Tootsie's "TWEET:" Don't Wait Until It's Too Late

It's me again, Emily's alter-ego, Tootsie, "Queen of the Posture Police."  I'm tired of Emily being so nice to you all!! I'm here to keep it real and offer some unfiltered advice so you feel better & STAY better!!  I'm here to blow my whistle and make another citation for crappy posture! 

TWEET! Don't Wait Until It's Too Late!!  

It's so annoying!  That lingering, dull ache when you bend or reach. It's been bothering you for some time now, but you just keep hoping it will go away...eventually. But it is still there. It's not convenient, but you move on. It doesn't seem to matter what you do, it is still there. You've tried stretches. It's still there. Your Chiropractor gets your alignment straight and you feel better for a little bit, but it's still there. Your Massage Therapist tries to untie the knot in that area, but it tightens back up. Then all of a sudden, you move the wrong way and your body locks up completely!! You have to cancel all of your plans and let your body calm down for who knows how long!! Again, not convenient, but this time you can't move at all!  Now, what are you supposed to do??

Good question. I know the answer. (Emily is too nice to share it, so here I go!) DON'T WAIT!! That little annoying ache, that all of a sudden turns into an emergency could have been dealt with much better in Emily's office when it was a molehill, rather than a mountain. You know how it goes on Emily's treatment table..."Move this way...Hold here...Ready, RESIST! Roll over, lift this leg, Hold, Ready RESIST! Now roll back over. Stand up. Sit down. Move this way, Ready RESIST!" Good luck trying to do any of THAT when your body is in crisis-mode, crying out in pain! 

Here's the deal. When your body has trouble MOVING or you can't MOVE a certain way, your muscles are involved. When you feel tight or have a "knot," your muscles are involved, but I'm here to tell you, those stretches won't help! When your posture and alignment are out of place, your muscles are involved; when your alignment is put back into the ideal position, if the muscles that hold it there aren't on board, your crappy alignment will shift right back to where it once was. It is as simple as that! Fortunately for you, YOU happen to have your own personal Muscle Specialist. You know who to call when your body is starting to send you the uncomfortable messages. You know NOT to wait until it is too late.  

A few weeks ago, Emily got a call from a client she hadn't seen for several months. All of a sudden, this client reached out in crisis mode. "I NEED to get in for a session! My body is ANGRY!!" Unfortunately for this client's sake, Emily's calendar was full of clients who had already been on her schedule for weeks, committed to working on the process of moving better after their body gave them subtle warning signs. This client waited until it was too late! She waited until her body was screaming at her!! Not only would she have been miserable on the treatment table, trying to move into the range-of motion positions needed for Emily to figure out the best way to help her, but the hands-on and exercise treatments themselves would have been more painful to endure as well in her inflamed state. 

Even though she is a PT (which some people think stands for "Pain & Torture"...), Emily truly does NOT like to hurt her clients!! Seriously, she doesn't!! She knows that it will be painful for her clients to be treated when they are in an active crisis mode. Of course, IF she is able to help, Emily will see her clients in whatever state they show up to the session, but it goes much more easily for everyone involved if the sessions are focused on promoting wellness rather than doing damage control. (But she's too nice to say anything, so that's why I'm bringing it up!) 

So, in summary, listen to those body signals, people!! Even if the message seem just like a little "whisper" right now, these quieter messages are important indicators that something may get MUCH louder if you wait too long to have your muscles checked! Maybe you've been told by a friend or family member that your posture needs help, or you've noticed uncomfortable sensations in your body with all the stress & changes you've been through since 2020, or you've been dealing with a chronic, nagging ache for years and you just keep on plugging away. Now, bring your mole-hills in to see Emily before they become mountains!! 

DON'T WAIT!!! Call, Text (414) 405-3956, or Email 1212bodyworks@gmail.com to set up your next session! 

A MOVE that your Valentine will NEVER forget!

The candles are glowing. The sweet, vibrant fragrance from the vase of red roses in the center of the table has filled the room. The table is elegantly set with your fancy dishes, and that bottle of wine that you've been saving for a special occasion is chilling, waiting for you and your love to enjoy together. The clean, soft sheets and pillowcases comfortably adorn the bed.  The anticipation of the most romantic night of the year has been rising and you're getting excited!  

