Questions · translated from Korean

Questions and expert answers

People describe a discomfort in their own words, and a Korean body care expert answers from the viewpoint of movement and daily habits. These are the questions that have an English translation.

761 translated questions · translated as of Nov 12, 2026한국어

Neck & Shoulders155

• The front of my shoulder catches when I rotate my arm behind meA reader asks whether a shoulder that won’t let them reach their arm behind their back could be frozen shoulder.
• I use a neck massager every dayA story about worrying whether using a neck massager every day is a good habit.
• My neck and shoulders feel stiffer when I hunch up in winterA person writes in worried about why their shoulders tense up and feel cold every winter.
• I Spend Long Hours Standing While Holding a Hair Dryer at WorkA story about shoulder pain and arm tingling from working while holding a hair dryer.
• My shoulders are stiff, and the tightness reaches my backA person is concerned that shoulder stiffness is spreading to their back and making it hard to breathe.
• One shoulder is often raisedA person writes in asking whether having one shoulder raised and held stiff is a habit.
• I get a sharp, pinpoint pain in one spot at the back of my neckA story about pain and hand tingling when pressing one spot at the back of the neck.
• I have a habit of sleeping with a high pillowA reader is concerned about how a long-standing habit of using a high pillow may affect their neck.
• My neck keeps making cracking soundsA person asks whether the sounds their neck makes whenever they move are harmful.
• Carrying a bag on one shoulder makes that shoulder feel like it’s droopingA person wonders if carrying a bag on one shoulder has made their shoulders uneven in height.
• My head juts forward when I look at my smartphoneA reader asks whether a forward head posture from using a smartphone could lead to a herniated disc.
• Which is better: a neck pillow or a cervical pillow?A story from someone wondering whether a neck pillow or a cervical pillow would be right for them.
• My shoulders feel heavy by the afternoonA reader wonders whether the shoulders that feel heavy after lunch are due to sitting posture.
• My shoulder started hurting often after I turned fortyA story about shoulder pain that only occurs at certain angles after turning forty.
• I’m a hairdresser and work with my arms raised all dayA hairdresser worries about shoulder tingling after working with their arms raised for long periods.
• My neck has been aching ever since I movedA story about persistent neck stiffness and hand tingling after moving belongings.
• My mother is having trouble raising her armA reader is worried about what might be causing an older family member to be unable to raise an arm.
• My neck is stiff when I wake upA story about a neck so stiff every morning that turning the head feels scary.
• I Heard a Pop in My Shoulder While ExercisingA story from someone worried about stiffness that began after their shoulder made a sound during exercise.
• My shoulder catches when I reach up to clean a high windowThe windows in the home I moved into are high, so I have to reach my arm straight up to clean them. After cleaning for a long time in that position, the top of my shoulder catches and stays sore until the next day. Would using a step stool help since I wouldn’t have to reach as high? Holding my arm out for a long time is hard on my shoulder
• My neck gets stiff after spending all day wearing a motorcycle helmetI deliver by motorcycle all day. When I wear my helmet, it feels like its weight pulls on the back of my neck, and every evening my neck is stiff and my trapezius muscles feel tight. When I turn my head from side to side while waiting at a traffic light, I can really feel how stiff it is. Could it be the weight of the helmet or my posture
• Why does my neck feel stiffer when I wear a scarf?In winter, after I wrap a scarf around my neck, it feels more restricted and stiff. I thought the warmth would loosen it up, but it’s the opposite. I’m not sure whether it’s because the scarf is tight or because of the pressure of being wrapped. When I wear a scarf, it actually feels stiffer and more restricted to turn my head
• I’m worried my shoulder will stiffen from holding my baby upright to sleepMy baby won’t nap, so I often hold them upright on my shoulder to get them to sleep. Afterward, my shoulder feels stiff and my arm gets numb and tingly. Maybe it’s because my baby is getting heavier, but even rolling my shoulder feels stiff. I’m worried I’ll injure my shoulder if this continues. Would changing how I hold my baby
• My neck hurts more when I wear a posture corrector. Should I keep using it?I bought a posture corrector. It seems to pull my shoulders back when I wear it, but my neck hurts more. After wearing it for a few days, the back of my neck started feeling sore, and I think I’m even getting headaches. Only my shoulders are pulled back while my neck stays the same, so it feels like the strain has actually increased. When I look in the mirror, my shoulders move back while I’m wearing it, but go right back to the way they were when I take it off. I’m wondering if I should stop using it or if I need an adjustment period. The back of my neck feels especially stiff when I wake up.
• My bra strap digs into just one shoulder and hurtsMy bra strap keeps digging into just one shoulder, leaving a mark and causing pain. It’s not that both sides are tight, but it happens especially on one side. I don’t know if it’s because one shoulder tilts or if the strap length is the problem. Even when I change bras, it still digs into that side, and
• I’m worried my trapezius will tighten up from carrying heavy loads on my shoulderI carry bottled water on my shoulder and walk to move it, and lately my trapezius seems to keep tightening up. Once it tightens, it stays knotted for days, and even turning my shoulder feels stiff. I’m worried my shoulder might end up becoming stiff. Does carrying a load on my shoulder affect my neck too? Even after getting a trapezius massage, it gets knotted again within a few days. Could changing my posture help?
• My neck got even stiffer after I tried stretching itMy neck has felt stiff for the past few days, so I’ve been stretching it a lot. But the more I do, the stiffer and more painful it gets. I don’t know if I’ve been forcing stiff muscles to stretch or if I’m doing it wrong. Should I rest in this situation? If it hurts
• Is it okay to use a massage gun firmly on my neck?I bought a massage gun. Is it okay to press it firmly against the back of my neck? It feels good afterward, but the next day my neck sometimes seems stiffer. I’ve also heard you shouldn’t use it forcefully on your neck, so I’m worried. I’d like to know what intensity to use and where to apply it.
• My neck gets stiff when I watch TV with a pillow behind my neckI sit on the sofa with a cushion behind my neck and watch TV for a long time. Then my neck bends forward, the back of my neck gets stiff, and it stays sore until the next day. The cushion feels comfortable, so I keep watching TV that way, but I’m not sure if my posture is bad. Without the cushion, my head
• The front of my neck feels stiff when I tilt my head back in yogaIn yoga class, when I do a movement that involves tilting my head back, I feel a stiff pulling sensation in the front of my neck. Other people say it feels comfortable, but I seem to be the only one who feels it so strongly. I also get dizzy if I force my head back. Could it be because the muscles at the front of my neck are short? Even in everyday life, the front of my neck pulls when I look up, and yawning feels uncomfortable too. I can only imitate the pose, not go deeply into it. I’m wondering if there’s a way to loosen the muscles at the front of my neck separately.
• I sleep with my head tilted to one side—could that be why my neck gets stiff?I have a habit of sleeping with my head tilted to one side. That side of my neck is stiff every morning. Could it be because of my posture? Changing pillows hasn’t helped. Even when I try to sleep on my back, I keep returning to my usual position. I feel fine during the day, but every morning
• My shoulder aches when I hold my arm up to dry my hairWhenever I dry my hair with a hair dryer, I hold my right arm up and keep it there. Even after just a few minutes in that position, the top of my shoulder aches and my arm gets numb and tingly. It stays sore for quite a while afterward, too. It gets worse when I reach behind my head to style my curls.
• My Neck Gets Stiff Again Soon Even After I Apply a Heat Pack to the Back of My NeckMy neck feels stiff, and when I apply a heat pack it feels good in the moment, but it gets stiff again soon. Even with heat, it doesn’t seem to get better in the long run. It stiffens up again soon after I take a warm shower, too. I’m wondering whether I should also get a massage or stretch
• I’m a dental hygienist, and my neck hurts from looking down all dayI’m in my third year working as a dental hygienist. While assisting with treatment, I have to keep my head bent down and turned to one side for a long time.
• Does everyone’s neck make a sound like sand grinding?When I turn my head from side to side, there’s a sound inside my neck like sand grinding. A grating sound. It doesn’t hurt, but the sound seems kind of loud, so it bothers me.
• It’s been three weeks of a stiff neck and throbbing pain in the back of my headFor the past three weeks, the back of my neck has felt stiff, and by afternoon I get a throbbing pain in the back of my head. At first, I thought I’d slept in a bad position, but it’s kept going. It gets worse when I keep my head bent down and feels a little better when I lie down.
• I’d like to ask how to reduce strain on my neck and shoulders when playing the saxophoneI’ve been learning the saxophone for a year. If I play for about 40 minutes with it hanging from a neck strap, I feel a heavy pressure on the back of my neck and my right shoulder. Even after practice, my shoulder feels like it stays raised for a while.
• Can tight neck muscles cause a headache?Whenever my shoulders and neck get tight as rocks, I get pain around my temples, too. Some days, the headache goes away when I loosen up my tight neck, so I’m wondering if neck-related headaches are really a thing.
• Is it common for the area under my shoulder blade to feel tight on the side I draw the bow with?I’ve been learning archery for three months. After practice, the area under my right shoulder blade, on the side I draw the bow with, feels sore and tight. I can definitely feel it after shooting about 30 arrows, and it’s gone by the next day.
• Can using hiking poles at the wrong length make your shoulders hurt too?Since I started using hiking poles, my knees have felt better, but my shoulders hurt instead. The area around my right trapezius in particular feels heavy the evening after I hike down the mountain.
• Why my shoulder gets especially stiff every winterLast year and the year before, my left shoulder got stiff every November. It feels fine in summer, but when the cold wind starts, my arm catches when I reach it behind me.
• I'm a hairdresser, and after holding my arms up and cutting hair all day, the area above my shoulder feels like it's burningWhen I hold my arm at shoulder height to cut hair, by the afternoon the top of my right shoulder feels hot and heavy, like it's burning.
• The left side of my neck and the area under my jaw get sore when I practice with my violin tucked under my chinThe left side of my neck and the area under my jaw get sore when I practice with my violin tucked between my chin and shoulder.
• The back of my neck feels compressed and heavy after wearing a neck fan for a long timeWhen I wear a neck fan all day, the back of my neck feels heavy in the evening, as if it’s being compressed.
• My neck and shoulders stiffen when I spend a long time looking through a microscopeI spend all day looking through a microscope, so I crane my neck forward and hunch over. By the afternoon, the front of my neck and my shoulders are stiff.
• My neck gets stiff after lying with my head tilted back for a long time during eyelash extensionsIf I lie down with my head tilted back for a long time during eyelash extensions, the back of my neck feels stiff afterward.
• When I draw on my tablet, the side of my neck and the wrist I draw with both get achyWhen I put my tablet on my lap and draw with my head bent down, my wrist and the side of my neck both get achy.
• My shoulder scan shows a rotator cuff issue, but I can raise my arm just fineMy shoulder sometimes feels sore, so I had a scan and was told it showed a minor issue with my rotator cuff. But I can raise my arm overhead just fine, and it doesn’t really bother me in daily life. The scan…
• After using my sewing machine for a long time, my shoulders roll forward and my back feels tightAfter using my sewing machine for an hour or two, my shoulders roll forward and I get a tight ache between my shoulder blades.
• The tops of my shoulders feel like they’re burning when I hold my arms up for a long time to paint the ceilingWhen I hold my arms up for a long time to paint the ceiling with a roller, the tops of my shoulders burn and I can’t raise my arms.
• I get frequent headaches and rely on painkillers. Could they be related to my neck?A few times a week, my head feels heavy and tight, so I often take painkillers. But whenever I get a headache, I notice that the back of my neck and my shoulders are always tense and knotted up too. Could it…
• After spending a long time looking at my phone, I get an ache at the base of my skull and blurry visionI have a habit of looking at my phone for a long time in bed before going to sleep, with the lights off. On those nights, I get an ache at the base of my skull, and my vision feels blurry too. I wonder if it’s because I’m bending my head way down to look at my phone…
• When I look at my phone with my head bent down, I feel a pulling sensation at the back of my neck and an ache in my head tooIf I keep my head bent way down while looking at my phone or a book for a long time, the back of my neck feels stiff and tight, and then the back of my head starts to ache. I’ve heard that forward-head posture puts strain on the neck and head, and I wonder if that’s what’s happening in my case…
• I feel fine in the morning, but by the afternoon the back of my head feels heavy and tightI feel fine in the morning, but like clockwork around three or four in the afternoon, the back of my head feels heavy and my head feels tight. Coffee doesn’t help either. It’s strange that this only happens at that time of day…
• I get massages often, but they only feel good while I’m getting one—the underlying issue stays the sameI get really knotted up, so I get massages or use a massage chair almost every day. It feels relieving at the time, but by the next day I’m just as stiff and achy again, so it feels like I’m repeating a temporary fix. Massage …
• My arm and shoulder get heavy quickly when I hold my phone during video callsI video call my parents every weekend, and if I hold my phone for more than 30 minutes, my arm starts shaking and my shoulder feels heavy too. The phone isn’t even heavy, so why is it so tiring?
• When I stand holding a subway strap, the shoulder on that side gets soreMy subway commute takes about 40 minutes, and I’m almost always standing. I always hold the strap with my right hand, and by the time I get off, that shoulder feels sore and I feel a pulling sensation up into my neck.
• My neck bends way down when I read a book flat on my desk without a book standI started studying for a certification, so I’ve been spending a lot more time sitting at my desk lately. I keep telling myself I should buy a book stand, but for now I just lay the book flat. After about an hour, the back of my neck feels stiff and even my shoulders feel heavy.
• I felt a twinge in my neck after sneezing hard, and it’s still bothering meA few days ago, I sneezed hard several times because of dust. At that moment, I felt a sharp twinge at the back of my neck! Since then, it feels awkward whenever I quickly turn my head. It doesn’t exactly hurt, but I keep noticing it…
• A hot shower loosens my shoulders for a moment, but the tightness lasts for daysOnce my shoulders get tight, they tend to stay that way for days. When I let hot water run over them in the shower, they loosen up in the moment, but once I dry off, they feel tight again.
• By the end of the workday my head feels heavy and full, but I feel fine after sleepingAs the workday is winding down, my head feels heavy and foggy, as if it’s full, but strangely, after I sleep for a while, I’m fine again the next morning. Since it happens every day only between afternoon and evening, I wonder if it’s related to my work…
• After Pilates I feel refreshed, but the side of my neck feels tight the next dayI thought I wasn’t getting enough exercise, so I’ve been doing Pilates for the past three months. I feel refreshed afterward, but for some reason the side of my neck feels tight and stiff the next day. It seems worse in particular after a session with exercises where I lift my upper body while lying down.
• I always carry my laptop bag in the same hand, and that shoulder feels like it’s droopingMy bag gets pretty heavy once I put in my laptop and charger, but for some reason I always carry it in my right hand (carrying it in my left feels somehow awkward). Lately, my right shoulder feels like it’s drooping down, and it gets sore sometimes.
• It feels great when someone massages my shoulders, but they tighten up again in less than a dayWhen my shoulders get tight, I ask a family member to massage them or go to a massage shop. It feels really good while it’s happening, but by the next day they’re stiff again. It almost feels like a waste of money and time.
• I work at a drive-through window and keep turning the same way, so my neck feels stiffI’ve been working at a drive-through for about six months. The window is on my left, so all day I turn to the left to take orders and hand out drinks. Lately, the right side of my neck feels stiff, and my left shoulder feels heavy.
• I doze off on the bus, wake up with my neck bent sideways, and feel sore all dayMy commute by bus takes over an hour, so I doze off almost every time. The problem is, whenever I wake up, my neck is bent completely to one side… Then my neck feels sore all day, and it’s stiff whenever I turn it.
• I have a habit of sleeping on my stomach while hugging a pillow, and my neck feels twisted in the morningSince I was a child, I’ve only been able to fall asleep on my stomach while hugging a pillow. But lately, every morning my neck feels stiff, as if it’s been turned to one side, and it catches when I turn my head. I know I should change the habit, but it’s hard.
• My neck and shoulders have felt heavy for a week since helping make kimchi for the winterI helped my parents make kimchi for the winter over the weekend. My lower back was the only thing that hurt that day, but starting the next day, my neck and shoulders have felt heavy. It’s already been a week, and it’s not letting up. I tried a pain-relief patch, but it only helped temporarily.
• Whenever I have a presentation or interview coming up, my shoulders stiffen and my neck feels tightOn days when I have an important presentation or interview, my shoulders feel stuck up by my ears from the morning. Afterward, my neck feels tight, and sometimes I even get a headache. I’m not the only one whose body reacts this way when I’m nervous, am I?
• I started learning guitar, but my left shoulder and neck get stiff so quicklyI started learning guitar as a hobby not long ago. But after just 30 minutes of playing, my left shoulder gets stiff as a rock and my neck gets tight, too. I wonder if it’s because I’m still not used to forming chords 😭
• After a day of giving my child shoulder rides, my shoulder feels like it’s going to come out of its socketMy child loves being carried on my shoulders, so I gave them shoulder rides for a long time this weekend. The next day, my shoulder felt like it was going to come out of its socket 😭 My child keeps getting heavier, but I can’t exactly refuse to give them rides. Is there a way to do it that puts less strain on me?
• On days when I look at monitors for a long time, my head feels dull and heavy in the eveningI work while looking at two monitors all day, and on those days my head feels dull and heavy in the evening, and my eyes feel dry and gritty. I feel much better on days when I look at screens less, like on weekends. Since it’s definitely worse after looking at screens for a long time, I think there’s a connection, but…
• When I do shoulder presses at the gym, I feel my neck tense up before my shoulders doI started working out two months ago. Whenever I do shoulder presses, the side of my neck gets tight and tenses up before my shoulders do. It feels about the same even if I lower the weight, so I’m wondering whether my form is wrong or if this is normal.
• I’m hooked on knitting, but after just an hour my neck and the area between my shoulder blades get stiffI’m really into knitting these days, but if I sit and knit for just an hour, my neck and the area between my shoulder blades get stiff as a rock. I keep looking down and hold my hands together in front of my chest, so I suspect my posture is the problem.
• When I turn my head while reversing, my neck won’t turn all the way and feels stiffWhen I turn my head to reverse while driving, I can’t turn as far as I used to, and my shoulders and torso turn along with it. I’m only in my thirties, so it’s a bit unsettling that this is happening already. Stretching only helps for the moment, too.
• I use two monitors at work, and the side of my neck I turn toward most often gets more soreI use two monitors at work, and the screen I look at most is on the left. After spending all day with my head turned left, the soreness from the left side of my neck down to my shoulder has been getting worse.
