Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
Do you know what it is to really relax? Real relaxation is something most
of us haven't done since we were in our cradles. With chronic pain we tend
to tense up and relaxing becomes all but impossible. Muscle tension is so
habitual that we hardly even notice it. The tension increases the pain which
then further increases stress and tension. With the help of the relaxation
exercises described here you can learn to overcome this.
Achieving Deep Relaxation
There is more than one way to achieve relaxation and you will be able
to decide for yourself which you find most effective. I have explained two
methods here; Jacobson Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), and the Autogenic
Relaxation technique.
PMR was developed by Dr. Eric Jacobsen in the 1930s. He found that his patients were unable to release tension when trying to relax. He taught them to progressively contract and then release each muscle group in order to recognize the difference between the relaxed and the tense state.
This method is very useful for beginners as it gives a real sensation of difference between the tense and the relaxed state. This knowledge can then be used during normal every day activities to reduce muscle tension.
How To Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
Read right through these instructions once before you begin.
- Lie down and breath slowly and deeply. As you exhale imagine the tension leaving your body. You might visualize it as grey mist.
- Now concentrate on your right hand and arm. Tighten the muscles in your hand making a fist, continue tightening the muscles right the way up to your bicep and shoulder, holding as tight as you can.
- Hold this tension for a count of 10 or longer if you can manage it. Don't hold your breath during any of these tensing practices.
- Now release and let the arm and hand go limp, notice the feeling and the warmth in your arm.
- Feel the difference between your right and left arm.
- Repeat the exercise with your left hand, arm and bicep.
- Now follow the same procedure with your right foot, calf, thigh and buttock muscles. One at a time tense these muscles as hard as you can, count to 10 or higher slowly, then release. Pay attention to the different feeling in your left and right sides. Repeat on your left leg starting with your left foot and leg muscles.
- Focus then on your shoulder muscles. Shrug your shoulders as high as you can and hold tight, then relax them. Feel the difference.
- Now concentrate on your head. Frown as hard as you can, hold, then release as before. Then raise your eyebrows as high as possible, hold then release. Each time hold the tension as long as you can and then release and feel the difference between the limp relaxed state and the tense state.
- Screw up your eyes, feeling the tension. Hold as before and then
relax.
Clench your jaw tightly. Notice the tension, hold, then release. Feel and compare the difference. - Press your tongue tightly against the roof of your mouth. Hold,
then release, again paying attention to the difference between the relaxed
and the tense state.
Repeat with your lips, pressing them together and then making a tight “O” with them. Relax. - Notice the relaxed feeling in all of your head muscles. Carry out
this technique at least once a day. It is also a good way to relax before
you go to sleep at night.
If you would like to try this using a guided PMR session you may like to download a free Free PMR Audio
If the tensing in the previous method aggravates your pain you may prefer
to use the autogenic relaxation technique.
Autogenic Relaxation
