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Rehabilitative Qigong & Tai Chi for Neck and Shoulders

The Qigong Posture

²  Body ²  Relax Knees ²  Drop Tail ²  Lift Head ²  Release Tension

²  Breath ²  Abdominal ²  Deepen ²  Nose ²  Focus on Exhale

²  Mind ²  Dissociate from Past/Present ²  “Now” Sensations

Acute Conditions Form

²  Acute Neck & Shoulder Conditions (< 90 degrees elevation) ²  Whiplash ²  Cervical Radiculopathy ²  Adhesive Capsulitis ²  Rotator Cuff ²  Acromio-Clavicular Separation ²  Fibromyalgia ²  CVA

Acute Form Gestures

²  Qigong Stance

²  Accordion Breathing

²  Polishing the Table

²  Turtle Retracts his Head

²  Cloud Hands

Qigong Stance

Accordion Breathing

Accordion Breathing

²  Palms facing each other at waist level

²  Inhale – Open chest / hands ²  Attention to lower trapezius

²  Exhale– Close chest / hands

²  Repeat 3 times in successively larger openings

Polishing the Table

Polishing the Table

²  Palms facing floor in front of body

²  Inhale- Swing hands towards right ²  Lead w/eyes – Looking as far as possible ²  Bring hands in towards hip – Squeeze Low Traps

²  Exhale- Move hands to start position

²  Inhale- Repeat opposite side

Turtle Retracts his Head

Turtle Retracts his Head

²  Palms face together at waist level

²  Inhale – Lift hands up then draw toward face

²  Eyes follow finger tips

²  Retract chin: Attention to Mid-Low Traps

²  Exhale – Push hands away then lower to start position

Cloud Hands

Cloud Hands

²  Palms face downward at waist level

²  Inhale- Right hand rises to height of left shoulder

²  Exhale- Gaze locks on right palm as hand floats past right shoulder

²  Inhale- Left hand rises to height of right shoulder: Right hand lowers to waist level

²  As hands switch eyes gaze to distance. As left hand enters visual field, gaze locks on left palm

²  Exhale- Gaze on left palm as hand floats past left shoulder

²  Switch and repeat

SubAcute Conditions Form

²  SubAcute Neck & Shoulder Conditions ( 90 degrees elevation) ²  All Acute Conditions ²  Humeral Fractures (stable) ²  Impingement Syndromes ²  Postural Dysfunctions

SubAcute Form Gestures

²  Swimming Dragon

²  Heart & Lung Opening

²  Two Hand Offering

²  Thumb Gazing

²  Tree Hugging

Swimming Dragon

Swimming Dragon

²  Hands facing body at waist level

²  Inhale- Extend right arm & hand behind at shoulder level

²  Exhale- Gaze locks on supinated right hand as arm swings across front of body at shoulder level

²  Switch hands

²  Inhale- Extend left arm & hand behind at shoulder level

²  Exhale- Gaze locks on supinated left hand as arm swings across front of body at shoulder level

Heart & Lung Opening

Heart & Lung Opening

Heart & Lung Opening

²  Begin with hands facing heart

²  Exhale- Push away hands at heart level ²  Open chest ²  Palms facing away ²  Engage Mid-Low Traps

²  Inhale- Pull hands in rounded pattern back to face heart

Heart & Lung Opening (cont.)

²  Hands facing heart

²  Exhale- Pushing hands down towards floor ²  Swing in arc up toward shoulder scaption level ²  Palms facing away: Thumbs down

²  Inhale- Swing hands in circular arc back to start position

Two Hand Offering

Two Hand Offering

²  Supinated hands at chest level: Elbows bent at sides

²  Exhale- Hands push forward ²  Extend arms / hands to eye level ²  Begin circling arms to side: Turning thumbs down

²  Inhale- Internally rotate shoulders ²  Bring hands past 12th ribs ²  Return to start position

Thumb Gazing

Thumb Gazing

Thumb Gazing

²  Arms at 90* abduction: Palms facing away

²  Gaze at base of right thumb

²  Inhale- Draw right thumb towards nose

²  Exhale- Push right hand out to meet left: Arms parallel to floor

²  Inhale- Draw right thumb towards nose

²  Exhale- Return to start position

²  Repeat on left side

Thumb Gazing (cont.)

²  Arms at 90* flexion: Palms facing away

²  Gaze at base of right thumb

²  Inhale- Draw right thumb towards nose

²  Exhale- Push hand out directly behind: Arms parallel to floor

²  Inhale- Draw right thumb towards nose

²  Exhale- Return to start position

²  Repeat on left side

Tree Hugging

Tree Hugging

²  Qigong Stance

²  Relax Neck & Shoulders

²  Breathe Deeply

²  Hold for Building Endurance

Chronic Conditions Form

²  Chronic Neck & Shoulder Conditions ( >90 degrees elevation) ²  All Conditions ²  Strengthening ²  ROM ²  Coordination ²  End Range Motions

Chronic Form Gestures

²  Owl Turns her Head

²  Earth & Sky

²  Tray Carry

²  Spiraling

Owl Turns her Head

Owl Turns her Head

Owl Turns her Head

²  Right hand at heart level: Palm facing away at 45*

²  Left Shoulder IR/ADD with hand positioned on back

²  Exhale- Cervical-Thoracic rotation right: Lead with eyes

²  Inhale- Return to center

²  Exhale- Cervical-Thoracic rotation left: Lead with eyes

²  Inhale- Return to center

Owl Turns her Head

²  Exhale- Swing left arm from back to 90* shoulder flexion ²  Elbow straightens ²  Palm faces sky

²  Inhale- Switch hand positions ²  Left hand at heart level: Palm facing away at 45* ²  Right shoulder IR/ADD: Hand on back

²  Exhale- Repeat rotations

Earth & Sky

Earth & Sky

²  Palms facing each other up/down at waist level

²  Exhale- ²  Right hand pushes towards sky

²  Shoulder IR: Elbow extends: Palm facing up ²  Left hand pushes towards ground

²  Shoulder IR: Elbow extends: Palm facing down

²  Inhale- Return to start position

²  Switch arms and repeat

Tray Carry

Tray Carry

²  Palms facing each other at waist level

²  1- Right hand comes to right shoulder as if carrying a tray

²  2- Right shoulder IR: Forearm pronates: Hand reaches directly to the side

²  3- Right hand returns to tray carry position

²  Simultaneously perform alternating movement on left

²  Gaze follows hand as it carries the tray

²  Breathing is slow and deep

Spiraling

Spiraling

Spiraling

²  Hands at sides: Palms remain up through gesture

²  Right hand: ²  Reaches across body ²  Circles to right over top of head ²  Pushes to right in scaption ²  Circles down past 12th rib ²  Repeat cycle

Spiraling

²  Left hand simultaneously performs alternating movement

²  Gaze follows hand that crosses anterior visual field

²  Breathing is slow and deep