• My shoulders seem to get tighter every winter, maybe because I hunch up when it gets coldWhen it gets cold, I think I unconsciously keep raising my shoulders up to my ears. My shoulders get so much more tense every winter that I thought it might just be in my head, but it happens every year, so I’m curious. Can it be related to the seasons?
• One side of my neck pulls more and feels uncomfortable when I turn to breathe during freestyle swimmingI’m learning freestyle, but I only turn to the right to breathe. Maybe that’s why the left side of my neck feels especially tight and sore after swimming. Should I practice breathing on both sides
• I have a habit of sleeping with my arm under my head, and that shoulder feels stiff every morningI can only fall asleep lying on my side with one arm tucked under my head (it’s been a habit since childhood, so it’s hard to break haha). Every morning that shoulder feels stiff, and when I raise my arm, it feels like something catches partway up.
• I have forward head posture. Could it also be causing my headaches and eye strain?People often tell me I have forward head posture, and lately I’ve been getting headaches and eye strain much more often. I’ve seen lots of things online saying forward head posture can cause headaches and eye strain. Is that really …
• I woke up and can't turn my neck to one side. It feels like a stiff neck—what should I do?I was fine until yesterday, but when I opened my eyes this morning, I couldn't turn my head to the right… It was uncomfortable even washing my face or getting dressed, so I spent the whole day turning my torso instead. Should I try to loosen it by forcing my neck to turn?
• I wear a headset and take calls all day, and by the time I get off work my neck is stiff as a rockI work at a call center, so I wear a headset for more than eight hours a day. When I’m talking to customers, looking at the screen, and typing, my head keeps drifting forward. When I feel my neck on the way home, it’s really stiff
• I keep getting massages with more and more pressure. Is that okay?At first, a moderate amount of pressure felt good, but after getting massages repeatedly, I feel like I need more and more pressure to get that same relief. Now it seems like I have to be pressed quite painfully for the tension to ease, so I wonder if increasing the pressure…
• My neck gets stiff and I get a headache that feels like a band tightening around my headI work at a desk, and after spending a long time at the computer in the afternoon, the back of my neck gets stiff and I get a headache that feels like a band tightening around my head. Painkillers help ease it, but it happens every few days …
• A shoulder massage feels good only that day, then my muscles tighten up again right awayMy shoulders and neck get so tight that I get a massage two or three times a month. I feel really good that day, but after just a day or two, they’re tight as rocks again. It only feels good briefly when I get one…
• They found something unusual on my shoulder scan—can I keep exercising?I work out regularly, but sometimes my shoulder feels achy, so I got imaging done and was told there was a minor finding. I’m wondering if it’s from exercising and whether I should stop altogether. But when I actually take a break from working out…
• Whenever I’m stressed, my headaches always start at the back of my neckOn days when I’m stressed because work piles up, I unconsciously tense my shoulders and the back of my neck, and before I know it, my head starts throbbing too. On days when I feel relaxed and have less to do, I’m fine aga…
• When I consciously try to straighten my shoulders, my back and neck get even stifferPeople keep telling me I have bad posture, so lately I’ve been making an effort to straighten my shoulders. But when I tense up to do it, my back and the back of my neck get even stiffer in less than ten minutes.
• I take calls all day, and my neck and jaw are always stiffI’ve been working at a call center for about three years. Since I wear a headset and talk all day, my neck and jaw are always stiff by the time I finish work. On days when I talk a lot, the area beside my jaw and below my ears feels especially heavy.
• I sleep with my arms raised above my head, but my shoulders feel stiff in the morningIt feels most comfortable to sleep with my arms stretched straight overhead. But when I wake up, my shoulders feel stiff and achy. I keep doing it because that position feels comfortable. Is it bad for me?
• I have a habit of chewing on only one side, and that side of my jaw and neck feels achyI’ve had a habit of chewing on only one side for a long time. Even when I consciously try to change, I keep going back to the side that feels more comfortable. The jaw on the side I always chew with, and the neck just below it, feel achy.
• When I knit with my head bent way down, the back of my neck feels hot and soreI’ve gotten really into knitting lately and lose track of time doing it. But after a while, the back of my neck starts to feel hot and sore, almost like it’s burning. My hands are busy, but it’s my neck that gets tired first.
• On days I wear a heavy coat, my shoulders droop and the back of my neck feels tightI wear a thick wool coat in winter, and on those days, by evening, my shoulders feel droopy and the back of my neck feels tight and heavy. I’m fine on days when I wear a lightweight puffer jacket.
• When I doze off face-down at my desk, my shoulders feel stiff when I get upAfter lunch, I rest my head on my arms on the desk and take a short nap, maybe about twenty minutes? But every time I get up, my shoulders are stiff as rocks, and I have to shrug them for quite a while before they loosen up.
• When I turn my head to check the side mirror while driving, one side of my neck feels stiffWhen I’m driving and quickly turn my head to check the side mirror or look behind me to change lanes, the same side of my neck always feels stiff, like it catches. I can turn the other way just fine, but one side in particular doesn’t turn well.
• After giving my child shoulder rides, my shoulders and neck get stiff and tightMy child loves shoulder rides, so on weekends I carry them on my shoulders for a long time when we go for walks. By that evening, both my shoulders and the back of my neck feel heavy and stiff as a rock.
• When I wear heavy headphones for a long time, I feel pressure on the crown of my head and the side of my neckI wear headphones almost all day while I work. Maybe it’s because they’re a bit heavy, but after a few hours I feel pressure on the crown of my head, and the side of my neck gets stiff too.
• My head drops forward when I nod off on the bus or subway, and my neck feels stiff when I wake upMy commute is long, so I often doze off on the bus. I often wake up when my head suddenly drops forward. Afterward, the back of my neck feels stiff and heavy for a while.
• When I wear my hair tied up, the back of my neck and scalp feel pulled tight by eveningI leave home in the morning with my hair tied tightly, but by the afternoon I get a pulling sensation in the back of my neck and the upper part of my scalp, almost as if they’re being squeezed. Letting my hair down helps a little, but the stiffness is still there.
• Is there a way to get rid of “mushroom neck”?I’ve had certain habits since I was young, and I think my neck and posture are a little off. (Looking at my phone while lying down… haha.) I thought it was just forward head posture, but there’s a small round bone sticking out at the back of my neck…
• After lying down for a long time, the vertebrae around my bra-line hurt as if they’re about to breakWhen I lie down on the bed or sofa for a long time on the weekend, or when I wake up, the vertebrae around my bra-line—where my mid-back transitions to my lower back—feel sore, heavy, and as if they’re about to break. It’s not my lower back.
• When I type on a computer for a long time, I feel tingling and pulling in the cord-like muscles between the finger bones on the back of my handI'm a developer who spends all day in the office typing on a keyboard and using a mouse.
• When I can’t take a deep breath and the area between my shoulder blades hurtsFor some time now, even when I want to take a deep breath, the middle of my chest feels tightly blocked, and I feel like I can’t breathe all the way in.
• After long phone calls, the neck and shoulder on the side holding my phone get stiffMy job involves a lot of long phone calls. After a call, the right side of my neck and shoulder—the side that was holding my phone—is always stiff as a rock. It’s surprising that it tightens up on just one side like this.
• After sitting for a long time, I get an unpleasant, cramp-like tightness along my side around the ribs below my bra strapI’m an assistant manager who works at an office computer, looking at a monitor.
• When I straighten my back, the bone in the center of my chest aches and feels soreMy shoulders are usually very rounded, so when I consciously try to straighten my lower back and upper back and open my chest wide, I get a tingling, sore pain around the hard bone in the middle of my chest (the breastbone)
• When I look at my monitor while wearing glasses, my chin keeps jutting forward and the back of my neck gets stiffI wear prescription glasses, and when I look at my monitor for a long time, I realize I’ve pushed my chin forward and leaned my face toward the screen. After that, the back of my neck feels tight and stiff.
• I changed my pillow, but my shoulders still feel incredibly heavy when I wake upI wondered if my pillow wasn’t right for me, so I took the plunge and replaced it with one that’s supposed to be good. But when I wake up in the morning, my shoulders still feel heavy, like they’ve been pressed down. Could it be something other than the pillow...?
• When I tuck my chin, the middle of my back between my shoulder blades feels painfully tight, almost like it's tearingI wanted to work on my forward-head posture while using my smartphone, so I tried the chin-tuck exercise I saw on YouTube, where you pull your chin firmly toward your neck.
• My neck and shoulders tense up when I carry groceries up the stairsWhen I carry groceries up the stairs, I’m obviously climbing with my legs, but somehow my neck and shoulders tense up a lot. My shoulders feel stiff when I get to the top. Why do my shoulders feel strained when I’m using my legs?
• A bone where the back of my neck meets my upper back sticks out like a mushroomI’m a woman in my mid-30s who works
• When I carry a heavy bag on one side, the muscles on one side of my chest and the front of my armpit throb and tingleI usually have a lot to carry, so I mostly carry a heavy shoulder bag over my left shoulder
• I have a habit of furrowing my brow, and my eyes and the back of my neck feel heavy tooWhen I concentrate, I furrow my brow without even realizing it. Then my eyes feel dry and the back of my neck feels heavy and weighed down. Could furrowing my brow be connected to the back of my neck?
• I sleep on my back, but the back of my neck is stiff in the morningI heard it’s best to sleep on your back, so I make a point of doing that. But the back of my neck is still stiff every morning. Why does this happen if I’m sleeping in a good position?
• One shoulder sits higher—could it be because I prop my elbow on the desk?I have a habit of always propping one elbow on the desk when I’m reading or looking at my phone. Maybe because of that, when I look in the mirror, that shoulder seems higher. Can this habit change the height of my shoulder?
• I get an ache deep in the middle of my spine at the back of my neck, and my head feels heavy when I try to lift it while lying downBefore falling asleep, when I’m lying flat on my back in bed without a pillow and try to lift my head slightly forward, I get an aching pain deep in the middle of my spine at the back of my neck. My head feels so heavy that it’s hard to lift.
• I always carry my bag on one shoulder, and that shoulder and side of my neck are constantly tightI have a habit of always carrying my bag on my right shoulder. It keeps slipping off when I use the other side. As a result, my right shoulder and the side of my neck are always tight, and when I look in the mirror, my right shoulder seems a little higher.
• My neck gets stiff after doing the dishes or hand-washing clothes for a long timeAfter doing the dishes or hand-washing clothes for a long time, the back of my neck gets stiff. I’m using my hands and arms, so I don’t know why my neck gets stiff. Could it be the height of the sink?
• After looking at my computer monitor for a long time, the muscles around one jaw joint and cheek stiffen, and I get a throbbing headache up to my templeI work in an office and spend all day looking at a monitor and using a mouse.
• I wake up after sleeping on my side and can’t turn my neckI always sleep on my side in bed, but if the pillow is a little too low or doesn’t suit me, I wake up the next day with one side of my neck stiff like I have a crick in it, and I can’t turn my head to the other side
• My neck gets tight when I lean toward the mirror to do my makeupI lean toward the mirror while doing my makeup every morning, and when I do, I feel a long pulling sensation in the back of my neck. Maybe it’s because I do it every day, but lately I massage my neck as soon as I finish…
• It feels uncomfortable and stiff to tilt my neck back when getting my hair washed at the salonWhen I lie back in the chair at the salon and tilt my neck all the way back, the back of my neck gradually gets stiff and really uncomfortable. It also feels a little heavy when I get up afterward.
• Wrist discomfort from using a mouse reaches the front of my shoulderI work with a mouse all day, and maybe that’s why I have an aching pain around the carpal tunnel in my right wrist. I’m also receiving physical treatment at the hospital and wearing a wrist brace.
• Shoulder feels blocked and hurts when I move my arm behind my backFor some time now, when I put my hands behind my back or turn my arm back to reach into my back pocket, the top of my shoulder and the area around my shoulder blade feel completely blocked and won’t move, and I get a sharp pain.
• After standing for a long time, I get a cramping, squeezing pain around the ribs below one shoulder bladeI’m a barista and stand all day at a café.
• When I bend backward or arch my back, I get a stabbing pain in the vertebra behind my upper abdomenI usually work hunched over, and whenever I lean my upper body backward to straighten my back or open my chest, I get a sharp, stabbing pain deep inside the vertebra in my back (the middle of my thoracic spine), exactly opposite the pit of my stomach, and my breath catches
• When my arms and fingertips go numb while sleeping with my arms raised overheadAt night, I can barely fall asleep unless I sleep with my hands raised over my head.
• My shoulders tire quickly when I keep my arms raised while washing and blow-drying my hairMy hair is long, so blow-drying takes quite a while, but after just a few minutes of holding my arms up, my shoulders start to feel shaky. I don’t think this used to happen, but lately I’ve been getting tired much more quickly.
• I get dizzy at the computer despite a normal ENT exam, and the side of my neck hurtsWhen I focus on my monitor for a long time, I get a spinning sensation, dizziness, and nausea
• Sharp pain in the ribs and side when I take a deep breathBelow my right ribs and along my side, I get sharp, aching twinges and tightness, like a muscle spasm, when I take a deep breath or twist my torso to the left.
• When forward head posture and jaw joint clicking happen togetherFor about a month or two, my right jaw joint has been making a clicking sound and aching slightly whenever I open my mouth wide or yawn.
• I get sharp, stabbing pain along the lower rib area below my breastbone when I breathe in or laughFor about a week, whenever I laugh hard or sneeze, or take a deep, full breath, I get sharp, stabbing pain along the lower edge of my ribs on the right side next to my upper abdomen, like I’m being poked with a needle, and it feels sore and tight
• Tingling from the back of my neck to the back of my head after computer workIf I use a computer for even a little too long, I get a tingling feeling from the back of my neck to the back of my head, and my head hurts a lot.
• Little finger supporting my phone and tingling on the inside of my elbowWhen I use my phone, I have a habit of supporting the bottom of it with the little finger of my right hand and tapping the screen with one hand.
• When I lift a heavy frying pan or wring out a mop, I get an aching, tingling pain deep in the middle of my wristI’m a chef who works a lot in the kitchen
• My neck feels constricted and uncomfortable when I wear a tie with a dress shirtI have to wear a suit and tie at work. After I put on the tie, my neck feels constricted and uncomfortable all day. It’s a little better if I undo one button, but my neck muscles get stiff too.
• My shoulders feel compressed and tense when I wear a heavy winter puffer coatMy long puffer coat is nice and warm, but it’s heavy, so when I wear it all day, my shoulders feel compressed. By evening, they feel heavy and tense. Can the weight of clothes really have that much of an effect?
• My shoulders feel crushed and tighten under my backpack when I hike downhillI wear a backpack when I go hiking, and the feeling of my shoulders being pressed down is especially bad on the way down. I’m fine going uphill, but my shoulders get unusually tight and stiff on the descent. Why might that be?
• A popping sound and discomfort at the front of my shoulder when I reach my arm backwardWhenever I stretch or reach my arm back to get dressed, my right shoulder pops at the front and hurts with a sharp, pinching sensation.
• If I write for a long time, I get a burning pain between my neck and backSome days I spend a long time writing by hand while studying. After a while, I get a hot, burning sensation between my neck and back—in other words, in my upper back. Could it be my posture?
• I grind my teeth in my sleep, and my jaw and temples feel sore every morningThe person I live with says they can hear me grinding my teeth while I sleep. When I wake up, my jaw feels heavy and my temples feel sore. My jaw also seems to catch a little when I yawn.
• My neck gets stiff when I look up from a front-row seat at the movie theaterI booked late and ended up in a front-row seat at the movie theater. I spent the whole two hours looking up at the screen, and my neck was so stiff afterward. Can that happen in such a short time?
• One shoulder blade sticks out and my shoulder feels unsteadyWhen I look in the mirror or take a photo of my back, one shoulder blade sticks out like a bird’s wing, and the asymmetry looks severe.
• My neck feels stiff and sore, and it’s hard to tilt it back after a long bike rideI ride my bike for an hour or two every weekend. Afterward, tilting my neck back feels stiff and sore. Could it be because I keep lifting my head to look ahead while I ride?
• When I raise my arms overhead, I get a tingling catch near the bottom corner of my shoulder bladeWhen I raise my arms high beside my ears in an overhead stretch during yoga or at the gym, I feel a tingling sensation and a sudden catch near the pointed bottom corner of my shoulder blade and in the back of my rib cage.
• When I’m tense, my shoulders creep up to my ears without me noticingWhen I have a presentation or an important meeting, my shoulders creep right up toward my ears without me noticing. On those days, my shoulders and neck get really sore, and I get a slight headache too. I try to relax, but it doesn’t work very well.
• The shoulder I'm lying on gets compressed and sore when I lie on my side to watch TVI like lying on my side on the sofa to watch TV, but if I stay like that for a while, the shoulder I'm lying on gets compressed and starts to feel heavy and sore. It does get better when I change positions, though.
• Discomfort along the inner edge of the shoulder blade with chest tightnessI tend to slouch, and lately the area between the inner edge of my right shoulder blade and my spine has been constantly stiff and achy. It hurts like someone is pressing hard on it with a finger.
• When I bring my arm inward, I get an ache behind my armpit and below my shoulder bladeWhenever I bring my arm forward to reach for the top of the steering wheel while driving, or bring it inward to wash my opposite shoulder in the shower, I get an aching, tight feeling in the soft tissue at the back of my right armpit and near the lower corner of my shoulder blade.
• The connection between discomfort on the outside of the elbow and rounded shouldersWhen I cook a lot or lift a heavy frying pan, I get a sharp, tingling feeling and a sudden loss of strength around the bony bump on the outside of my elbow.
• When I wear a mask for a long time, I feel a pulling sensation behind my ears and along the sides of my neckSome days I have to wear a mask all day at work. On those days, I get a subtle pulling sensation and soreness behind my ears and along the sides of my neck. I guess the straps pulling on my ears can affect my neck too.
• My shoulder makes a cracking sound when I roll it. Is that okay?Whenever I roll my shoulder in a big circle, it makes a cracking, popping sound. It doesn’t hurt, but the sound is pretty loud, so I keep noticing it every time. Is it okay for it to make that sound?
• A sharp, aching feeling around the bony bump on the outside of my wrist when I use a computer mouseI’m a web designer and spend all day in the office looking at a computer monitor and using a mouse.
• When I use my laptop, I can feel my neck jutting forward like a turtleI often work on my laptop at cafés. After just an hour, I can feel that my neck is sticking way out toward the screen. Even when I consciously straighten up, I find myself doing it again before long.
• When I look at my smartphone for a long time, I get a splitting pain at the base of my skull where my hairline starts, and my vision gets blurryI work on a computer all day, and even after I get home, I tend to lie down and look at my smartphone for a long time.