The only snag in your anxiously awaited special date night plan is that nagging lower back pain, which started as a little, annoying "niggle," and has gradually become a nuisance with every squat, bend and step. You're frustrated because you went through PT for several weeks and the exercises haven't gotten rid of the pain completely. Your Chiropractor gets your pelvis re-aligned, only to have it go "out" again within a few days.  You DON'T want this night to be ruined by this nagging issue!! 

The key missing piece of the puzzle that is likely at the bottom of your unresolved back pain is...likely at the bottom of your pelvis. 

A sore "back" is usually located somewhere near the spine, pelvis, or tailbone. Sometimes it is on one side, and other times it goes across both sides of your body. None of this is fun, and frankly, this pain can really get in the way of your everyday functioning, not to mention take away enjoyment of intimate times with your love. 

What if the root of your nagging lower back pain comes from even lower than you think? 

It is really common to find weakness in the hips and "pelvic floor." Just for a quick reference, this area is located between your pubic bone and tailbone, the area that makes contact with a bicycle seat. You use these important tissues to support your internal organs and stop the flow of urine (now the story is getting really sexy, huh?). Well, as you can imagine, if anything is out of balance in the lower back, front or bottom of the pelvis, other areas have to compensate and tighten up, creating abnormal movement and pain. Sometimes the pain in the "back" of your body is a messenger trying to tell you that something else down below is not working well! The first step in discovering weakness is testing to see if your tissues are doing what they are supposed to be doing. (Don't worry, in my office, there are no gloves involved with pelvic floor testing!) In fact, it's so simple, you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you how I test for this!!  

What if the answer to the issues in your tissues was a simple little squeeze? 

The old-school "Kegel" exercise, otherwise known as squeezing the pelvic floor, is helpful, but it's not the best way to help your weak tissues. Just like the song says "The Hip Bone's connected to the Pelvic Bone..." our body parts truly are all connected! By using your hips strategically (with some simple, yet specific positions) at the same time as performing a Kegel exercise, you can help resolve your back pain, AND you can also help boost the stamina and sensitivity of your most intimate tissues! These Specific Pelvic Activation & Contraction Exercises (SPACE) are so simple to learn! You and your partner will thank me once you learn how easy they really are--in fact, you'll wonder why no one has taught you this before!! 

What if you don't even HAVE back pain? Can this still be helpful for you??

Absolutely!! As a back pain prevention activity, or to simply boost your body's ability to support itself, both inside and out, these SPACE techniques are a game changer! According to this article from the Pelvic Floor First website, activating and strengthening the pelvic floor can "improve bladder and bowel control, reduce the risk of prolapse, enhance recovery from childbirth or gynecological surgery, improve recovery from prostate surgery, increase sexual sensation and orgasmic potential, and increase social confidence and quality of life." Sounds pretty nice and helpful, huh??

Don't let your nagging issues get in the way of your body's enjoyment of everyday activities and special Valentine's Day or Date night (or day, or morning...) plans! Get to the root of the issues in your tissues once and for all!! It might be a lot simpler than you think. 

Are you ready to help Valentine's Day last all year? Now offering a "Pelvic Wellness Check," complete with an alignment test, functional analysis (no gloves involved!!), and instruction in your own unique "SPACE" techniques to improve your health, both in and out of the bedroom. 

Simply call, text [(414) 405-3956] or email [1212bodyworks@gmail.com] to schedule your next session.

**The first 3 people who mention this blog post when scheduling will receive a free gift!**  

Looking forward to serving you soon. 

