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a Reason to HOPE! - Real Posture

8/27/2012

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Incorrect and correct postural stances.
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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. 



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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

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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
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a Reason to HOPE! - posture and your CORE!

8/17/2012

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As many of you know I am not a big believer of the hyped core workouts, as I find them long term to be problematic. I am also of the belief that humans do not have a core, only apples and nuclear reactors- with that said I am going to talk this week about your postures core or center...

My theory of Tensegrity is the foundation of my work, the more natural the tension on the skeleton - the healthier the posture. For discussion purposes I am going to use 100% as the sum total of your body's tension. We will put 20% on the skull and neck, 10% on each of the shoulders and hips, 10% at L5/S1, 5% at each ankle and the remaining 25% on the feet (12 1/2 each). Please remember that this is for discussion only.

If you remember from a previous blog I wrote about how the reflex's for the spine are triggered on the medial aspect of the foot, so proper tension to activate these points is crucial. If you also notice I give the highest percentage to the neck and skull, (why?), because it houses the brain and brain stem. These areas are crucial to the overall existence of the entire body. The complexity of structure at this juncture is critical; we have an 8 to 12 pound ball sitting on a bent stick that is supported in mid-air by a complex combination of bones
and muscles that helps suspend this ball. The next highest is the feet and the rest is spread out fairly evenly. With the balance of tension being stable we should be able to move with minimal discomfort.

As these tensions start to accommodate our maladies that we endure on a day to day basis, comfort levels change. We perform some activity, or create an internal stress and all of sudden that needed tension is shifted. We stay at 100% but how it is dispersed in the body will determine our comfort level. Remember this isn't just the tension at rest but more importantly in movment.

This is where many start to teach the CORE work, getting one's abs to be stronger and look leaner. So we tighten our abdominal muscles and work them so that they look good and strong, the problem I find in my practice is that they get so strong they become an encumbrance. We become muscle "bound" and truly limit our movement pattern; in many cases the "six-pack ab" does exactly what it is supposed to do, pull us forward and alter the lumbar spine. The result is often low back pain and disc issues.

I teach in Fundamental Movement Therapy(SM) that there are 30 muscles that make up one's core, or center, and that we need to focus on helping the client sub-consciously engage these in movement. These muscle start on the inner thighs and work themselves up to between the shoulder blades. Yes, they do contain the
abdominal muscles, but they only make up 7 of the 30 or approximately 25%. It is important that these muscles activate when we stand, sit, walk, and yes, even lay down. It is critical that their strength will be enough to help keep the balance of tension to the posture so that in movement, and as you learned breathing is a key component, is stable.
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The above pictures represent stress which in real terms is a metallurgical term that represents a fatigue point. You will notice in the picture on the right that is the HUMP between good stress and distress. That is what this blog is about, the slight area between our comfort zone (gray region) and the fatigue line which takes us to the other side. Given the percentages that were mentioned above, as you start to alter those numbers, either up or down, we start to move from the healthy tension to the unhealthy tension. 

In day to day activity little things happen that will alter our balance of tension. One major area of concern is when we focus on only a small and specific muscle grouping. As we strengthen here and create more tension we alter the tension elsewhere and this is normally what leads us to many obstacles in our true optimal health. If we tighten our abdominal muscles too much, we weaken the ability of the mid-abdominal diaphragm to properly work. How does this affect us? First of all it inhibits breathing, secondly this muscle is also known for its ability to pump lymphatic fluid throughout our body. The importance of this is the lymphatic system is the sewer system of the body and transports many of the toxic wastes out of our system. Other components of unhealthy tension with this is that we compress our shoulder and hip joints and minimize proper movement and therefore place unhealthy tension at these points. We have also learned that there are reflex points in the foot that as they are activated decompresses our spine for proper movement, when the low back is compressed these relay switches are negated and therefore do not work properly. I find this often in individual(s) that come in with the symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis. 

Therefore as that L5/S1 joint is compressed beyond its proverbial 10% it alters the tension in other areas, and these areas are determined by weaknesses in them. Remember we have a healthy 100% tension on the skeleton and when that is altered there has to be a ramification to how the skeleton is able to function. It is these ramifications that create problems that ultimately cause pain. I have a client that came to me with right hip pain, we balanced the tension there and the pain went away. On the follow up appointment I noticed that the majority of his issue was minimal movement along the spine. I mentioned this to him and stated to him, because of his profession, that this would ultimately cause shoulder issues because of the amount of energy required to move his spine, and eventually could cause back issues. This showed up about 6 months later when he began to have shoulder problems that have persisted for approximately three years now. Most recently the individual has developed back pain and has a compressed or bulging disc. The main form of exercise has been to strengthen the "Core" muscles. What this has accomplished is a compromised pattern of movement, so that when he needs to rotate or move his spine the tension is so disproportional that something else had to give. Can this person be helped, yes, but a lot of undoing would have to be done. The reason is the muscles of the mid abdominal region have become too strong and the opposing muscles have weakened. 