Knees & Feet140

• The front of my knee hurts when I ride a bike for a long timeA person is concerned about what might be causing aching at the front of their knee during long bike rides.
• My feet swell after long hours of standing at workA reader who works standing up worries whether their feet swelling in the evening could be a sign of another condition.
• My Knees Ache on Rainy DaysA story from someone wondering whether their knees ache on rainy days because of the weather.
• My knees feel stiff when I stand up after squattingThe writer wonders whether knee stiffness that occurs only when standing up after squatting is due to age.
• Pain in the middle of the top of my foot from shoe pressureI’m concerned because my shoe presses on the top of my foot, causing pain and swelling.
• My toe hurts because I have a habit of trimming my toenails in a rounded shapeA story about swelling beside the big toe due to a habit of trimming toenails in a rounded shape.
• Insoles have reduced my foot painA person is worried that their foot pain may return if they stop using the insoles that have eased it.
• My knee keeps swelling more oftenA person is wondering whether to see a doctor because their knee is swelling more often.
• My heel hurts like it's tearing in the morningA person asks why their heel hurts like it's tearing when they take their first steps in the morning.
• I’m fifty, and my knees make noisesThe writer wonders whether knee noises without pain could be a sign of a problem.
• I’m afraid of stairs since I twisted my ankleThe writer says they’ve become afraid to go downstairs since twisting their ankle.
• The soles of my feet feel tingly after hikingA reader asks whether the strange sensation in the soles of their feet after hiking could be due to a nerve issue.
• I heard cycling is easier on the knees than walking when your knees hurtA story about how walking and cycling feel different when your knees hurt.
• The outside of my knee hurts while runningI'm worried about preparing for a race because of pain on the outside of my knee that started while running.
• My knees feel painfully cold when the wind is chillyA person is worried about why their knees feel ice-cold in chilly winds.
• My father has trouble squattingA story from someone worried about their father’s knees because he has trouble squatting.
• My knee aches when I go down stairsA reader wonders why their knee aches only when going down stairs.
• I wore sandals all summer, and now my feet seem widerI wore sandals and flip-flops all summer, and now my feet feel wider and more spread out. My old shoes all feel too small. Will my feet go back to normal? It also feels like there’s more space between my toes.
• The balls of my feet go numb when I pedal only with my toesI have a habit of pedaling only with the balls of my feet when I ride a bike. After about an hour, the front part of the soles of my feet feels numb and burns. I can’t tell whether I should move my feet farther toward the middle of the pedals or whether my shoes are the problem. I’m thinking about getting clipless pedals, but
• The front of my knees feels tight after sitting cross-legged to meditateI recently started meditating, and after sitting cross-legged for about 30 minutes, the front of my knees feels tight and it’s hard to straighten them. I don’t know if it’s because the floor is hard or the position doesn’t suit me. I’m thinking of buying a cushion—what kind would be better? Should I try changing how I sit?
• My little toe curls inward and keeps getting rubbed by my shoes. Can it be corrected?My little toe curls inward, so whenever I wear new shoes, that spot gets rubbed raw and blisters. Even a bandage comes off quickly. Can this be corrected?
• My calves get tight because I have a habit of walking without putting my heels downI’ve been told since childhood that I don’t put my heels down much and walk on my toes. Lately, my calves often get tight and hard, and I wonder if that’s why. Would correcting the way I walk help?
• The outside of my knee pulls when I do Half Lotus PoseWhen I do Half Lotus Pose in yoga, I feel pulling and pressure on the outside of my knee. I hear it’s comfortable for flexible people, but it hurts too much for me to hold. I’m wondering whether I should avoid forcing it or adjust the pose. My knees aren’t usually
• My knee hurts more after I started using posture-correcting insolesI was told my foot arches had collapsed, so I had corrective insoles made and started wearing them. But from the day I put them in, the inside of my knee hurt and my walking felt awkward. I can’t tell whether my body is adjusting or the insoles aren’t right for me. I’m not sure whether I should keep wearing them
• I Exercise with a Knee Brace, but I Feel More Unstable Without ItMy knee bothered me when I went hiking, so I started wearing a brace. But now, when I take it off, my knee feels even more wobbly. I don’t know if it’s okay to keep wearing it or if I should build up my muscles so I can stop. I’m worried I might become dependent on the brace.
• The fronts of my knees feel cold after riding my motorcycleThe weather has turned cool, and I’ve started commuting by motorcycle. After riding for about 30 minutes, the fronts of my knees feel cold and stiff. I’m not sure if it’s because they’re exposed to the wind or because my knees were already in poor shape. Would putting something like a knee blanket
• The outside of my ankle aches when I turn on my toes in dance classI take dance classes as a hobby, and the outside of my ankle has been aching since I learned to turn on my toes. One side hurts much more than the other. Is it normal for this move to hurt everyone? I’ve never sprained my ankle.
• After jumping on a trampoline with my child, I get an aching pain below my kneesEvery weekend, I go to a trampoline park with my child and jump together. After playing for about an hour, I get an aching pain in the bone below my knees. My child is fine, but I’m the only one who feels this way. I’m wondering if it’s because my knees are on the weak side.
• The inside of my knees feels stiff and sore in the morning after sleeping with my legs splayedI have a habit of sleeping on my stomach with my legs spread apart. Lately, though, the insides of my knees feel stiff and achy every morning. They feel fine during the day, but when I wake up, they stay stiff for a while before loosening up. I can't tell whether it's because of my sleeping position or something else. I wonder if sleeping on my side would be better. Should I change positions while I'm asleep?
• What you can check at home if you suspect plantar fasciitisThe inside of my heel hurts every morning, so it might be plantar fasciitis, but I’m not sure. Search results are full of symptoms. Is there anything I can check at home by pressing on it or bending my foot back?
• Do different kinds of knee pain when going up and down stairs mean different things?When I go up, the front of my knee feels tight, and when I go down, I get a sharp twinge on the inside of my knee. The location and the feeling are different, but it’s the same knee. If the pain changes depending on which way I’m going, does that mean the cause is different too?
• The prominent bone under my big toe has hurt whenever I walk for a monthYou know that prominent bump just below the big toe, at the front of the sole? It’s been hurting whenever I walk for a month. It especially gives me a shooting pain when I push off, and it hurts more when I walk barefoot.
• I’m in a table tennis club, but I keep twisting my ankleI’ve been going to a table tennis club for over a year. I’ve twisted my left ankle three times this year.
• My child says the top of their foot hurts. Where should I press?My third-grade elementary schooler has been saying that the top of their left foot hurts for several days. It doesn’t seem swollen, and it looks fine on the outside. They do play soccer often.
• My father says his knee aches only when he walks downstairsMy father is in his late 60s. He's fine walking on level ground, but says his right knee aches only when he walks downstairs. He doesn't say much about it when walking upstairs.
• It feels like my heel is tearing when I take my first step in the morningWhen I take my first step after getting up in the morning, my right heel hurts as if it's tearing. It gets better after a few steps and is almost fine during the day, but it happens again when I stand up after sitting for a long time.
• Are running shoes with thick cushioning better, or ones with thin cushioning?I’m a beginner and have been running for six months. The store recommends shoes with thick cushioning, but people in my running club say thinner ones let your feet move properly. What do you all wear?
• Does anyone else get pain on the top of their foot when they tie their shoelaces tightly?When I go out with my sneakers laced a bit tightly, the middle of the top of my foot starts to feel tingly and painful after about 30 minutes. It gets better quickly when I loosen the laces. I wonder if it's because I have a high instep. Does this happen to anyone else?
• How should I care for inner knee pain after a hike?I went on a six-hour hike yesterday, and today the inside of my knee hurts when I press on it. Walking is fine; I only notice it on the stairs. What do you usually do first on a day like this?
• Do I need to cut back on exercise if I have a bunion?My right big toe curves inward, and the area gets red when I wear shoes with a narrow toe box. It doesn’t hurt when I walk, but I’m not sure if I can keep doing my stair-climbing workout three times a week.
• My knee feels colder now that the weather’s getting cold—is it the weather?Since the temperature dropped, the front of my right knee has felt cold. It doesn’t hurt; it’s more like cold water seeping in. It feels a little better indoors, but after just ten minutes of walking outside, it starts feeling cold again.
• When my mother gets back from the market, she says the soles of her feet hurt more than her kneesMy mother is in her 70s. When she gets back from the market, her knees are fine, but the soles of her feet feel hot and painful toward the front. She wears the same kind of slippers as always. This never used to happen, but it’s become much more frequent this year.
• If I have flat feet, do I have to wear insoles?I've had flat feet since I was a child, but it hasn't really bothered me so far. Still, I keep hearing that I should wear insoles no matter what. If it doesn't hurt, can't I just leave it alone?
• My knee hurts when I hike downhill. Would trekking poles help?I go hiking about twice a month. My knee feels fine on the way up, but only the outside of my knee hurts on the way down. It’s especially bad on sections with steps, and it settles down a couple of hours after I get home.
• My knees click when I squat. If they don't hurt, can I just leave them alone?My knees click every time I squat. They don't hurt; it's just the sound. But it happens every time, so it bothers me. Some people say it's fine if there's only a sound, while others say it's the sound of cartilage wearing away…
• The area just above the back of my knee feels tight and sore when I climb stairsOnly when I climb stairs, the area just above the back of my right knee feels tight and sore, but it's fine when I go down.
• I have high arches, and when I walk for a long time, I end up landing on the outer side of my footI have fairly high arches, but when I walk for a long time, I end up putting weight on the outer edge of my foot, and the edge near my little toe feels sore.
• After running for a long time, the area between my third and fourth toes goes numb and burnsAbout 30 minutes into a run, the area between my third and fourth toes on my right foot tingles and burns.
• My son, a second-year middle school student, says the bony bump below his knee hurts after basketballMy son, a second-year middle school student who plays basketball, says the bump right below his kneecap hurts, and it hurts when pressed, too.
• It's been six months since I sprained my ankle, but it aches there when it's rainy or coldThe left ankle I sprained six months ago aches below the outer ankle bone on overcast or cold days.
• After hiking downhill in crampons in winter, my soles and toes feel tingly and soreAfter hiking down a snowy mountain in crampons, my soles feel tingly and the tips of my toes feel sore from being pressed.
• My toes hurt between the big toe and second toe after wearing toe-post sandals for a long timeAfter wearing thong sandals with a post between the toes all day, the skin between my toes gets chafed and I keep tensing my toes.
• After inline skating, the outside of my ankle and the side of my little toe feel numb and tinglyAfter inline skating, the outside of my ankle and the side of my little toe feel numb and tingly.
• The balls of my feet and my knees ache when I climb up and down ladders for workI climb up and down a ladder dozens of times a day, stepping on the narrow rungs with the front of my feet, and the balls of my feet and my knees ache.
• My ankle bones and the front of my shin hurt when I skate at the ice rinkAfter skating for a while, the stiff boots press on my ankle bones and the front of my shin, and it hurts.
• My instep gets swollen and painful when I practice a lot of kicks in kickboxingWhen I repeatedly kick a punching bag in kickboxing, the instep of my kicking foot swells and throbs when I put weight on it.
• Does running every day really wear away your knee cartilage?I’ve been running 5 km almost every day for about six months. I enjoy exercising and feel lighter, but I got really scared when I read that running every day wears away your knee cartilage. Right now, my knee...
• My knees aren’t great, but can I still run?My knees have always been on the weak side, and they sometimes ache when I climb stairs or go hiking. I still want to build my fitness and would like to try running, but if your knees are weak, will running make them worse…
• I want to start running to lose weight, but I’m scared by claims that it will ruin my kneesI’m thinking of starting to run to lose weight, but people around me are discouraging me, saying running damages the cartilage in your knees. My knees aren’t particularly strong to begin with, so I’m even more worried. I’d really…
• My instep feels stiff in the morning, more than the sole of my footFor about a week now, when I get out of bed and take my first step in the morning, my instep feels stiff—not the sole of my foot. It eases after a few steps, though. The only recent change I can think of is that I bought new sneakers, so I’m not sure what the problem is.
• The front of my ankle feels pinched whenever I stretch itI follow along with ankle stretches I find on YouTube to stretch my calves, but instead of feeling a good stretch in the back of my calves, I feel a tight pinch at the front of my ankle. Is it okay to keep doing this?
• When the rainy season comes, my knees ache before anything elseAs soon as the forecast says rain, somehow my knees know first. It happened during last year’s rainy season, and now it’s starting again this year… I wonder if it’s my age, but I’m still in my 40s. What if this is already happening?
• I can't grab a towel off the floor with my toes. Does that mean my foot strength has weakened?I saw on YouTube that you could check your foot health by picking up and pulling a towel with your toes, so I tried it. But my toes won't move the way I want, and the towel won't budge. My husband can do it just fine.
• The outside of my knee feels tight after Zumba class, and I’m afraid to go down stairsI started Zumba 2 weeks ago to lose weight. I got excited and went hard, but now the outside of my knee feels tight. It especially feels achy every time I go down stairs, and I’m scared 😭 I’m wondering if I should take a break from exercise.
• I raised my bicycle seat and now the back of my knee feels tightI ride my bike to commute, and I raised the seat a bit because I heard it would make pedaling easier. Since then, the back of my knee feels tight after I ride. Could it be the seat height, or is it my riding posture?
• After walking for a long time, it feels like I’m stepping on the outer edge of my foot near my little toeI’ve been told I walk with my feet turned out. After a long walk, it feels like I’m putting my weight on the outer edge of my foot near my little toe. That day, the outside of my foot and the area around my ankle feel tired too. The outer sides of my shoe heels are always worn down.
• The arches of my feet hurt when I wear padded winter boots—is it the insoles?The padded boots I bought this winter are warm and comfortable, so I wear them almost every day, but the inner arches of my feet hurt every time I wear them. I think I’m okay on days I wear sneakers. Could it be because the boot insoles are too thin?
• My foot cramps when I rise onto my toes in ballet fit classI’ve been taking ballet fit classes for two months. Whenever I do relevé, where you rise onto your toes, I get a cramp in the middle of my sole… Everyone else seems to manage it just fine, and I feel embarrassed having to stop and relax my foot while they carry on.
• Since gaining weight, my knees feel heavy when I climb stairsI gained about 8 kilos after changing jobs last year. Since then, my knees have felt heavy and stiff every time I climb stairs. I used to take subway stairs two at a time, but these days my knees start bothering me after just one flight.
• I just bought new hiking shoes, but they press on the top of my foot and I can't walk for longI bought new hiking shoes so I could go hiking on weekends. But after walking for about an hour, the top of my foot starts to hurt and feel tightly squeezed, so I can't walk for long. I've tried loosening the laces and tightening them, but it feels about the same.
• My feet get cold in winter, so I wear two layers of socks, but my toes cramp easilyEvery winter, my feet get so cold that I wear sleep socks and regular socks at home, too. But lately my toes have been cramping a lot. It happens while I'm asleep or even when I'm sitting on the sofa—my toes suddenly curl up in a cramp.
• I have a habit of standing on tiptoe while washing dishes, and my calves have gotten really hardI have a habit of standing on tiptoe without realizing it when I wash dishes (and when I put dishes on the upper shelf, too, haha). These days, my calves feel hard as rocks when I touch them, and massaging them feels relieving but painful, too.
• When I wear narrow dress shoes, I get a throbbing pain by my big toe, and the toe seems to be bendingI’ve worn narrow dress shoes for a long time for work, and these days when I get home, the inner side of my big toe throbs and there’s a red mark. When I look in the mirror, it also seems like my big toe is tilting a little toward the second toe.
• I'm in my second week of running, and the inside of my shin is throbbingIt's been 2 weeks since I started running partly to lose weight. It was fine at first, but lately the inside of my shin has been throbbing after I run. I heard this is common for beginner runners, but is it okay to just push through it?
• My knee aches when I go downstairs the day after playing soccerI play in an early-morning soccer group on weekends, and the day after, my knee aches every time I go downstairs. It’s fine going up, and only bothers me going down. It feels fine when I walk on level ground too.
• When I stand up after sitting for a long time, my knees feel stiff and I hobble for the first few stepsAfter sitting and concentrating at the office for two or three hours, the first few steps feel creaky when I stand up. I walk with a hobble as if my knees are stiff, but they feel better after I've walked for a bit. I wonder if it's age, but since it happens every day, it's quietly becoming a source of stress.
• I ride a stationary bike every day, but the area above my knee feels stiffI ride a stationary bike for an hour every day to lose weight. It’s been about 3 weeks, and lately the area above my knee feels stiff, and my knee feels heavy when I climb stairs too. I’m not sure if I should take a break from exercising.
• I started walking barefoot because I heard it was good for you, but my soles feel prickly and hurt the next dayLots of people in my neighborhood walk barefoot, so I tried walking on a dirt path in the park for an hour at a time. It felt refreshing while I was walking, but afterward the soles of my feet felt prickly, and the next morning they hurt when I put weight on them.
• I've been told my knee cartilage is worn down. Should I rest or keep exercising?I usually enjoy hiking and running, but after being told my knee cartilage is worn down, I'm wondering whether I should stop exercising. Some people say to rest to protect my knee, while others say I need to build up my thigh muscles …
• I was told my knee cartilage is worn down. Is it okay to keep walking?My knee aches when I walk downstairs, and when I got it checked, I was told that some of the cartilage was worn down. Hearing that it was worn down made me worry that walking a lot would wear it away even more, so I’ve become cautious about walking…
• They say cartilage doesn’t grow back once it wears down. Does that mean it’s over for me?I was told that the cartilage in my knee has started to wear down, and when I looked it up, I read that cartilage doesn’t grow back once it wears down. Hearing that has left me feeling at a loss, wondering if it will just keep getting worse from here …
• When I jump rope, I feel the impact in my ankles and calves more than in my kneesI started jumping rope to lose weight. The surprising thing is, everyone says it’s hard on the knees, but my knees are fine and I feel a lot of impact around my ankles and calves.
• When I wear dress shoes with a narrow toe, the side of my big toe hurts and throbsThe dress shoes I wear to work have a narrow toe. They're pretty, but by the afternoon, the outer side of my big toe—the part that sticks out on the side of my foot—throbs and has a red pressure mark.
• The area around my ankle bones feels achy and my ankles feel stiff the day after a long walkI went on a trip yesterday and walked a lot all day. When I got up this morning, the areas around both ankle bones felt achy, and my ankles felt stiff when I rotated them.
• My knees throb at the front when I kneel and bow oftenBecause of religious activities, I kneel and bow fairly often. When I repeat it several times in a row, the front of my knee—right below the kneecap—starts to throb.
• Whenever I switch to new shoes, my ankles and calves feel sore for a few days, as if they can’t adjustWhen I buy new shoes and start wearing them, my ankles and calves feel sore for the first few days, as if they can’t adjust. It seems to happen more when the heel height or sole feels different from what I’m used to…
• After a long day of standing at work, the backs of my knees feel stiff and my legs feel heavyI have a job where I stand. After standing all day, by the time I leave work, the backs of my knees feel stiff and my whole legs feel heavy. The back-of-knee area in particular feels kind of full
• When I pull my foot up to trim my toenails, my calf and sole feel tightYou know how you pull one foot up onto your knee to trim your toenails? When I do that, the back of my calf and the sole of my foot feel like they’re being stretched and get sore and tight. I also find it a bit difficult to hold the position.
• My soles feel hot and tired after walking barefoot on a wooden floor for a long timeI like going barefoot at home, but after walking back and forth on the wooden floor for a long time, the soles of my feet feel hot and my whole feet get tired. Especially when I’ve been standing for a long time cleaning
• After sitting cross-legged for a long time, my inner knee feels achy and stiff when I stand upDuring holidays or ancestral rites, I sit on the floor cross-legged for a long time. When I try to stand up, the inside of my knee feels achy and stiff. For the first few steps, it feels like I can’t straighten my knee properly, so
• My knee feels like it jolts and aches when I go down stairs quicklyI’m usually in a hurry going down the stairs at the subway station. Every time I go down quickly, my knee feels like it jolts a little and aches. It’s fine going up, but it only happens when I’m going down, so it’s been on my mind.
• When I wear stiff shoes like hiking boots, the top of my foot feels squeezed and my toes hurtI go hiking every weekend, and my hiking boots are pretty stiff. After walking for a while, it feels like the laces are pressing down on the top of my foot, and the tips of my toes start aching. By the time I’m heading down, I want to take my shoes off.
• After crouching for hours to make kimchi, my knee feels stiff and achy when I straighten itI made kimchi at my parents’ home last weekend. After crouching for hours to trim the napa cabbage, my knee didn’t straighten easily when I stood up. The moment I tried to straighten it, I felt a sudden stiffness and ache.
• My feet often swell, and the marks from my socks take a long time to fadeLately, my feet seem to swell often. When I take off my socks, they leave deep indentations around my ankles and calves that take a long time to go away. After sitting for a long time, my feet also feel heavy and weighed down when I stand up.
• The back of my knee feels tight, and I can’t fully straighten my legThe hollow at the back of my knee feels taut and tight, making it hard to straighten my leg completely
• After a long drive, my knee feels stiff when I get out, so I limp on my first stepI often drive long distances, and after driving for two or three hours, my knee feels stiff when I get out, so I limp for the first few steps. It loosens up once I walk a little, but that moment feels really awkward.
• After sitting for a long time, I feel a pulling sensation deep in the bone beneath one buttock, with tingling down the back of my thighI'm a programmer who sits in a chair looking at a monitor for more than 8 hours a day.
• The front of my knee aches when I pedal a bicycleI ride a bicycle for exercise, but every time I pedal, I feel an ache at the front of my knee. It's especially noticeable uphill or when I pedal in a heavy gear. I wonder if I've set the saddle height incorrectly.
• When I sit for a long time, I get a tingling ache around the bone where the back of my thigh meets my buttockIf I sit in an office chair for an hour or two or longer, the crease just below my buttock and the bone near where the back of my thigh begins ache and feel sore, like they’re being stabbed with an awl
• After walking for a long time, I get a sharp, needle-like pain deep in the center of my heel bone every time I stepI work hard to stay healthy by hiking or walking for exercise every weekend
• Could the pain in the sole of my foot with my first steps in the morning be connected to pelvic stiffness?When I get out of bed in the morning and take my first step, I get a sharp, tingling pain near the heel of my right sole, as if it might tear.
• After a long drive, the tendon on the outside of one knee gets stiff when I get out of the car, and my leg won’t straighten easilyI drive three hours each way to visit my hometown every weekend
• Burning at the ball of the foot and a feeling like walking on grains of sandI often wear flat shoes or slippers with hard soles and no heel.
• The inside of my knee aches after working in a squat, and it feels cold when I stand upIf I spend a long time doing work in a squat, the inside of my knee aches. When I try to stand up after staying in that position for a while, my knee feels cold and doesn’t straighten easily. It gets a bit better after I walk for a while.
• When I lift my ankle to press the pedals while driving, the muscle on the outside of my shin pulls as if it might burstI own a car and drive a long distance to and from work every day.
• My heels get cracked from standing at work for long periods, and they hurt when I step downI have a job where I stand all day. At some point, my heels started getting rough and cracked, and the first time I step down in the morning, I get a sharp pain in my heel. The cracks sometimes sting, too.
• Since I sprained my ankle, I keep feeling uneasy on bumpy groundI sprained my ankle a few months ago. It’s fine in everyday life, but when I walk on rocky or uneven ground, I keep worrying that the ankle will give way, and it actually feels like it twists slightly. I’m fine on flat ground.
• The top of my foot swells after a long walk, and my shoelaces feel tightBy evening after a long walk, the top of my foot swells and the shoelaces I tied that morning feel tight. The marks from the laces are still there when I take my shoes off. It’s usually fine again the next day, but it’s bothering me.
• My ankle clicks when I rotate it, and sometimes it aches tooWhen I rotate my ankle in circles, it makes a clicking sound. Sometimes there’s a slight ache along with the sound. I did sprain my ankle once before, so I wonder if that could be why.
• When I often sprain my ankle and my knee and lower back feel uncomfortable tooWhen I was in high school, I badly sprained my right ankle during PE or while walking down the street. Ever since then, my right ankle keeps turning on me even when I walk on a slightly uneven path.
• Discomfort in the big toe and inner shin at the same timeAfter walking for a little while, the joint on the inner side of my right big toe throbs and becomes red and swollen.
• The front of the sole of my foot feels hot after a long run on the treadmillI run on the treadmill for about 30 minutes, but as I get further into the run, the front of the sole of my foot starts feeling hot and burning. After I finish, the front of my foot sometimes feels numb and tingly, too. It also feels like my foot slides forward inside my shoe.
• My kneecap makes a gritty, crunching sound when I bend and straighten my kneeWhen I stand up after squatting, or slowly bend and straighten my knee, I hear and feel a gritty, sand-like sound around my kneecap. It doesn't hurt, but when I put my hand on my knee, I can feel a faint sensation.
• The muscles at the back of my thigh keep tingling and tightening when I climb stairs or walkFor my health, I recently started stair-climbing exercise and walking 10,000 steps.
• When I stand for a long time, I feel a tingling pain in the hollow on the sole of one foot, just in front of the heel bone where the arch beginsI work at a department store and stand for at least 7 hours a day.
• When I stand for a long time, I get a tingling pain at the bottom of the inner heel bone, and the tissue along my inner shin knots upI’m a sales associate who stands all day at a department store
• The outer edge of my sole under my little toe tingles and stings when I step downI’m often told that I walk with my feet turned out a lot, and the outer edges of my shoe heels always wear down really quickly.
• The front of my knee throbs when I scrub the floor on my kneesI usually scrub the floor hard while kneeling. After scrubbing for a while, the bony area at the front of my knee throbs and sometimes turns red. I wonder if it's because I'm resting it on the hard floor.
• My knees wobble and ache when I hike downhillI love hiking, and my knees are fine going uphill, but going down is the problem. They wobble and ache, so I have to be careful. By the time I get to the bottom, my knees feel weak, like they might give way.
• The area just above my knee feels tight and sore when I take stairs two at a timeI have a habit of bounding up stairs two at a time when I’m in a hurry. After a few flights, the area just above my knee, at the bottom of my thigh, starts to feel tight and sore. I’m fine when I take the stairs one step at a time, but it happens when I take them two at a time.
• When I sit cross-legged, a tendon on the outside of one knee pulls, and my pelvis feels stiff and achyWhen I sit at a restaurant with floor seating or try to sit cross-legged on the living room floor, I find that, in particular, the tendon around the bony prominence on the outside of my right knee pulls painfully taut, as if it might tear.
• Why does the inside of my knee ache when I walk downstairs?Lately, the inside of my left knee aches and stings every time I walk downstairs.
• After walking for a long time, I get an aching pain and swelling along the tendon line in the middle of the top of my footAfter overdoing it by walking 10,000 steps or more or taking an easy hike over the weekend, I get an aching pain along the thick tendon line that runs over the bone in the middle of the top of my foot—not the sole. It hurts like a bruise when I touch it.
• When I walk for a long time in flip-flops, I tense my toes and my calves feel tightI like wearing flip-flops in the summer, but when I walk for a long time, I keep tensing my toes. I think I curl them to keep the flip-flops from slipping off. My calves also feel tight and achy.
• The outer edge of my heel bone stings and burns when I step downI usually walk with my feet turned out a little.
• When I squat on the floor, the front of my ankle suddenly feels blocked and I fall backwardWhen I try to squat with both feet completely flat on the floor, like in the old-style squat toilets, the front of my ankle where it bends suddenly feels blocked and painful, as if my bones are hitting each other. I lose my balance and tumble backward
• After sitting for a long time, I get a dull ache deep inside the bone at the front of my kneeWhen I sit for more than two hours at the office or in a movie theater, I get a subtle, throbbing ache deep inside the kneecap at the front of my knee.
• New shoes rub my little toe raw, and I limp when I walkWhenever I wear my new sneakers, the outside of my little toe gets rubbed raw and hurts. I keep trying not to put weight on that side, so I end up limping a little. It’s strange that it’s much worse on just one side.
• I think I have flat feet, and when I stand for a long time, it feels like the arch on the inside of my foot is collapsingI’ve been told I have flat feet since I was a child. When I stand for a long time or walk a lot, it feels like the spot where the arch on the inside of my foot should be sinks down and collapses. I get an ache along the inside of my foot, and my feet tire easily.
• The day after wearing high heels, my calves and the balls of my feet feel tight and soreI usually wear sneakers, and high heels are a problem the next day. My calves get really tight, and the balls of my feet throb. My calves especially feel tight when I walk downstairs.
• Sharp, prickling pain around the prominent bone on the outside of my knee when walking downstairs, as if something might snapI recently started walking up and down the apartment stairs to lose weight.
• When I lift one knee toward my chest while standing to put on socks, I get an aching pain around the lowest vertebrae in my lower backIn the morning, whenever I stand to put on socks or pants, I get a deep, heavy pain around the lowest vertebrae in my lower back when I lift one knee high toward my chest—not when I bend one leg backward. It feels as if something there might snap.
• The ball of my foot throbs after I jump ropeI started jumping rope to lose weight. I do 1,000 jumps at a time, but afterward the ball of my foot throbs. Sometimes it still hurts a little the next day.
• Stiff Achilles tendon and calves on the first step in the morningNot only when I get out of bed in the morning, but also when I take my first step after sitting in my office chair for quite a while, the back of my heel and the area around my Achilles tendon feel extremely stiff and tight.
• The inside of my foot below the ankle bone aches when I take my first step in the morningWhen I get out of bed in the morning and take my first step, the inside of my foot, around just below the ankle bone, aches and pulls. It eases after a few steps, but that first sensation bothers me.
• Every time I walk, I feel a corn-like pain on the sole behind my big toeI often wear dress shoes with slightly pointed toes.
• Heel pain with the first step in the morning and burning on the soleI usually wear dress shoes or flats. For the past month, when I wake up and first put my foot on the floor in the morning, I’ve had a sharp, stinging pain in the inner part of the bottom of my heel, as if it were tearing, making it hard to walk.
• The back of my knee feels swollen and tight when I squatThe back of my knee seems a little swollen, and when I squat, it feels so full there that I can’t bend my knee all the way. I notice it especially when squatting to use the bathroom or when sitting down to put on my shoes.
• After walking for a long time, the hollows on either side of my Achilles tendon at the back of my ankle ache and swellFor my health, I walk along the riverside for an hour every evening.
• After walking for a long time, I feel a tingling sensation in the middle of the sole beneath my toes, as if a thin strip is being tornThe weather has been nice, so I’ve been walking more than 10,000 steps every weekend for exercise