 

Is Your Head On Straight?   How many of you have heard me say "We need to get your head back on straight?" Sure, it sounds kind of silly, but SOOO many of my Physical Therapy clients benefit from this simple reset. My client Stacy came for help to resolve chronic shoulder and elbow pain, which was making it difficult to perform her work as a Professional Photographer. Her camera was heavy with all of its attachments, and she was having trouble making it through an entire shoot without needing many breaks. Then, while sitting at her computer to edit the photos, a feeling of tightness settled into her upper back. She was seeing a Massage Therapist to try to "untie the knots" in her neck and shoulders but wasn't having lasting results. She was frustrated that despite going to the gym regularly, doing all sorts of stretches, and using pain-relieving essential oils, she couldn't find relief.  When we first met for her Full Body Assessment, her posture caught my attention. Stacy's head position was slightly tilted and rotated to the right. Her left shoulder was higher than her right, her pelvis was also rotated, and one of her foot arches was much flatter than the other side. This alignment is very common, especially with clients who are Right hand dominant. As we worked together, Stacy performed corrective exercises at home for her shoulder and arm. She noticed very little pain while doing her exercises but then felt some discomfort later in the day. She adjusted her computer workstation to take pressure off of her arms, but that only helped a little bit too. When we treated Stacy's neck, she could immediately feel an improvement in her shoulder mobility, tightness and pain!  Stacy was surprised to learn that so many of her neck muscles were "asleep!" She asked, "How have I even been holding my head upright with all of this weakness?"  We laughed, and I told her she was compensating for the weakness by holding tension in surrounding areas. It is not an efficient long-term solution to weakness, but that is what our body does! Since the head houses the brain, which is responsible for ALL of the nerve signals traveling throughout the entire body, it is important to "get it on straight!" Just this week, Stacy told me that her Massage Therapist even noticed how much better things are for her now! She's happy she is finally finding relief!  Stacy's pain and tightness was located relatively close to her neck, but getting your head back on straight can even help client's who are suffering from Lower Back Pain, Sciatica, Knee pain and even Foot pain! It's amazing how everything is connected.  If you or someone you love have been dealing with chronic pain or tightness that doesn't seem to lessen with exercise or other therapies, there is hope!! You too can find freedom from the pain once and for all!

Head to Toe Healing in ONLY 20 Movements!

Back, neck, hip, knee and foot pain are the most common challenges faced among Physical Therapy clients of 1212 Bodyworks.  A smaller majority of clients experience issues in their shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Some clients also report feelings of tightness, limited mobility, impaired balance, and weakness. Over the past 2 decades of working with clients to resolve the muscle imbalances at the root of their frustrating symptoms, some common areas of muscle weaknesses have been discovered. As part of the celebration of my 20th Anniversary of being a Physical Therapist, I'm letting you in on my discovery! Below is a comprehensive list of 20 movements to perform for yourself to activate these key areas of weakness. Your whole body will receive a natural boost of energy as you move through these various positions. Remember to listen to your body's signals as you keep your movements within a comfortable range of motion. Tune into the sensations you feel from your right and left sides of the body and take note of the areas that feel different or have less movement available. Take healing into your own hands and KEEP your body moving well from head to toe! 

Begin by lying on your back. 

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing: Draw air into your belly, allowing your shoulders and chest to stay relaxed, as you inhale. Let your breath out slowly as you exhale and relax your body. Repeat as many times as needed to activate the diaphragm muscle below the lungs and allow it to do the work of inspiration that it was designed to do!

2. Ankle Dorsiflexion: Extend the top of your foot and toes toward your nose. Repeat 3 times. 

3. Toe Extension: Reach your toenails up to your shin as you spread the toes out wide, as if putting on a pair of toe "gloves." Repeat 3 times. 

4. Ankle Inversion: Rotate your ankle and foot inward so the bottom/sole of the foot faces the opposite foot. Repeat 3 times. 

