snap, crackle, pop, what is currently creaky/sore?

About 6 years ago, I was in a bad car accident that left me with a neck injury and some chronic after effects of whiplash. I’ve worked regularly with a massage therapist for about 5 years and she got a LOT of the whiplash-induced tension to release – but there has always been some lingering soreness/stiffness in the affected side of my neck and shoulder, especially when I get tired and stressed. During the Stay-At-Home period, I haven’t been able to meet with her.

But, I signed up for an online Alexander Technique workshop/group class. In the past I did one-on-one sessions in Alexander Technique, but I NEVER would have travelled to go to a group class/workshop. The only reason I signed up for this group workshop was because I know the instructor and because it was conducted by Zoom, so I could do it at home. Well, during one of the movements, I inadvertently pushed past the customary limit of my neck’s range of motion, and as I was returning to neutral, there was an unpleasant sensation through my shoulder blade area, almost as though something was “ripping”. Well, HOLY COW!! – The “ripping” sensation must have been something (muscle, tendon, fascia……something) rolling over a blockage and returning to its rightful place, after 6 years. The lingering soreness/stiffness in the shoulder/neck “released” almost immediately, and has pretty much disappeared. I’ll admit that there is a bit of a…difficult-to-describe sensation… in the area, but I’m hoping that is just the feeling of a long-unused part of a muscle and that some toning/stretching will get that resolved.

I am so, so, so grateful to have some additional relief from the soreness of that old injury – I am VERY well aware that there are many, many people who live with chronic pain that is always there, no matter what they do, with little hope of any respite at all from their pain. I don’t know why fate chose me for this relief that has come about as a result of a choice I made during the Stay-At-Home protocols - I feel very humble.

I am NOT going to squander this blessing – I WILL seek advice on the best way to tone/stretch/exercise this area of my neck and shoulder. But gee, this is ONE time that a "snap, crackle, pop" seems to be a good thing.
 
Go me! I’m still taking the Zoom group class based on Alexander Technique that’s focusing on spinal mobility – the same class where things in my neck/shoulder “ripped” back into place a couple of months ago, releasing my shoulder/neck soreness. Today, I was practicing a new sequence that we’re being taught in the class, and there was another “ripping” sensation in my lower back, and something released back into place. And then, this afternoon, I had a session with the therapist that works with me on my neck, and there was another tiny little “pop” in my neck area – either it was another little bit of a release, or she managed to crunch through an itty-bit more of the scar tissue. Either way – I’ll take it!
Pretty soon, I’ll turn into a rag doll.
 
Cal said:
Go me! I’m still taking the Zoom group class based on Alexander Technique that’s focusing on spinal mobility – the same class where things in my neck/shoulder “ripped” back into place a couple of months ago, releasing my shoulder/neck soreness. Today, I was practicing a new sequence that we’re being taught in the class, and there was another “ripping” sensation in my lower back, and something released back into place. And then, this afternoon, I had a session with the therapist that works with me on my neck, and there was another tiny little “pop” in my neck area – either it was another little bit of a release, or she managed to crunch through an itty-bit more of the scar tissue. Either way – I’ll take it!
Pretty soon, I’ll turn into a rag doll.
Click to expand...

Wow! Thats amazing! That must have felt amazing!
 
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Cal said:
Go me! I’m still taking the Zoom group class based on Alexander Technique that’s focusing on spinal mobility – the same class where things in my neck/shoulder “ripped” back into place a couple of months ago, releasing my shoulder/neck soreness. Today, I was practicing a new sequence that we’re being taught in the class, and there was another “ripping” sensation in my lower back, and something released back into place. And then, this afternoon, I had a session with the therapist that works with me on my neck, and there was another tiny little “pop” in my neck area – either it was another little bit of a release, or she managed to crunch through an itty-bit more of the scar tissue. Either way – I’ll take it!
Pretty soon, I’ll turn into a rag doll.
Click to expand...
Cal, that is fantastic!!! I am so happy for you!!! :D:D:D
I hope your experience will be encouraging for others who are suffering with chronic pain. And I hope you will continue to see improvement!
Yayyyyyyy!!!!!
 
