Osteoporosis and Falls: Avoiding the Fracture

THREE THINGS TO DO TO AVOID A SERIOUS FALL AND THE CRITICAL COMPLICATIONS THAT COME WITH IT

I got a message from a long-time client saying she slipped and fell outside and fractured her wrist. She's lucky she didn't need surgery this time, as she had similar falls twice before that resulted in fractures and DID require surgery, due to osteoporosis. Because she lives independently, she is now having to adjust her daily routine as things take a little longer, even with her non-dominant arm being affected. Lifting, carrying, cooking, and dressing are all more difficult.  

Another client told me she was sitting on a folding chair without arms while doing some crafting projects later one evening. "I fell asleep and fell right out of my chair!" Thank goodness she did not injure herself. She also has osteoporosis and lives alone. Although this type of fall incident is very rare, a fracture would have really impacted her life. 

I'm on the other side of 50 now, and I don’t want to be one of the one in four adults (14 MILLION OF US SENIORS), falling every year. About 37% of those who fall reported an injury that required medical treatment or restricted their activity for at least one day.  Surgery comes with it's own long list of unwanted complications (including death!!). If you’re like me, you want to do everything you can to NOT join this club and maintain your independence for as long as possible.

Here are some things I do as I am reaching the later years of my life:
1) I use Yak Tracks on my shoes in the winter when I'm walking on slippery surfaces. They fasten onto any shoe or boot and really help to grip the ground with their metal spikes. They saved me from falling many times when out walking with our former doggy in the winter. 
2) I walk every day for at least 20 minutes. This can reduce stress, boost your immunity, maintain strength, and build bone with the weight bearing activity.
3) I perform my "Treat Yourself Well" exercise regularly to prevent the rounded, forward flexed posture of a little old lady, and practice simple balance & stability challenges several times weekly. This helps to prevent the spinal compression fractures that often occur with osteoporosis. 

This last thing is REALLY IMPORTANT. Whether you have Osteoporosis, Osteopenia, or just want to prevent those issues, you can work with me to learn where your body is weak and how that is affecting your balance and your ability to avoid or survive a fall. I’ve helped some people with weak buttock muscles. With others, I’ve worked to correct foot issues. Other clients need assistance with getting their deep core muscles to activate and get stronger to support their ability to move around in bed, get up from a chair, and walk with more stability. 

Here’s what some of my current clients say:
"I was able to stand up so much taller after my session with Emily!" 
"My husband noticed I'm able to walk further before I need to sit down and rest." 
"My friend asked me what I've been doing to walk so well, as she has trouble keeping up with me now!"

Join my “NO FRACTURE CLUB” today. 
I have a few slots open in March for a 2025 Balance Assessment (just $79 for people on my list, $120 for everyone else). In this 30 minute session you’ll do a series of Functional Balance Tests to assess your risk of a fall. You’ll get 3 customized exercises to keep you stable and prevent fractures if you do fall. And, as a bonus, you’ll get a free pass to my Balance & Stability Class at the Brookfield WAC. And, I’ll put you on the list to get a free copy of my new book “The MAGIC of a Well Balanced Life” (Coming out on May 1).  Don’t wait. We might have a few more weeks of slippery ice and snow covered driveways, steps and sidewalks. You need to protect yourself. Email (1212bodyworks@gmail.com) or call (414-405-3956) today!

Dedicated to your stability, 
-Emily-

June 2015 Psoas

Psoas

The Psoas muscle is one of the most important muscles in our body, as far as I am concerned. Once again, the "P" is silent, so that is pretty cool too.  This deep hip flexor muscle is often blamed for lower back pain when it is tight or chronically contracted.  Most health care practitioners and fitness professionals are focused on stretching or releasing tight Psoas muscles. The Psoas is responsible for many bodily movements, so it is much more important to be sure that the Psoas muscles are active and functioning properly on both sides of the body. We'll discuss this in more detail and how you can be sure your Psoas muscles are working their best for your body. 

Where is the Psoas muscle located?

The Psoas muscle has a deep portion, which attaches on the transverse process of the lumbar vertebrae (L1-5). The superficial portion spans from the side of the body of the lowest thoracic vertebra (T12), the top 4 lumbar vertebrae (L1-4), and some of the intervertebral discs. The Psoas muscle runs down through the pelvis and inserts onto the lesser trochanter of the femur, located on the inside, or medial aspect, of the the upper part of the thigh bone. The Psoas shares this part of its attachment with the Iliacus muscle, which covers the front of the iliac bone of the pelvis. Together, they are referred to as the "Iliopsoas." A large group of nerves, known as the lumbar plexus, travels near the Psoas. This area of the body is also known as the "Solar Plexus" and is an energy center of the body. 

What functions do the Psoas muscles provide?

