I will resume the fibromyalgia series and some other cool things at that time. Sorry for the wait, and sorry for the inconvenience.

See you Monday!

-Andy

I have been working feverishly on finishing the Back Together iPad application, and as it starts to come together it is looking more and more like something special. I have integrated some features that have never been done before in any back pain program, or on any iPad application for that matter. I will have a better sense of the release date with in the next week or so- so stay tuned for updates.

Fibromyalgia Syndrome Series

I have gotten plenty of feedback on the first two parts of the fibromyalgia series- mostly complementary or in the form of requests for aspects of the condition people would like to see covered here on the blog. I did receive 3 emails from pain-sufferers with a completely different take on the syndrome. I posted and replied to one of them yesterday. It seems that even though most of the medical community accepts and understands the diagnosis of FMS to be a real diagnosis, there are still hold-outs.

The main issue I have with these hold outs is that people suffering with fibromyalgia syndrome often feel as though the deck is stacked against them already, without other individuals falsely stating that their diagnosis is wrong, or is something else altogether. I welcome constructive discussion on the topic, so please share your thoughts here on the blog.

See you tomorrow!

-Andy

Katz's Deli on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. You know, you still can't get a good corned beef sandwich in Philadelphia?

In much the same way I often try to look at the lighter side of back pain, Randi has done an extraordinary job of finding a unique way to inject some levity into this otherwise dour subject- and not in a glib way- but in a way which is comforting, reassuring, and inspirational. Become a fan, and support Randi as she spreads the word!

-Andy

I am working on some posts from Montego Bay Jamaica- look for them to start tomorrow.

Thanks for visiting!

-Andy

Thank you to everyone for your great posts and comments this week. It’s been a lot of fun hearing from all of you.

Assuming all goes well, I should be joining you live from Montego Bay tomorrow.

Be Well!!!

-Andy

Martha Stewart Whole Living Daily

Bronze 'Roots' by Steve Tobin, installation in Pocono Mountains, PA.

Here is a link to my most recent post to Whole Living Daily- please check it out. This is an abridged version of the post I did on helping to avoid medical insurance claims nightmares. I had such a nice response to the original post, and the information was so important, I thought it was useful to repost a version of it.

iPad sneak peak…

I continue to work feverishly to get the Back Together iPad application out the door. In my effort to provide you as much of the Back Together experience as possible, the program has expanded in ways I had not even considered when I started to develop it. Here are two screen shots from the program just to give you a small taste of what’s coming:

Needless to say, I am getting really excited about this!

Fitness Challenge update…

A few weeks ago, I promised you a fitness challenge update- and I totally lunched on it. Sorry for the delay! SInce beginning, I have lost a total of 19 pounds. Unfortunately, I have been plateaued for a few weeks, which has been pretty frustrating. MORE frustrating is the fact that I made the decision to integrate bike riding into my regular fitness routine (appropriate as I will now be contributing to the Lance Armstrong Livestrong website.) The frustrating part is that I made this decision just as Philadelphia was entering into nearly a week of 100 degree weather. I was a regular mountain biker up until my residency, and it took just a few rides to remind me of just how much I love riding. I will keep you updated on how this changes things. In the mean time, please continue to send me your updates.

All my best, and thanks for stopping by!

-Andy

I love getting questions and comments from viewers like you, as this helps me to direct the blog in ways that will be the most useful. If you have or have had back or neck pain, share your experiences with me. What worked for you? What didn’t? Are you considering some sort of treatment or alternative approach to your pain? Share it here with me, and with other readers who may benefit from your experience, or offer you thoughts on their own experiences.

There are many ways for you to access the information here on Back Together:

-Visit my main website, www.backtogether.org- here you will find videos of TV appearances, links to articles about Back Together from various publications, and links to places to purchase Back Together books & DVD programs.

-Please become a fan on Facebook. On the Back Together fan page, you will find links to articles posted here on BackWords, as well as my posts on Martha Stewart’s Whole Living Daily and Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong blogs. Also, you will get additional tips and announcements.

-If you are on a device which does not support Flash, you can go directly to the BackTogetherTV page on YouTube to watch the most recent video blog posts, as well as archives of previous posts.

-Lastly, get your Back Together Tip ‘o the Day (B.T.T.o.D.) via twitter by following BackTips.

Thank you so much or visiting, and for your questions and comments. It is your contributions which help to make the site interesting.

Be Well!

