Friday, December 31, 2010
Happy New Year 01/01/2011
Cheers to all that went RIGHT in 2010, to all that I learned from what went wrong in 2010 and here's to building upon those things in 2011 to acheive our dreams! Happy New Year Everyone!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Calming the Inner Storm - Easing Autistic Behaviors with Massage Therapy
Here's a link to a pretty cool tutorial to learn about the benefits of massage for Autism
http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/47/Calming-the-Inner-Storm
Calming the Inner Storm
Easing Autistic Behaviors with Massage Therapy
By Shirley Vanderbilt
Jonathan Clark teaches children with developmental and communication disorders. He is also a certified massage therapist with a dream. "There are so many different things that massage helps adults with," said Clark recently from his office at The Matthew Reardon Advanced Academy in Savannah, Ga. "I know it relaxes me to the point I can focus. I thought maybe it could help a child focus."
Putting words into action, in early 2002 Clark sought permission from school officials and parents to conduct a pilot study within the school setting. Among his subjects was an 11-year-old autistic male. "This student had an expressive language deficit which inhibited him from communicating with others," said Clark. "His attention span was very short and he would only attend to tasks for one to two minutes at a time. This, coupled with other issues, led to severe behavior problems. Uncontrollable fits of anxiety and rage were noted throughout the school day. Yelling, screaming, hand-biting and violent, side-to-side rocking took place with each attack. Several behavior interventions were attempted without positive results."
Amazingly, this same student was receptive to the hour-long massage sessions (primarily head and facial) Clark administered for nine consecutive days. On the days he received massage, the student's behavior improved dramatically. "His attention span increased from two minutes to 10 minutes," said Clark. "He could attend to tasks longer and was more receptive to interaction and redirection in the classroom."
Previously, an episode of agitation might last a full hour. On massage days, the student was able to calm down within minutes. "His screaming would knock your head off," said Pam Thornton, the student's lead teacher. "He would scream at the top of his lungs. He would not sit and would walk away," she said, describing the child's behavior prior to massage intervention. After massage, "he seemed peaceful and more focused. I think it was the best thing for him. It's just amazing. I wish it could have continued on a regular basis." Thornton noted that in the absence of massage treatment, the student reverted to noncompliant behavior and screaming episodes.
Clark fashioned his dream on the framework of pioneering research with autistic children conducted at the Touch Research Institute in Miami, Fla. He has completed two case studies and is determined to continue in-school application of his skills if he can get grant funding. While Clark's work had significant impact, massage therapy is not part of his job description at the Academy and was only provided to students within the study period. But this small project highlights a major breakthrough in the understanding and treatment of autistic spectrum disorders. Once thought to be aversive to attachment and touch, children with autistic behaviors have been shown to respond to the bonding process and, as is evident in Clark's work, are in fact calmed by touch.
Autistic Syndrome Disorders
Autism in children was first described in medical literature in 1943 by Dr. Leo Kanner, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University. He noted these children were self-absorbed, exhibiting problems in communication, social interaction and behavior. Similarly, pediatrician Hans Asperger of Austria applied the term in 1944 to children who, despite having normal intelligence and verbal skills, were socially inadequate and prone to bizarre obsessions.1 In 1967, Freudian psychologist Bruno Bettelheim published a book on autism titled The Empty Fortress. He proposed that mothers of autistic children were cold and rejecting, and in response, the children developed an inability to communicate or form interpersonal attachment. In Bettelheim's view, widely accepted at the time, it was in the best interest of the autistic child to be removed from the mother's care and institutionalized in a setting that would provide the missing acceptance and love.
Although the specific causes (there may prove to be many) of autism are still debated, mothers are no longer on the hot seat. More recent investigation by experts in the field have given a different view -- that of a malfunctioning brain. By and large, autistic children are raised at home under their parents' care while attending special school classes designed to meet their challenging needs. Living and working with autistic children is at times both frustrating and rewarding. Symptoms can range from screaming fits and long, drawn-out episodes of self-stimulating behaviors to mute withdrawal.