Lower Back & Pelvis109

• My mother has been lying down ever since she tweaked her backA person is worried about their mother, who has been lying down ever since she tweaked her back.
• My back buckled when I stood up while holding my childA story about worrying after injuring their back while standing up holding their child.
• I wake up in the early morning because my lower back hurtsA reader is worried about why lower back pain wakes them up every morning before dawn.
• My back hurts when I bend over to put on socksA reader is worried about a pulling pain when bending over to put on socks.
• I felt a sharp twinge in my lower back while squattingA reader is worried after feeling a sharp twinge in their lower back during squats.
• Is it normal for my lower back to feel stiff when I get off my bike?Is it normal for my lower back to feel stiff when I get off my bike? The seat is high, so I have to swing my leg wide to get off, and my lower back pulls each time. I’m fine while riding, but it happens especially when I get off. It could be because I twist my lower back when I try to get off quickly,
• Why has one side of my lower back felt stiff since I moved a potted plant?One side of my lower back has felt stiff since I moved a large potted plant. I think I twisted my back while lifting it. It got a little better after a few days, but it still aches when I sit for a long time. I’m not limping and don’t have any tingling, but I keep noticing it on one side.
• Carrying a heavy bag in one hand makes the opposite side of my lower back hurtWhen I go grocery shopping and carry a heavy bag in just one hand, the opposite side of my lower back hurts. It’s strange that the pain is on the opposite side, not the side carrying the load. I wonder if it’s because my posture shifts to one side or if that’s just what happens. When I carry something heavy, my body seems to tilt the other way and the opposite
• My lower back hurts when I teach standing for a long time. Is there anything I can do?When I teach standing for more than two hours at an academy, my lower back gradually starts to feel heavy, and afterward I have to sit and rest. I've tried shifting my weight from one leg to the other, but it hasn't helped much. I also tried sitting and standing repeatedly during class,
• My lower back hurts when I reach up to get things from the top of the closetMy lower back hurts when I stretch my arm all the way up to get things from the top of the closet. When I stand on my tiptoes and reach up, the side of my lower back pulls and gets stiff. I have to get things from there often, so this happens every time. Would it be better to set up a ladder and climb up to get them? Or
• My lower back stiffens when I stand for a long time on the bus. Is there anything I can do?I often have to stand on the bus during my commute. When I hold on and brace myself, my lower back feels stiff, and by the time I get off, it's hard to straighten up. I also find myself leaning to one side. Is there a way to protect my back on the bus?
• My upper back hurts when I sleep on my sideWhen I sleep on my side, it’s my upper back that hurts, not the side facing down. Changing positions doesn’t help either. I’m fine lying on my back, but it happens whenever I lie on my side. I’m also wondering how thick my pillow should be. My shoulder gets compressed when I sleep on my side. The pillow...
• I wake up during the night because of my back, and mornings are hardMaybe because my back is bothering me, I wake up during the night and then struggle in the morning. Tossing and turning makes my back even stiffer. I feel a bit better during the day, but every morning it's hard to straighten my back. Would changing my sleeping position help? I’m not sure whether it’s better to sleep on my side or...
• My back hurts, but my tests came back normal. What does that mean?My back has hurt for several months, but the hospital says my tests are normal. I’m definitely in pain, though, and it interferes with daily life. I’m wondering if there could be a problem that doesn’t show up on tests, or if it could be related to muscles or posture. Someone also suggested keeping a pain diary...
• I’m worried I’ll throw my back out carrying my golf bagI play golf every weekend, and my back aches when I carry my golf bag. Carrying the bag is harder on me than swinging. After walking a few steps from the car, my lower back feels heavy. I’m worried I’ll throw my back out. Would using a cart help?
• My Back Gets Stiff When I Walk Hunched Over in WinterThese days, when I go out in the morning, my shoulders rise on their own and I end up walking hunched over. After walking like that, my back gets stiff. Dressing warmly does help a little, but every winter my back seems to get especially stiff. This doesn’t happen in summer, but it always does when the weather gets cold.
• My Back Gets Sore When I Bend Over to Organize the RefrigeratorMy back gets sore if I bend over and rummage around for a long time while organizing the inside of the refrigerator. I have to bend deeply, especially when looking at the lower shelf. I’ve heard that you should bend your knees and sit down, but I’m not sure if that’s a comfortable position. I tried bending my knees and sitting...
• One side of my back catches when I twist to look behind meA few days ago, I turned sharply to look behind me while parking, and since then the right side of my lower back has been catching. It only happens when I turn around, and I’m fine otherwise. I don’t know if a muscle has tightened up or if something’s wrong with my back. Would stretching help?
• My Back Won’t Straighten After I Squat to Clean the Window FrameWhen I squat down to clean the window frame and then stand up, my back won’t straighten for a while. I have to walk a few steps before I can finally straighten up. I know squatting isn’t good for my back, but I can’t just stop doing housework. Bending my knees and sitting down for a long time also makes my knees...
• What to do first after tweaking your back when standing up from sittingJust got up from a chair and felt a sharp twinge in my back. My right lower back pulls every time I breathe. I can walk. In this situation, I want to know the order of what to do: lie down right away or keep moving, and which kind of compress to use first.
• I’m wondering whether standing with my weight on one leg is related to lower back painI spend a lot of time standing at work, so I’ve naturally gotten into the habit of putting my weight on one leg. Over the past few months, I’ve had more days when the lower left side of my back feels achy and heavy.
• How should I choose a cushion so sitting doesn’t hurt my tailbone?The area where my tailbone touches the seat hurts, so I’m looking for a cushion, but there are so many kinds. Some have a hole in the middle, and others have a U-shaped cutout.
• I study sitting for ten hours a day, and my tailbone hurtsI’m preparing for an exam and sit in a study room for about ten hours a day. For the past two months, the spot where my tailbone touches the seat has hurt, and I’ve started leaning onto one buttock when I sit.
• My perineum goes numb on long bike ridesI ride about 60 km every weekend. Once I’ve been riding for more than an hour and a half, my perineum starts to go numb, and the feeling comes back after I get off and walk for about 5 minutes.
• I'm currently working a three-shift rotation, and my lower back pain is severe the day after a night shiftI'm a nurse working a three-shift rotation. I'm fine after day or evening shifts, but the day after a night shift, the lower part of my back hurts especially badly.
• Lower backA little pain in my right lower back
• When I walk pulling a handcart instead of using a shopping cart, my lower back feels pulled to one sideWhen I pull a wheeled handcart with one hand for a long time, my body leans away from the side I’m pulling on, and the opposite side of my lower back aches.
• After kneeling to wipe the floor, my back takes a beat to straighten when I stand upAfter kneeling to wipe the floor by hand, my back feels stiff and takes a beat to straighten when I stand up.
• After standing and ironing for a long time, my lower back gets so stiff it feels like it might give outIf I stand at the ironing board and lean forward while ironing for a long time, my lower back gets so stiff it feels like it might give out.
• I’m learning to ride, and after riding my tailbone and inner pelvic area feel achyAfter an hour of riding, my tailbone, inner pelvic area, and even my groin feel achy.
• After bowling, my lower back and hip on the side I throw with feel sore and tightWhen I repeatedly throw a heavy ball and twist my body while bowling, the lower back and outer hip on that side feel sore and tight.
• After sitting on a fishing chair for a long time, my tailbone and lower back feel sore and heavyAfter sitting on a low fishing chair for a few hours, my tailbone feels sore and my lower back feels heavy.
• I’ve been told I have a disc problem. Is it okay to walk and move around as usual?Ever since I was told that a disc showed up on my lower-back imaging, I’ve become unnecessarily cautious about every movement. Whether I’m lifting something heavy, bending over, or exercising, I worry that it might get worse …
• When I lie on the sofa with my head on the armrest and watch TV, my back feels like it's bendingAfter work, my favorite thing is to lie on my side on the sofa, rest my head on the armrest, and watch TV… When I get up after an hour or two, my back feels stiff, as if it's bent to one side. I know my posture is the problem, but it's so comfortable that I can't give it up.
• My lower back feels heavy the day after I lift something even a little heavyIt’s not like I’m moving house—I’m just carrying things like a pack of bottled water or a potted plant. But without fail, the next day my lower back feels achy and heavy. Other people lift that kind of weight without any trouble, so I wonder if my back has gotten weak.
• My friend’s disc problem is severe but they feel fine, while mine is mild but bothers me moreAround the same time, my friend and I each looked at images of our backs. My friend’s disc problem was apparently quite severe, but it doesn’t bother them at all in daily life. I was told mine wasn’t that severe, but if I sit for a long time…
• My lower back stays sore for a while after I bend over to dry my hairIn the morning, I wash my hair and bend over to dry it, but afterward my lower back stays sore for a while. It takes five minutes at most, and I don’t know why even that short time causes this. I’m fine in the evening, but it’s especially bad in the morning.
• After weeding in a squat in my garden, it’s hard to straighten my backI tend my garden every weekend, and when I squat down to weed, two or three hours fly by. When I get up afterward, I can’t straighten my back right away. I stay hunched over for a while, then slowly straighten up.
• A health screening showed a slight disc protrusion, but I don’t have any pain at allAt my company health screening, I opted to have imaging of my lower back and was told that a disc was protruding slightly. But I’ve hardly ever had any back pain or discomfort, so I’m…
• After a long bus ride my lower back gets stiff, and I’m stiff when I get offI spend nearly three hours round trip on a metropolitan bus for my commute. Even though I’m sitting, by the time I get off my lower back is so stiff that I can’t straighten up right away, and I shuffle for a few steps. Is there anything I can do on the bus?
• My back pops when I twist it in the morning. Is it okay to keep doing that?When I wake up, my back feels stiff, so I twist from side to side in bed until it pops and feels better. But I heard somewhere that repeatedly making your joints pop is bad for them, so now I’m a bit uneasy about it 😅
• When I sit in a chair, my pelvis tilts backward and I end up sitting on my tailboneWhen I sit in a chair, my hips slide forward without me realizing it, and my pelvis tilts backward. Then it feels like I’m sitting on my tailbone, and my lower back rounds, too. Even when I try to sit up straight, I can’t keep it up for more than a few minutes.
• I drive with my wallet in my back pocket, and that side of my buttock gets soreI work in sales, so I drive for three or four hours a day. I habitually sit with my wallet in my back pocket, and that side of my buttock gets sore and achy… Could one wallet really cause this?
• I even had an MRI of my lower back, and they said it was clear, but my lower back feels heavy and sore every afternoonI've been working an office job for about 5 years, and for over a year now, my lower back has felt heavy and sore every afternoon. It's fine in the morning, but without fail, it starts after I've been sitting for a while after lunch. I was worried about a herniated disc…
• My lower back feels better when I wear a support belt. Is it okay to keep relying on it?When my lower back feels uncomfortable, wearing a support belt definitely makes it feel better. So lately, I’ve gotten into the habit of wearing one whenever I go out. But people around me keep saying that if I keep wearing it, my lower back will get weak. Is that true?
• My lower back hurts more since I switched to a standing deskI switched to a standing desk because I heard it was good for your back. But it’s been about 2 weeks since I started working while standing, and the lower part of my back feels even stiffer. Could my standing posture be wrong? I’m wondering if I should go back to sitting.
• When I sit for a long time, only one side of my butt gets sore, so I keep changing positionsI work at a desk and sit all day, but my right buttock gets especially sore, and I can’t sit for even an hour without shifting around. I also cross my legs without realizing it (I always end up crossing my left leg over the right, haha).
• My pelvis clicks whenever I walk. Is that okay?I tend to take fairly long walks, and at some point I started hearing a clicking sound at the front of my pelvis when I walk. It doesn’t hurt, but it happens with every step, so I keep noticing it. I wonder if something is out of place and making the sound.
• They say it’s degenerative—does it inevitably get more painful as I get older?After hearing that I have degenerative changes in my lower back, I’m worried that if it’s like this now, it’ll get progressively more painful as I get older. But when I look around, there are plenty of older people who get along just fine with their backs…
• After carrying a lot of boxes while moving, the side of my buttock hurts more than my lower backI moved last week and carried all the boxes myself to save on moving costs. I tried to protect my back by bending my knees when I lifted them, but starting the next day, it wasn’t my lower back that hurt—it was the side of my buttock. It feels especially stiff when I walk or climb stairs.
• My back feels heavy after clearing snow—will a few days of rest be enough?It snowed heavily the day before yesterday, so I spent more than two hours clearing the area in front of my shop. Since that night, my back has felt heavy and stiff. It’s more of a heavy feeling than pain when I move. I’m wondering whether it’ll get better if I just rest for a few days, or if there’s something I should do.
• When my dog pulls on the leash during walks, my body shifts to one side and my back gets soreMy dog is 5 years old, but still pulls really hard whenever we go for a walk 😭 Every time, my body suddenly gets pulled to one side, and lately the right side of my lower back feels sore after our walks. I almost always hold the leash in my right hand.
• I twist my back every time I put my child in the car seat, and one side gets stiffSince my second child was born, I have to put them in the car seat several times a day. I hold my child and twist my body to get them into the seat by the car door, and my right lower back always gets stiff. The left side is fine—it’s only on one side.
• My lower back feels tight when I raise my arms and straighten my back to hang laundryWhen I raise my arms and straighten my back to hang laundry, my lower back feels tight and pulled. It's been happening for a month, and after I finish hanging the laundry, I end up rubbing my lower back for a while. Could it be my posture while hanging laundry?
• My lower back feels stiffer in the morning after switching to a firm mattressI’d heard that a firm mattress is good for your back, so I took the plunge and bought one. But since switching, my lower back actually feels stiffer and more achy when I get up in the morning. I can’t tell if I just need time to adjust or if it’s not right for me.
• I’m only in my 30s, but hearing I have degenerative changes makes me feel like I’m already getting oldI’m in my mid-30s and don’t have any particular pain, but after looking at images of my back, I was told there were some mild degenerative changes. Hearing “degenerative” made me wonder if my body is already starting to get old, and whether it will only get worse from now on …
• My back exam was normal—can I start exercising again?A few years ago, I badly tweaked my back and had a rough time, so I got scared and stopped exercising altogether. Recently, I decided to get it checked, and they said there was nothing unusual. Nothing…
• The scan looked clear, but my back won't straighten right away when I stand up after sitting for a long timeSince I started working from home, I spend most of the day sitting in a dining chair. When I stand up after sitting for a long time, my back takes a moment to straighten and feels stiff. At first I thought it might be a herniated disc, so I had imaging…
• Since I was told it’s degenerative, I’ve become more afraid to moveI had my back checked, and after hearing the word “degenerative,” I’ve become even more afraid to use my body. Since it means things are wearing down, I worry that moving or exercising a lot will make them wear down faster…
• My tests came back normal, but when I get up in the morning, it takes a long time for my back to straightenWhen I wake up in the morning, my lower back feels stiff and won’t straighten for a while. It only loosens up after I’ve moved around for about 10–20 minutes. I’m also careful when rolling over in bed. I got it checked just in case, but…
• My pelvis and lower back start aching quickly when I sit on the floor and play with my childMy child likes playing on the floor, so I sit and play along, but after just 20 minutes my pelvis and lower back start aching. It’s the same even when I change how I sit with my legs. Is sitting on the floor normally this hard?
• After standing for a long time washing dishes, my back straightens a beat later when I try to stand uprightAfter washing dishes for a long time, when I try to straighten my back, it doesn’t straighten right away—it slowly straightens a beat later. It feels fine once I’m upright, but it happens every time, so it bothers me. The sink is a little low.
• The sides of my lower back feel sore the day after working out, and I’m not sure if stretching is the right thing to doI worked out really hard after a long break, and the next day the sides of my lower back felt sore. It’s more on the sides than in the middle, and I’m not sure whether I should rest completely or stretch.
• I feel a tight pulling sensation in my lower back when I bend down to reach deep into the washing machine for laundryI use a front-loading washing machine, and whenever I bend down and reach deep inside to take out the laundry, I feel a strong pulling sensation in my lower back. I think it feels worse, especially because the wet laundry is heavy.
• My lower back and pelvis get sore on one side when I pull a heavy suitcase aroundI travel for work often, so I end up pulling a suitcase a lot. If I pull a fully packed suitcase for a long time, my lower back and pelvis always get sore on just one side. Strangely, it’s not both sides—it’s always the same one.
• After sitting and gaming for a long time, I feel a heavy pressure in my lower back just above my tailboneI tend to play games for a while on weekends, but after sitting for a few hours, I feel a heavy pressure in my lower back just above my tailbone. It’s especially stiff in that spot when I get up from the chair.
• My lower back and neck both feel stiff after I fall asleep lying against the sofa armrestAfter work, I often lie on the sofa, rest my head on the armrest, and watch TV until I fall asleep just like that, haha. When I wake up, my neck is stiff, of course, but my lower back feels stiff too.
• Sometimes I get a sudden twinge in my lower back when I absentmindedly pick something up off the floorYou know how you quickly pick up something like a pen or a remote when you drop it on the floor, without really thinking about it? But sometimes, right then, I get a sudden twinge in my lower back and pause for a moment. It doesn't happen every time, just once in a while…
• My lower back feels stiff and sore when I repeatedly bend and straighten to hang laundryEvery time I hang laundry, I keep bending and straightening to pick up one item at a time from the basket. Once I’ve hung a full basket, my lower back feels heavy and stiff. It’s worse on days when there’s more laundry.
• My lower back and pelvis are always uncomfortable. I’m wondering what kind of care would be right for me.My lower back and pelvis are always uncomfortable. I’m wondering what kind of care would be right for me.
• My lower back and pelvis feel uncomfortable when I sit for a long time, and I’m wondering what kind of care would suit me…My lower back and pelvis feel uncomfortable when I sit for a long time, and I’m wondering what kind of care would suit me.
• My lower back and pelvis feel uncomfortable when I sit for a long time. I’m wondering what habits might be affecting them…My lower back and pelvis feel uncomfortable when I sit for a long time. I’m wondering what habits might be affecting them.
• I get a shooting pain from above my pelvis whenever I runWhenever I run, I get a shooting pain from above my pelvis up to my back, so I can’t run for long, and it’s hard to breathe. What could be causing this?
• One side of my back gets sore after carrying heavy grocery bagsWhen I carry a heavy bag in one hand from the grocery store to my home, the opposite side of my back always gets sore. It seems a little better if I split the load between both hands, but why does it strain my back so much even though it’s only for a short time?
• My pelvis seems shifted to one side, and my pant hems are different lengthsWhen I put on pants, one hem seems longer and the other shorter. It happens with several pairs, so I wonder if my pelvis is shifted to one side. Even in the mirror, one side looks tilted.
• When I do sit-ups, my back hurts first, and I feel it working before my abs doI started doing sit-ups, but my back hurts before my abs do, and it feels like my back engages first. My neck gets tight too, and I’m not sure if my form is wrong.
• The prominent bone on the outside of my pelvis gets pressed when I sleep on my side, aches, and wakes me upWhen I lie flat on my back in bed, my lower back hurts, so I usually sleep turned onto my left side
• When I lie on my back and lower my legs toward the floor, a tendon at the front of one hip, near the groin, feels tight and soreAt the gym, I lie on my back on a mat, pull my legs toward my chest, and then slowly lower them toward the floor as a lower-abdominal exercise
• When I eat sitting on the floor, my back quickly rounds and starts to hurtWe don't have a dining table, so we set a low table on the floor to eat. As I eat, my back starts to slouch, and by the end of the meal it feels heavy and achy. This doesn't happen when I sit in a chair—only when I sit on the floor.
• When I stand in front of a mirror, one side of my pelvis looks like it sticks out much farther forwardWhen I stand up straight and look in the mirror or put on pants, the bony bump at the front of my left pelvis looks much farther forward and more prominent than the one on the right.
• A pulling sensation in my buttock and the back of my thigh when I raise my legYou know that stretch at the gym where you lie down and lift one leg up toward the ceiling?
• A pinching feeling in my hip when sitting cross-legged or sitting deeplyWhen I sit far back in a chair or sit cross-legged on the floor, I get a sharp, pinching pain on the inner side of my groin, where my hip bends, as if something is tightly blocked.
• My lower back won’t straighten when I get out of bed, so I roll onto my side to get upWhen I try to get straight out of bed in the morning, my lower back feels stiff and won’t straighten, so I roll onto my side and push myself up with my hands. I’m wondering whether it’s normal to have to do this every day.
• After standing to wash dishes for a long time, my lower back feels heavy, like it’s about to give outWhen I do all the dishes at once after they’ve piled up, by the time I finish, my lower back feels heavy and sore, like it’s about to give out. I don’t understand why it’s so hard on my back when I’m just standing still.
• When I bend forward to put on my shoes, I get a sharp, tingling pain deep inside one buttock and numbness in my legIn the morning, just as I bend forward to put on my dress shoes by the front door, I get a sharp, needle-like tingling deep in the middle of my right buttock, and a numb feeling travels down the back of my thigh.
• When I recline at an angle on the sofa and look at my phone, my lower back hurts like it's about to snapAfter work, I love lounging half-reclined on the sofa while looking at my phone, but when I get up after a while, my lower back hurts like it's about to snap. It's a comfortable position, so why does it hurt more when I get up?
• I have a habit of crossing my legs, and one side of my pelvis looks higherWhen I sit, I cross my legs without thinking, but when I looked in the mirror, one side of my pelvis seemed higher and tilted. I always cross the same way. Could that be why my pelvis looks uneven?
• I heard a pop in my lower back when I stood up carrying something heavy, and now it feels stiffAs I stood up with a heavy load from the floor, I heard a pop in my lower back. It doesn't hurt a lot, but my lower back has felt stiff ever since, and it's worrying me. I'm concerned about whether that sound is okay.
• When I walk with a backpack, it bumps against the bone at the back of one buttock and achesI'm an office worker who carries a backpack with a laptop in it when commuting
• My pants slide down over one hip, and I get sharp twinges in my lower backThe waist fits when I buy pants, but when I stand in them, they keep sliding down over my right hip.
• When I drive for a long time, my tailbone and buttocks get sore and feel heavyAfter about two hours of driving, my tailbone and buttocks start to feel sore, and one side gradually gets sore and heavy. Walking at a rest stop eases it, but it comes back when I get back in the car. Changing my seat cushion hasn’t made much difference.
• When I wake up after sleeping cross-legged, my pelvis and groin feel stiff and soreI have a habit of sleeping with my legs folded cross-legged. When I wake up during the night or get up in the morning, the side of my pelvis and the inner groin feel stiff and pulled. Could this be bad for my pelvis?
• My lower back gets stiff on one side when I push the vacuum while bent overI clean the house every weekend, and my right lower back always gets stiff after I vacuum. Thinking about it, I seem to push the vacuum repeatedly to one side while leaning forward a little.
• When I stand on one leg to put on my pants, I hear a pop at the side of my pelvis and my leg gives wayWhen I’m getting ready for work in the morning and balance on one leg to put on my pants, I hear a loud pop near the bone at the side of the pelvis on the leg I’m standing on. I get a deep ache in my pelvis, and my leg suddenly feels weak.
• When I bend one leg and pull it toward my chest, I get a sharp, stabbing pinch on the inside of my groinWhen I lie on my back and wrap my hands around my left knee to pull it toward my chest, or fold my leg in toward my torso during yoga, I get a sharp, knife-like pinch and ache in the inner crease of my left groin.
• After sitting cross-legged on the floor for a long time, I can't straighten my back when I stand upI spend a lot of time sitting on the floor at home. Even after sitting cross-legged on the floor for just an hour, my back feels so stiff when I try to stand up that I can't straighten it all at once.
• My lower back feels especially stiff when I bend over to wash my face in the morning, and it’s hard to straighten upWhen I bend over the sink in the morning, my lower back feels stiff, and it’s even harder to straighten back up. I’m fine during the day, so I wonder if it could be my mattress.
• When my lower back doesn’t straighten right away after I stand upAfter sitting in a chair for a long time, when I turn off the computer and stand up, my lower back doesn’t straighten all at once. I end up standing hunched over and half-bent.
• When I shift my weight onto one foot, I get a sharp, tingling pain near the bone at the back of my hipFor the past three weeks, when I walk and put my weight on my right foot, I get a deep, sharp, tingling pain around the bony area that sticks out at the back of my right hip, like being jabbed with an awl.
• When I raise my straight legs while lying down, my lower back feels stiff and as if it might snapI’m doing leg raises for an ab workout: lying flat on the floor with both legs straight, I lift them up.
• When the outer thigh feels numb and burnsWhen I stand or walk, the skin on the outside of my right thigh sometimes itches as if it weren't my own skin, and feels numb as if it had been anesthetized.
• I hurt my lower back lifting something heavy and can't move at allYesterday, I bent only at the waist and quickly lifted a heavy delivery box from the floor. I felt a pop in my lower back, followed by severe pain.
• My legs feel stiff and my buttocks get sore after sitting on the toilet for a long timeBecause I have a habit of looking at my phone in the bathroom, I sit on the toilet for a long time. When I try to get up, my legs feel stiff and my buttocks are sore, and I stagger for a moment. I know sitting for a long time is bad for me, though.
• My lower back gets a sharp, reverberating jolt when I cough or sneezeI’ve been coughing a lot, and whenever I cough hard or sneeze, I get a sharp, tingling jolt that seems to reverberate through my lower back. It’s enough to make me flinch, but I’m not usually in pain, so I’m a little worried.
• Leaning backward feels good, but bending forward makes my back hurt moreLeaning my back backward feels good, but bending forward makes it stiffer and more painful. Bending over, such as to wash my face or put on my shoes, is the hardest. Is it different for everyone?
• I have a flat-back posture, and after standing for just a little while, my lower back aches like it’s about to give wayDuring personal training sessions at the gym, I was told that my spine doesn’t have the S-shaped curve other people have and is unusually straight—a flat-back posture.
• Aching pain on the outside of my hip when I lie on my sideI’m a woman in my early 40s.
• After a long flight, my back and hips get so stiff I can barely stand upAfter sitting for hours in a cramped seat on a long flight, by the time I get off, my back and hips are completely stiff and I groan when I stand up. It takes a while of walking to loosen up. Is there anything I can do to make it less uncomfortable?
• After walking for a long time, it hurts like the dimples on either side of my sacrum are about to give wayIf I go for a walk for more than an hour on the weekend or walk around a shopping mall for a long time, the dimpled spots on either side of the broad bone (the sacrum) in the middle of my buttocks, below my lower back, ache and feel heavy, as if they’re about to give way downward