5. Knee Flexion: Bend your knee as you slide your heel all the way back toward your hip/buttock. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

6. Hip Internal Rotation: With your knees straight, rotate your thigh bones inward so your knee caps face the midline of the body. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

7. Hip External Rotation: With your knees straight, rotate your thigh bones outward so your knee caps face the outside of the body. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

8. Hip Flexion: Keeping your knee straight, raise your leg up toward the ceiling. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

9. Hip Abduction: Keeping your knee straight, slide your leg out to one side, keeping the knee cap facing the ceiling. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

10. Pelvic Approximation: Bend one knee and place that foot on top of the opposite thigh. Use your lower abdominal muscles to lift the pelvis up and allow the bent knee to reach toward the place where the ceiling meets the wall. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

11. Trunk Sidebend: Bend sideways at your waist as you slide your upper body all the way to the side, as you slide your hand down the side of your thigh toward your knee. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

12. Shoulder Abduction: Keeping elbows straight, reach your arms out to the side and up toward your head as if trying to make a snow angel. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

Now roll over onto your stomach. Place a small rolled towel under your forehead so you can breathe or allow your head to come off the bed with your chin resting against the edge of the mattress. 

14. Shoulder/Scapular Retraction: Squeeze your shoulder blades together toward your spine. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

15. Spinal Extension: Lift your head and shoulders off the bed up toward the ceiling. Repeat 3 times.

Finally, come to a comfortable seated position. 

16. Shoulder/Scapular Depression: Sink your shoulders down away from your ears and feel the shoulder blades slide down the back of the ribcage toward your back pockets. Repeat 3 times on both sides. 

17. Shoulder Flexion: Keeping your elbows straight, raise your arms up toward the ceiling bringing your arms as close to your ears as possible. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

18. Shoulder External Rotation: Bend elbows to at a 90 degree angle, keep elbows next to your side/ribcage and allow your shoulders to rotate outward. Your forearms and hands will reach out to the sides as if pulling an accordion apart. 

19. Cervical Side Bend: Sitting tall, bend your neck so your ear comes down toward your shoulder but keep your face forward without turning your head to look down. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

20. Cervical Rotation: Sitting tall, rotate your head to one side as if you are trying to look over your shoulder and behind your body. Repeat 3 times on each side. 

How do you feel? How fluid or symmetrical are your movements? Is one side of your body more limited in several of the positions? Keep track of the sensations or how far you move so you can maintain your current level of mobility and function. If you begin to notice changes over time as you move into more comfortable range of motion, that is a sign of progress!! If you feel discomfort as you move into a position or throughout different points along the journey that doesn't resolve on its own, you could benefit from some assistance to get to the root of what is contributing to the imbalance or discomfort. Take advantage of 1212 Bodyworks' Complimentary Consultation if you are a new client to share your concerns and learn how I can help you resolve the issues you are experiencing. For current clients, you can take advantage of the 20th Anniversary Special throughout the month of May 2019 and get 20% off of your next treatment package! 

Here's to 20+ more years serving others to help them MOVE, FEEL and LIVE better!!

8 Key Elements to a Well-BALANCED Life: "A" is for...

How many times has a parent, teacher, or someone else in your life told you to sit or stand up straight? Most people know that ideal posture is important, but don't always consider why. Leave it to me, the muscle nerd, to fill you in on why having proper posture is important to your health and how learning to monitor and adjust your body's ALIGNMENT can save years of pain and dysfunction.

Your muscular system is responsible for 3 main functions: 1. Align your skeleton, 2. Create movement, 3. Control movement. Weak or tight muscles cause imbalances which pull your body out of correct alignment,  resulting in less efficient movements and more stress on your entire system. If your muscles are not working properly due to stress, trauma or overuse, your everyday postures could be doing more harm than you realize! Improper alignment can lead to difficulty taking a full breath, pinched nerves, headaches, neck and back pain, knee and shoulder injuries, foot dysfunctions, and the list goes on!!  

"What is ideal alignment," you might be wondering, "and how can I prevent myself from having some these problems?" The answer is dependent on whether you are standing, sitting, lying down, etc. This post will focus on your standing posture. Let's start from the ground and work up, as this sets up a solid foundation. 

Foot Alignment:

Your feet should be positioned about hip width apart with the toes pointed straight ahead, not in or out to the side. Your weight should be evenly distributed between both of your feet, and over the 4 corners of each foot: at the ball of your foot near the base of the big toe and the pinky toe, and at the inside and outside edges of your heel. Your arch should come up and away from the floor and your toes should be relaxed. 

