[Vickie]

Curtis, I just dropped the ball on this one. So sorry I didn't address the PC issue. You can just imagine that I have a lot to say on the topic. First, in most cases the monitor is too low so you could be dropping you neck forward. Secondly, most keyboards are too high, so you could have your shoulders lifted and your elbows out. Thirdly, most people round their back to type, shame, shame. Whenever anyone sees me at the computer, it's sickening, they always comment on my posture. It feels most natural to me. I sit forward in my chair with both feet flat on the floor. My shoulders are over my hips and and my head is lifted into an appropriate alignment. It's possible because I worked hard to set up my system(took me months to find the right set up so my monitor set on a phonebook, very asthetically pleasing. I do not use the back rest of the chair; no one has perfected it no matter what they say or how much it costs. Watch out when you are 'surfing'; even I get lazy in my chair. Also, try to get up atleast every hour and walk around; you probably need some water anyway. I even keep a resistance band at my desk and do some seated row motions throughout a long session. (Sounds obsessive but I was in too much pain for too many years and I've been pain free for 15 years. Forgot the pain of childbirth but not the pain of body misalignment. My apologies to you all for the anology.)

Yes, add bands. Choose ony half of the exercises the first week and then add the band to the rest of the workout the next. Pick large, core muscles like the lats and wait on the rotator cuff muscles. Use the lightest guage you can and reduce your repetitions by half for the first couple of days. When you can do a full set (to your isometric experience) then, and only then, increase the guage just a little. You can get the resistance bands from a PT office and they are measured in mils.

So glad you are feeling better. Don't worry about the pill thing. If you decrease it, however, do it slowly, one at a time, and over a couple of weeks. It's just confusing when your pain comes in and you don't know if it's the 'work' or the reduction of synthetic support. Sounds like you are making progress but it is often a two steps forward and one step back process. Just expect it and you'll be less disappointed through the process. I used to have periods (months at a time) that I couldn't lift my right arm to table level without assisting with my left and it would still make tears come from my eyes. I have no pain or limited motion for many, many year; since I came up with my work, how 'bout that. Yet another example of your greatest challenges becoming your greatest gifts.

Enjoying the on- going process. Vik