Thursday, June 26, 2014
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Mouse Traps
Many people don't realize how dangerous the computer mouse can be to
their manual health. Someone was recently complaining about numbness to
her hand as she used the mouse and this was essentially my reply.
Proper movement of the larger muscles can promote healing where there is
inflammation or scar tissue to the tendons.
There are many problems which can occur with improper use of the mouse. First, you are most likely bending or twisting your wrist (ulnar deviation, radial deviation). Just because you can, doesn't mean it is okay to do. If you take a live branch and bend it left, then right, then left, etcetera, eventually it will develop cracks and maybe break. That is what you are doing to the tendons and the tendon sheath in your wrist when you overuse and misuse your wrist in that way. Go write on a chalk board and notice that your arm places your hand where it needs to be. You need to move the mouse with the same unified gesture. It is one movement without isolating the fulcrum of the wrist. The movement comes from the elbow, shoulder and back, and is counter balanced or supported by the stomach.
Second, you may be sitting too high or low. The wrist not only has to be straight and not move left to right, but, the wrist shouldn't bend up and down, either (dorsiflexion, flexion). If you sit too high your wrist will have a bend in it. Sit too low, your wrist will have a bend in it. Your hand to your elbow should be a straight line, like writing on a chalk board. Many people will unconsciously try to straighten the wrist by either slouching or raising their shoulders. This will literally give them a pain in the neck.
Third, people rest their forearm on the table when they use the mouse. That can cause a bend in the wrist and it can also add pressure to the carpal tunnel. If your tendons are already inflamed and pressing on the median nerve, this added pressure or resting weight can further press on the nerve. The arm should hover and not be lying flat. You couldn't write on a chalk board if your arm was pressing on the surface. You've got to find the medium position where you are resting up. That may be tense for some people but if you are always moving and also resting down, the constant movement creates a sense of rest and ease. If you sit in just one position, that is called static loading and you can create stress issues from maintaining a single position. If you were to move your arm rapidly up and down as if you were spanking a baby a dozen times, your arm would fatigue because you are only using two muscles to go up and down. Also, chances are by the time you start to go down, your up muscles are still being employed and this is called a dual muscular pull. That is what causes tension. Try it (not with a baby). Now "spank the baby" again but this time instead of going up and down, slowly make a circular motion with your arm. You shouldn't feel the tension in your forearm at all because you are now using dozens of muscles to go up and down and left and right. By the time the arm moves up, the down muscles have already relaxed and rested. If you feel any tension it may be in your upper arm or shoulder. Those are different issues. You may also feel tension in your pronator teres muscles so to properly spank your baby, have them stand up so your arm and hand is vertical to the floor. Dangle your arms to your side. That is their natural position. Now raise them up to 90 degrees with the palms facing one another. You should not feel any tension. Now pronate them or turn your palms so they face the floor. Feel the tension? Now supinate them so that the palms face the ceiling. Feel the tension?
Fourth, depressing the button on the mouse isolates the forefinger. This is very bad and can lead to long flexor tendonitis. Tendonitis is the inflammation of the tendon and when it inflames (swells up, gets bigger) it will press on the median nerve in the carpal tunnel within the wrist because there is no extra room in the tunnel for expansion. Your fingers are designed for poking, not lying flat and pressing down. Go ahead, lay your hand flat on a table and using just your forefinger, press down with all your might. Feel awful? Do you feel it radiate into the forearm? Now lift your arm up and with naturally curved fingers, using the arm and without pressing, gently poke the table. Effortless? When the phalanx, finger joints, knuckles, wrist and elbow are all aligned properly, they have tremendous and effortless power (not the same as strength). The best way to to press the button of the mouse is to gently hold it with your thumb and pinky, not squeezing, you are hovering, and you forward shift into the button. The button is pressed from the elbow and you are NOT ISOLATING A SINGLE FINGER. As you forward shift, the whole arm, hand, wrist and five fingers are moving forward and you are using a very slight adjustment of the forefinger to press the button. When you press it the old way, your are isolating the forefinger and since all your tendons are interconnected, you are creating a dual muscular pull, which is bad. Try it with a doorbell or elevator button. Isolate a single finger and press the button. Then with all five fingers together, using your longest finger, press the button from the elbow. Effortless?