The main function of the Psoas muscle is hip flexion, which refers to bringing the femur bone toward the front side of the trunk of the body. This motion occurs each time we lift our leg and swing it forward when we walk. The Psoas muscles can work together as trunk flexors, bringing our trunk forward toward our thighs, like when doing a sit-up exercise. The right Psoas is involved in bending the lower spine to the right, and the left side bends the spine to the left. The Psoas is also involved in rotating the trunk to the same side and to the opposite side. There is activity in the Psoas muscles during hip External or Lateral Rotation, and some would argue that there is muscle activity also during hip Internal or Medial Rotation. 

How can I feel my Psoas muscles working properly?

One way to feel your Psoas is to lie on your back with your legs straight out. Slide your right leg out to the side about a foot and a half. Keeping your knee straight, turn your leg out from your hip joint, then lift your leg up to a 45 degree angle with the floor. Feel the Psoas muscle deep inside the abdomen and at the inside of the upper part of the thigh contracting. Hold that position for a few seconds, then bring your leg back down to the ground. Did you feel it? Try it on the other side and see if you notice any differences between your 2 sides. Is one side easier to lift, or does one side feel heavier? Do you notice any pain in your groin, thigh, or lower back?

What symptoms may I feel if my Psoas is not functioning properly?

If you have weakness with the above exercise or you feel pain in the front of the hip or in the lower back, your Psoas may not be working properly. When you are in a seated position for a long period of time and you stand up, you may feel some Psoas tightness in the front of the pelvis and it may be difficult to fully extend your spine to stand up straight for a minute.  Another common symptom of Psoas dysfunction is groin pain. You may also notice a sideways curve in your spine or a sideways lean if the Psoas is weak on one side and tight on the other. If you have any difficulty with these activities or are curious about any asymmetries you may notice, be sure to contact your Muscle Activation Techniques Certified Specialist to assist you in achieving your goals. 

What are some common exercises that can be done to target and strengthen the Psoas muscle?

Once you are certain that your Psoas muscles are active and ready for exercises, you can perform some of the following activities: Walking, Biking, Elliptical trainer, Rowing machine, Knee to Chest Marches while lying on your back, Hip Flexion/Marches (knee toward chest) while standing, or lying down with legs propped up on Exercise Ball, Abdominal  Crunches, Planks, Mountain Climbers, Downward Facing Dog, Forward Fold, just to name a few. 

Here's to your happy, healthy Psoas muscles!!

March 2015 Longissimus

Longissimus

This month’s “Muscle of The Month” is one of my favorites. Maybe it is because we share a “middle child” connection that I am particularly fond of this muscle. This is a good thing, because as a "Greg Roskopf's  Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT) Certified Specialist, I find that Longissimus is not as efficient as it could be in MANY of my clients, so I work hard to get this muscle working properly.

Longissimus is one of the 3 muscles that make up the “Erector Spinae” Group. Located in the middle of the Erector Spinae group, between Spinalis and Iliocostalis, Longissimus is the longest of these 3 muscles on the back of the body, running along each side of the spine. This muscle begins in the lumbar (lower back) region, connecting to a thick connective tissue known as the Thoracolumbar Fascia.  The Longissimus has attachments onto each of the ribs and thoracic spine, and runs all the way up to the side of the neck (cervical spine) and into the base of the skull.  

You may be wondering: “What functions does the Longissimus provide for our bodies??”

The Erector Spinae muscles are all responsible for keeping our trunk and upper body upright against gravity while we are sitting and standing. When one side is not working as well, the other side of the body has to work overtime to keep us upright, and that gets tiring!  Since the Longissimus attaches to the Thoracolumbar Fascia in the lower back area, the tension it generates helps to keep this area stable. Many other muscles connect into this region as well, so all of them must be working efficiently to have the proper support and stability in our lower back and Sacro-iliac (SI) joints. Some of our abdominals attach into this same area of the back, so instability here can even affect the efficiency of the front of our abdomen!  The Longissimus muscle is involved in bending our spine and trunk to the side, rotating it to the same side, and extending it back (like for maintaining upright posture or performing a backbend). The Longissimus Cervicis (in our neck) causes us to bend our neck sideways to bring our ear toward our shoulder, turn our head to the same side, or look up toward the sky. The Longissimus Capitis (attached to our skull) also brings our head to the side on top of our neck, and helps us to lift our chin toward the sky as we look up. This long muscle does A LOT for our bodies!  

“How do we isolate this muscle to feel it contract?” Well, I thought you’d never ask! To isolate the lumbar and thoracic sections of the Longissimus, lie on your back with your upper body bent to the side, now slide both of your legs over to that same side so your body is forming a C shape. Use the back muscles on the shortened side of the curve to push your legs further to that same side. Make sure you are using the muscles on the back of your body rather than on the side of your abdomen or trunk. For your neck, lie on your stomach with your head off of the edge of your bed. Lift your head all the way up and turn it all the way to one side. Tilt your chin up toward the ceiling to isolate the portion that attaches to your head. Be sure to breathe as you move into these positions and only go as far as you can without any discomfort. 