Movement & Exercise65

• When is a good time to start wearing a belt for weightlifting?I've been working out for six months. I squat around 60 kg and deadlift around 80 kg. Half the people around me say I should wear a belt, and the other half say it's too soon.
• My wrists hurt just two weeks after starting at the gym, and I can’t do push-upsI’ve only been going to the gym for two weeks, but whenever I do push-ups or planks, both wrists hurt where they bend. I was told to keep my wrists straight, but then I can’t put any strength into my arms.
• Is bodyweight exercise enough, or should I use gym equipment?I’ve only done push-ups and squats at home for six months.
• For those of you who take ballet, doesn’t the front of your hip hurt?I’ve been taking adult ballet for six months. When I lift my leg out to the side, it feels like something catches at the front of my hip, and that spot feels sore after class. I wonder if it’s because I’m trying to force my turnout.
• The front of my shoulder aches when I exercise with TRX straps. Is it okay to keep going?I hang TRX straps from a door frame at home and use them about three times a week. Pulling movements feel fine, but when I reach my arms forward to push, the front of my shoulder aches. It’s less noticeable if I keep my body upright and go lightly.
• What exactly does it mean to brace your core?At the gym, I often hear people say to brace my core when I squat, but I’m always confused about whether that means tightening my stomach, holding my breath, or pushing my belly out.
• When deadlifting, they say to hold your breath and brace your abs—is that right?They say to take a big breath and hold it while lifting during deadlifts, but when I do that, my head feels woozy and my face turns red. I don’t know if that’s normal or if I’m doing it wrong. The weight is around 60 kilos.
• Is the height of a spinning bike seat related to knee pain?I take spinning classes twice a week, and each time I just roughly adjust the seat height. Lately, the front of my knees feels achy when I pedal, especially during the standing sections.
• I feel discouraged because I seem to get injured whenever I exerciseSince last year, I’ve tried three times to get into exercise. I couldn’t stick with any of them for more than two months: swimming because my shoulder hurt, climbing because of my fingers, and, most recently, running because the soles of my feet hurt.
• Why do I keep getting injured even though I’m quite flexible?I’ve been flexible since I was a child, so I can easily do the splits or bend forward. But I still sprain my ankles and shoulders several times a year.
• I’m learning pole dancing, but my wrists and armpits hurt a lotI’ve been learning pole dancing for two months. Since there are lots of moves where I grip the pole and hang from it, by the end of class the inner sides of my wrists feel tingly, and the area below my armpits hurts like the muscles deep inside are pulling—not like the skin is chafed.
• My shoulder makes a popping sound when I lift dumbbells. Could it be a rotator cuff problem?When I raise a dumbbell out to the side, my right shoulder makes a popping sound. It doesn’t hurt—there’s just a sound—and it happens at the same angle each time, around shoulder height.
• When I do jumping exercises in place, I feel a numb, throbbing sensation in the fronts of my shins, more than in my kneesWhen I do jumping jacks or burpees barefoot, I get a numb, vibrating sensation along the front of my shinbones every time I land.
• The tendon on the inside of my elbow pulls when I do biceps curls with heavy dumbbellsAfter increasing the weight for dumbbell curls, the tendon on the inside of my right elbow pulls and aches as I lower my arm by straightening it.
• When I kneel and sit back like I’m squatting, it feels stiff and catches just below my kneecapWhen I squat down deeply, just below my right kneecap feels stiff and catches, and there’s a grating sound.
• My lower back gets tired before my glutes and legs when I pull on the rowing machineWhen I pull the handle on the rowing machine, I end up arching my back, so my lower back gets tired and achy first.
• My flanks feel sore and bruised when I use a hula hoopWhen I use a weighted hula hoop for a long time, both sides of my waist feel sore and tender, as if bruised.
• After using the stepper for a while, the front of my ankle and my shin hurt more than my kneesAfter about twenty minutes on my mini stepper, my knees feel fine, but the front of my ankles and my shins feel sore.
• Should I stretch differently before and after exercise?I’m a beginner and only recently started working out at the gym. Right now, I just do more or less the same stretches before and after exercise, without much thought, but a friend told me I should do different stretches before and after. Is that really true?
• When stretching, is it better to bounce or hold still?On YouTube, some people say to bounce while stretching, and others say never to bounce. Which is right? I'm pretty stiff, so it feels like I don't get much of a stretch if I don't bounce.
• My calves hurt a lot when I use a foam roller. Does it still work if I go gently?I saw that everyone who works out uses a foam roller, so I bought one too. But when I roll it over my calves, it hurts so much that I almost tear up… I’m wondering if I have to put up with the pain for it to loosen things up, or if going gently makes it pointless.
• My wrist aches when I do a side plank with my hand on the floorI started doing side planks two weeks ago to work on my core. But after just 10 seconds in position, the wrist on the side supporting me starts aching, so I can’t hold it for long. I followed along using my hand instead of my elbow because I thought it would make the exercise more effective, but
• During the Pilates Hundred, my neck hurts before my abs doI’ve been doing Pilates for about 6 weeks. Whenever we do the Hundred, the back of my neck gets tight before my abs do, so I can’t count to 100 and have to put my head down. My instructor tells me to relax my neck, but I don’t know how. Does everyone get better after going through this?
• The front of my pelvis feels really pinched in yoga pigeon poseI’ve been going to a yoga studio for about six months, but whenever I do pigeon pose, I get a really pinched feeling at the front of the groin on the side of my bent leg. I’ve heard you’re supposed to feel a nice stretch in your glutes, but I only feel pain in the front.
• The inside of my knee feels uncomfortable when I do the breaststroke kickI’ve been taking swimming lessons for two months, and since we started breaststroke, I get an achy feeling on the inside of my knee every time I kick. I’m fine with freestyle. My instructor says it’ll get better once I get the technique down, but I’m wondering if it’s okay to keep going.
• My side keeps cramping when I run, so I have to stopI run in the park every evening to lose weight, but after just 10 minutes I get a sharp cramp in my right side. It gets a little better when I walk, but starts cramping again when I run. I’ve heard it might be a breathing problem. How should I run so I don’t get a cramp?
• I can’t do even one pull-up. What should I work on strengthening first?I started going to the gym with a friend, but when I hang from the bar, my hands give out after 3 seconds and I can’t get my body up even 1 cm 😭 Some people say to start with lat pulldowns, while others say to use a resistance band, but as a beginner, I don’t know what to do first.
• When I bench press, the front of my shoulder hurts before my chest doesI'm a beginner who goes to the gym three times a week. Whenever I bench press, I barely feel anything in my chest; only the front of my shoulders gets tight and stays uncomfortable through the next day. It's frustrating, even though I'm not trying to lift heavy and I'm keeping the weight light.
• My knees keep caving inward when I squatI’m fine when I do bodyweight squats, but even with just an unloaded bar on my back, my knees come inward on the way up, as if the two knees are greeting each other. I try to push them apart while watching in the mirror, but as soon as I exert effort, they come back together.
• My back is stiff the day after deadlifts—could I have lifted with my back instead of my glutes?I’m a beginner and have been going to the gym for three months. I recently started learning deadlifts. My trainer says it’s a lift driven by the glutes, but the next day my glutes feel fine and only my back is stiff.
• At a massage, I was told my fascia was really tight. What exactly is fascia?My shoulders get tight often, so I went for a massage and was told that my fascia was really tight. I’ve always thought of it as my muscles getting tight, so fascia is a new and unfamiliar term to me. What is fascia …
• Rolling out my thighs with a foam roller feels good at the time, but they’re tight again within daysThe outsides of my thighs and my calves get tight easily, so I work on them with a foam roller before bed. They feel much softer while I’m rolling and right afterward, but a few days later they’ve somehow tightened up again. Every time…
• They say it's a fascia problem, not a muscle problem. Does that mean I should manage it differently?I was looking into why my back and sides often feel tight and came across the idea that it might be a fascia problem rather than a muscle problem. I'm familiar with muscle tightness, but I don't know much about fascia, so if it's related to the fascia, would my usual ways of managing it …
• I often hear people say fascia needs to be released. What does that mean?I often hear people who exercise or people speaking in videos say that fascia needs to be released. I've also heard that foam rolling releases fascia. But is fascia actually something that can be loosened and tightened...?
• It hurts so much when I use a foam roller. Do I need to keep pressing hard even if it hurts for it to work?I use a foam roller on my calves and back, and it hurts so much I’m almost in tears. I heard that pain means the tightness is releasing, so I grit my teeth and press hard, but afterward it feels even more sore and…
• The same spots keep getting tight—will a foam roller alone be enough?The area below my neck and between my shoulder blades keeps tightening in the same spots, so I use a foam roller and massage ball almost every day. But even after loosening it up, the same spots tighten again within a few days. It feels like I’m repeating the same loosening routine endlessly…
• When I do bridges, my hamstrings and lower back work more than my glutesI do bridges because they're supposed to work the glutes, but when I actually lift up, I barely feel anything in my glutes—only tightness in the backs of my thighs and my lower back. The next day, those areas feel heavy too, not my glutes.
• My wrists and shoulders get tired first when I do mountain climbersI do mountain climbers for cardio, but before I even start moving my legs quickly, my wrists and shoulders get sore and it’s hard to keep going. I thought it was a lower-body exercise, so why does my upper body get tired first?
• When I squat, it feels like my knees move inward relative to my toesI’m practicing squats, and when I filmed myself, I noticed that my knees move slightly inward as I lower down. It’s especially noticeable when I stand back up. It feels like my feet and knees are pointing in different directions. Why might this be happening…
• I can’t keep my balance and my lower back wobbles when I do bird dogI’m following along with the bird-dog exercise to work on my core, but the moment I extend one arm and the opposite leg, my body sways from side to side. It feels like my lower back is wobbling too, so I’m not sure if I’m doing it right.
• My lower back arches and feels sore during overhead pressesWhen I do overhead presses and push the bar above my head, my lower back arches backward like a bow. As a result, my lower back feels sorer afterward than my shoulders, and reducing the weight doesn’t seem to make much difference. How should I adjust my form?
• When I deadlift, it feels like my lower back straightens before my hipsI’m learning to deadlift, but when I lift the barbell, it feels like my lower back straightens and rises before my hips. Afterward, my hips feel fine, but my lower back feels sore, and I don’t know how to get the feel for it.
• Aching in a strip of tissue on one side between my shoulder blade and spine when I pull the bar down during pull-ups or lat pulldownsI’ve been working hard at the gym to build my back muscles, doing pull-ups on a doorway bar and lat pulldowns.
• A prickling ache around a small bone on the outside of my knee when I squat or get up from a chairFor a while now, when I do squats as part of a lower-body workout or get up from a low chair, I feel a sharp, prickling pain, like a needle prick, around a small bone that sticks out about the size of a finger joint just below the outside of my knee—not at the front of my knee.
• When I do push-ups, my wrists bend back and hurt, and the fronts of my shoulders acheWhen I do push-ups, my wrists bend back at 90° and the tops of my wrists hurt. When I lower myself, the fronts of my shoulders ache. I don’t understand why my shoulders and wrists hurt when it’s supposed to be a chest exercise.
• My hips shift to one side when I squatI do 50 squats at home every day.
• The front of my pelvis on the back-leg side pulls during lunges, and I can’t keep my balanceI’m practicing lunges, but I keep wobbling. In particular, I feel a long pulling sensation at the front of my pelvis on the side of the leg stretched behind me, and it’s really hard to keep my balance.
• When I press a barbell overhead during shoulder presses, I get a sharp, blocked pain around the upper shoulder blade and nape of my neckI do shoulder presses at the gym, pushing dumbbells or a barbell overhead to broaden my shoulders
• The inside of my knee hurts when I do the splitsI want to become more flexible, so I’ve been working on the splits a little every day. But the farther I spread my legs to the sides, the more I get sharp little pains on the inside of my knee.
• My calves and shoulders get really tight in Downward-Facing DogI started doing yoga at home, but Downward-Facing Dog is the hardest pose for me. When I lift my hips up, my calves feel like they’re being torn apart, and my shoulders get so stiff that I can’t hold the pose for long.
• When I lower into a squat, I hear a loud pop deep in the bone of my buttock and feel an acheWhen I work out with squats at the gym and try to lower my buttocks a little deeper than a half-squat, I hear a loud, friction-like clicking and popping sound deep inside the bone in the center of my right buttock, along with an aching feeling and an unpleasant catching sensation inside my pelvis
• After deadlifts, I get a stiff, aching pain in my upper back and along the spine below my shoulder blades, not in the middle of my lower backAfter doing heavy barbell deadlifts at the gym, other people say their lower back or butt feels sore, but for me, the muscles around the upper-back vertebrae—from below my shoulder blades to just before the lower back begins—get especially stiff and painful.
• When I raise my arms to the sides during dumbbell lateral raises, I get a dull ache deep in the bone at the front of my shoulder and a sudden catching sensationI’m doing side lateral raises at the gym, lifting dumbbells out to either side to build definition in my shoulders.
• My heels keep lifting when I do bodyweight squatsWhen I squat down deeply, my heels keep coming off the floor. I lose my balance and tip forward, and it also feels like my knees are caving inward.
• My neck feels stiff and my hand tingles after cyclingI ride a stationary bike for 30 minutes at a time, and afterward the back of my neck feels stiff and the hand I held the handlebars with tingles. It does get better after a while, but since it happens every time, it’s been bothering me.
• The front of my knee aches when I use the leg extension machineI work out my thighs on the leg extension machine at the gym, but every time I straighten my leg all the way, I get an ache at the front of my knee near the kneecap. Even when I reduce the weight, it aches at the moment my leg fully straightens.
• My lower back feels sore after kettlebell swings, but I don't feel my glutes workingI do kettlebell swings because I heard they're a glute exercise. But afterward, my glutes feel fine and only my lower back is sore. It does feel like I'm lifting the weight with my back when I swing.
• A sound deep in my pelvis when I do leg raisesI do leg raises every day to build lower-abdominal strength, lying down and lifting and lowering both legs.
• Tingling deep in my buttock and down the back of my leg during weight trainingI’m a college student in my mid-20s, and I enjoy weight training like squats and deadlifts.
• When I do burpees, it feels like all the strain is going to my wrists and lower backI do burpees as a home workout, but when I repeat them quickly, I feel a lot of strain in my wrists and lower back. Especially when I go down to the floor and get back up, my lower back feels like it’s bouncing, and when I put my hands down, it feels like my wrists take a hard hit.
• When I lower myself into a squat, I get an aching pain at the top of the shinbone below one kneeI’ve been doing bodyweight squats at home every day to strengthen my lower body.
• Hanging from a pull-up bar feels good on my shoulders and back, but my wrists hurtMy forward head posture has been pretty bad lately, so I just hang from a pull-up bar once a day. My shoulders and back stretch out and it feels really good, but after hanging for about 30 seconds, my wrists start aching and hurting.
• When I plank, my lower back hurts before my abs, and my upper back gets really tiredI started doing planks to work on my core. Aren’t you supposed to feel your abs working? Even if I hold it for just 30 seconds, my lower back gets sore before my abs do, and my upper back gets really tired.
• When I try to do pull-ups, my shoulders shrug up and I tense my neckI'm practicing pull-ups, and I'm told I should pull with my back, but when I actually hang and try to pull, my shoulders shrug up toward my ears. My neck gets really tense, and the next day my neck and the tops of my shoulders feel stiff and sore.
• When I squat or lunge, I get an aching pain in the tendon just above the kneecap of my front legWhenever I lower myself into a lunge or squat at the gym to work out my lower body, the tendon just above the kneecap of the leg that bends (where the thigh muscle meets the knee) aches and hurts sharply, like it’s being poked with a needle.