Teaching yourself to move properly can be awkward in the beginning but once you set up your work station to the proper ergonomic setting for your own body, and then employ the proper movements, you will heal. My lap top is actually on a small table on a table. I stand in front of my screen which is slightly higher than my head so that my back and neck are straight and stretched a bit. My wireless keyboard is at waist level and angled so that my arms can dangle at about 135 degrees. My wireless mouse is elevated at 90 degrees so my whole arm is free and can move effortlessly. I can stand at my computer all day because I am in constant motion and there is zero static loading. I also have a small padded stool in front of me at knee level in case I want to pause, I can lean on the stool with my knees. There is also a bar stool behind me for moments of pause when I am reading something or don't need to use my arms. My mouse pad is also on a clipboard which I sometimes pick up and hold to my stomach and I move as if playing a guitar. It is the constant rotation of movement which prevents stress, fatigue and strain to my muscles and tendons. I am also barefoot 90% of the time so that prevents ankle and foot fatigue and allows the ankles to do their job of micro adjustments for balance. I also stand on four of those polyurethane foam bath mats for a nice cushioned and arch supporting feel.
Since some people have thoracic problems from slouching because they look down to their computers, they should take something like a Feldenkrais class to learn how to move the rest of their body properly. If you stand on a garden hose, the water pressure will diminish. If someone else stands on it a few feet away, it will diminish even further. That is what happens to a lot of people. There is a "kink" to the nerve at the neck and they are kinking the same nerve in their wrist causing a "double crush."
Not everybody has the mental acuity or patience to heal. Because of this, healing is easy for some and difficult for most others. Most likely a doctor won't heal you if you have a problem. They treat symptoms, not problems and the problem is probably your movement. Many people will opt for surgery if they have "carpal tunnel syndrome" or, median nerve entrapment. The surgery just provides more room for the symptom which is inflammation and, does not address the real issue and cause of the inflammation in the first place - which is improper movement.
Drugs, splints, braces, rest and physical therapy only treat the symptom and not the problem. They can actually cause a further downward spiral of symptoms since they can alleviate pain, which is a symptom. If you start to feel better because you are treating symptoms or taking anti-inflammatory drugs, you are still moving improperly and you will feel good only until the inflammation gets worse and surpasses the temporary alleviation of the symptom. Pain is good, it tells us there is a problem. Fix the problem, not the pain.
There are many problems which can occur with improper use of the mouse. First, you are most likely bending or twisting your wrist (ulnar deviation, radial deviation). Just because you can, doesn't mean it is okay to do. If you take a live branch and bend it left, then right, then left, etcetera, eventually it will develop cracks and maybe break. That is what you are doing to the tendons and the tendon sheath in your wrist when you overuse and misuse your wrist in that way. Go write on a chalk board and notice that your arm places your hand where it needs to be. You need to move the mouse with the same unified gesture. It is one movement without isolating the fulcrum of the wrist. The movement comes from the elbow, shoulder and back, and is counter balanced or supported by the stomach.
Second, you may be sitting too high or low. The wrist not only has to be straight and not move left to right, but, the wrist shouldn't bend up and down, either (dorsiflexion, flexion). If you sit too high your wrist will have a bend in it. Sit too low, your wrist will have a bend in it. Your hand to your elbow should be a straight line, like writing on a chalk board. Many people will unconsciously try to straighten the wrist by either slouching or raising their shoulders. This will literally give them a pain in the neck.
