rule #6? Never take yourself too seriously. So start practicing deep squat anywhere and anytime you can. From a few minutes to an hour. It puts a very nice stretch to the lower spine, which your body going to love.
Anyway – total money investment: $0 total time opportunity cost: 2 minutes a day, results: no pain in less then 6 month and improved overall mobility.
Bottom Line
If you want to improve your sleep: go buy this mattress.
If you want to improve your back or shoulder pain: do the work! Hang, deep squat (and then progress to glute bridges)