Daily Habits61

• I feel stiffer in the morning after stretching before bed. Should I stop?I stretch before bed, but when I wake up in the morning, my body feels even stiffer. I don’t know whether it’s better not to stretch before bed or whether I’m doing the stretches incorrectly. Should I stop stretching before bed?
• My legs swell and go numb when I sit all dayMy legs swell and go numb when I sit and work all day. By evening, my shoes feel tight and my ankles feel heavy. It does get a little better after I get up and walk around. I’m wondering if sitting posture makes it worse. Would elevating my legs help?
• Could Caffeine Be Making My Muscles Tight When I Drink a Lot of Coffee?I drink three or four cups of coffee a day. Could caffeine be why my shoulders and neck keep getting tight lately? I hardly drink any water, and I tend to sleep lightly, so I feel like several things may be adding up. Would cutting back on coffee help with muscle tightness?
• When I don’t sleep well, my body feels stiffer the next dayAfter a poor night’s sleep, my body feels unusually stiff the next day. My shoulders and neck feel especially heavy. I don’t know whether lack of sleep makes my muscles tense up or whether poor posture is keeping me from sleeping well. Is there a sleeping position that puts less strain on the body?
• Is my body getting stiffer when it gets cold because of age?Lately, my body feels stiff when I get up in the morning. I was fine in summer, but every winter my shoulders and neck feel especially stiff. I don’t know if it’s because I hunch indoors or because of the cold itself. I feel like it may be worse now that I’m over 40. Even indoors, I try to keep my shoulders
• My neck feels stiff after I eat while looking at my phoneMy neck feels stiff after I eat while looking at my phone. I think it’s because I eat with my head bent down. It also feels like I’m not digesting well. Would improving my posture just while I eat help? I’m also wondering if the dining chair is the wrong height.
• I don’t drink much water. Is there a way to reduce muscle tightness?I only drink one or two glasses of water a day. Lately my muscles get tight easily, and I get cramps in my calves at night. Could not drinking enough water be a factor? I’m wondering whether drinking more water could help reduce muscle tightness, or if I should look for other causes...
• My thighs and lower back feel sore after going up and down stairs for the first time in a whileI walked up and down 12 floors because the elevator was being inspected, and now my thighs and lower back feel sore. I think it’s because I suddenly did that after not exercising. I can’t tell if it’s muscle soreness or an injury. It’s the second day, and I’m wondering if I can keep moving.
• If cupping marks are dark, does that mean the area is that much tighter? Anyone tried it?I tried cupping because my shoulder was tight, but only the right side ended up with a really dark mark. The person doing it said that side was very tight. Is it true that the darker the mark, the more severe the tightness?
• Is it really better for your neck to sleep without a pillow?I read a post saying that pillows bend your neck, so I tried sleeping without one starting yesterday. But when I got up in the morning, the back of my neck actually felt stiff.
• Does putting a pillow between my knees when I sleep on my side help?I tend to sleep only on my side, but when I wake up, the outer side of the hip I’ve been lying on feels stiff, as if it’s been pressed. I heard that putting a cushion between my knees might help. If I try it, will it actually stay in place all night?
• I stopped using my pillow a week ago, so why is the back of my neck stiffer every morning?I saw on YouTube that sleeping without a pillow helps with forward-head posture, so I’ve been sleeping without one for a week. But the back of my neck feels even stiffer every morning, and it’s hard to turn my head.
• I was told to keep a pain diary, but I’d like to ask what I should write downI was told to keep a pain diary. But when I opened my notebook, I wasn’t sure what to write down.
• Is it okay to use a massage gun every day?I’ve been using the massage gun I got as a gift on my calves and shoulders for 10 minutes each every evening. It feels great, but I’m wondering if it’s okay to use it every day. I’m worried because I’ve heard that keeping it on the same spot for too long isn’t good for you.
• For those of you who have been in pain for a long time, how do you manage day to day?I've had back pain for about 3 years. It's not so bad that I can't bear it, but I live with it at around 60 points all the time, and sometimes I wonder if it will ever end.
• On nights when I wear high heels, my calves feel like they’re about to burstBecause of my job, I wear 7 cm heels two or three times a week.
• I'm an office worker who sits for 12 hours a day. What should I address first?My job keeps me sitting for nearly 12 hours after I get to work. My neck, shoulders, lower back, and buttocks—everything feels stiff and achy, and by the time I leave work, my whole body feels seized up.
• For my neck, is a low pillow better, or no pillow at all?I’m trying to decide what height pillow to use. My current one seems a bit too high, so I can’t decide whether to switch to a lower one or sleep without a pillow altogether. I usually sleep on my back, and my neck is only a little stiff in the morning.
• How should I choose the right mattress firmness?I’m looking into replacing a mattress I’ve used for nearly 10 years. I just can’t tell whether it’s right for me by lying on it for five minutes in a store. I’m on the lighter side and mainly sleep on my side.
• I lost 10 kg and my knees feel better. Can I lose more?I've lost 10 kg since last fall, and my knees definitely feel better when I climb stairs.
• Does switching to a backpack really help your shoulder?My right shoulder keeps getting stiff from carrying a shoulder bag, so I’m thinking about switching to a backpack. But some people around me say their shoulders still hurt just as much with a backpack, so I’m confused. Did people who actually switched notice a difference…
• Does a standing desk help, or should I work on my sitting posture first?I’m thinking about getting a standing desk because of my back, but I heard that standing with bad posture is just as bad. I currently sit for 9 hours a day, and by the afternoon my lower back feels heavy.
• Does switching to a vertical mouse really help your wrist? Anyone tried one?My inner wrist gets achy when I use a regular mouse for a long time, so I’m looking into vertical mice. A lot of people seem to like them, but quite a few say they couldn’t get used to one and switched back.
• After three months of working night shifts at a convenience store, my feet feel like someone else’sI’ve been working night shifts at a convenience store for three months. I’m on my feet almost the whole time, from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. By the time my shift ends, the soles of my feet feel numb and the tops of my feet are so swollen that my shoes feel tight.
• My husband snores, and his neck hurts in the morning. Could they be related?My husband snores quite loudly. He says the back of his neck feels stiff every morning, and that he has to turn his head for quite a while after getting up before it loosens up. We tried switching to a low pillow, but he says it hasn’t made much difference.
• Should I use a warm compress or massage first?When my shoulders feel tight, I use a warm compress at home and massage them with my hands, but I do them in a different order each time. Which one do you all do first?
• For those who always wear a crossbody bag on one shoulder, are your shoulders okay?I always wear my crossbody bag on my left shoulder, and lately my left trapezius has been tight all the time. The bag isn’t particularly heavy, either. I’ve tried switching to the other side, but it feels awkward, so I switch back pretty quickly.
• My thumb base gets sore and weak after long chats on my phoneAfter typing one-handed on my phone for a long time, the base of my right thumb gets sore and feels weak.
• After sleeping under a heavy winter quilt, my ankles and shoulders feel as if they’ve been pressed down in the morningWhen I sleep under a heavy winter quilt, my ankles and shoulders feel sore in the morning, as if they’ve been pressed down.
• I stay up all night and go to bed at dawn, and my neck and shoulders are stiff every morningI’ve been sitting up until dawn and going to bed late for months, and my neck and shoulders are stiff every morning.
• My body is so stiff I can barely dry my feet—where should I start loosening up?It’s been a long time since I exercised, but when I bend over after showering to dry my feet, the backs of my thighs pull and I have to struggle (I’ve never been flexible anyway haha). There are so many kinds of stretches that I don’t know where to start.
• I work from home propped against my bed’s headboard, and my mid-back and lower back both hurtI switched to working entirely from home last year, but I don’t have a suitable desk, so I sit propped up against the headboard with pillows and work on my laptop. By the afternoon, the middle of my back starts to feel stiff, and by evening my lower back hurts too.
• I always wear an earbud in just one ear, and my neck and shoulder on that side get tightI always wear an earbud in the same ear and tilt my head toward that side, so my neck and shoulder on that side get tighter.
• I switched to a gaming chair, but it still hurts just as much when I sit for a long timeMy lower back and buttocks were hurting, so I switched to a gaming chair that cost close to a million won. It seemed better for the first week, but lately it hurts after just two hours of sitting, just like with my old chair. I wonder if I just wasted my money.
• I spend all day waiting in a car for work, and after a short nap, my whole body achesI’m not a driver for a designated-driver service; I work as a company chauffeur, and I spend most of the day waiting in the car. While I’m waiting, I recline the seat and take 30-minute naps, but when I wake up, my neck, lower back—everything—feels sore…
• I cram in exercise on weekends, but every Monday I feel achy all overI don’t have time to exercise during the week because I work late, so I try to fit it all in on Saturday and Sunday with hiking and workouts at the gym. But every Monday, my thighs, shoulders, and whole body ache like I have the flu, and even getting to work is miserable.
• After traveling with a rolling suitcase, my arm and shoulder on the side I pulled it with feel soreI went on an overseas trip last week. I kept pulling a large suitcase with my right hand, and even though it’s been a few days since I got back, my right arm and shoulder still feel sore. I wasn’t carrying anything heavy; I was just pulling it on its wheels, but
• I can’t break my habit of using my laptop while lying on my stomach in bedEven though I have a desk at home, I always end up lying on my stomach in bed and using my laptop after work. After about an hour, when I get up, my lower back feels stiff and my neck feels tight too. I know it’s a bad posture, but it’s comfortable, so I keep doing it.
• I have a habit of shaking my leg. Is it bad for my body?I shake my leg a lot when I’m sitting at work. I’ve done it since I was a student, but when a coworker sitting next to me said it was unpleasant to look at, I tried to stop and ended up feeling restless instead. Is shaking your leg actually bad for your body?
• When I wake up after falling asleep on the sofa, my whole body feels bruised and soreI often fall asleep on the sofa while watching TV after work (probably three times a week haha). I wake up in the early hours and move to bed, but right after waking up on the sofa, my neck, back, and whole body feel bruised and sore.
• I feel looser when I lie on a heated water mat, but I’m stiff again by morningSince winter started, my back and lower back have been stiff, so I turn on my heated water mat before bed and lie on it. It really feels like everything loosens up, but when I wake up in the morning, I’m stiff all over again. I do this every day, so I don’t know why I keep ending up back where I started.
• Can the habit of always sleeping on one side affect my body?I can only fall asleep if I turn onto my right side, and after sleeping in the same position for years, the shoulder I’ve been lying on sometimes feels stiff in the morning. Could my body get twisted out of alignment?
• I sit most of the day—is getting up once in a while enough to help?I work in an office, so I sit all day, and it's hard to find time to exercise. Would it make a difference if I just got up once an hour to stand for a bit or get some water, rather than doing a full workout?
• I have a habit of carrying a heavy backpack over just one shoulderIt feels uncomfortable to wear my bag on both shoulders, so I carry it over one shoulder, always the right. That shoulder sits higher, and my upper back feels stiff and sore. Would switching to carrying it on both shoulders help?
• I find it comfortable to work on my laptop half-reclined on the sofa, but could it be bad for my neck and lower back?After work, I find it most comfortable to recline halfway on the sofa with my laptop on my knees, but when I get up, the back of my neck and lower back feel heavy. I’m confused about the difference between what feels comfortable and what’s bad for my body.
• I drive all day for work, and my pelvis and lower back feel stiff when I get outDriving is my job, so I spend most of the day sitting in the driver’s seat. When I get out of the car after work, my pelvis and lower back feel stiff, and I have to straighten out for a while before I can walk. I sit for work, so I don’t know how to manage it.
• My whole body always feels uncomfortable, and I’m wondering where it started.My whole body always feels uncomfortable, and I’m wondering where it started.
• I work from home at the dining table, and my neck and lower back hurt so muchSince I started working from home, I haven’t had a separate desk, so I just work on my laptop at the dining table. I use a regular dining chair, too. After sitting like this for 8 hours a day, the back of my neck feels stiff by evening, and my lower back feels like it’s about to give out.
• I suddenly started exercising and now my whole body is sore—should I keep going?I’d barely moved for years, but this week I finally made up my mind and signed up for a gym. I got excited and tried all sorts of things on the first day, but when I got up the next morning, there wasn’t a single part of my body that didn’t ache.
• My desk is too high, so I end up raising my shoulders while typingThe desk I use at work is a little too high for my height. When I type, I find that my shoulders have crept up without me noticing, and my elbows are suspended while only my wrists seem to move.
• When one shoulder looks lower after carrying a heavy crossbody bagI usually carry a heavy crossbody bag, full of my laptop and books, on my right shoulder all the time.
• I have a habit of standing with my weight on one leg, and one shoe wears out fasterWhen I’m standing, I unconsciously put all my weight on one leg. Maybe that’s why the same shoe always wears out first.
• Tailbone pain that feels like a bruise after slouching on a chairI have a habit of sliding my hips far forward and slouching back in my office chair.
• I move around a lot in my sleep, and I wake up sore in a different place each timeI toss and turn a lot when I sleep. When I wake up, it’s my neck some days, my shoulder other days, and my back on other days… The sore spot is different each time.
• I started walking 10,000 steps a day, but now the soles of my feet and my knees hurtIt’s been a week since I started a 10,000-step walking challenge to take care of my health. At first I felt proud, but lately I get a throbbing ache in the middle of the soles of my feet and a slight ache at the front of my knees after walking.
• I’m on my feet all day at work, and by the time I get home my legs are really swollen and heavyI work in sales, so I’m on my feet all day. By the time I finish work, my legs are really swollen and my calves feel as heavy as rocks—I can barely take a step.
• I have a habit of gaming while sitting cross-legged, and my pelvis feels stiffOn weekends, I sit cross-legged on the floor and play games for hours. When I get up, both sides of my pelvis feel stiff and tight, and I don’t walk smoothly.
• Could sitting with one leg tucked under me in my chair be bad for my pelvis?At the office, I have a habit of folding one leg under me and sitting on it in my chair. It feels oddly comfortable. But maybe because I always tuck the same leg under me, my pelvis feels crooked.
• My calves swell every afternoon, and I often get crampsEvery afternoon, my calves swell up, feel rock-hard and heavy, and turn into elephant legs.
• My wrist and inner elbow get pins and needles when I look at my phone lying downLooking at my phone in bed before I fall asleep is my little pleasure. If I keep doing it for a while, the wrist and inner elbow on the side holding the phone start to tingle. Changing my arm position helps a little, though.
• Right pelvis and buttock feel sore after long drivesI commute to work by car, driving more than 2 hours round trip every day.

Posture & Alignment56

• My child’s toes point inward when walking. Is it okay to leave it alone?When my five-year-old daughter walks, her toes turn inward, and her daycare teacher said she seems to have an in-toeing gait. Could this cause problems later? At the hospital, they just said she’d grow out of it, but I’m not sure whether to trust that. I’m wondering whether changing her shoes would help or if she needs correction.
• One shoulder keeps jutting forward—is there a way to correct it?In every photo, my right shoulder seems to jut forward. It doesn’t hurt, but it shows when I get dressed. I don’t know if it’s a habit or if my pelvis or spine is misaligned. Can this be corrected too? I’m wondering whether there’s anything I can do on my own. I also have a slight forward head posture.
• When I stand with my back against a wall, my hand fits all the way behind my lower backWhen I stand with my back and buttocks against a wall, my hand fits deep into the gap behind my lower back. I heard that if your posture is normal, your hand shouldn't fit easily, but I can fit all four fingers. I don't know whether this is due to anterior pelvic tilt or just my body shape. When I look at my profile in the mirror, my stomach also
• I’m Worried My Legs Will Look Noticeably Spread Apart When I SitWhen I sit in a chair, my legs spread apart on their own. If I force them together, my thighs tense up and get tired quickly. I’m worried people will notice how I sit. Is there a way to get into the habit of keeping my legs together? Would practicing with something between my knees help?
• When I Straighten My Shoulders, My Breastbone Looks Especially Prominent. Is That Normal?When I get dressed, the center of my chest looks prominent, and it bothers me. I don’t know if it’s pectus carinatum or my posture. When I straighten my shoulders and push my chest out, it looks even more prominent, and I think it looks a little better when I relax. I wonder if I can fix it with exercise or if I should just
• When I lie down, there’s a gap under my lower back. Is there a way to press it against the floor?My Pilates instructor says their hand slides too easily under my lower back when I lie on the mat. When I stand with my back against a wall, a hand can also slip deep behind my lower back. When I lie on my side, my upper back hurts, and changing positions doesn’t help. I’m also wondering how thick my pillow should be.
• When I sit, my knees always drift to one sideWhen I’m sitting in my office chair, both my knees always drift to the left. Even when I try to keep my legs together, one knee keeps turning inward. They’re fine when I’m standing; it only happens when I sit. I don’t know if it’s a habit or because of leg strength. When I sit for a long time, the inside of my knee starts feeling
• One shoulder of my clothes keeps slipping downThe shoulder seam of my sweater or my bag strap always slips down on the left. When I carry a bag on that side, it slips down quickly, too. I can’t tell whether my shoulders are at different heights or if it’s because of the shape of my collarbone. Could it be due to my posture that this happens on just one side? I can’t tell by looking in the mirror, and it’s frustrating.
• When I Stand with My Legs Together, My Knees Knock—Is That Okay?These days, when I bring my legs together, my knees keep knocking, so I end up standing with them apart. I’m wondering if I have knock knees or if it’s because of my pelvis. In photos, my knees look like they angle inward, and my feet also point inward when I walk. I think it’s been like this since I was little, but
• Are uneven buttocks caused by a misaligned pelvis?When I look online, I see a lot of people saying uneven buttocks are caused by pelvic misalignment, but others say it's just a difference in muscle-use habits, so I'm confused.
• I'm stressed about my hip dips—can exercise actually fill them in?The sides of my hips dip inward, so jeans don't give me a flattering silhouette. There are loads of results when I search for exercises to get rid of hip dips, but the reviews from people who've actually tried them seem pretty mixed.
• I'd like to ask when to start addressing a growing child's postureMy fifth-grade child has developed a habit of rounding their back and pushing their chin forward when sitting at a desk. They don't complain of pain yet.
• Are hip dips a pelvic problem, or are they just the shape of my bones?Some people say hip dips happen because the pelvis widens, while others say they're due to the shape of the pelvic bones and can't be helped. I've been exercising for quite a while, but the sides still haven't filled out.
• My child keeps sitting in a W position. Is it okay to leave her be?My 5-year-old daughter sits on the floor with her knees bent and legs turned outward in a W position every time. When I tell her to sit differently, she only does it for a moment.
• I really can’t break my habit of standing with my weight on one leg. Will it misalign my pelvis?When I stand, I always put my weight on my left leg and place my right foot slightly forward. I stand like this on the subway and when waiting in line, too. Even if I catch myself and stand straight, I’m back to my usual position in a minute.
• After playing billiards for a long time, only one side of my lower back hurts. Could it be my posture?I go to a billiards hall twice a week, and after playing for about two hours, only the right side of my lower back feels stiff. The left side feels completely fine.
• Does W-sitting affect the shape of a child’s legs?My 7-year-old son has a habit of sitting in a W position, and lately I’ve noticed that his toes turn slightly inward when he walks. It’s not quite intoeing, but it concerns me.
• My pants gape on one side, making my hips look unevenWhen I wear jeans, the back of the waistband gaps on the right, while the left side fits just right. My hips also look slightly uneven from behind. It doesn’t hurt, but I notice it every time someone takes a photo.
• Do I really need to break my habit of sleeping on my stomach?I’ve slept on my stomach for over twenty years. I can’t fall asleep on my back, so by early morning I’ve usually rolled over anyway. It’s true that every morning I have trouble turning my neck one way, but I don’t know if that’s because of this.
• I saw the term “text neck.” Is it the same as forward head posture?I came across the term “text neck” in an article from overseas.
• I’m not sure if my grandmother’s cane is the right heightMy 83-year-old grandmother has been using a cane for about six months. When she walks with it, one shoulder looks higher than the other, and lately she says her wrist hurts.
• My middle-schooler’s shoulder is higher on one sideI noticed that my second-year middle-school son’s right shoulder is noticeably higher than his left when I saw him from behind. He says nothing hurts.
• I noticed in the mirror that one side of my buttocks sits lower—is that what people call uneven buttocks?I noticed in the mirror while changing clothes that my left buttock sits noticeably lower than my right. I’m almost surprised I hadn’t noticed before. There’s no pain at all; they just look different.
• The heels of my shoes wear down on the inside—is it because of how I walk?Even when I buy new sneakers, the inside of the heels is noticeably worn down after three or four months. When I turn the soles over, the inside of both shoes is smooth and shiny, while the outside is fine. I’m wondering if something about the way I walk could be causing it.
• From the side, my belly sticks out and my butt looks droopyMy weight has been about the same for years, but when I look at photos taken from the side, only my belly sticks out and my butt looks flat and droopy… I look fine from the front, but it only looks this way from the side.
• When I sit, my pelvis rolls backward and my back rounds along with itA colleague jokingly took a side-view photo of me sitting in my office chair, and I noticed my pelvis tipped backward and my back rounded into a gentle C shape. If I consciously straighten up, I slump back into the same position in less than a minute.
• My feet point outward when I walk—an out-toeing gaitOn my way home from work, I happened to see my reflection in a shop window and noticed that both my feet point way out when I walk. My family has said for a long time that I walk with my feet turned out.
• What should I do if my knees feel like they're bending backward when I stand?I was waiting for the bus and caught my side profile in a shop window. My knees looked like they were bending backward past straight, almost like a bow. I think they always do that when I relax.
• In photos, my head always looks like it’s sticking out in front of my bodyWhenever I get a group photo, it looks like I’m the only one with my head a step ahead of the rest of my body. It bothered me, so I asked someone to take a side-view photo, and my ears were clearly in front of my shoulder line.
• I have a habit of standing with my stomach pushed forwardWhen I stand, I have a habit of pushing my stomach forward and thrusting my pelvis forward, as if leaning back.
• In side-view photos, only my upper back looks especially rounded and raisedIn side-view photos, my upper back looks especially rounded and raised, and my shoulders are also rounded forward.
• One arm barely swings and stays stiff against my body when I walkWhen I walk, one arm swings naturally, but the other barely swings and stays close against my body.
• My legs seem to be different lengths—could it be because of my pelvis?When I lie down, my legs seem to be slightly different lengths, and one of my shoes wears out much faster than the other. I heard that legs can look different lengths because the pelvis is misaligned, but is that really…
• One side of my trouser hem drags on the ground, so I’m worried my pelvis is misalignedAt some point, I noticed that when I wear trousers, one hem in particular drags on the ground. I wondered if my legs were different lengths, and then heard it could be because my pelvis is misaligned. I usually stand with my weight on one leg…
• My pelvis seems tilted forward, and my lower back hurts more when I stand for a long timeWhen I stand, my pelvis seems to tilt forward and my lower back arches inward. Maybe that’s why my lower back feels particularly achy when I stand for a long time. I’m wondering whether a forward-tilted pelvis is connected to my lower back feeling more fatigued when standing…
• I’ve heard it called ‘uneven buttocks.’ Can I even them out, or should I just leave them as they are?My buttocks are asymmetrical, so I looked it up and found people calling it ‘uneven buttocks.’ Some say exercise can even them out, while others say everyone is naturally a little different…
• How do people manage to maintain good posture for a long time?I spend a lot of time sitting at work, but it’s so hard to sit with good posture for long. Before long, I slump and hunch over again, and it keeps happening all day. People with good posture…
• I do exercises to correct forward head posture, but after I sleep, I’m back where I startedI’ve been doing exercises to correct forward head posture for several days. Right after exercising, my neck feels like it’s sitting a little farther back, but after a day of work it’s jutting forward again. I do them every day, but it feels like I’m getting nowhere …
• My forward head posture is pretty severe. Is it really something I can change on my own?When someone takes a photo of me from the side, my head sticks way out in front, so my forward head posture is pretty severe. I’ve tried following videos for corrective exercises and stretching, but I wonder if those things can really change it…
• I'm slim, but from the side my lower belly sticks outI'm not particularly overweight, but when I look in the mirror from the side, my lower belly sticks out and my buttocks seem to jut backward. My lower back also looks excessively arched. I looked it up and found something called anterior pelvic tilt…
• There are lots of pillows and devices for correcting forward head posture. Do they work?I searched for ways to deal with my forward head posture and found so many products, like corrective pillows and posture-correction straps. I thought about buying one, but I'm not sure whether they can really change forward head posture…
• I’m trying to keep my chest open and shoulders down, but I feel even more stiff and soreTo correct my rounded shoulders, I keep consciously opening my chest and pulling my shoulders back and down, while tensing up. But when I hold that position, the upper back and neck actually feel even stiffer and sorer…
• I'm exercising to change my anterior pelvic tilt, but I'm not sure if I'm on the right trackAfter learning about anterior pelvic tilt, I've been following videos and doing abdominal and glute exercises. But I can't tell if I'm going in the right direction or how much I need to do before my posture changes…
• When I try to sit up straight, it gets harder in less than five minutesI was told my posture was poor, so I’m consciously trying to straighten my back and sit properly. But when I do, my back and lower back start to feel stiff and sore in less than five minutes, and eventually I slouch again…
• I was told my pelvis is misaligned. Do I really need to get it corrected?I had a posture photo taken and was told that my pelvis is tilted to one side. Now that I’ve heard that, I’m concerned and wondering whether I should get treatment. But I don’t really have any pain...
• When I look in the mirror, my buttocks seem uneven in height and sizeWhen I turn around and look in the mirror, one side of my buttocks looks lower, and the two sides also seem to be different sizes. Even when I wear pants, one side feels tighter. I've heard the term “uneven buttocks,” but I wonder if this…
• My knees bend backward when I stand, so my legs don't look straightWhen I stand still, my knees shoot backward without me realizing it. That's how I can stand comfortably without putting any effort into my legs. In photos taken from the side, my legs don't look straight—the knee area looks like it bends backward.
• One pant leg wears out faster than the other. Could my pelvis be misaligned?Strangely, when I've worn a pair of pants for a while, one hem wears out faster. The right pant leg always gets more frayed. The heels of my shoes seem to wear down more on one side too. Could this be because my pelvis is misaligned?
• My head always tilts to one side in photosWhen I look at photos, I’m the only one whose head is always tilted slightly to the left. It bothers me because it’s like that in almost every photo, but I think I’m holding my head straight. How can I check what’s going on?
• My pelvis tilts forward, making my butt stick outIn side-view photos, my butt sticks out unusually far and my lower back curves inward. You know, kind of like a duck butt? Some people say it looks good, but my lower back feels heavy and uncomfortable if I stand for a long time.
• One shoulder looks lower when I look in the mirror. What should I make of it?Lately, whenever I look in the mirror while getting dressed, I notice that my left shoulder is a little lower than my right. It’s even more noticeable in photos. It doesn’t usually hurt, but the uneven look bothers me.
• My back rounds like a shrimp when I sit, and it’s hard to correct even when I pay attentionWhen I sit in a chair, before I know it, my back has curled into a round, shrimp-like shape. Even when I remind myself to straighten up, I start focusing on work and end up hunched again. It’s a never-ending cycle.
• The connection between resting my chin on my hand and neck and shoulder discomfortWhen I’m sitting at my desk working or watching YouTube, I find myself propping my chin on my left hand without realizing it.
• People often tell me I hunch my back, but trying to straighten up wears me out quicklyMy family keeps telling me to straighten my back. I know, but when I actually straighten my lower back and open my chest, my back feels stiff in less than five minutes and I slump again.
• I have forward head posture, but my chest feels rounded inward tooMy forward head posture is pretty severe. Lately, I’ve noticed that it’s not just my neck jutting forward—my shoulders and chest seem to be rounding inward too. From the side, my upper back looks rounded and raised.
• When I stand still, my belly sticks out and my lower back seems to curve forwardWhen I look at my side profile in the mirror, my belly sticks out and my lower back curves inward. I’m not overweight, so I wonder if it’s my posture. My lower back also feels heavy if I stand for a long time.