The brain disorder specific to autism manifests itself in a variety of ways, but most pervasively "affects a person's ability to communicate, form relationships with others and respond appropriately to the environment."2 Beyond this shared deficit, each child displays symptoms to a varying degree and cluster. The disorder is generally recognized by age 2 and persists throughout life. The child is noted to be aloof, resisting affection or interaction and avoiding eye contact. Language skills are delayed or absent. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, as many as half of autistic individuals remain mute throughout their life. Some who develop language use it in odd ways, repeating what they hear echolalia), failing to structure complete sentences, using single words or displaying a sing-song, robotic voice.
In any event, with or without words, the child lacks the ability to make requests for his needs or to respond appropriately to his environment. With advancing age, problems in self-control emerge, including aggression and angry outbursts, or repetitive movements such as rocking. Many autistic children have sensory malfunction as well and are averse to certain sights, sounds, smells or touch.3
Within the United States, diagnosis of autism banks primarily on the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in its current form, the DSMV-IV. But some controversy regarding diagnosis criteria exists among experts, both stateside and throughout the world. In the DSMV-IV, autism falls under a broader category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs) which includes Asperger's Syndrome, an autistic syndrome in which the individual exhibits autistic behaviors but appears to reach normal intelligence and developmental milestones in early childhood. In fact, there are several other distinctly classified disorders in which autistic behaviors are present.4 Children with autism typically test out as mentally retarded, although 10 percent or more have average or exceptional intelligence.5 But herein lies a quirk in the system -- in the presence of major language deficits, how can intelligence be accurately tested? Communication remains the primary challenge in autism and without communication, all else falls to the side.
Research of autism has uncovered brain abnormalities in some autistic people, both structural and biochemical.6 Some experts, such as Bernard Rimland of the Autism Research Institute in San Diego, Calif., have been investigating alternative approaches in determining causative or interactive factors and subsequent biomedical treatment. From viral infections to pollution, no stone has been left unturned in the search for causes, and current treatments cover the gamut from nutritional programs to immune system boosters.7
Touch, Connection and Control
As the concept of autism as a specific disorder first became more organized, it was presumed autistic children lacked the ability to form emotional attachment to their parents and other significant caretakers in their life. In recent research studies, the opposite has been shown, with study subjects showing a clear preference for those with whom they are in close daily and supportive contact. However, this attachment does not transfer to an internalized working model for establishing appropriate relationships in general. What is lacking in the autistic is the ability to empathize with and take on the other person's viewpoint, thus their social communication is stunted.8
It is this basic need for and response to attachment that allowed Clark to establish a therapeutic connection through massage with the students in his study. Because much of his work is provided one-on-one, he was accepted as a standard and integral part of the daily routine.
Four years ago, Clark was working with children in a mental health clinic. His clients included those with behavior problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A supervisor who left the facility for a job at Reardon encouraged Clark to hire on at the school as a teacher's assistant and he's been there since. Concurrently, Clark was working toward another goal, to become a massage therapist. In April 2001 he entered classes at Savannah School of Massage. As his training in massage progressed, he considered the benefits massage could have for children as well as adults. "In the classroom," said Clark, "attention span is not there so much." After completing massage training, he sought permission from the school and parents to explore the possibility of helping his students increase concentration and classroom performance.
"I had some help from other teachers in other classrooms. The biggest plus for me was that I had a bond with the children. They were secure enough with me to let me perform the massage. You have to form a special bond with a child for them to let you touch them and basically they trusted me. You have to have a lot of patience. Initial touch is a basic to get them to relax."
Clark has used cranial massage along with some compression and other basic techniques for the children with autistic behaviors. He has found sacral rocking very relaxing for his students. "It's real popular with the kids," he said. "When I'm with a child and put my hand on their shoulders, they might ask for a rub, in some way, shape or form. I'll ask them if they know what a massage is and if they would like one. When I bring the table in, they are curious." Students have also shown an interest in Clark's massage training, sometimes questioning him about his school. "I let them know in order for them to get what they want out of life, they need to go to school, that it's a positive thing."