The first sign that individuals should look for to be aware of this imbalance in tension is that proverbial "catch" when they go to move. If it is the feet then they should be more aware of areas of their back and/or neck that seem to feel stressed. This is normally the indicator that your day to day activities have caused this stress or fatigue point and is inhibiting movement. Give us a call and discuss this with any of our therapists.

This is a complex subject and one that should interest individuals as well as therapists because we are all victims of normal day to day anomalies. I will write more about this over the next few weeks. This is a topic where your input will help me greatly address the questions and needs that everyone has, so please feel free to email us or just add them to the comments section of the blog.

Till next week, remember there is always a Reason to HOPE!

Dennis

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a Reason to HOPE! - breath and posture

8/10/2012

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The horizontal movement pattern of the rib cage during inhalation. This shows the movement of the rib cage when it expands and contracts.
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Breathing and posture, how are they related? As you can see in the picture on the left the spine needs to be in proper posture in order to function properly. 

How does this all tie in to what we have previously discussed in our blogs? Simply the body's posture determines how much oxygen we take in to satisfy the body's needs. 

The body has five diaphragms that need to work congruently in order function at 100%. Sometimes our day to day fatigue comes from not bringing in enough oxygen to satisfy what the body uses. If at times during the day you feel tired, could it be that you are not receiving enough oxygen. When we sit for long periods of time, does our breathing become shallower? Why would this be? What are these five diaphragms?

In Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® the NOD(C) or network of diaphragms is one of the first elements taught. The reason being is that this network needs to be operational for the body to fully respond not only to therapy but to movement itself. The first diaphragm we all think of is the mid abdominal and this is the largest one. A trivia fact on this muscle is that it is the only one in the body that truly inserts on itself. It attaches to the ribs, the upper lumbar vertebrae and the lungs. Without getting into great detail this muscle's attachment to the lumbar (low back) spine will affect the hip flexor and low back flexor muscles if not functioning properly, often the cause of that catch in the low back when we take a deep breath.


The other four diaphragms are all part of the NOD(C) phenomena mentioned previously. The Fascia system starts in the skull and ends in the feet. There are two muscles on the back of the head that start the NOD(C) process by initiating movement of this Fascia in the skull. Those also happen to be the two muscles that are directly tied into the mandible joints and often are the site of migraine headaches. As these two contract or shorten they pull directly on the Fascia, also known as the Dura Mater, and this begins the cycle of inhalation. As this process completes its cycle, the muscle elongate therefore taking tension off of the Fascia; it is this cycle which initiates the movement throughout the body.

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As you are able to see from the picture on the left, any distortion to the head and neck will alter the ability of these two muscles to initiate proper breathing techniques. These are also the muscles that many of my clients remark, "Is it possible I can feel that in my feet?", the answer is yes-it is that interconnection of the Fascia that transmits that sensation. 


Any head trauma can begin the cycle of inhibited breathing! That is why it is important for the individual to disclose to the therapist any form of trauma. What constitutes head and neck trauma? This is a question that often goes unanswered by many of the clients but somehow comes up in subsequent sessions. The definition is broad but goes something like this: "any abrupt movement that causes the tension on the skull to change." What exactly does that mean? Do you have a tendency to sneeze or cough harshly? Have you ever bumped your head on a cupboard or in a fall? Have you ever been in a motor vehicle incident or did you ever fall off of your bike during your youth? As you can see there are many times during your lifetime that head trauma may occur. The body's breathing system is quite complex and will accommodate any and all incidents to continue to breath, because it is necessary for life and movement. 

Did you ever wonder why you have trouble doing deep breathing or meditation? Probably because your breathing apparatus is limited and we often overlook the inadequacy of how we breathe. One of the first items taught in Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® and Fundamental Movement Therapy(SM) is making sure the individual is able to properly breathe. In the Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® the practitioner observes movement of the rib cage and will treat that area first if proper breathing methods are dysfunctional. In Fundamental Movement Therapy(SM) the instructor talks and teaches proper breathing mechanics while instructor shows the student what imprinting is. 