Sports Movement53

• My lower back gets achy when I spend a long time practicing golf puttingWhen I practice only putting for over an hour at an indoor golf range, my lower back gets achy. The putting stance seems harder on me than swinging. Is it because I’m bent over and standing for a long time? How should I adjust my stance? I’d like to know how to bend less at the waist while putting. I play for two hours at a time, only on weekends. Is cutting back on practice time the answer, or should I take breaks to stretch? I’m not sure.
• My calves feel like they’re about to burst after intervals with my running clubI joined a running club and started interval training. But after the fast sections, my calves get so tight they feel like they’re about to burst, and even stairs are hard the next day. I don’t know if intervals are supposed to feel like this or if I’m just not ready. Slowly
• Why does the back of my shoulder catch when I rotate my arm while swimming backstroke?I’m learning to swim, and when I rotate my arm while doing backstroke, the back of my shoulder catches and aches. Freestyle is fine, but it only happens with backstroke. Could I be rotating my arm in the wrong direction? My shoulders aren’t usually a problem.
• My lower back feels like it’s arching when I kick while holding a kickboardDuring swimming lessons, I spend a long time practicing kicks while holding a kickboard, and my lower back arches backward and hurts. My coach tells me to engage my abs, but I can’t seem to do it. Am I kicking incorrectly? It’s hard to brace with my abs instead of my lower back. Is there a way I can practice?
• My armpit hurts when I reach for a hold while climbingI started indoor climbing, and when I fully extend my arm to reach for a higher hold, I get a tearing pulling sensation at the front of my armpit. My fingers and forearm are fine, but this area is the problem. I don't know if it's because I'm weak or if I need to stretch. If I keep going, will it
• The front of my knee aches when I bend it in a tennis volley stanceI’m learning tennis, and the front of my knee aches when I bend it in a volley stance. It’s fine when I swing, but it hurts if I hold the standing position for a long time. I’m wondering if I can bend my knees less. I’m also unsure where to place my weight in the ready position...
• It's been three weeks since I increased my running distance, and the front of my shin still hurtsI used to run 5 km three times a week, but three weeks ago I increased it to 8 km. Since then, about 10 minutes after I start running, the middle of the front of my shin starts to feel stiff and sore.
• I get a blister in the same spot every time I wear my hiking boots. What do you all do?Every time I go hiking, I get a blister in the exact same spot on the outside of my right heel. I bought my hiking boots half a year ago, and I think they’re the right size, but for some reason it’s always that spot.
• I started running after turning 40, but I'm worried about my knees and can't increase my distanceI'm 42 this year and started running in March. I can now run 3 km in about 25 minutes, but I'm worried that increasing the distance will damage my knees, so I've been repeating the same distance for two months.
• My neck feels sore after jiu-jitsu—is that normal?I started jiu-jitsu four months ago. On the evenings after sparring, the back and sides of my neck feel sore, and the next morning it feels stiff to turn my head.
• Since switching to a forefoot strike, I’ve had pain under my big toe. Could it be sesamoiditis?It’s been about three weeks since I switched my running form from a heel strike to a forefoot strike. Since then, the fleshy area under the big toe on my right foot hurts every time I run.
• It’s been a month since I started playing squash, and my Achilles tendons are still stiffIt’s been a month since I started playing squash. The morning after I exercise, the area just above both heels feels stiff when I take my first steps, and I limp. It loosens up after about ten steps.
• Two months into kayaking, I keep getting an ache at the front of my shouldersI started kayaking two months ago. After paddling for about an hour, I get an ache in the front of both shoulders, especially when I reach far forward.
• Is it better to pop a blister or leave it alone?I ran a half marathon and got a large blister between my toes. Some people say popping it will help it heal faster, while others say never to touch it. Which is right?
• My elbow hurts after swinging a kendo shinai. Can I keep practicing?I’ve been learning kendo for five months. After I swing the shinai with a big motion, I get a throbbing pain on the outside of my right elbow. It used to feel better after a day, but lately it lasts for two days.
• I’m learning to surf, but just paddling makes my lower back feel like it’s about to snapI’ve been learning to surf on weekends since this summer. Paddling is the problem, more than riding the waves. After about 20 minutes of paddling while lying on the board with my back arched, the middle of my lower back tightens up and feels like it’s about to snap.
• Does everyone have trouble going downstairs for days after a marathon?I ran my first half marathon last month. For three days afterward, going downstairs was the scariest thing.
• My ball of the foot hurts more than my knee after an overhead badminton smashWhen I jump for a smash and land while playing badminton, the ball of my foot burns and throbs more than my knee.
• My wrists and elbows get stiff and sore from using trekking poles on the descentWhen I lean on my trekking poles while going downhill, the outside of my wrists and elbows gets stiff and sore.
• The inside of my wrist aches and feels sore when I hit a table tennis backhand driveThe inside of my right wrist aches and feels sore when I roll my wrist through a backhand drive.
• My lower back gets sore and tight after learning the butterfly strokeAfter arching my body during the butterfly stroke, the narrow part of my lower back gets sore and tight.
• After falling at the ski resort, the inside of my thumb hurts as if it's being pulled apartAfter falling while holding a ski pole, the inside of my right thumb hurts as if it's being pulled apart, and I can't grip things firmly.
• I'm learning boxing, but my wrist bends and aches when I throw a jabWhen I throw a jab at the heavy bag, my wrist bends and aches at the moment of impact, and it feels sore the next day.
• My calf keeps cramping when I ride an indoor clip-in bikeWhen I do about 20 minutes of spinning with clip-in shoes, my right calf cramps as I push the pedal.
• After running a 10 km race, my big toenail turned black and hurts when pressedAfter running 10 km, my right big toenail turned black, and it hurts from the pressure when I put on shoes.
• After playing futsal, I get a throbbing pain on the inner side of the top of my foot where I kick the ballAfter a day when I’ve made a lot of inside-foot passes, the inner side of the top of my kicking foot throbs.
• I fell while longboarding and braced myself with my wrist, but it aches only when I put weight on it in that positionAfter I braced myself with my wrist when I fell, the center of my wrist aches only when I bear weight on it with my wrist bent back.
• My left side below the ribs aches after a lot of screen golf practiceOn days when I hit a lot of balls at a screen golf venue, my left side below the ribs gets stiff and sore, as if I have a muscle knot.
• As I get to about the last hole of a golf round, the first joints of my right index and middle fingers start to tingleToward the latter part of a round, the first joints of my right index and middle fingers on my gripping hand feel tingly and numb.
• My right inner elbow tingles after I throw hard playing amateur baseballOn days when I throw hard, I get a tingling, sore feeling near the bone on the inside of my right elbow.
• The front of my shoulder catches when I raise my arm to serve in tennisThe front of my right shoulder feels like it catches when I reach overhead to serve or smash.
• After bowling, my thumb feels sore and stiff around the first jointAfter bowling several games, my thumb feels sore, and the first joint is stiff the next day.
• After indoor rock climbing, the first joint of my ring finger swells and hurts when I bend itOn days when I use small holds, the first joint of my left ring finger swells and hurts when I bend it.
• My knee gets a sharp twinge whenever I land from a basketball jumpI’ve played recreational basketball for a long time, but lately my knee gets a tingling twinge every time I come down from a rebound jump. It feels fine when I jump up; it only happens when I land. Could my landing form be the problem?
• I land on my forefoot when I run, but the inside of my calf has felt tightly knotted for daysSince switching to forefoot-strike running, the lower inside of my calf has felt tightly knotted for days.
• I started swimming, and my shoulder feels nicely loosened up but also gets little stabbing painsI've been learning to swim for exercise for about a month. Afterwards, my shoulder feels refreshed and loosened up, but sometimes I get little stabbing pains at the front of my shoulder when I rotate my arm during freestyle. I'm not sure whether that's a good sign or a bad one.
• My ankle feels unstable when I land after a badminton jump smashI've been playing badminton for three years, and ever since I started learning the jump smash, I feel like my ankle might turn slightly whenever I land. Maybe because I sprained it once before, I don't feel confident at the moment of landing.
• After playing futsal, my calves stay rock-hard and tight for daysI’m an office worker who plays futsal once a week. I feel fine while playing, but starting the next day my calves get as tight as rocks, and it lasts three or four days. When I was in my twenties, sleeping for a night would clear it up, but these days my recovery seems so slow.
• When I change direction while playing soccer, it feels like something catches inside my kneeRunning straight is fine, but when I change direction, the inside of my right knee feels like it catches and clunks.
• My side and wrist get stiff after doing lots of swings at the baseball batting cagesAfter doing a hundred swings at the batting cages, the ribs along my side on the side I rotate toward and my wrist get stiff and tight.
• My right wrist feels stiff and heavy after practicing on a golf simulatorI work in an office and use a golf simulator two or three times a week. My right wrist starts feeling stiff that night, and it feels heavy when I use the mouse the next day. I do tend to grip the club tightly—could that be why?
• The back of my racket-side shoulder gets sore when I do a lot of table tennis smashesAfter hitting several hard table tennis smashes, the back of the shoulder on my racket side feels sore and stiff.
• The front of my shoulder feels stiff and catches when I swim freestyle for a long timeI've been practicing freestyle hard lately, but after about an hour, the front of my shoulder feels stiff. I also get a slight catching sensation when I raise my arm overhead. I keep doing a lot because I love the feeling of catching the water.
• After a golf swing, my right lower back and side feel sore and tightWhenever I go golfing on the weekend, only the right side of my lower back and side feels sore and tight. The left side is fine—it’s just the right. I feel a pulling sensation there when my body turns sharply during the follow-through after the swing.
• I get a sharp, tingling pain on the outside of my elbow when I hit a tennis backhandI’ve been learning tennis for six months. My forehand is fine, but I get a sharp, tingling ache on the outside of my elbow specifically when I hit a backhand. I’m wondering if it might be because I use a one-handed backhand.
• The day after a round of golf, my left wrist and elbow acheI played 18 holes for the first time in a while over the weekend. The next day, my left wrist and the inside of my elbow started aching. I’m right-handed. Could it be related to using my left arm a lot when I swing?
• After practicing my golf swing a lot, I get an aching, stiff feeling between the ribs on my left sideI got into golf about a month ago and have been practicing driver swings intensely for an hour or two every day at an indoor driving range.
• I hike often, but the outside of my knee keeps hurtingHiking on weekends is my hobby. At some point, the outside of my knee started hurting in little sharp twinges after I’d been walking for a while. It’s especially bad going downhill. I’m fine when I walk on flat ground, though.
• A deep ache in the top of my shoulder after badminton or swimmingAfter playing badminton for fun or swimming on the weekend, I get a deep, throbbing pain in the top of my right shoulder, in the area where the shoulder muscle bulges.
• A sharp twinge on the outside of my knee while runningI'm a beginner runner and started running a month ago for my health.
• The back of my shoulder feels sore and I can't raise my arm well after badminton smashesI play badminton as part of a club, and the day after I hit a lot of hard smashes, the back of my shoulder feels heavy and sore. It also feels like something catches when I raise my arm overhead.
• After indoor climbing, my fingers and inner forearms get really swollenI’ve been going to an indoor climbing gym for about two months. After I work out, my finger joints and inner forearms get really swollen and feel pumped and tight. The next morning, making a fist can feel a bit stiff too.
• A tingling feeling on the inside of my elbow after a golf swingI’m a beginner golfer and have been playing for about a year.

Discomfort & Symptoms45

• I’m currently 29 weeks pregnant and have pregnancy-related osteoporosis in my hip. Are there any medications I can take after giving birth? 😢I’m currently 29 weeks pregnant and have pregnancy-related osteoporosis in my hip. Are there any medications I can take after giving birth? 😢
• I’m fine during the day, but at night the pain keeps me from sleepingIt doesn’t hurt much during the day, but the pain gets worse when I lie down at night and wakes me up. Changing positions helps a little, but then it starts hurting again. I wonder why it gets worse at night. I’ve tried changing my pillow and position, but it hasn’t made much difference. Should I see a doctor
• When one area hurts, other areas hurt tooEver since my right shoulder started hurting, my neck and arm have been hurting too. At first it was only my shoulder, but it feels like the pain is spreading. I know the body is connected, but I’m wondering if this many areas can hurt together. If I fix one area, will the rest
• My back is always stiff and aching, making it hard to sleep. It’s been about five months.My back is always stiff and aching, making it hard to sleep. It’s been about five months.
• Sitting cross-legged, then standing up—ouch!When I stood up after sitting cross-legged, I let out an involuntary “Ouch!” If I moved with my knee bent, it hurt so much I couldn’t move. I gradually moved my toes forward a little at a time, and it took 1 hour…
• When I stand up after sitting cross-legged, the pain is so bad I cry out and can’t move, but gradually, as time passes, I can move a little at a time and…When I stand up after sitting cross-legged, the pain is so bad I cry out and can’t move, but gradually, as time passes, I can move a little at a time and it eases. It takes over an hour. It’s happened twice, once in May…
• Average 4-5 hours of sleep on weekdays, commuting by metropolitan bus, quickly falling asleep from strong sleepiness after boarding, waking during sleep…Average 4-5 hours of sleep on weekdays, commuting by metropolitan bus, quickly falling asleep from strong sleepiness after boarding, a feeling of needing to urinate during sleep (but no actual urination), tingling in the hands and feet, palpitations, and other symptoms occur, causing me to wake…
• Stiffness in a hollow below my right knee, near the prominent bone on the top of my foot, and toward the outside of my big toeStiffness in a hollow below my right knee, near the prominent bone on the top of my foot, and toward the outside of my big toe
• How magnetic field therapy was studiedHow magnetic field therapy was studied
• I’m not in pain, but my body keeps feeling stiffI’m not in pain anywhere in particular, but every morning my body feels stiff and rigid. Stretching loosens it up a little, but it soon feels that way again. Is this because of age? I’m also wondering if it’s because I stay in one position while sleeping.
• The Same Spot Always Hurts First When I’m TiredWhenever I have a busy, tiring day, the back of my neck on the left starts hurting first. I feel better after a good night’s sleep, but when my body is worn out, why does that particular spot hurt first? Could it be because I injured it before, or is it just a weak spot?
• I'm a developer, and the wrist on my mouse hand aches every eveningSince I work as a developer, I use a mouse and keyboard for nearly 10 hours a day. For the past two months, the outside of my right wrist has been aching every evening, and if I hold the mouse for a long time, the back of my hand feels stiff too.
• My father sleeps without a pillow, and lately he's been having numbness in his armMy father has always slept without a pillow, but lately he says his right arm feels numb every morning. He says it eases up after he moves around a bit during the day, but it's been happening repeatedly for over a month, so I'm worried.
• Should I use ice or heat right after I strain something?I strained my lower back yesterday while moving. My mother says to use a hot compress, but my friend says ice at first, so I’m not sure what to do first.
• What causes leg cramps while I'm sleeping?Lately, I often get cramps in my calves while I'm asleep. I think it happens two or three times a week. I haven't done any particular exercise during the day, so why does this only happen at night?
• I heard that getting cramps in your sleep is because you’re dehydrated. Is that true?My friend says you get cramps in your sleep because you don’t drink enough water, but I drink 2 liters a day. Even so, a few times a month, my toes curl up and cramp at night.
• Anyone been wearing pain-relief patches for days at a time? It’s been a week for meThe back of my shoulder has felt stiff, so I’ve been replacing the pain-relief patch every day for a week.
• Why do I get a tingling jolt when I press where my belt sits on my lower back?When I press the back of my waist, just above my pelvic bone where my belt sits, I get a tingling, numb feeling that spreads to the side. It feels fine when I don’t press it, but it sometimes happens when I sit far back in a chair and lean against the backrest too.
• Is it okay to wear a wrist brace all day?My right wrist has been aching for the past two months, so I’ve been wearing a brace I bought at a pharmacy. It definitely feels better with the brace on, but when I take it off, my wrist actually feels even weaker.
• Swelling and pain on the top of the footThe top of my right foot has been swollen for two days and hurts when I press on it. I don't remember bumping it. It throbs when I walk, and my shoe feels tight. Ice makes the swelling go down a little, but by evening it's swollen again. Should I just leave it alone, or should I get it checked?
• Why does the side of my hand by my pinky hurt after two hours of piano practice?After playing for about two hours, the side of my right hand by my pinky throbs. It’s especially bad on days I practice pieces with lots of octaves. I don’t know why it’s that part of my hand.
• I keep waking up with calf cramps at dawn, and it’s really killing meAround three or four in the morning, my right calf suddenly tightens up and cramps, waking me.
• My left finger joints hurt after long periods of playing classical guitarI've been playing classical guitar for 3 years. I practice for about an hour a day, and over the past month the first joints of my left index and middle fingers have been feeling sore and stiff.
• I’m a delivery rider, and my hands go numb after long rides—is that normal?I ride my motorcycle for more than 8 hours a day. After three or four hours, both hands start tingling, and sensation gets especially dull around my little fingers. It goes away when I take a break, but lately my hands have been going numb at night and waking me up.
• My temples have been aching for two months—could it be from clenching my teeth when I concentrate?When I’m concentrating on work, I often catch myself clenching my teeth without realizing it. For the past two months, both my temples and the area in front of my jaw have felt achy, and by evening my head feels like it’s being squeezed.
• If my X-ray is normal, does that mean it’s a muscle problem?I had an X-ray of my lower back and was told there was nothing wrong with the bones. Should I assume that what’s left is a muscle problem?
• The hospital says nothing is wrong, but I’m still in pain and feeling frustratedI’ve had pain in my right flank, toward the back, for four months. I’ve been to two places during that time, and was told that the tests didn’t show anything in particular.
• When is an MRI something you should get?My neck has been hurting for two months, but I only had an X-ray. Nobody even brought up an MRI. I have no idea what kinds of cases call for one 😭
• Can you tell the difference between a tight muscle and a ligament injury?I tweaked my shoulder moving some stuff two days ago. There’s one specific spot that hurts when I press on it, but I can raise my arm all the way. If it’s just tight, I could massage it, but if it’s a ligament, I feel like I shouldn’t touch it. Can I tell the difference at home?
• Could pain on the thumb side of my wrist be carpal tunnel syndrome?After doing the dishes, I get a tingling sensation on the thumb side of my left wrist. At night, I wake up with my hand feeling numb, and shaking it out helps a little.
• My son fell onto his wrist while skateboarding, and it’s only swollenMy middle-school-aged son fell onto his wrist while skateboarding yesterday. The outer side of his wrist is swollen, but he can move all his fingers and grip things. He says it hurts, but it’s bearable.
• By evening on days when I give a presentation standing for a long time, the area from the back of my head down to my neck feels stiff and tightBy evening on days when I’ve spent a long time standing while giving a presentation, the area from the base of my skull down the back of my neck feels stiff and tight, and my head feels heavy.
• After a long drum practice, both my wrists ache and it’s hard to grip the sticksAfter playing drums for more than an hour, both my wrists ache and the tendons on the backs of my hands feel like they’re burning.
• My fingers are stiff in the morning and I can't make a fist, but they loosen up after a whileEvery morning, my finger joints are so stiff that I can't make a fist, but they loosen up after about 30 minutes of moving around.
• I’m learning nail art, and after using my hands for a long time, my thumb and index fingertip feel sore and tinglyIf I hold small tools between my fingertips for a long time, the tips of my right thumb and index finger feel sore and tingly.
• I switched to a heavier pair of glasses, and they press on my nose bridge and temples and give me a throbbing headacheAfter switching to heavier glasses, I feel pressure on my nose bridge and temples, and by the afternoon my head is throbbing.
• When one temple throbs, the molars and cheekbone on the same side feel sore and tight tooOn days when my right temple throbs, the molars and cheekbone on the same side feel sore and tight too.
• When I’m focused on work, I find myself clenching my teeth without realizing itWhen I’m focused, I clench my back teeth, and when I relax my jaw, my jaw and temples feel sore.
• My jaw clicks and briefly catches when I yawn widelyWhen I yawn or open my mouth wide, my left jaw clicks and briefly catches.
• The jaw joint in front of my ear feels sore when I chew gum for a long time or eat hard foodsWhen I chew gum or something tough for a long time, the jaw joint in front of my ear feels sore, and my jaw feels stiff when I open my mouth.
• I’m a cook, and after chopping all day, the thumb side of my wrist achesAfter chopping for hours, the tendon on the thumb side of my right wrist aches, and I get a sharp twinge when I put force through my thumb.
• My pinky and ring fingers go numb when I bend my elbow while on the phoneIf I keep my elbow bent for a long time, my pinky and ring fingers go numb, and it eases when I straighten my arm.
• My fingertips and toes often feel numb and tingly even when I’m restingEven when nothing in particular is pressing on them, my fingertips and toes often feel numb and tingly when I’m resting.
• My ankle, which I badly sprained years ago, starts aching when the weather turns cloudyThe ankle I badly sprained a few years ago starts aching and feeling stiff before it rains or on cloudy days.
• Long-standing elbow pain—is it just an elbow condition?I’ve had ongoing pain in my right elbow for 5–6 years, and I was previously diagnosed with an elbow condition. I work as a daycare teacher and use my arms a lot; I also pick up children…