Third, people rest their forearm on the table when they use the mouse. That can cause a bend in the wrist and it can also add pressure to the carpal tunnel. If your tendons are already inflamed and pressing on the median nerve, this added pressure or resting weight can further press on the nerve. The arm should hover and not be lying flat. You couldn't write on a chalk board if your arm was pressing on the surface. You've got to find the medium position where you are resting up. That may be tense for some people but if you are always moving and also resting down, the constant movement creates a sense of rest and ease. If you sit in just one position, that is called static loading and you can create stress issues from maintaining a single position. If you were to move your arm rapidly up and down as if you were spanking a baby a dozen times, your arm would fatigue because you are only using two muscles to go up and down. Also, chances are by the time you start to go down, your up muscles are still being employed and this is called a dual muscular pull. That is what causes tension. Try it (not with a baby). Now "spank the baby" again but this time instead of going up and down, slowly make a circular motion with your arm. You shouldn't feel the tension in your forearm at all because you are now using dozens of muscles to go up and down and left and right. By the time the arm moves up, the down muscles have already relaxed and rested. If you feel any tension it may be in your upper arm or shoulder. Those are different issues. You may also feel tension in your pronator teres muscles so to properly spank your baby, have them stand up so your arm and hand is vertical to the floor. Dangle your arms to your side. That is their natural position. Now raise them up to 90 degrees with the palms facing one another. You should not feel any tension. Now pronate them or turn your palms so they face the floor. Feel the tension? Now supinate them so that the palms face the ceiling. Feel the tension?
Fourth, depressing the button on the mouse isolates the forefinger. This is very bad and can lead to long flexor tendonitis. Tendonitis is the inflammation of the tendon and when it inflames (swells up, gets bigger) it will press on the median nerve in the carpal tunnel within the wrist because there is no extra room in the tunnel for expansion. Your fingers are designed for poking, not lying flat and pressing down. Go ahead, lay your hand flat on a table and using just your forefinger, press down with all your might. Feel awful? Do you feel it radiate into the forearm? Now lift your arm up and with naturally curved fingers, using the arm and without pressing, gently poke the table. Effortless? When the phalanx, finger joints, knuckles, wrist and elbow are all aligned properly, they have tremendous and effortless power (not the same as strength). The best way to to press the button of the mouse is to gently hold it with your thumb and pinky, not squeezing, you are hovering, and you forward shift into the button. The button is pressed from the elbow and you are NOT ISOLATING A SINGLE FINGER. As you forward shift, the whole arm, hand, wrist and five fingers are moving forward and you are using a very slight adjustment of the forefinger to press the button. When you press it the old way, your are isolating the forefinger and since all your tendons are interconnected, you are creating a dual muscular pull, which is bad. Try it with a doorbell or elevator button. Isolate a single finger and press the button. Then with all five fingers together, using your longest finger, press the button from the elbow. Effortless?
Teaching yourself to move properly can be awkward in the beginning but once you set up your work station to the proper ergonomic setting for your own body, and then employ the proper movements, you will heal. My lap top is actually on a small table on a table. I stand in front of my screen which is slightly higher than my head so that my back and neck are straight and stretched a bit. My wireless keyboard is at waist level and angled so that my arms can dangle at about 135 degrees. My wireless mouse is elevated at 90 degrees so my whole arm is free and can move effortlessly. I can stand at my computer all day because I am in constant motion and there is zero static loading. I also have a small padded stool in front of me at knee level in case I want to pause, I can lean on the stool with my knees. There is also a bar stool behind me for moments of pause when I am reading something or don't need to use my arms. My mouse pad is also on a clipboard which I sometimes pick up and hold to my stomach and I move as if playing a guitar. It is the constant rotation of movement which prevents stress, fatigue and strain to my muscles and tendons. I am also barefoot 90% of the time so that prevents ankle and foot fatigue and allows the ankles to do their job of micro adjustments for balance. I also stand on four of those polyurethane foam bath mats for a nice cushioned and arch supporting feel.
Since some people have thoracic problems from slouching because they look down to their computers, they should take something like a Feldenkrais class to learn how to move the rest of their body properly. If you stand on a garden hose, the water pressure will diminish. If someone else stands on it a few feet away, it will diminish even further. That is what happens to a lot of people. There is a "kink" to the nerve at the neck and they are kinking the same nerve in their wrist causing a "double crush."
Not everybody has the mental acuity or patience to heal. Because of this, healing is easy for some and difficult for most others. Most likely a doctor won't heal you if you have a problem. They treat symptoms, not problems and the problem is probably your movement. Many people will opt for surgery if they have "carpal tunnel syndrome" or, median nerve entrapment. The surgery just provides more room for the symptom which is inflammation and, does not address the real issue and cause of the inflammation in the first place - which is improper movement.
