Advance Physical Therapy

Advance Physical Therapy

Certified Postural Restoration Center · C2 Advanced Schroth Certified Scoliosis Therapists (BSPTS)

Certified Postural Restoration Center · C2 Advanced Schroth Certified Scoliosis Therapists (BSPTS)

  • Home
  • Blog
    • Library of Articles
  • Our Practice
    • About Our Practice
    • Postural Restoration
    • Our Staff (click for bios)
    • Testimonials
    • Take a Virtual Tour
  • Programs
    • Pediatric Rehabilitation
    • Personal Training with Philip DeNigris
    • PRI Style Bodywork and Traditional Massage Therapy
    • Sports and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation
    • Pre Op/Post Op Rehabilitation
    • PRI Foot Orthotics and Footwear
  • Scoliosis
    • FAQ: Schroth/Scoliosis Program
    • Scoliosis Resources
  • Payments
  • Patients and Providers
    • Patient Forms
    • Provider Forms
    • Insurance FAQ’s
    • Advance Physical Therapy Vaccination & Masking Policy
    • Privacy Practices Notice
    • No Surprises Act
  • Find Us

Tips to Change Habits for Tension Relief

September 18, 2015 by Lisa Mangino

Don’t Be Controlled By Your Focal Vision

“Powered Peripheral Vision”, Tips to Change Habits for Tension Relief

Adapted from Dr. Heidi Wise, PRI Vision, LLC

Focal vision refers to being focused on something small at any distance, from your phone to a golf ball far away on the green. Technology is partly contributing to our society becoming more focally near-sighted. The more you focus on a bright device 6-12 inches from your nose, the stronger those brain pathways become.  Other contributors include being too busy, always striving to be faster, better, to do more, and not taking time to rest… your muscles AND your eyes.

Here are some tips to slow down, to be more mindful about what’s going on around you and to reduce eye tension and neck strain:

  • Take periodic breaks from seated tasks. Get up and move around.

  • Look away 20 feet from your computer screen every 20 minutes for 20 seconds.

  • Look around using only your eyes, not always your head and eyes together as a unit.

  • If you have to be in a small space for long hours every day (i.e. at work), get a picture of wide, open spaces and occasionally look at it noticing the distance.

  •  Consider a postural ergonomic “check up” for the spaces you work in most.

  • Notice that as you strain to see something small (close or far) your head migrates forward changing the position of your skull relative to your neck. Over time this can cause pain and other problems. Think about pulling your skull backwards on your neck. Then relax it forward just slightly. Your ear should be lined up over your shoulder.

  • If you are near-sighted (your far away vision gets blurry without your glasses or contacts), walk in safe, familiar areas without your glasses on or contacts in and be OK with the blurriness. Do not strain to try to focus.

  • Read a book, not a tablet. Try to keep it as far from your eyes as is visually comfortable. If you have to read from a light source, dim the light as much as is comfortable and increase the font size.tiny book image

 

(remember these?)

  • When you walk slow down, don’t focus on a narrow area straight ahead. Be aware of objects on both sides of you without having to look directly at them. Sense your body moving forward past objects and sense the objects moving behind you as you propel yourself forward.

  • If you spend time outdoors (recreationally or as a serious athlete) notice if you spend a lot of time focusing on something small very far away. If so, make a conscious effort to notice your surroundings, and peripheral vision more.

We actually spend our days thinking about and discussing these concepts (really!) and would be happy to talk with you more about your issues.  Feel free to stop by or give us a call atAdvance Physical Therapy: 919 932-7266.

Filed Under: Postural Restoration

Avatar photo

About Lisa Mangino

Lisa is one of a few clinicians in the country with the unique combination of certifications in pediatrics and postural restoration as well as training in NDT and the Schroth Method for scoliosis. Lisa's interest include, but are not limited to: the prevention of surgery in children with scoliosis (combining both Schroth and PRI principles), performance improvement in young athletes, children with undiagnosed pain that has proven to be difficult to manage with traditional forms of physical therapy and gross motor incoordination/ gross motor delay.

Article Library (View All)

Video Library: Single Leg Hip Hinge

Our New Video Library: The Push-Up

Welcome Philip DeNigris CSCS, LMT, PRT

What does it mean to be “hypermobile”?

Protected: Radiograph Review by Physical Therapists Treating Scoliosis

Advice from Experts on How to Work From Home Comfortably

TAI CHI CLASS NOW AVAILABLE ON ZOOM

Manual Physical Therapy Through the Internet?

SHOULDER HELP FOR HOME (Part Two)   

SHOULDER HELP FOR HOME

NEW VIDEO POSTURAL RESTORATION CLASSES

Telehealth by Physical Therapists?

What’s bite got to do with it? 

Scoliosis Education Opportunity for Clinicians

We’re Hiring PT’s for Adult and Pediatric Spine Care

14th International Meeting of Scientific Society of Scoliosis Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Treatment (“SOSORT”)

Scoliosis Resources

Treatment of Scoliosis: 2018 International Recommendations

Molly Miller, DPT Schroth Certified

Scoliosis: 2017 Year in Review

Advance Physical Therapy is a physical therapist owned practice offering quality rehabilitation to clients in Chapel Hill, Durham, Carrboro, Pittsboro, Cary and surrounding areas of the Triangle in North Carolina.

Our therapists are highly experienced in traditional physical therapy techniques and have specialized expertise in a variety of areas including Postural Restoration, Manual Therapy, Counterstrain, Schroth based Scoliosis Rehabilitation, Pediatrics, Sports Medicine, Orthotics and Personal Training.

77 South Elliott Road · Chapel Hill, NC 27514 · (919) 932-7266 - Map It

Copyright © 2023 Advance Physical Therapy · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design