Exercise & Stretching33

• Should my knee touch the floor when I do lunges?I was taught to let my back knee touch the floor when doing lunges. But the moment it touches, I get a sharp, tingling pain at the front of my knee. I don’t know whether it’s better to do a shallower lunge or wear a knee brace. It feels about the same even if I put down a cushion. Wearing a
• My knees hurt when I work out on a hard floor without a matI work out at home on a wooden floor without a mat, and my knees hurt during every move that involves kneeling. A towel doesn’t help much either. Would a thick mat be the answer? My knees hurt so much that I keep skipping exercises.
• My muscles shake after stretching. Is that okay?After stretching my legs, my thigh muscles start to tremble. It startled me at first, but lately it happens often. I don’t know if I’m overdoing it or if it’s part of the muscles loosening up. I’m not sure whether I can keep stretching or whether I should hold the stretch until the shaking stops.
• Are stretches that involve making big circles with your joints good for you?I do stretches where I make big circles with my neck or shoulders. They make a sound each time I rotate them, and they feel good, too. But I've also heard that this is bad for your joints. Is it okay to keep doing them?
• I find myself holding my breath when I stretch. How should I breathe?When I stretch, I hold my breath when it hurts. Then I get tired quickly and sometimes feel dizzy, too. How should I breathe while stretching? I’ve heard you should breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, but I can’t seem to do it properly.
• Will I Feel Stiffer If I Skip a Cool-Down After Exercise?I tend to skip cooling down after exercise, but I feel especially stiff the next day. Is it true that cooling down means less soreness? I keep skipping it because I can’t be bothered. I wonder if it’s better to do even a short cool-down or just rest. Stretching
• How Far Down Should I Go in a Squat?I do squats, but I don’t know how far down I should go. If I sit all the way down, my knees hurt, and if I only go down a little, it doesn’t feel like I’m getting a workout. I’ve also heard you should go until your thighs are parallel to the floor. I know it varies from person to person, but
• Is a longer plank always better?I can hold a plank for 3 minutes and am wondering if I should increase the time now. But when I hold it for a long time, my lower back starts hurting first and I feel like my form falls apart. Is form more important than time? People also say my hips stick up when they look at me from the side.
• I can’t tell what’s wrong with my exercise form even when I look in the mirror. How can I check it?I work out at home, but I can’t tell if my form is right even when I look in the mirror. I follow along with YouTube exactly, but my knee hurts. Do I need to film myself? Is there a way to check my form on my own? I tried recording myself on my phone, but even then I can’t tell what’s wrong.
• I’m the only one in yoga class who can’t do the poses. Is it okay to force myself?I go to yoga, but I’m the only one who can’t do poses that everyone around me can manage. The instructor tells me to push a little further, but then it hurts. Is flexibility something you’re born with? I’m worried I’ll hurt myself if I force myself to keep up. Is it okay to go at my own pace?
• My neck hurt more the day after Pilates, and I was taken abackMy neck often feels stiff, so I signed up for Pilates. The day after my first class, my neck hurt even more, which took me by surprise. We did several moves in class where we lay face down and lifted our upper bodies.
• If I have severe muscle soreness the day after exercising, should I rest longer?The day after a lower-body workout, my thighs hurt so much I can’t even walk down the stairs. I’m not sure whether it’s better to rest or at least move around a little.
• Sequence for seated neck stretchesI do various neck stretches, but there’s no order to them. Should I start by pulling to the side, or by rotating? Is there even a sequence?
• My wrists hurt in Downward-Facing Dog. Should I modify the pose?I started yoga six weeks ago. If I hold Downward-Facing Dog for just 30 seconds, I get a pressing pain where my wrists crease. I was told to spread my fingers and press into the floor, but it still feels much the same.
• Do I have to stretch until it hurts for it to be effective?When I stretch the back of my thigh, if I stop when it feels pleasantly stretched, nothing feels different the next day. But if I push until it’s hard to bear, I feel sore that evening. I don’t know how far I should go.
• Can I do glute bridges every day?I started doing hip bridges because my lower back feels weak. I’m wondering whether I can do three sets every day, or whether I should take a day off between sessions since it’s strength training.
• Are there stretches I can do at the office without drawing attention?Our office has no cubicle dividers, so everyone can see if I move around much at my desk. Around three in the afternoon, I can feel the back of my neck and my back getting stiff, but I feel self-conscious about getting up and walking around.
• Should I Use a Foam Roller Before or After Exercise?I bought a foam roller, but I’m not sure when to use it. Some people say to roll before exercising, while others say to do it afterward to reduce muscle soreness.
• I get a sharp pulling pain just above my Achilles tendon when I stretch my calvesWhen I stretch my calves with my heel down and lean forward, I get a sharp pulling pain just above my Achilles tendon.
• Why do I get stiff again after taking a few days off, even after becoming more flexible?When I was going to yoga, I could reach the floor with my fingertips, but I got busy and took 2 weeks off, and now I can’t even reach my shins. This happens every time, no matter how many times I repeat it. Does flexibility normally disappear this quickly? I thought muscle gains lasted for a while.
• Is it better to stretch in the morning or before bed?I’m trying to make stretching a habit these days. Some places say morning stretches are good, while others say to stretch before bed. Do they have different effects?
• When I pull my head to the side in a neck stretch, I get a tingling sensation that shoots down to my shoulderWhen I hold my head and pull it to the side, I get a tingling sensation that shoots from the opposite side of my neck to my shoulder.
• When I stretch the backs of my legs, the backs of my knees pull and my calves start to crampWhen I sit with my legs straight and bend forward, the backs of my knees pull and my calves feel like they're about to cramp.
• When my lower back feels sore, should I stretch or rest?When I sit and work for a long time, my lower back feels sore. Bending it backward or stretching it can feel relieving, but sometimes it seems to make it even sorer. Some people …
• I can’t do the splits—is that a problem when exercising?I do workouts at the gym and at home, but I can’t do the splits and I’m not very flexible. People who are good at exercising all seem flexible, so I’m worried that not being flexible might reduce the benefits of exercise or make me more …
• Is being flexible always a good thing? My joints bend easilyI’m the opposite—I’m pretty flexible, so my joints bend more easily than other people’s, and I can do the splits easily too. I always thought being flexible was a good thing, but sometimes my knees or elbows extend too far and feel un…
• I've been stiff since childhood. Is that bad for my health?I've been unusually stiff since childhood, and when I bend forward, my hands only reach about my knees. People around me say it's bad not to be flexible and that it means a higher risk of injury, so I've been worrying about it.…
• I stretch every morning, but the tightness in my shoulders won’t ease upI have forward head posture and my shoulders tend to get really tight, so every morning I follow a video and stretch my neck and shoulders for 10 minutes. It feels good briefly while I’m doing it, but by the afternoon they’ve somehow tightened up and started aching again.…
• I do splits every day to improve my flexibility, but I think the pain has gotten worseFor the past two months, I’ve been working on my flexibility as exercise, doing splits and forward-fold stretches pretty intensely every day. But for the past few days, the backs of my thighs and the insides of my knees have been feeling increasingly tight and sore...
• Tightness in my trapeziusMy trapezius area and back get stiff if I sit for a long time, but I don’t know what to do to loosen them up. Also, when I turn my neck, sometimes I hear a sound like a rubber band snapping—I can’t tell if it’s my collarbone or neck…
• Pain in the front of my neck and under my jaw during ab exercisesI started doing ab exercises like crunches and sit-ups at home while watching YouTube because I want to lose some belly fat.
• It hurts so much when I roll my thighs with a foam roller. Am I doing it right?I roll the sides and fronts of my thighs with a foam roller, and it really hurts so much—enough to make me cry. Everyone says it has to hurt for the muscles to release, so I’ve been putting up with it, but I’m not sure this is right.
• Why doesn’t my body loosen up even though I stretch every day?I stretch almost every day, morning and evening. But strangely, my body always feels stiff, and the relief never lasts. I’m definitely keeping it up, so why isn’t it helping?

Prenatal & Postpartum30

• My calves often swell and cramp during pregnancySince becoming pregnant, my calves swell up a lot every evening, and I wake up with cramps while sleeping. It gets a little better if I sleep with my legs elevated. Is this normal during pregnancy? On days when the swelling is bad, even my shoes feel tight.
• My knees feel unstable when I go up and down stairs after having a babyI haven’t returned to my pre-pregnancy weight since giving birth, and my knees feel unstable and weak every time I go up or down stairs. I think it’s worse because I use the stairs while carrying my baby. I’ve heard that joints get weaker during pregnancy. Do they return to normal on their own, or should I exercise? Are there exercises that put less strain on the knees? I’m also wondering whether this will improve if I return to my previous weight. I’m carrying my baby now, so I don’t have much time to exercise.
• My hands are swollen and tingly during pregnancy. Can I wear a wrist brace?Since the second trimester, my hands have been swollen and my fingers tingle at night, waking me up. Making and releasing a fist helps a little, but it’s especially bad in the morning. I’ve heard that wearing a wrist brace can help, but I’m wondering if it’s okay to wear one during pregnancy. I searched online and found that pregnancy...
• My wife is pregnant and says her shoulder hurts because she can only sleep on her sideMy pregnant wife was told to sleep only on her left side, so that's what she does, but she says her shoulder feels stiff every morning. She says the lower shoulder hurts especially. How should she position her pillow? She says it's hard to change because she's been told sleeping on the left is best during pregnancy. Is there a way
• Since having my second baby, it feels like my pelvis has spread farther apartI felt like my pelvis had spread apart after my first child, too, but it feels worse after having my second. When I walk, it feels like there’s a gap between my legs, and my pants fit differently. Is it worse because this is my second child? I’m wondering if it goes back to normal. I’m also confused about whether I should get postpartum pelvic-tightening
• I’m pregnant with my second child, and my belly tightens when I pick up my firstSince becoming pregnant with my second child, my belly tightens up whenever I pick up my first. It eases if I rest for a little while, but it keeps happening, so I’m worried. This didn’t happen when I was pregnant with my first, which makes me more concerned. My first child is now three and keeps asking me to pick them up. Should I stop carrying
• My shoulders and back have been achy since I stopped breastfeedingI breastfed for a year and then stopped, but since then my shoulders and back have been achy. I don’t know whether it’s because I’ve gotten used to holding my baby a certain way or whether there’s another reason. I actually felt fine while breastfeeding, but now it’s harder. Has anyone else had the same experience?
• The positions I learned at the postpartum care center don’t work at homeI learned nursing positions and how to hold my baby at the postpartum care center, but once I got home, the bed was a different height and I didn’t have a chair, so my positioning fell apart. Do I need to buy something to do it the way I learned? I’m not sure whether I can just go with what feels natural. Breastfeeding...
• I'm 4 months postpartum, and there's a gap about two fingers wide down the middle of my abdomenIt's been 4 months since I had my second baby. When I lie down and lift my head, the middle of my abdomen bulges up in a vertical ridge, and when I press it, about two fingers fit in. I don't think it was this noticeable after my first…
• If I have diastasis recti, should I avoid sit-ups?I was told I have diastasis recti after giving birth. I started doing sit-ups and crunches to lose belly fat, but I stopped after reading that I shouldn’t do them.
• It’s been six weeks since giving birth, but I still can’t straighten my back easilyIt’s been six weeks since I gave birth. Whenever I stand up while holding my baby, my back doesn’t straighten all at once. I stay bent over for a few seconds, then slowly straighten up. It’s especially noticeable when I stand up from sitting.
• My wrist aches on the thumb side even when I pick up a cup, and I'm afraid to hold my babyMy baby is 4 months old, so I hold them all day. At some point, the thumb side of my wrist started aching even when I pick up a cup, so now I have to hold my water glass with both hands.
• How should I use my back when carrying my baby on my back?I carry my 9-month-old on my back several times a day to get them to sleep, and my back twinges when I put them on my back and take them down. It’s been worse since my baby passed 9 kilos.
• I’m pregnant and can’t sleep because my pelvis hurts at night. How did you all get through it?I’m 28 weeks pregnant. I can manage during the day, more or less, but at night my pelvis hurts on both sides, as if it’s spreading apart, and I wake up two or three times.
• I wear a baby carrier all day—should I loosen up my back or shoulders first?I’m raising a baby who’s just past 100 days old, and I pretty much live in my baby carrier. I think I wear it for around 6 hours a day. By evening, my back feels heavy and my shoulders are stiff, but I don’t have time to work on both. If I had to pick one, which would be more effective to loosen up first?
• It feels like I've forgotten how to engage my abdomen after giving birth, and I'm relying only on my lower backIt's been two months since I had my second baby. I feel like I bounced back quickly after my first, but this time it feels like I can't engage my abdomen at all. Even when I pick up my baby, my lower back gets stiff first.
• I'm in my second trimester, and the front of my pelvis feels stiff, making it uncomfortable to walkI'm 22 weeks along, and for the past few days I've felt stiffness around the groin at the front of my pelvis. It keeps bothering me when I walk. I was told at my checkup that the baby is growing well, but this feeling is new to me, so I'm being cautious.
• I always hold my baby on the same side while nursing, and now that shoulder and wrist hurtI always support my baby with the same arm while nursing, and that shoulder droops and the thumb side of my wrist aches.
• My pelvis feels achy, like it might give way, and my legs feel heavy when I climb stairs during pregnancySince the second trimester, the sides of my pelvis have felt achy, like they might give way, and my legs feel heavy when I climb stairs.
• My Wrist and Shoulder Ache and Feel Weak When I Push the Stroller After Giving BirthI'm two months postpartum, and when I push the stroller, my wrist aches and my shoulder feels weak on hills.
• After giving birth, I bend over so often to change diapers and bathe my baby that I can’t straighten my backSince giving birth, I bend over dozens of times a day to change diapers and bathe my baby, and by evening I can’t straighten my back.
• I’m in late pregnancy, and I get a tingling pain around my pubic bone when I turn over in bedI’m 8 months pregnant, and when I turn over in bed, I get a tingling pain around the pubic bone at the front of my pelvis, so I can’t turn over all at once.
• Even with a nursing pillow, I keep hunching over to latch my baby, and my back and neck acheEven with a nursing pillow, I bend over to look at my baby, so the middle of my back and the back of my neck are always aching.
• Since giving birth, my pelvis feels like it's spread apart, and I waddle when I walkIt's been a few months since I had my baby, but I still feel like my pelvis has spread apart. I don't walk the way I used to, and I feel like I waddle a little. My pelvis also feels heavy when I stand up after sitting.
• Thumb and wrist aching while caring for a babyThe bony area where my thumb meets my wrist aches and throbs.
• I've gained weight during pregnancy and my knees hurt—can I keep walking?I've gained quite a bit of weight as I've gotten further along in my pregnancy. These days, even a short walk makes the front of my knees feel heavy and achy. People say walking is good exercise, but I don't know if I should keep walking when my knees feel like this.
• Since giving birth, I’ve been holding my baby a lot, and the thumb side of my wrist achesIt’s been about two months since I gave birth. With holding and feeding the baby, my wrist keeps aching. It’s especially the thumb side and the outer part of my wrist. That area aches every time I pick the baby up, so I’m being careful.
• Tingling deep in the buttock during pregnancyI'm an expectant mom, just entering my 26th week of pregnancy.
• How should I manage pelvic asymmetry and lower back discomfort after childbirth?I've been told since high school that my pelvis is a little asymmetrical, but since giving birth, I can feel that the balance between the left and right sides of my pelvis has completely fallen apart.
• My mid-back and shoulders are always stiff and sore—could it be my breastfeeding posture?Every time I breastfeed, I look down at my baby, round my back, and bring my shoulders forward. Sometimes a feeding lasts more than 30 minutes, so maybe it’s adding up—my mid-back and both shoulders always feel stiff and heavy.

Muscles & Fascia10

• I was told to press on tender points to release them, but it hurts more when I pressDuring a massage, I was told to press on tender points to release them. But pressing on those spots makes them hurt more, and the pain lingers for days. I’m wondering if that’s normal. Should I adjust how hard I press? They say you have to put up with the pain for it to work, but I’m not sure I need to go that far.
• Muscles alongside my spine feel firm, like cordsWhen I feel my back, the muscles on either side of my spine feel firm, like cords. The right side is especially thick and hurts when I press on it. A massage loosens it up for that day, but after just two days it feels the same again. I’m not sure if my fascia has thickened or if the muscles are knotted. On my own,
• I got a bruise after myofascial release. Is that normal?I had myofascial release because my shoulder was tight, and a large bruise appeared on my arm that night. It doesn’t hurt, but I’m worried about whether this is normal. Should I postpone my next appointment? Is bruising common after this kind of treatment? I’m also wondering whether it will go away after a few days.
• I’ve Heard I Should Release the Tibialis Anterior—How Do I Work on the Front of My Shin?The front of my shin feels stiff after running, and when I looked it up, I read that I should release the tibialis anterior. I’ve used a foam roller on my calves, but I don’t know what to do for the front of my shin. Is there a way to do it? Pressing it with my hand only helps for a little while. Even after a massage, it feels stiff again the next day.
• The muscles between my ribs feel knotted when I touch my backWhen I touch the area between the ribs on my side, the muscles feel knotted like cords. That spot feels stiff when I take a deep breath, too. Massage doesn't seem to loosen it up much. How can I release these muscles? I've also heard that foam rolling can be bad for the ribs. When I lie down,
• What is the piriformis muscle? Why is the deep part of my buttock always achy?I came across the piriformis while searching online, and it seems similar to what I'm experiencing: a constant ache deep in my buttock. It gets worse when I sit and feels a little better when I stand. How can I tell if this muscle is the problem? My leg doesn't feel numb or tingly, and the ache only goes as far as the back of my thigh
• My leg tingles when I use a tennis ball to release my glute—should I keep doing it?I’ve been using a tennis ball at home to release my glute, but when I press on it, I get tingling all the way down the back of my leg. It doesn’t feel relieving; it feels like pins and needles. I don’t know if this is okay or if I’m pressing in the wrong spot. Should I stop as soon as it tingles? It’s not that pleasant, satisfying feeling
• The muscles at the front of my neck pull and feel stiff when I turn my headWhen I turn my head to the side, the muscles at the front of my neck pull and feel stiff. It concerns me that it’s the front of my neck, not my shoulder. It bothers me every time I look behind me while driving. I’m wondering whether the muscles at the front of the neck can get knotted too.
• My husband says using a massage gun on his calves sends a tingling sensation all the way to his toesMy husband says that when he uses a massage gun on his calves at home, a tingling sensation spreads all the way to the tips of his toes. He says it happens even when he turns the intensity down. Should he avoid this area? I'm wondering if there are specific places he shouldn't apply it. Is it okay to just pass over the back of the knee, too?
• I was told I have compensatory movement—what muscles are doing the work instead?I was learning an exercise, and they said I was compensating. They didn’t tell me which muscles were doing the work of which other muscles. When I try to use my shoulder, my neck gets tired first. Is that compensation? Is there a way I can figure it out for myself

Older Adults4

• I’m over 60, but I can’t straighten my back when I walkI’m over 60. These days, I can’t straighten my back and end up walking slightly bent over. It’s more stiffness than pain, and standing for a long time is difficult. I’m worried whether my back is rounding with age or if something else is going on. I’d like to ask what kinds of exercise might be suitable,
• My mother says her shoulders are stiff every morning and she can't raise her armsFor about two months, my mom has been saying that she has trouble even brushing her hair in the morning. They loosen up a bit after a while, but she still has trouble raising her arms overhead during the day. I asked if it might be frozen shoulder, but she says it's nothing. Is there anything I can do for her before bed?
• My father’s back hurts, but he says he won’t go to the hospitalLast month, my father tweaked his back while sorting through things during a move, and he still braces his back every time he stands up. He only puts on pain-relief patches, saying it will get better if he bears it. How long is it okay to wait and see, and is there anything I can do for him at home?
• My mother says her hands feel stiff when she wakes up in the morningLately, my mom says she can’t make a fist easily every morning. Her fingers feel stiff, and she says they loosen up only after she rubs them for a while. She says they feel better by the time she’s doing the dishes, but since it happens every day, I’m worried. I’ve told her to go to the hospital, but she keeps putting it off, saying it’ll get better.