Knee Alignment:

Your knee caps should be relaxed and facing straight ahead and your knee creases on the back side of the knee should be facing behind your body evenly. 

Hip and Pelvis Alignment:

Your hips should be positioned over your ankles with the pelvis neutral (not tipped forward or tucked backward) and both sides of the pelvis should be level (not elevated or dropped down on either side). 

Spine Alignment:

You have a naturally occurring S-shaped curve (almost like a snake) that runs throughout your spinal column and alternates toward the front and back of your body to help absorb shock. The lower back (lumbar region) curve is known as lordosis, which means that the spine curves slightly forward forming a slight arch. The mid back (thoracic region) curve is known as Kyphosis, which curves toward the back of your body. The neck (cervical vertebra) curve has the lordotic curve like the lumbar spine which curves slightly forward. The spine should stack straight on itself, rather than sway sideways, as in scoliosis. 

Ribcage Alignment:

Your ribs and chest should stay aligned between your shoulders and pelvis with the front, lower ribs dropped down, not flared forward. 

Shoulder Alignment:

Your shoulders should be lined up over your hips with arms relaxed and hanging straight down at your sides. Your shoulder blades should be located on the back of your ribcage, not rounded forward. 

Head Alignment:

Your head should be positioned with your ear aligned above your shoulder with your eyes looking straight ahead. Your ears should be even with each other, not tilted up or down on one side. Your chin should remain slightly tucked inward, with the top of your head reaching straight up toward the sky. 

If there was a plumb line drawn down the side of your body, it would line up through the middle of your ear, down through the middle of your shoulder joint, down through your outer hip, down through the back of your knee cap, and to the front of your ankle bones.  You can have a friend or family member take a picture of you from the side, back and front so you can observe all of the above areas and note your alignment. 

How do you line up? 

Working as a Physical Therapist for 17 years, I have had the privilege of helping many people, just like you, resolve their pain issues and movement dysfunctions through identifying and correcting muscle imbalances to improve their alignment naturally.  Early in my career, I would teach general exercises to retrain my clients' bodies. This would alleviate some of the tightness and create more strength in the muscles, which was helpful. However, I knew that something was missing, as people were still having to really work to hold their correct alignment.  

For the past 6 years, I have had access to over 270 muscle tests through the Muscle Activation Techniques system. Using these precise tools, I can now even MORE specifically isolate the weak muscles leading to the impaired alignment and movement dysfunctions that I may have missed earlier on in my career. This has made a huge difference in my client's outcomes! Their ideal alignment and posture now holds better than ever, without them having to try so hard to maintain these positions. 

If you are in line, good for you. If you need help to analyze your posture and resolve your imbalances, I'm happy to help you become aligned and well!

Confession: I have a drinking problem...

I'm apologize if this comes as a shock to you, as I am sure none of you had expected this from me. My husband only recently found out about this, in fact. I've been struggling for a while and decided I really need to do something to overcome my problem. I was not doing well last month and put off writing last month's blog post because I am ashamed, as if putting it off somehow helps me to go on with my life, pretending this is not affecting me as much as it does. Believe me, this is really hard for me to admit. The first step in healing is admitting we have a problem, right? Thank you for being allowing me to be "heard."

My drinking problem has caused me to feel tired, achey, depressed, and downright old!  Some days, I don't like what I see looking back at me in the mirror.  I used to be able to carry out my way of living with seemingly no negative symptoms, until the past few years. It just seems to be getting worse and worse, with new ailments popping up as time goes on. I'm supposed to be practicing good health, as I preach everyday to all of you. I have been a hypocrite. I need to come clean about this problem and stop the madness once and for all.

