Resources Regarding Integrated Positional Therapy
Website – Pain Free Living
This is Lee Albert’s website with a great deal of information about how Integrated Positional Therapy can help you live pain free. There are many blogs, articles and testimonials, and you can sign up to receive occasional newsletters about pain free living.
Book – Live Pain Free Without Drugs or Surgery: How to use Integrated Positional Therapy to eliminate chronic pain by Lee Albert, NMT. Live Pain Free
Here are some articles specifically about IPT that can give you a broader understanding of how to use it in your life:
Balance Your Body to Relieve Pain A Gentle Way to Manage Chronic Pain
Proper Sitting Position Video
This video from Lee Albert shows how to reduce the pain caused by improper sitting, driving and computer positions: Proper sitting/driving/computer positions
4 DVD Set with Lee Albert and Peggy Cappy
This 4-DVD set contains step-by-step exercise routines that can be done alone or in segments, standing, seated, or with the support of a chair. Follow the link to purchase your own. Survival Guide for Pain-Free Living DVD set
Miscellaneous Videos with Lee Albert
Lee Albert was featured on a nationally televised PBS program with Peggy Cappy. Survival Guide to Pain Free Living
The following is a podcast about back pain with Lee Albert: Back Pain Liberation
How to Use a Strap to Help with Posture
This video shows how to use a strap to improve your posture. I have straps for sale and written instructions available to use. – How to use a posture strap
IPT Yoga Book
Yoga for Pain Relief: A New Approach to an Ancient Practice is another book by Lee Albert that presents very thorough and easy-to-understand explanations of common muscle imbalances and yoga flows to help correct those muscle imbalances. This is a great resource for anyone interested in using Yoga to relieve pain and bring your body back into balance. You can purchase a copy on Amazon. Yoga For Pain Relief: A New Approach to an Ancient Practice
10 Minute Routine for Upper Body Alignment
This is an excellent 10 minute yoga routine video to improve posture in your upper body: Upper body yoga
Why (not to) Stretch Deeper? This is an excellent article questioning the common practice of pushing deeper when stretching. Why Stretch Deeper?
Guided Breathing Exercises
Focused and guided breathing can go a long way towards healing neuromuscular pain. The act of slowing and deepening your breathing turns on your parasympathetic nervous system which relaxes your muscles (bringing blood and oxygen to ishemic tissue) and releases a host of beneficial neurotransmitters (primarily endorphins, our bodies’ natural pain relievers). And studies at Harvard have shown that 12-15 minutes is long enough to begin changing gene expression to your benefit! But even a few moments of deep breathing can begin to elicit the relaxation response and bring you healing benefits. Below are several links to guided breathing/meditation videos. These would be a good place to start, however I also encourage you to take some time to search for guided breathing exercises that resonate with you personally.
Guided Breathing Exercises Sympathetic Breathing
Guided Meditation for Pain Relief with music Pain Management – Guided Mediation
Hydration
Adequate hydration is a key factor in reducing muscle pain. The standard amount of water recommended is half your body weight in ounces each day. This may seem like a lot of water if you aren’t used to it. Start increasing slowly. Increased urination that happens initially will subside as your body begins retaining the fluid better. If you have been drinking this amount of water regularly and still find that you are dehydrated and passing the fluid through your body, you may have some electrolyte imbalance. Drinking coconut water may help this. Drinking warmer water may also help. Please check with your doctor for specific concerns & guidance.
Also the following book shows how many conditions and diseases including asthma, allergies, arthritis, hypertension, depression, headaches, diabetes, obesity, and MS are caused by persistent dehydration – with recommendations for how to stay properly hydrated.
Water for Health, for Healing, for Life: You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty! by F. Batmanghelidj
Hobbies & Mental Health-As a Recreation Therapist, here is a website that I recommend to figure out what hobbies you may be interested in pursuing. Hobbies are activities that we do during our leisure time. They should be something that you enjoy doing and that brings satisfaction and fulfillment to your life. Enjoy taking this short 20 question quiz to help you decide what hobbies you should consider. Remember to stop overthinking finding the perfect hobby. Let your passion grow along with you and allow it to change.