Drugs, splints, braces, rest and physical therapy only treat the symptom and not the problem. They can actually cause a further downward spiral of symptoms since they can alleviate pain, which is a symptom. If you start to feel better because you are treating symptoms or taking anti-inflammatory drugs, you are still moving improperly and you will feel good only until the inflammation gets worse and surpasses the temporary alleviation of the symptom. Pain is good, it tells us there is a problem. Fix the problem, not the pain.
Friday, June 6, 2014
Excerpt From "Blink"
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
What is Wrong with Church?
Someone pointed out to me yesterday that I haven't blogged in a while
so, I'll address a statement I overheard last weekend at a picnic.
Anyone with children or teens will tell you that their kids think church is boring. In fact, many adults think much the same. It is boring, long, not relevant, confusing, poorly done and a there are people including some clergy who don't beleive in everything the church teaches.
So lets make a list of what is wrong with church; The music is too old. The music is too new. I hate classical music. I hate rock music. I hate organ music. I hate piano music. I hate guitars. The music is too fast or too slow. Too loud or too soft. The musicians make too many mistakes. The choir can't sing. The soloists are amateurish. They hire professionals. The reader reads too fast, too slow, too soft or mispronounces words. They don't know how to dress. The Eucharistic Minister is living with someone and is thusly a hypocrite. The church focuses too much on youth and ignores the needs of the older population. Our church has no youth. The homily is too childish, too heady, too preachy, too long, too philosophical, too boring, not relevant. The bible is all about 2,000 year old dead people whose life and culture are irrelevant to me today. They take in all that money and I get nothing out of it. The pews are too hard. They put in cushions and destroyed the acoustics. They argue over money, kneelers, statues, the parking lot or they have too many committee meetings. The place looks like a dusty old museum. The place looks like a living room. It's too bright. Too dark. We have stained glass windows which are too expensive to maintain. We don't have any stained glass windows.
Did I hit your issue with the church? Do you have more? We humans are very good at making excuses and externalizing our problems and laying blame. In reality, the problem with church isn't out there but is actually within the individual.
If you exercised for 30 minutes a day for a year, would you feel better? Certainly. Then why don't you do it? The common answers are that you don't feel like working out or you don't have time.
If you were to grow your own food and prepare your meals with a focus on nutrition, after a year, would you be a more healthy person? Then why don't you do it? The answer may be that you don't have time. It is easier to go out for dinner, buy microwavable food or go to a drive-thru.
If you were to go to bed early and get all the sleep your body requires, would you feel better during the day? Then why don't you do it? You don't have time or there are good TV shows on late at night.
Would you like to spend more time with the ones you love but you work all day and when you come home at night you are too exhausted and you find that you are actually giving them the least productive and most tired part of your time? So why do you work? You need money to give them things? In fifty years, will your kids wish that their dad gave them more things or that they wish Dad spent more quality time with them?
You know all the correct answers to those questions but you don't do them. Why? If you purchased a $500,000 Lamborghini, would you drive it down a street filled with pot holes? Would you drive it down muddy dirt roads? Would you take it through a commercial car wash where the water is recycled dirt from previous cars, where the sponges can have the dirt and grit embedded in them from previous cars and the boys drying the car at the end are wiping you car's finish with used rags? No, you would probably wash it by hand yourself and dry every inch of it by hand with a chamois. Why don't we treat our families and bodies like a Lamborghini? Are they not worth $500,000. We don't have the time.
Church is only one hour long. If you were to hear something in church which you could take with you and it could somehow make you a better person in every aspect of your life, wouldn't it be worth the hour?
So, the first thing to do when you go to church on Sunday is to block out all those external excuses, prejudices and dislikes. Say a short prayer asking God to teach you something that day to change your life. God doesn't want your money, He wants you to live a happy and holy life. So, ask Him. Then sit back and listen. Listen to the music, listen to the readings, listen to the homily, listen to the silence, listen to the prayers. Chances are that within, say the Eucharistic Prayer, is the answer to something which needs your attention and can change your life, or a piece of it. If this you do, chances are that church won't be as boring as you thought and you may actually learn to enjoy everything you thought you hated.