My drinking problem... is that I don't drink ENOUGH water. There. I said it. Whew! I feel better already! Seriously. I never realized how HUGE of a problem this has been for me for many years and how many of my aches, pains, and body issues are linked to too little water in my system. I'm lucky if I drink 32 oz of water in a day. As a Physical Therapist, I see many clients during a work day, and often don't want to take the time to take a break between clients to use the restroom. Several years ago, when I was working for a PT clinic and saw a new client every 30 minutes, I would finish working 8-10 hours, and realize at the end of the day that I had not had ANYTHING to drink all day long!! My big problem is that I much prefer coffee and red wine (in moderation, of course) over plain water. I've tried putting fresh squeezed juice into my water. Didn't help. Tried some Essential Oils. Slightly helpful, but still having a problem. I even bought a water bottle that had numbers and a dial on it to keep track of how many times I filled it up during the day. Didn't work. I figured, I must not be the only one who has this problem.

I started taking a poll at my office, and have been asking my clients how much water they are drinking on any given day. I was talking with one client, Jacki, and she agreed that she too has a "drinking problem." I felt a little better about myself, knowing I wasn't the only one, but then I began to wonder "How many others of you out there also have a drinking problem?"

Did you know that our muscles don't work as well when we are not properly hydrated? And that our joints rely on proper hydration levels to keep them well-lubricated? Pretty much EVERY body organ and system slows down when hydration levels are not optimal. Not drinking enough water can lead to thicker blood and elevated blood pressure, higher cholesterol, obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, Cancer, Asthma and allergies, skin problems, kidney stone development, constipation, digestive disorders, joint and muscle pain and fatigue. Any of these sound familiar? Maybe you have a drinking problem too!

An article on Webmd.com reports the amount of water we need in a day "depends on your size and weight, and also on your activity level and where you live. In general, you should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 75 to 150 ounces of water a day. If you’re living in a hot climate and exercising a lot, you’d be on the higher end of that range; if you’re in a cooler climate and mostly sedentary, you’d need less."

For the past month or so, I truly have made a conscious effort to drink more water at home before I leave in the morning, while I am at work, and once I get home. I do feel a difference already. I know I may have "good days" and "not-so-good days" but I am CERTAIN that I cannot have a relapse with my drinking problem! My muscles and my health are depending on me to overcome this problem. Thanks for your support!

An Easy Way to Resolve Mid Back Pain

This is not another boring blog post!

Thank you in advance for choosing to read this blog post. I must begin by apologizing for the past 6 months of this blog. I have taken some time to reflect recently, and let's face it...the first 6 months of blog entries were down-right boring. Of course, being a Certified Muscle Activation Techniques Specialist and PT, I totally geek out over all of the ins and outs of muscles and their functions, but I do realize that most of you are not with me on this. That is ok! My intention was to educate, but I have decided to educate you in a much more practical, useful and enjoyable way for the second half of the year! Are you still with me? Good! 

I have been personally struggling with something recently, and I have seen many clients for this same issue over the past 16 years of PT practice. Luckily, I have stumbled upon something helpful in finding some relief. My problem for the past 4 years or so has been some chronic mid back pain. I have a client who refers to her similar pain as "Kitchen Back" as she often feels this when working around her kitchen. You may be familiar with this too. Have you ever experienced pain or weakness in the mid back and all of a sudden your shoulders are scrunched up toward your ears? Well, if you too are familiar with this feeling or have pain in your neck or shoulders, you will appreciate learning the exercises below. 

I'd like to introduce you this month to the wonders of the Rhomboid muscle. This is the part of the blog where I would usually spout off the origins and insertions (snooze....) but I believe Wikipedia does this well, so here is a link to what they have to say about good old Rhomboid Major: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhomboid_major_muscle

For those of you who like pictures, here it is highlighted in red below:

The Rhomboid muscles help to keep our shoulder blades against our ribcage to allow our arms to function throughout full range of motion with a stable base.  As we reach forward to lift or grab something, the Rhomboids help to keep our shoulder blades stable and connected to our "core," so our other shoulder muscles are free to intricately move the arm around through space. Try squeezing your shoulder blades together behind your back. That will get your Rhomboids shortening, or contracting. Reaching your arm across your chest will bring this muscle into an elongated position. 

As I was seated in my desk chair typing this post, I came upon an easy way to target this muscle and resolve some of the back pain I have been experiencing. In doing the following exercise, I could feel circulation flowing through this area that has felt restricted and tight for years now. Let me know about your experience.  

