Writing and muscle strain

How well do you take care of yourself as a writer?

I ask the question only because I'm prompted by a morning spent paying attention to my body.

Here I have to declare an interest.  For 14 years I worked for part of my time at least as a complementary therapist and dealt with a string of people presenting various aches and pains, physical and emotional.

None of them were writers.  Or at least I don't think so, though they may have been keeping it quiet....

just like I was at that time.

But many of them were computer users which led to all kinds of knots in the muscles.

Do you use a computer for your writing?  Or are you a pen and paper lover?

Doesn't matter whichever you favour.  You'll still have shoulder and neck problems... though use of the mouse can outbid the pencil every time.

I'm confident in knowing you're likely to suffer these problems, simply because of my experience.  And your age has nothing to do with it.  Use of large rucksacks for schoolbooks is resulting in a generation of young people already at risk of muscle strain.

Now I'm not here to nag you - well I'd like to but again from experience it's probably a waste of time.  So I'll hold up my hand to say I'm as guilty as anyone about abusing my hardworking muscles but can I at least enter a plea on your muscles' behalf.

Give them some TLC from time to time.  We know about the dangers of eyestrain and all those tiny muscles around the eyes get their own back by producing you a 5* headache when you least need it.

All your muscles ask is an occasional stretch, a bit of a rub down and some rest.  Learn a bit about how you can help them and they'll carry on performing wonders for you... as they do everyday without you realising it.