Also: Hospitals are merging -- but why should you care? Stretch to ease screen-time-related neck and shoulder pain

April 2, 2015 April 2, 2015 How stretching keeps your joints moving Your range of motion — how far you can move a joint in various directions — is determined by many things, starting with the inner workings of the joints involved. Also important is the amount of tension in the muscles surrounding the joint, which can be affected by scarring or your habitual posture (passive factors), or by involuntary muscle spasms or purposeful muscle contractions (active factors). Get your copy of Stretching: 35 stretches to improve flexibility and reduce pain Stretching is an excellent thing you can do for your health. These simple, yet effective moves can help you limber up for sports, improve your balance and prevent falls, increase your flexibility, and even help relieve arthritis, back, and knee pain. Whether you’re an armchair athlete or a sports enthusiast, this Special Health Report from the experts at Harvard Medical School will show you how to create effective stretching routines that meet your needs and ability. Stretching exercises can help extend your range of motion. To understand how, it helps to know what joints, tendons, and ligaments do: Joints are the junctions that link bones together. The architecture of each joint — that is, whether its structure is a hinge, pivot, or ball-in-socket — determines how the bones can move. Tendons are flexible cords of strong tissue that connect muscles to bones. Ligaments are tough, fibrous bands of tissue that bind bone to bone, or bone to cartilage, at a joint. An example is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), one of five ligaments that together control the movements of the knee. Among other things, the ACL keeps the knee joint from rotating too far. When you stretch, you're working muscles and tendons rather than ligaments. Ligaments are not supposed to be elastic. An overly stretchy ligament wouldn't provide the stability and support needed for a safe range of movement. For more on ways to improve your strength and flexibility, buy Stretching: 35 stretches to improve flexibility and reduce pain, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School. Share this story: News and Views from the Harvard Health Blog Everywhere, hospitals are merging — but why should you care? Hospitals across America are merging. While they may offer expanded access to health care services, this may very well come at a cost — higher prices for those services and higher insurance premiums. Stretch to ease screen-time-related neck and shoulder pain A study from the Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Microsoft showed that holding a tablet too low in your lap can place the small, interlocking bones at the top of the spine (the cervical vertebrae) and the neck muscles into an unnatural posture. This can strain muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and spinal discs. How can you limit the damage? The first step is simply to become aware of your posture. If you spend a lot of time on a handheld phone or using a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet, pause occasionally to notice how your body is situated. Is your back curved? Shoulders hunched? Head bent downward? Chin jutting forward or head slumped toward one shoulder? Legs crossed, hiking one hip higher than the other? Good ergonomics, regular posture checks, and flexibility exercises designed with the deskbound in mind can help correct these problems. Ergonomics for computers, phones, and tablets If you use a laptop or desktop computer: Choose a chair with good lumbar support, or place a pillow against the small of your back. Position the top of your monitor just below eye level. That helps whether you use a desktop or a laptop, notes Dr. Jack Dennerlein, principal investigator of the tablet study and an adjunct professor of ergonomics and safety at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Sit up straight with your head level, not bent forward. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your elbows close to your body. Keep hands, wrists, forearms, and thighs parallel to the floor. If you use a handheld phone: As with any phone, avoid propping it between your head and shoulder. Consider investing in a comfortable, hands-free headset. Depending on your needs, you can choose one equipped for Bluetooth or designed for use with cordless phones, landlines, or computers. If you use an e-reader or tablet: Buy a case that allows you to prop the device at a comfortable viewing angle, and rest it somewhere that doesn't require you to bend your neck much. Keep in mind that it's best to position the device with the top edge just below eye level. Some surfaces, such as a kitchen table, may be too low even with the case. Take a break every 15 minutes. "Just change your hands, shift your weight. Stand up or sit down," suggests Dr. Dennerlein. Good posture away from the screen also pays many dividends. When you're standing, it trims your silhouette and projects confidence. It lessens wear and tear on the spine and helps you breathe deeply, so your body gets the oxygen it needs. Properly aligning your body during stretches, or other exercises, can net you greater gains and fewer injuries. For more on ways to improve your strength and flexibility, buy Stretching: 35 stretches to improve flexibility and reduce pain, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School. Share this story: Featured in this issue Stretching: 35 exercises to improve flexibility and reduce pain Featured content: • Stretching: The basics • Safety first • Stretching to ease pain • Six questions (and answers) about stretching exercises • SPECIAL SECTION: Warming up for sports with dynamic stretches •  ... and more! Click here to read more » Harvard Medical School offers special reports on over 50 health topics. Visit our website at http://www.health.harvard.edu to find reports of interest to you and your family. PHONE ORDERS - please call our toll-free number: 1-877-649-9457. You are currently subscribed to HEALTHbeat as dr.samah.saied.ahmed@gmail.com. EDIT YOUR SUBSCRIPTION PROFILE UNSUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE TO HEALTHbeat VIEW HEALTHbeat ARCHIVES Visit our website at: www.health.harvard.edu Email us at: healthbeat@health.harvard.edu FOLLOW US ON:  Facebook Twitter Copyright © 2015 by Harvard University. Harvard Health Publications, 10 Shattuck Street, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA * Please note, we do not provide responses to personal medical concerns, nor can we supply related medical information other than what is available in our print products or website. For specific, personalized medical advice we encourage you to contact your physician.