Spinning without Pain
by
Pegg Thomas
Nothing will ruin your spinning time more quickly than pain. Sometime
you experience pain while spinning and sometimes it comes the next day.
Either way, it discourages one from wanting to sit and spin again.
There are several causes to this pain and you may find that more than one
will apply to you! If you make the adjustments listed here and still
have problems, it may be time to see a professional to keep you spinning.
The Proper Chair
There are many types of spinning chairs and stools on the market.
Some cost a pretty penny and others are more moderately priced. But
price really isn’t the issue; it’s the fit that matters. Your favorite
kitchen chair may work just as well.
A chair or stool that is too low or too high will cause stress to your
lower back. Choose a chair that lets you sit with your thighs parallel
to the floor. Some spinners love a chair with a back on it and some
prefer to perch on the edge of their chairs. This is totally spinner’s
choice. If you like to use the chair back chose one with a short seat
so the backs of your knees do not touch the chair. Chairs with arms
are not a good idea, they inhibit the use of your arms and make long draw
drafting more work. Padding or hard seat is also spinner’s choice.
Some of us come with more natural padding than others!
The Proper Posture
Nothing makes my back ache more than seeing a spinner tottering on the
edge of her seat as she hunches over the spinning wheel. Is there anything
relaxing about that picture?! Good posture is so important for many
health reasons and while you are spinning is no exception. If you
like to lean back in your chair, make sure you have a chair with a short
seat and good back support. If you like to perch on the edge, make
sure you stay erect and relaxed, not hunched over or leaning off to one side.
The Proper Position
At some point many of us got the mental image of great grandmother sitting
sideways to her spinning wheel as she worked. I’m not sure where this
came from, perhaps just from great grandmother posing beside a wheel.
Or perhaps from the great wheels that never had treadles. Wherever
it came from, we need to lose it! Sitting all skiddy-wampus to the wheel
only causes us to have a twist in our torso as we spin. This usually
puts a kink in the back about half way up on one side or the other.
Or some spinners with single treadles spin with one leg cocked out at an
awkward angle. This doesn’t do your hip or knee joints any favors.
With the specter of osteoporosis on every woman’s horizon, we don’t need to
add any ammunition to the fight!
The Proper Attitude
What does attitude have to do with pain and spinning? Maybe more
than you think! Being relaxed and enjoying your spinning are the best
ways to avoid any pain associated with the exercise. Being tense means
that you have muscles engaged that do not need to be, or that you have working
muscles already tensed up and now they are doing double duty. Anger
can cause the same situation.
Many spinners hold their shoulders too stiffly. These are generally
the “perched” spinners on the edge of their chairs. (Lest you imagine
that I am laughing at the “perched” spinners out there, I happen to be a
“percher” myself!) Having a good, straight posture doesn’t mean
being stiff as a board! Keep your shoulders loose and moving easily.
And for those who are all leaned back in their chairs, they need to make sure
that they don’t lean so far back that their arms are getting too stretched
out in from of them.
Every so often as you spin, pause and think about your body. Is
it telling you that an ache or pain is setting in? Really think about
your posture, position and state of relaxation, see if you can pin point the
problem and fix it. And if you’re going to be spinning for over 30
minutes, be sure you take a break. Walk out to the kitchen for a drink
of water or go check the mailbox. You don’t have to take a long break,
just get up and move around for 2 or 3 minutes. Enjoy your spinning
and make the best of it!
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