Complimentary Therapies

[Dora86]

I really would like to find a way through complementary therapies to help me with stress,anxiety and the tension in my body. When I have a massage at the beauty salon they never go deep enough. I feel like someone is pushing down on my shoulders. The knots in my shoulders are big and tender. My neck crunches when I rotate it. Has anyone got any recommendations or advice on what therapies I should consider?

[cs65 NKF Ambassador]

I do chair yoga and the beauty of the exercises is that you can do them anytime you're sitting, even in the dialysis chair. A good one for neck is to start by sitting up straight, keeping your chest elevated and your head up straight. Only move your head to the point where it is not hurting bad. First take a breath in your nose and lift your head up, then exhale through your mouth while you put your head down. Do this three times then return to facing forward. Next take a breath and exhale while turning your head to one side, inhale and turn your head to the other side while exhaling. Repeat three times on each side. Finally, take a breath and turn your head in a circle, exhaling while you're turning down. After one revolution turn your head the opposite direction and go around once more. Please modify by not going too high or low if it hurts. A Shoulder exercise might be to shrug your shoulders up and down a few times, then to roll them backward a few times and then forward a few times. I do yoga in a class from RSNhope.org called Be Fit While You Sit. It is free to kidney patients and is on Zoom.

[Dora86 in reply to cs65]

Thank you, I will try that.