If you were at a family gathering and hung out at the kids table, it could be boring. If you sat with the old people, it might be boring. If you played a game or watched TV or sat and ate, it could be boring. But chances are you wouldn't be bored because you are spending time with people you love. You share stories, food, problems and solutions. When Grandpa tells the same old story about what happened to him 60 years ago, you listen as if it were the first time. Why? Because we block out everything we dislike about these rituals and people and focus only on what we can take from the experience because, we love these people. Ask any grandparent who sits through their grandchild's first piano recital and they will tell you it was beautiful.
If Steve Jobs or some billionaire were to offer a free seminar this weekend and tell you how to be happy and successful in your life, would you go? Probably. If God, whether you beleive in Him or not, were to speak this weekend and tell you how to be happy and successful in your life, would you go? Probably. Well, guess what? He is speaking this weekend for one hour. All you need to do is go, block out everything you dislike about the hour, the people and what they do or don't do, and listen. If you listen, if you TRULY listen, you will hear something which can change you. After doing this every week for several weeks, I guarantee that you will be a better person. You will be closer to your family, God, yourself and be happier with your life.
For an added bonus, exercise, eat right and get plenty of sleep. Then spend quality time with those you love. In fifty years, nobody will remember that you showed up to work on time. They may remember that you were cheerful, reverent, happy, giving, a great listener or sacramental.
Listen . . .
Anyone with children or teens will tell you that their kids think church is boring. In fact, many adults think much the same. It is boring, long, not relevant, confusing, poorly done and a there are people including some clergy who don't beleive in everything the church teaches.
So lets make a list of what is wrong with church; The music is too old. The music is too new. I hate classical music. I hate rock music. I hate organ music. I hate piano music. I hate guitars. The music is too fast or too slow. Too loud or too soft. The musicians make too many mistakes. The choir can't sing. The soloists are amateurish. They hire professionals. The reader reads too fast, too slow, too soft or mispronounces words. They don't know how to dress. The Eucharistic Minister is living with someone and is thusly a hypocrite. The church focuses too much on youth and ignores the needs of the older population. Our church has no youth. The homily is too childish, too heady, too preachy, too long, too philosophical, too boring, not relevant. The bible is all about 2,000 year old dead people whose life and culture are irrelevant to me today. They take in all that money and I get nothing out of it. The pews are too hard. They put in cushions and destroyed the acoustics. They argue over money, kneelers, statues, the parking lot or they have too many committee meetings. The place looks like a dusty old museum. The place looks like a living room. It's too bright. Too dark. We have stained glass windows which are too expensive to maintain. We don't have any stained glass windows.
Did I hit your issue with the church? Do you have more? We humans are very good at making excuses and externalizing our problems and laying blame. In reality, the problem with church isn't out there but is actually within the individual.
If you exercised for 30 minutes a day for a year, would you feel better? Certainly. Then why don't you do it? The common answers are that you don't feel like working out or you don't have time.
If you were to grow your own food and prepare your meals with a focus on nutrition, after a year, would you be a more healthy person? Then why don't you do it? The answer may be that you don't have time. It is easier to go out for dinner, buy microwavable food or go to a drive-thru.
If you were to go to bed early and get all the sleep your body requires, would you feel better during the day? Then why don't you do it? You don't have time or there are good TV shows on late at night.
Would you like to spend more time with the ones you love but you work all day and when you come home at night you are too exhausted and you find that you are actually giving them the least productive and most tired part of your time? So why do you work? You need money to give them things? In fifty years, will your kids wish that their dad gave them more things or that they wish Dad spent more quality time with them?
You know all the correct answers to those questions but you don't do them. Why? If you purchased a $500,000 Lamborghini, would you drive it down a street filled with pot holes? Would you drive it down muddy dirt roads? Would you take it through a commercial car wash where the water is recycled dirt from previous cars, where the sponges can have the dirt and grit embedded in them from previous cars and the boys drying the car at the end are wiping you car's finish with used rags? No, you would probably wash it by hand yourself and dry every inch of it by hand with a chamois. Why don't we treat our families and bodies like a Lamborghini? Are they not worth $500,000. We don't have the time.
Church is only one hour long. If you were to hear something in church which you could take with you and it could somehow make you a better person in every aspect of your life, wouldn't it be worth the hour?
