My shoulders have been agonising so I decided to try what I call reverse posture. This means the opposite of everything I was ever taught: rather than tuck my butt in, I stick it out; rather than pull my tummy in, I arch my back and stick my tummy out. Then I can let my shoulders relax backwards without effort and let my arms hang down. I look up. The pain is much reduced and sometimes disappears. I can even sit this way, although I feel like a dwarf with short arms!
I have a far out theory why this may help: I was taught north European posture; my mother used to nag me about it and even my dressage teacher taught me this posture. Perhaps this is why PMR is prevalent among northeuropeans and not other ethic groups.
Now you've got me looking like a dwarf with short arms. I was always told to relax my shoulders down and back but with the chin in tummy in and bottom in, which makes me look like a stuffed mummy as I have to concentrate fairly hard to achieve this posture. I wonder if anyone else has this problem as I have spent a lot of my years either nursing children and grandchildren,at a desk typing, or picking and packing fruit all which require arms forward. I guess I'll keep trying.
I remember seeing something on you tube about this - some woman extolling the virtues of posture change.
On another forum we had a brief discussion about "walking like toddlers" - something that was recommended at a support group meeting last week. Someone said to google toddlers posture - so I did. And to some extent I think it reflects that - bum out, relaxed tum and chin down.
Interesting. I joined an adult ballet class at 60ish. The teacher was Japanese. There were 12 women of all ages in the class. He had to show all of us individually how to change our posture. He made comment on our 'Western' posture. He made us all lean a little more forward,which really altered our point of balance.