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Cal said:
Go me! I’m still taking the Zoom group class based on Alexander Technique that’s focusing on spinal mobility – the same class where things in my neck/shoulder “ripped” back into place a couple of months ago, releasing my shoulder/neck soreness. Today, I was practicing a new sequence that we’re being taught in the class, and there was another “ripping” sensation in my lower back, and something released back into place. And then, this afternoon, I had a session with the therapist that works with me on my neck, and there was another tiny little “pop” in my neck area – either it was another little bit of a release, or she managed to crunch through an itty-bit more of the scar tissue. Either way – I’ll take it!
Pretty soon, I’ll turn into a rag doll.
Click to expand...

This is really great. You have inspired me to look further into the Alexander Technique.
 
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Well, *^&%. I put out my back this morning. Probably at least partially related to having tried out those dance sneakers on the stupid concrete. (I knew better than to tempt fate by dancing on concrete.) At the moment I'm using some ibuprofen and a muscle relaxant.
I'm trying to figure out how to open the dresser drawer so that I can pull out a sweater.
At least, using some of the Alexander Technique principles, I can get seated in a chair and get out of it again.
 
I slipped during practice tonight and jarred my neck - chin rammed right down to my sternum. Not great for a fused neck. I didn’t feel any kind of crack or pop, but the neck/ throat in the area where the plate is screwed in just doesn’t feel the way it did before I slipped. No pain, but just ...odd.
If I damaged the fusion, surely I’d “know” it, right? It’s probably just a muscle sensation, right? Yes, that must be it.
A little imagination is not always a good thing.
 
"I'm not an expert" is an understatement, but if that doesn't normalize within a day or so, I might recommend a visit to the doctor. That sounds bad.

This must be the day for slipping. My son slipped on a wet spot on the floor at the swim school today before his lesson, his feet went right out from under him and his shoulder/head hit the floor (I wasn't close enough to catch him or quick enough to warn him to avoid that puddle). Miraculously he apparently wasn't physically hurt badly, but he was EXTREMELY angry/hurt/embarrassed/humiliated. I had hoped he would be able to emotionally recover after a few minutes, but he just wanted to go home so that's what we did.

(And yes, I told the front desk about it and they wiped it up immediately, and when I went to talk to the instructor she was horrified and asked if he had a concussion. And typical for the polite non-confrontational Midwest, all the people around us either didn't see it happen or pretended not to see it.)
 
I hope your son is OK!
I took it easy for a day or two, and the neck/throat thing resolved itself. I'd had a tiny tickle in my throat for a while, and I suspect that it had been some nerve-shock.
 
A couple of weeks ago, I over stressed my left hip. It took me a while to get back into the studio, and when I did, we went exceptionally easy -- had to, because if I put any weight at all on my left leg, it refused like a balky horse. Ow.

Today, things were much better, until I was doing a simple, basic Natural Turn in Quickstep, at speed, not gently walking through it. So, now I know just how I hurt myself. Ow ow ow.

But I must do this figure, also in Waltz. So. Does anyone have a PT in the NYC/northern NJ area who has experience with ballroom dancers, so I can talk to someone who understands the language, the requirements, etc?
 
still sick, still whining about it. negative for covid but they think it's a false negative. pro got sick as well, so at this point, i think i'm going to pull out of the competition in two weeks. i won't be in any sort of shape to even do a single round, and we'll have had maybe 3 lessons before it.

i would really like to be better.
 
Stupid bunion on one foot and stupid Morton’s Neuroma on the other. So I stopped at Walgreens for a bunch of toe contraptions.

Which are helping a lot. But they look ridiculous. (If my sister ever finds out, I will NEVER live it down.)
 
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