While assisting at a summer camp retreat for children with multiple sclerosis, Clark donated massages to the staff. "Wherever possible, I try to help. I don't mind helping people. I try to make it known massage is for everyone." Even teachers and parents at the school are offered a little shoulder massage throughout the day.
Donald Hall, Ph.D., director of the academy, was highly instrumental in Clark's project, not only clearing the way administratively, but also in developing a scoring system to assess improvement in the students' performance following massage treatment. "What we did," said Hall, "was initially look at what massage would do for these kids in learning. We tracked learning for that individual for that specific task. It seemed it was helping at least in the pilot studies we've done. We tried to keep it as scientific as we could, with control variables and a written procedure."
In the pilot studies, students served as their own controls. The project included a three-week trial period with massage and another three-week period without massage. Clark would then document how many minutes a student would stay on task and the amount of work accomplished during that time. The daily routine was kept consistent, as were other factors, such as room temperature and atmosphere.
The 11 students at the Reardon Academy all have neurological and communication problems with deficits in speech and language, although not all are labeled as autistic.
Clark also worked with 13-year-old Jason, diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome and Tourette's syndrome. Jason was given primarily cranial massage therapy, along with effleurage and petrissage on the neck, back, shoulders, hands and fingers in a 15-minute session, once per day, for three weeks.
According to Janet Long, his aunt and caretaker from birth, Jason's autistic-like behaviors decreased during the pilot project and have continued to do so with home treatments by Clark. In the school study, Jason's tics (involuntary repetitive movements) diminished significantly, resulting in increased concentration and attention to task. Clark added, "This decrease of undesirable behaviors directly impacted his academic performance and social interactions." He was able to complete 25 math problems within a 28-minute time frame as compared to completion of only one to five problems within the same time frame during the three-week control period without therapy.
"I can tell a difference in his work and with learning," said Long. "He is more on task when he has this massage. I think it's been wonderful because it's made him more relaxed." Long noted that Jason's personality seems to have changed. He's become more outgoing and less frightened of personal interaction. "He's more of a little ham. He enjoys it. Jason is a very nervous person and massage releases a lot of stress. At night when we do homework, he's much calmer."
Clark also worked with a 9-year-old male whose screaming in the classroom was a constant occurrence. "It really altered his learning," said Clark. On massage days, the student would help Clark set up the table, put the sheets on and climb on the table, usually cooperating with him for most of the hour-long session. Following massage, his attention span lasted at least 5 to10 minutes. "Some days he would sit up or get a little antsy," said Clark, "and it took a few times to get him situated. There were certain massages he would enjoy -- on the feet, fingers, hand and head. He liked the pressure and loved to be touched. A head scratch or cranial rub soothed him." In beginning sessions, Clark focused on making the child comfortable and building a rapport. "After that, I was able to work on him for a large amount of time. The main key is patience."
For the children whose lives and bodies Clark has touched, massage has opened a doorway to new possibilities and accomplishments. "Currently," said Clark, "many types of therapies are included in the multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of autism, like music, art, occupational and speech. I feel that massage therapy is a beneficial therapy approach that is currently overlooked. I am convinced that massage therapy can have a positive influence on the social and academic performance of children with autism."
Shirley Vanderbilt is a staff writer for Massage & Bodywork magazine.
Originally published in Massage & Bodywork magazine, February/ March 2003.
Copyright 2003. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.
http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/47/Calming-the-Inner-Storm
Calming the Inner Storm
Easing Autistic Behaviors with Massage Therapy
By Shirley Vanderbilt
Jonathan Clark teaches children with developmental and communication disorders. He is also a certified massage therapist with a dream. "There are so many different things that massage helps adults with," said Clark recently from his office at The Matthew Reardon Advanced Academy in Savannah, Ga. "I know it relaxes me to the point I can focus. I thought maybe it could help a child focus."