So, the first thing to do when you go to church on Sunday is to block out all those external excuses, prejudices and dislikes. Say a short prayer asking God to teach you something that day to change your life. God doesn't want your money, He wants you to live a happy and holy life. So, ask Him. Then sit back and listen. Listen to the music, listen to the readings, listen to the homily, listen to the silence, listen to the prayers. Chances are that within, say the Eucharistic Prayer, is the answer to something which needs your attention and can change your life, or a piece of it. If this you do, chances are that church won't be as boring as you thought and you may actually learn to enjoy everything you thought you hated.
If you were at a family gathering and hung out at the kids table, it could be boring. If you sat with the old people, it might be boring. If you played a game or watched TV or sat and ate, it could be boring. But chances are you wouldn't be bored because you are spending time with people you love. You share stories, food, problems and solutions. When Grandpa tells the same old story about what happened to him 60 years ago, you listen as if it were the first time. Why? Because we block out everything we dislike about these rituals and people and focus only on what we can take from the experience because, we love these people. Ask any grandparent who sits through their grandchild's first piano recital and they will tell you it was beautiful.
If Steve Jobs or some billionaire were to offer a free seminar this weekend and tell you how to be happy and successful in your life, would you go? Probably. If God, whether you beleive in Him or not, were to speak this weekend and tell you how to be happy and successful in your life, would you go? Probably. Well, guess what? He is speaking this weekend for one hour. All you need to do is go, block out everything you dislike about the hour, the people and what they do or don't do, and listen. If you listen, if you TRULY listen, you will hear something which can change you. After doing this every week for several weeks, I guarantee that you will be a better person. You will be closer to your family, God, yourself and be happier with your life.
For an added bonus, exercise, eat right and get plenty of sleep. Then spend quality time with those you love. In fifty years, nobody will remember that you showed up to work on time. They may remember that you were cheerful, reverent, happy, giving, a great listener or sacramental.
Listen . . .
Nursery Rhymes for Organ
I have arranged a collection of Nursery Rhymes for the organ and am
selling the book on MusicNeo.com. These pieces make excellent encores
for the traditional "long haired" organ recital as they are easy, short,
quickly recognizable by the audience and different. The sheet music
for the complete collection in one PDF file can be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/o34oz72
To hear samples, check these out:
Did You Ever See A Lassie
http://youtu.be/sTbiPJi9oTE
Old MacDonald
http://youtu.be/h-ZWaiXVnLY
This Old Man
http://youtu.be/TJq1JaKduEM
Mary Had A Little Lamb
http://youtu.be/MKFKZS2GYH8
Pop Goes The Weasel
http://youtu.be/eWcOzgCbVeU
Ten Little Indians
http://youtu.be/8nRH9W_ezgE
London Bridge
http://youtu.be/2__tFaVlAXY
BINGO
http://youtu.be/0GMUG7Wr5RA
Fughetta on Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
http://youtu.be/0O7kzclRpZI
Fughetta on “Itsy Bitsy Spider”
http://youtu.be/VAzbk7fzibs
http://tinyurl.com/o34oz72
To hear samples, check these out:
Did You Ever See A Lassie
http://youtu.be/sTbiPJi9oTE
Old MacDonald
http://youtu.be/h-ZWaiXVnLY
This Old Man
http://youtu.be/TJq1JaKduEM
Mary Had A Little Lamb
http://youtu.be/MKFKZS2GYH8
Pop Goes The Weasel
http://youtu.be/eWcOzgCbVeU
Ten Little Indians
http://youtu.be/8nRH9W_ezgE
London Bridge
http://youtu.be/2__tFaVlAXY
BINGO
http://youtu.be/0GMUG7Wr5RA
Fughetta on Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
http://youtu.be/0O7kzclRpZI
Fughetta on “Itsy Bitsy Spider”
http://youtu.be/VAzbk7fzibs
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Did You Ever See A Lassie
Here is a recording of "Did You Ever See A Lassie" which I arranged for a recent organ recital. If you are interested in a copy of the sheet music, it is located here:
http://www.free-scores.com/download-sheet-music.php?pdf=63254
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Amazing Grace
A parishioner in my church is a blacksmith and made this Amazing Grace Cross out of horse shoes.
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