I may not be a medical professional, but I am able to tell when I encounter descriptions of body motion that just make plain sense, and this DVD contains some enlightening information. In a collection of well narrated chapters complete with diagrammatic video illustration, the evidence is laid bare of our common tendencies to keep our bodies out of balance, causing pain through muscle tensions that, in turn, keep our bodies in bad posture. This is due in part to us having mapped the body in a particular way, eg in relation to position, when in reality the position is entirely different.

This DVD is broken into multiple sections covering the many aspects of posture imbalance, and covers areas from the head to the feet and just about everywhere in between. Posture is translated by the authors as ‘Body Maps’ which are essentially memories in your mind of where you think your individual body parts are and how you use them. The DVD highlights how you may have had a flawed map (understanding) of your various body parts in your mind from a very young age. This may have led you to actually move according to those flaws and results in the straining of some parts of your body which can lead to pain. As the narrator tells us, “We move in the way in which we think we are constructed …”, either consciously or unconsciously. Wrong body maps can be responsible for many bad posture related problems, from walking to sitting, to using a computer.

Subjects covered in the DVD include -

• Body maps – identifying flaws in the human body map and how to recognise those errors
• Balance – identifying correct balance with core posture, and identifying posture related pain
• Kinesthesia – learning free and fluid movement to correct body imbalances
• Arms – covering shoulders, elbows,  wrists and hands
• Legs – covering hips, pelvis, knees and feet
• Breathing – covering lungs, skeletal/muscular system, diaphragm
• Mapping the whole body
• Correcting the map
• Inclusive attention

The areas I can relate to most pertain to the shoulders, arms, wrists and hands. These are covered in detail and are very applicable to the RSI sufferer. The main posture/skeletal issues with RSI type injuries are listed, adding to the viewer’s knowledge and understanding through plain and straightforward explanations along with clear diagrams and video.

From previous experience, I knew that over-supination of the wrists was a bad thing, but now I know about the natural axis of rotation of the forearm and how it ties in with a neutral position wrist, as well as why supination causes so many injuries.

The company website rather generously shows sample videos of some chapters which are well worth checking out, and will give you a sneak peak of the DVD content and style as well as some key body map information!

• ‘Elbows’ chapter
• ‘Arms’ chapter
• ‘Forearms’ chapter
• ‘Hands’ chapter
• ‘Lower Back’ chapter
• ‘Balance’ chapter
• ‘Lungs’ chapter

I also found the section on breathing very interesting. It’s probably the first time I’ve been able to picture the role of the diaphragm in breathing, and I certainly had my lungs mapped as being a bit lower than they actually are. The related section on the ribcage was also revealing to me having just recently strained my sternum connective tissue whilst gardening. It  also reinforces the benefits of some breathing practices including Yogic breathing (Pranayama).

The DVD run time is a substantial 2hrs,  and certainly lends itself to being watched in stages. There is the temptation to skip straight to the section you are most interested in, however it should be watched as a whole to get the complete picture and overall message firmly ingrained in your mind. I expect that multiple viewings would be best to fully absorb the detail.

All in all this DVD is an excellent resource for just about everyone. It is not solely aimed at one specific group of people eg RSI sufferers, but covers the whole body, and should be a useful education tool for everyone, including ergonomists, physiotherapists, fitness instructors, yoga teachers etc, as well as many others including in the medical profession.

If you have posture related pain it’s likely that it’s down to your bad body map and it’s certainly time to re-educate yourself!

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In a nutshell, it combines a fairly physical activity encompassing muscle and tendon stretches from your head to your toes, with core conditioning and balance practices. This is coupled with controlled breathing techniques to allow the participant to focus their mind on the present moment. As well as the physical practice, yoga teaches techniques to promote deep relaxation and the ability to clear everyday thoughts from the mind with meditation. This powerful combination really can address a lot of the factors that lead to conditions like RSI (primarily driven by the overused micro-movements of muscles and tendons coupled with bad ergonomics and stressful working conditions).

Yoga practice can

• stretch out abused and injured arm muscles and tendons that have been used in a very poor/restrictive motion for numerous hours
• stretch out your neck, spine, and shoulders which most likely will have also been in a bad posture for hours at work, and can be the sources of a lot of RSI conditions
• enhance the blood flow to fatigued muscles
• enhance overall strength and flexibility
• stretch out tight tendons
• promote relaxation
• promote calmness through meditation
• make the participant feel good about their health
• make the participant decidedly fitter

I have only relatively recently delved into yoga. For those of you who think it’s an activity for girls and hippies, I can assure you it isn’t! It’s really a great practice for everyone and there truly are no age or gender barriers. It can be quite physically involved, which I didn’t realise before I tried it out! I really wish I had started practising at an earlier stage in life while my RSI was not as bad as it is now, when it could perhaps have helped me to address my RSI condition during its early stages.

There are many different types of yoga class out there. The class I currently attend is based on Ashtanga Yoga, and is fairly physical. It involves many stretches (some quite challenging) interspersed with vinyasas* which are physical sequences or “flows” between each Yoga pose. A typical class goes for 1 to 1.5 hrs, and follows a sequence of

• Controlled breathing practice (relaxation, focus of breath and readying self for practice
• Sun salutations (sequences of vinyasas to warm body up with)
• Standing stretch/posture sequences interspersed with vinyasas
• Seated stretch/posture sequences with vinyasas
• Reclined stretch/posture sequences with vinyasas
• Relaxation/meditation.

I can honestly say the time goes by in a flash, and I always leave way more relaxed than before I arrived. It’s a great way to switch off from the working day. The Ashtanga class is fairly physical, and it may be a good idea for you to try to experience yoga at an easier pace first of all, and there are many classes to suit. You can also get many great yoga DVDs these days so you can try it out at home if you prefer (all you need is a yoga mat and motivation!), before jumping straight into a class. I do however recommend trying to aim for a physical version of yoga, since this is what will help you achieve core strength and conditioning, giving your muscles a helpful intensive stretch based workout, coupled with relaxation and the ability to refocus your mind.

It is perhaps the idea of channelling the hyperactivity of the mind into more useful positive energy and thoughts that is one of the key aspects of yoga. If we can control the over activity of our minds, we can achieve a positive state of mind and can face day to day stresses on a more even keel, ie. it can be adapted to many areas of your life. For example, are you perhaps over stressing a lot in the office? Then maybe a 20 min break away from your desk and a bit of controlled breathing and meditation can bring your mind back to a less stressful place, and begin to bring things into perspective, which can’t be a bad thing in these crazy busy lives we now lead now can it?

*”Vinyasa has since been thought of as a physically demanding practice, which can be successful at channelling the hyperactivity of … minds. This system can also be used as a vessel for helping calm ongoing chatter of the mind, reducing stress and teaching extroverted personalities to redirect their attention to their internal experience.” wikipedia

An article from the San Francisco Chronicle highlights the benefits of Yoga practice in the high tech industry.

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