-Andy

Lately, I’ve been on a journey to be fully present, particularly when Iʼm eating. This means savoring my food, really tasting it, and funny as it may seem, sitting down to eat. As a busy mother, or perhaps thatʼs just the excuse, I found myself ingesting way too many calories while standing up. Thereʼs likely a myth at work there that suggests that the calories somehow donʼt count if youʼre not actually sitting down while you eat. Or that eating isnʼt important enough and needs to be rushed. But the problem with that approach is that itʼs rarely satisfying. So I was lucky enough this past weekend to come across Geneen Rothʼs well-titled book, When You Eat At the Refrigerator, Pull Up a Chair: 50 Ways to Feel Thin, Gorgeous, and Happy (When you Feel Anything But). Roth explores the relationship between food and emotion in a way that offers self- compassion. Her work really speaks to me. So lately Iʼm trying to really taste my food. To feel it in my mouth and savor it. Iʼm finding that Iʼm eating more slowly, enjoying myself and, for the first time in my life, feeling really full regardless of how much food is left on the plate.

This experience of savoring my food also has positive consequences for savoring the present and being in the proverbial “moment.” How many of us move through much of our lives distracted by other moments, either dwelling in the past, worried about the future, or distracted technologies that take us out of our here and now? So, in the interest of urging you to be kind to yourself, Iʼm going to echo Geneen Rothʼs wish for her readers: I urge you to take five minutes each day to be fully present and grounded. Take some deep breaths to draw you into your body and into this moment. Notice sensory things, like the feel of the ground beneath your feet or the chair beneath your bum. If youʼre outside, notice the sun on your skin. If youʼre drinking something, feel it in your mouth and as it moves down your throat. If youʼre washing your hands, feel the soap on your skin; if youʼre having a conversation with someone, do what you can to be with them as fully as possible. If youʼre living with pain, notice the pain and the parts that feel good. If youʼre with someone you care about, just savor their presence. If youʼre alone, enjoy the gift of being with yourself.

Please be kind to yourself and be here, in this moment with all your presence and all your heart.

-Donna H. Kirschner, PhD.

Thank you to Donna for your post, and thank you for visiting. Be well!

-Andy

Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp will be creeping up on us soon....

OK, so you know this is primarily a blog about back and neck pain, and while I occasionally touch upon subjects which delve into other areas of health and wellness, back and neck pain is essentially where I’ve stayed. Well, today being my birthday, I have decided that I can write about pretty much anything I want- and while the first part of today’s post is an ergonomic suggestion of sorts, the second half is purely an indulgence on my part- a review of Kylie Minogue’s new album, Aphrodite.

Spooning…

Spooning, the holding of one’s intimate partner, back to front- particularly while sleeping, is one of the most comfortable and comforting gestures one can show to their significant other (I wanted to say ‘lover’ but thought better of it after some thought.)

Spooning- to the photographer who took this image, sorry to have nicked your work. If you send me your name I will gladly credit you!

While spooning is a wonderful way to sleep, the position does put the partner on the ‘outside’ for shoulder and neck pain, as their ‘bottom’ arm usually needs to be extended upwards to clear the ‘inside’ partner’s shoulder.

Some tips for comfortable spooning:

-The ‘inner’ partner should slide downwards so that the top of their head is below the chin of the ‘outer’ partner. This prevents hyperextension of the shoulder.

-Since you are both lying on your side, be sure to place a small pillow between your knees to provide support for your hips.

-You will be sharing body heat, so you can probably get away with a lighter blanket, preventing overheating and sweatiness.

-Whether you are on the inside or outside, you will be laying on your side. Be sure to have sufficient support for you head so that your neck isn’t in an overly flexed or extended position.

Just my two cents!

Aphrodite…

This week I posted my first book review, and today I will post my first (and perhaps last) music review of Kylie Minogue’s new album, Aphrodite, released this week.

I have enjoyed Kylie’s music for many years. I have always admired her unpretentious dance sound. Her music has always been about having a good time, and with all of the nonsense going on in the world, that’s something we all really need from time to time.

Kylie’s last album, X, was her first after a difficult battle with breast cancer. While I was pleased to see her back in the studio, all in all that album was slightly disappointing to me. There were some good tracks, but overall, X lacked focus and drive.

I am pleased to report that Aphrodite is a welcome return to form, and will likely be recalled as her ‘comeback’ album following her illness, rather than X.

The opening track, All the Lovers, is incredibly hooky- nearly as much so as her dance masterpiece Can’t Get You Out of my Head, and sets the tone for what proves to be one of the most polished pop albums I have ever heard, recalling ABBA as well as some of the dancier numbers from her own earlier work. Better Than Today will certainly be placed amongst the best of her work, with a great lyric and acoustic rhythm guitar backing that totally gets you out of your seat.

Kylie has been huge throughout most of the rest of the world, while only having sporadic hits here in the States. Her tour of North America last year was well received, and I can only hope she will return here to support her new album. The title track ‘Aphrodite’, backed by a solid step show / drum line beat contains the lyric “It’s the truth, It’s a fact, I was gone, and now I’m back.” I for one, am glad.

Overall rating: 5 vertebra (out of 5)

Conclusion: Best dance album of the summer.