Active Movement Exercise:

1) Sitting up straight in a desk chair with arm rests, place your straight arms against the outside of the arm rests with your palms facing the chair. Gently press your arms into the arm rests and hold for a count of 10 seconds. Rest and relax for 5 seconds. Repeat 5-10 times. 

2) Now do the same as above with your palms facing away from the arm rests, with the chest open, and the upper arm bones in an outwardly rotated position. Gently press your arms into the arm rests and hold for a count of 10 seconds. Rest and relax for 5 seconds. Repeat 5-10 times.

Are you curious about other exercises that can target this area? If you are a gym member, the Seated Row machine and Lat Pull down machine will do the trick. At home, you can perform Plank exercises, Push Ups or you can perform doorway Rows with some exercise tubing or band. 

Only 5 months left of the Muscle of the Month Blog! Let me know if you prefer this format over previous posts. Also, I'd love to hear from you regarding any questions you may have, or issues you have been experiencing and I would be happy to include some helpful hints about the muscles that may be involved in up-coming posts. 

Move well my friends!

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!!

May 2015 Pterygoid

PTERYGOID

I love any name with a silent "P," and that includes "Pterygoid."  This jaw muscle and I go way back. In my early years of practice as a Physical Therapist, I worked at a clinic specializing in Temporal Mandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction, commonly known as "jaw pain."  Since this muscle is involved with opening and closing the jaw, it can really cause problems when it does not function properly. 

There are 2 divisions of the Pterygoid muscle, the internal or medial fibers, and the external or lateral fibers of the Pterygoid. The Internal/Medial pterygoid has 2 heads, one deep and one superficial. The deep head inserts onto the side of the sphenoid bone, which sits behind our eyes. The superficial head originates from the palatine bone on the roof of our mouth and the maxillary tuberosity which is a bump behind the top back teeth. Both of these heads insert onto the inside angle of the jaw bone, or mandible. The medial pterygoid works to close the jaw and move the jaw from side to side for chewing. 

The External/Lateral Pterygoid originates from the great wing of the sphenoid bone and pterygoid plate, and inserts on the condyloid process of the mandible, which is the part of the jaw bone that rests inside the joint, beneath a disc made of cartilage, and serves as the hinge point or axis for opening and closing the jaw. When the external/lateral pterygoid contracts, it works to open the jaw, protrude it forward, and move it side to side, along with the internal/medial pterygoid. 

What signs or symptoms result from problems with Pterygoid? Headaches, facial pain, ringing in the ear, or ear pain are some common symptoms people experience when their pterygoids are not working properly. Clicking in the joint is common when the disc is sliding inefficiently within the joint space. If the disc gets dislocated, the jaw can get stuck open or closed. The Temporal Mandibular Joint (TMJ) gets swollen from the improper mechanics of the muscles around the area, which adds to the discomfort. People who clench their teeth or grind them at night often have trouble with their pterygoids, and may also have imbalances in some of the other jaw muscles. Chewing, talking, and even kissing can become very difficult for people with TMJ Dysfunction. None of that is very fun, as you can imagine!! 

What causes problems with the Pterygoid? Muscular imbalances throughout the head, spine and pelvis can contribute to postural alignment imbalances that affect the position of the head and jaw bones, and put added stress on the pterygoids. People often injure their jaw in car accidents, or with a direct blow to the jaw or face. Some people have stress, tension, and unresolved anger issues and clench their teeth habitually. This puts a lot of stress on the joints and can worsen the symptoms noted above. 

How can we feel the Pterygoid working properly? You will feel a subtle muscle contracting inside the jaw joint as you open and then close your teeth gently. You can really feel the pterygoids inside the jaw joint as you move your jaw back and forth from side to side, gently.  You can place your fingertips on the outside of the jaw joint just in front of your ears and feel the disc slide along with the lower jaw bone. Notice if you feel one side or the other move forward more quickly or if you feel the disc popping as you move. A normal jaw will open to between 40-50 mm of opening if all goes well. 

Here's hoping your Pterygoids are doing well and keeping your mouths and heads happy as you enjoy yummy, nourishing foods and laugh and socialize with your family and friends!

