Rock Your Way to Recovery

by Glynis Scrivens

Rocking chairs are associated with relaxation – mothers rocking babies to sleep, and workers rocking on their veranda at the end of the day. They provide mild exercise for the weakest of muscles, soothe the stressed and promote feelings of calm.

But did you know they can also be therapeutic?

A famous rocker

We all remember seeing images of President John F Kennedy sitting in his rocking chair in the Oval Office. His physician Dr Janet Travell prescribed them for his chronic back pain. The rocker proved so helpful that he ended up buying 14 so he’d never have to be without one, whether at Camp David, on Air Force One, or on the family estate. He even bought them as presents for visiting dignitaries.

What health problems are they used for?

Rocking is now used as a therapy for those suffering both physical and mental problems. Most studies have been of elderly patients, but all age groups including premature babies have experienced improvement.

Studies show the following therapeutic benefits:

· Relief of back pain. When the brain is engaged in sending motor impulses down the spinal cord in order for the legs to work the rocker, this blocks the pain impulses. They are prevented from reaching the brain. This enables the lower back muscles to relax.

· Improvement in depression and anxiety among dementia patients. Nancy Watson of the University of Rochester (US) found that patients needed less pain medication after rocking and their psychological and emotional well being improved. Improvements in balance were also recorded.

· Improved sleep. Rocking relaxes and calms, promoting a better sleep. It shakes out muscle tension that builds up from too much sitting. For example, neck, shoulder and jaw muscles relax from the motion of rocking.

· Reduction of pain associated with arthritis. Dr Heinrich Addleheim of the Kinetic Therapy Clinic in Berlin has found rocking chair therapy helpful for patients with arthritis. According to Dr Addleheim, some bed-ridden patients have become mobile again after a week of regular rocking.

American magazine Arthritis Today carried an article recommending rocking for relaxation and to improve strength and flexibility, particularly in the knees.

· Improved recovery from stroke. Therapists have found rocking helpful with the acute stage of stroke, as the motion of using the chair acts as a stimulus to the shoulder girdle.

· Lowering of blood pressure

· Better rehabilitation for heart patients. Rocking chairs have been recommended as a therapy for cardiac rehabilitation since the nineteenth century, when its potential was recognised by Oertel.

· Relief from vertigo. A study by the Baylor College of Medicine in 1992 found that vertigo and dizziness may be improved by rocking chair therapy.

· Relief for elderly fibromyalgia patients when combined with other forms of exercise.

· Providing low impact exercise for the elderly and bed bound. Those who are sedentary or bed bound may benefit from the mild low intensity exercise of sitting in a rocking chair. A 2010 study of elderly women found that those who used a rocking chair showed significant physical benefits after three months. They were able to walk more quickly and had more strength in their knees. 88% of these women chose to continue with the rocking exercises after the completion of the study.

· Following knee replacement surgery. In the US, orthopedic surgeons recommend rocking as part of the rehabilitation process following knee replacement surgery.

What kind of rocking chair should you use?

Some traditional rocking chair designs can pose risks for the elderly or infirm when sitting or rising. Newer technology offers a solution to this, providing a safer option for use in nursing homes and hospitals - a glider chair, as it is known. These often occupy less floor space than conventional rocking chairs, which may be a consideration for you. Glider rockers often come with a glider ottoman.

Whether you prefer a traditional hardwood design or a newer glider rocker, make sure you test it first to see if it’s comfortable. Ensure the back is supportive and the arm rests at the right height for you.

Final word

Enjoy your rocker and the health benefits it conveys. Perhaps you’ll be able to beat the current world record holder? Dennis Easterling of Atlanta, Georgia is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as rocking for 480 hours.