“How will I know if my Longissimus is not working correctly?” you may also be wondering.  If you feel limitations in your ability to perform the functions listed above or have tightness or discomfort while bending, turning or extending your spine, your Longissimus should be checked out. If you feel generalized pain in the lower back or SI joints, have chronic neck pain or headaches,  Longissimus could be a culprit.  

Once you have checked in with your personal MAT Specialist and are certain that all muscles are in good, solid working order, you can move on to more general strengthening exercises.  Some general exercises that will involve the Longissimus are Supermans, Bird/Dog, Roman Chair Back Extensions, and Dead Lifts.  Your body will thank you to keep your Longissimus muscles happy and strong!

February 2015 Transverse Abdominus

TRANSVERSE ABDOMINUS

Most of you already know I am a total NERD for muscles, but I LOVE this one!  This muscle is the deepest abdominal muscle in our body, underneath all the other core muscles, but it hardly gets any attention. Most everyone knows about the "Obliques” on our sides, and the one in front that makes the 6-pack, “Rectus Abdominus”, but “Transverse Abdominus” is the most important one, in my opinion, and some people aren’t aware that it exists!  Transverse Abdominus (TVA) is a ginormous muscle, spanning from the bottom of our spine (Lumbar vertebrae 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1) wrapping around (transversely) both of our sides, connecting to the top of our pelvis from back to front, running over the top of Rectus (like a kangaroo pouch) and then attaches to the middle connective tissue of our abdomen, known as the “linea alba”.  That's just the lower fibers!!  This dandy’s upper fibers extend up the entire front of the abdomen underneath Rectus, and ends it’s journey connecting into all the lower front ribs, near the bottom of our breastbone. Phew!!  Now that’s a dandy, am I right???

So, now that you know where it is…what does TVA do for you??  Well, tons of stuff, actually.  This muscle functions as an “internal girdle” for keeping our abdominal organs in place, helps to promote the important process of carrying and delivering a baby, and is used to remove the “junk” out from our digestive system through elimination.  On a more fun note, TVA is the main muscle that contracts during a belly laugh!  How about keeping our pelvis in a stable position? Well, we can thank the TVA for that one too. With a stable lower spine and pelvis, our arms have the proper neurological recruitment patterns for efficient upper body movements.  If that isn’t enough, there’s more!! By contracting the lower fibers of this guy, we can twist our pelvis and trunk/spine to the same side. By contracting the upper fibers, we can twist our ribcage and spine to the opposite side.   This muscle also helps us to bend our trunk to the side, as well as flex or bend it forward when we touch our toes, or do an abdominal “crunch.” This is one busy muscle!

How do we isolate this lovely muscle?  Some would say: “Pull your navel into your spine.”  That gets it somewhat, but to really isolate it more specifically, Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT) teaches 2 different ways, one for the lower fibers and one for the upper fibers.  Want to try? For the lower fibers, lie on your back with your left knee bent and foot resting on top of your right thigh. Feel the left abdominal area between your pelvic bone and bellybutton. Now lift the left side of your pelvis up and over toward the right side, as if trying to reach your left knee up and over to the corner of the room where the right wall meets the ceiling. Feel it? Now try that on the other side and compare what you feel each way. For the upper fibers, sit on the edge of a chair with your knees straight and feet flat on the floor. Turn your torso to the right as you feel the area contracting between your left ribs and the middle of your belly. Got it? Now reverse it, and again, compare the sensations you notice.

You may be wondering, “What would I notice in my body if the TVA is NOT working properly??”  Well, that is a very good question. Weakness in the TVA can lead to all sorts of issues including lower back pain/tightness, neck pain/tightness, radiating pain/weakness/numbness into the leg(s), inability to reach arms overhead, poor bladder or sexual control, decreased ability to assist a bowel movement, difficulty delivering a baby, poor digestion, and more. Ever experience any of these?

We want to be sure that both sets of fibers on each side of the body are working throughout their full range of motion before we do strengthening exercises, just like any other muscle in the body.  Once we are certain that TVA is working and you can feel the precise areas being isolated, you can perform many different strengthening exercises to target this area. Planks, abdominal curls (“crunches”), torso twists, windmills, burpees, mountain climbers, pelvic tilts, and knee to chest marches, to name a few.

As a Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT) Certified Specialist, I can precisely check your TVA muscles and make sure that they are performing their jobs efficiently. Who knows, maybe we can have a belly laugh or two in the process, to help them along! : )