Incorrect and correct postural stances.
There are many forms of posture in the human body. The above picture is a static or non moving type of posture. The posture to the left symbolizes the body in movement when all of the parts are in proper working order.
In last week's blog we talked about tension that is being applied evenly throughout the body. This is so all of the pulley wheels you see in the picture on the left will turn sequentially and allow for the joints to bend, flex and extend the way they were meant to.
Picture for a moment that one of those wheels doesn't turn, what happens to the rest of the body in movement. That disruption will cause the displacement and disproportional tension elsewhere in the body. You will also notice that the largest wheel is in the skull, as was demonstrated by percentages last week, and imagine what happens if we clench our jaw.
This brings me to today's topic, the head and neck and specifically the jaw. Many of us clench our jaw without even noticing it. There are more of us than not who have bumped our head, coughed or sneezed abruptly, maybe wore braces, and many other such traumas. Many overlook that incidental auto accident where there was no damage to the car and "I didn't have to go to the hospital!" Any and all of these alter the posture of the skull.
In last week's blog we talked about tension that is being applied evenly throughout the body. This is so all of the pulley wheels you see in the picture on the left will turn sequentially and allow for the joints to bend, flex and extend the way they were meant to.
Picture for a moment that one of those wheels doesn't turn, what happens to the rest of the body in movement. That disruption will cause the displacement and disproportional tension elsewhere in the body. You will also notice that the largest wheel is in the skull, as was demonstrated by percentages last week, and imagine what happens if we clench our jaw.
This brings me to today's topic, the head and neck and specifically the jaw. Many of us clench our jaw without even noticing it. There are more of us than not who have bumped our head, coughed or sneezed abruptly, maybe wore braces, and many other such traumas. Many overlook that incidental auto accident where there was no damage to the car and "I didn't have to go to the hospital!" Any and all of these alter the posture of the skull.
This picture of the skull shows that there are tiny joints in between the different skull bones, or sutures as they are anatomically called. The skull is held together on the outside by a thin layer of Fascia and on the inside is the big wheel or where the Fascia begins. Of course everyone realizes that this is where the brain is housed and basically is suspended so there is an ability to absorb shock without damaging the brain.
This is also where the most powerful muscle of the body is and it aids in moving the strongest joint in the body, the jaw. It also offers a pathway for the cranial nerves to travel between the brain and areas such as the heart, lungs, digestive system, eyes, and ears. It also houses the tongue which is an organ of the body. Your tongue is an organ, muscles are technically considered organs as well. The tongue is considered an organ because a group of tissues work together, as an organ NOT TISSUE, the reason this occurs is because the tongues tasks are too complicated to be carried out by just one type of tissue. Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_is_the_tongue_considered_an_organ#ixzz24IppccR4
This is also where the most powerful muscle of the body is and it aids in moving the strongest joint in the body, the jaw. It also offers a pathway for the cranial nerves to travel between the brain and areas such as the heart, lungs, digestive system, eyes, and ears. It also houses the tongue which is an organ of the body. Your tongue is an organ, muscles are technically considered organs as well. The tongue is considered an organ because a group of tissues work together, as an organ NOT TISSUE, the reason this occurs is because the tongues tasks are too complicated to be carried out by just one type of tissue. Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_is_the_tongue_considered_an_organ#ixzz24IppccR4
This also shows the importance of a good bite as it has been shown that activating the teeth properly also triggers a reflex to specific muscles. This is taken from a book written by Dr. George Goodheart, D.C. who developed Applied Kinesiology and used this as indicators. So if you clench your teeth, you have activated these muscles and when you wake up fatigue of these are present.
As you can see the skull is an important part of the anatomy and because of its importance influences much of what we do. I have been fortunate to work with many Dentists and Orthodontists that have taught me about this structure and the importance of the teeth in our everyday posture. Just how the occlusion or bite of the teeth come together and slide off of one another is important to the rest of the body. A bite that is partially off will often be the cause of headaches, neck pain and even pelvic and low back issues. That jaw pain you are experiencing can be the result of or the cause of something else going on in your body.
There are techniques such as Cranio-Sacral Therapy which was developed by Dr. Sutherland, D.O. and made more mainstream by Dr. John Upledger, D.O. This technique helps to balance the structures within that aides the spinal fluid in its flow. This is the fluid that feeds your nervous system. It is a very gentle therapy.
Many of the traditional therapies also address the skull and jaw for different maladies. In Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® we also address the skull in dealing with the internal tension on the skeleton. The skull and neck do command a larger percentage of tension to maintain proper Tensegrity throughout. The primary reason is that due to the weight of the skull, there are many attachments that allow it too move freely in flexion, extension, and rotation. All of these points need to be evaluated that they are truly pulling their own weight. Remember the tendons and muscles are the puppet strings that pull the puppet in the proper direction with the proper force.
Also, in our breathing pattern these suture lines allow the skull to expand and contract properly. Any aberration to them and it could disrupt the breathing pattern. Proper evaluation of movement is critical to the overall well being of the internal posture.
Next week we will talk about the torso and shoulders, the arms, forearms and hands and how they affect the overall internal posture to the body. But remember it is true that we need to have our head screwed on right.
Till next week, remember there is always a Reason to HOPE!
Dennis
There are techniques such as Cranio-Sacral Therapy which was developed by Dr. Sutherland, D.O. and made more mainstream by Dr. John Upledger, D.O. This technique helps to balance the structures within that aides the spinal fluid in its flow. This is the fluid that feeds your nervous system. It is a very gentle therapy.
Many of the traditional therapies also address the skull and jaw for different maladies. In Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® we also address the skull in dealing with the internal tension on the skeleton. The skull and neck do command a larger percentage of tension to maintain proper Tensegrity throughout. The primary reason is that due to the weight of the skull, there are many attachments that allow it too move freely in flexion, extension, and rotation. All of these points need to be evaluated that they are truly pulling their own weight. Remember the tendons and muscles are the puppet strings that pull the puppet in the proper direction with the proper force.
Also, in our breathing pattern these suture lines allow the skull to expand and contract properly. Any aberration to them and it could disrupt the breathing pattern. Proper evaluation of movement is critical to the overall well being of the internal posture.
Next week we will talk about the torso and shoulders, the arms, forearms and hands and how they affect the overall internal posture to the body. But remember it is true that we need to have our head screwed on right.
Till next week, remember there is always a Reason to HOPE!
Dennis
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