To see if you are breathing correctly try this little exercise:
  1. Sit in a comfortable chair where you back is relaxed and your feet are in full contact with the floor or stool.
  2. First check your feet, do you feel pressure along the inside arch of your foot or does your foot have a tendency to want to roll out. One other item here, is it hard for you to keep both feet in contact with the floor?
  3. Let your shoulders relax, if you feel a strain here or your have a hard time keeping your shoulders back with forcing your chest forward there is an indication of neck trauma.
  4. As you take your first deep breath be aware of where you are moving.
  • do you feel the bottoms of your feet being slightly raised up
  • do you feel the pelvic floor lifting
  • do you feel the bottom of your rib cage opening and the upper part raising
  • do you feel your neck decompressing
  • do you feel the base of your skull depressing
  • if not you might need to call one of our therapist to have this balanced.  
Breathing is a critical component for many of the body's functions, what function we at Chagrin Valley Wellness Center are most focused on is your ability to move with as little discomfort if any at all. These blogs are meant to educate you so that your daily movement patterns are comfortable and you are able to enjoy life.

Practice you're breathing and as we continue the posture journey, remember there is - a Reason to HOPE!

Dennis
 

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a Reason to HOPE-your body's posture

8/3/2012

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When speaking of the body's posture many think of the old image of don't slouch, shoulders back, stomach in, and sit up straight. As we have talked about the posture of the foot over the past few weeks, we are better able to see how the entire body works together. Although the foot is an important part of the stability of the posture, starting with this blog I will start to expand on how the pictured posture is able to develop itself for many everyday reasons that become common place in our lifestyles.

As mentioned previously the inside arch of the foot controls the reflex or nerve impulse that help us compress and decompress in our spine. This pattern of movement is still going to be our focus from here forward. Pattern of movement is the foundation of both, Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh(R) and Fundamental Movement Therapy(SM). Movement and decompression during movement is how both therapies function. Remember when we exercise there needs to be a specific reason otherwise it becomes recreation, our primary focus should be how we are going to aide the body in strengthening itself so that the compressive forces of gravity do not take place.
 
Our posture is definitely a complex issue for the brain; throughout our day there are many alterations to our internal posture. One primary issue for these alterations is muscle fatigue. When I speak of muscle fatigue it may become a confusing term. For conversation purposes let us say there are ten muscle fibers  in a bundle, normally an individual will only use 10% of them. In this example that would be one, and we must remember that a muscle fires its internal combustion system in a millisecond. Once it uses that energy it must rest or recover, and depending if it is a muscle of posture or one of dynamics will determine the length of its recovery. What the brain must now do is recruit another muscle fiber to take the place of the one recovering. This is where it gets complicated, the brain must find one that is not already in use or one that is recovering. This would be like the hard drive on your computer trying to find space, sometimes we need a good defrag and that is what therapy provides. What the brain does is constantly re-position us so that we are in a state of comfort. We can help the brain out by changing up what we are doing or strengthen more fibers.

So I need to get to the gym more often and workout, but I do not have the time to do it. I get enough exercise just working around the house and yard! Although my
job is sedentary I get up and move around but find that throughout the day it is not comfortable so I probably don't do it enough. These are some of our excuses. I am a proponent of focused exercise, whether it is a movement therapy or a high intensity training session. As mentioned earlier I am also a major proponent of minimal physical exercise as we have a tendency to fatigue ourselves with obsessive compulsory disorder to our exercise. We all want immediate results and in so doing have a tendency to do too much in a short period of time. I know there is going to be some confusion with this theory but as I mentioned earlier it is not the muscle fiber that needs to recover as much as it is the nervous and glandular system.

In a focused exercise setting we are better able to recruit similar fibers because of the controlled method or pattern of movement. Research is also showing more and more that positive results are attainable through static exercise, dynamic movement is not always necessary, as witnessed by Hatha Yoga. Holding a position under duress in a proper position will help recruit fibers from that bundle. Now we may not use more than 10% at one time but if we are able to recruit more and more from the same bundle the body is able to hold its posture longer and longer and not create a stress point.


This will be our focus over the next few weeks as we discuss some of the items that cause us discomfort. These blog postings should also encourage many of you to write in and ask questions, please note that I will try an answer as many as possible on an individual basis but I will use some of them as topics in these blogs.

Know that there is a Reason to HOPE!

Dennis


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