April 2015 Piriformis

Piriformis

Advice on finding, feeling, and freeing up the Piriformis muscle for its full potential

Good Old Piriformis.  Even if you don't know much about muscles, most people have heard of this one. Any one who has had trouble with this muscle knows right where this guy is located!! This small but very important "pear-shaped" muscle is one of 6 deep hip rotators, located underneath the buttock muscle, gluteus maximus, on the back of each hip. Piriformis attaches to the front of the sacrum then extends deep through the back of the hip to attach onto the top of the hip bone, on the "greater trochanter" of the femur. This muscle runs right over the Sciatic nerve, which is the huge nerve that runs throughout the back of the leg, allowing us to feel and move all the muscles on the back of the leg.  

"What exactly does the Piriformis muscle do for our bodies," you ask? Well, a lot! The Piriformis muscles help to keep our sacrum stable and in a balanced position. When the hip is extended, this muscle is a hip "external rotator," meaning it rotates the hip and leg outward.  Think about the motion required to cross your leg and place your ankle on your opposite knee...thanks Piriformis! The Piriformis also works to abduct the hip, or move the leg out to the side, when the hip is flexed. This motion is important during walking to maintain our balance and help us shift weight to the other side of the body so we don't fall. What I think is particularly fascinating about this muscle, is that as we "flex" the hip up to bring our thigh toward our chest, the function of Piriformis reverses to be a hip "internal rotator." Think of the motion involved at the hip as you put your shoe on or take it off with one hand while standing.  Now, I'd say those are some pretty important functions!

Want to feel your Piriformis working? Lie on your stomach with your knee bent to a 90 degree angle. Slide your bent knee slightly away from your opposite thigh. Using the Piriformis muscle deep in the hip, allow your lower leg to come across to the back of the opposite leg while still maintaining the 90 degree angle. Feel the muscle contracting in the center of the buttock area? Pretty cool, huh? Another way to feel it is to lie on your back with your knee bent all the way up toward your chest.  With the knee bent and your lower leg parallel with the floor, rotate your hip inward so that your foot moves out to the side, away from your body. Now can you feel a muscle in the back of your hip working for you? That is your Piriformis, my friend.

What happens when Piriformis is not working correctly? This poor guy gets the blame when folks have tightness or pain in the center of the back of the hip, or when they feel weakness or pain extending down into their leg. These symptoms are also known as "Sciatica" symptoms. Some people's Sciatic nerve, or parts of it, pierces right through this muscle, so that can create some of the same symptoms.  One of my biggest pet peeves is when people are told that the Piriformis muscle should be "released," or stretched to the max, as is often recommended in traditional Physical Therapy sessions or group fitness classes. Maybe the Piriformis muscle just wants to be understood, not stretched!!! Sometimes Piriformis is crying out for help as it compensates and tightens up, when the other bigger, more efficient hip rotators are not performing at their full potential. Sometimes it is crying out as to say, "Dude, STOP sitting on your wallet!!!"  Other times, the Piriformis becomes compromised if the pelvis is not in an ideal position or alignment due to other muscles not functioning properly. It may just need a little reminder of how is is designed to work properly throughout its entire range of motion, followed by some re-education activities.  A whole body assessment must be performed to truly identify if the symptoms in the hip and leg are from an injury to the actual Piriformis muscle itself, or if the symptoms are simply your body's way of getting your attention to help a bigger issue.

Over the past 16 years of Physical Therapy practice, this muscle has been the recipient of many of my treatments. Ever since becoming a Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT) Certified Specialist in 2010, I have changed my approach to assess for weakness and then specifically re-activate and correct the imbalances in and around the Piriformis, which has taken my clients results to a whole new level. I have to say that it is a whole lot more fun for all of us than the old way I used to treat, using my elbow to dig out the tightness, followed by a stretch. For those of you who worked with me prior to 2010 for your Piriformis issues, I do apologize for any discomfort I may have caused you.  I promise to make it up to you should you choose to try some new and improved Muscle Activation Techniques treatments... :)   

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! : )