Putting words into action, in early 2002 Clark sought permission from school officials and parents to conduct a pilot study within the school setting. Among his subjects was an 11-year-old autistic male. "This student had an expressive language deficit which inhibited him from communicating with others," said Clark. "His attention span was very short and he would only attend to tasks for one to two minutes at a time. This, coupled with other issues, led to severe behavior problems. Uncontrollable fits of anxiety and rage were noted throughout the school day. Yelling, screaming, hand-biting and violent, side-to-side rocking took place with each attack. Several behavior interventions were attempted without positive results."
Amazingly, this same student was receptive to the hour-long massage sessions (primarily head and facial) Clark administered for nine consecutive days. On the days he received massage, the student's behavior improved dramatically. "His attention span increased from two minutes to 10 minutes," said Clark. "He could attend to tasks longer and was more receptive to interaction and redirection in the classroom."
Previously, an episode of agitation might last a full hour. On massage days, the student was able to calm down within minutes. "His screaming would knock your head off," said Pam Thornton, the student's lead teacher. "He would scream at the top of his lungs. He would not sit and would walk away," she said, describing the child's behavior prior to massage intervention. After massage, "he seemed peaceful and more focused. I think it was the best thing for him. It's just amazing. I wish it could have continued on a regular basis." Thornton noted that in the absence of massage treatment, the student reverted to noncompliant behavior and screaming episodes.
Clark fashioned his dream on the framework of pioneering research with autistic children conducted at the Touch Research Institute in Miami, Fla. He has completed two case studies and is determined to continue in-school application of his skills if he can get grant funding. While Clark's work had significant impact, massage therapy is not part of his job description at the Academy and was only provided to students within the study period. But this small project highlights a major breakthrough in the understanding and treatment of autistic spectrum disorders. Once thought to be aversive to attachment and touch, children with autistic behaviors have been shown to respond to the bonding process and, as is evident in Clark's work, are in fact calmed by touch.
Autistic Syndrome Disorders
Autism in children was first described in medical literature in 1943 by Dr. Leo Kanner, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University. He noted these children were self-absorbed, exhibiting problems in communication, social interaction and behavior. Similarly, pediatrician Hans Asperger of Austria applied the term in 1944 to children who, despite having normal intelligence and verbal skills, were socially inadequate and prone to bizarre obsessions.1 In 1967, Freudian psychologist Bruno Bettelheim published a book on autism titled The Empty Fortress. He proposed that mothers of autistic children were cold and rejecting, and in response, the children developed an inability to communicate or form interpersonal attachment. In Bettelheim's view, widely accepted at the time, it was in the best interest of the autistic child to be removed from the mother's care and institutionalized in a setting that would provide the missing acceptance and love.
Although the specific causes (there may prove to be many) of autism are still debated, mothers are no longer on the hot seat. More recent investigation by experts in the field have given a different view -- that of a malfunctioning brain. By and large, autistic children are raised at home under their parents' care while attending special school classes designed to meet their challenging needs. Living and working with autistic children is at times both frustrating and rewarding. Symptoms can range from screaming fits and long, drawn-out episodes of self-stimulating behaviors to mute withdrawal.
The brain disorder specific to autism manifests itself in a variety of ways, but most pervasively "affects a person's ability to communicate, form relationships with others and respond appropriately to the environment."2 Beyond this shared deficit, each child displays symptoms to a varying degree and cluster. The disorder is generally recognized by age 2 and persists throughout life. The child is noted to be aloof, resisting affection or interaction and avoiding eye contact. Language skills are delayed or absent. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, as many as half of autistic individuals remain mute throughout their life. Some who develop language use it in odd ways, repeating what they hear echolalia), failing to structure complete sentences, using single words or displaying a sing-song, robotic voice.
In any event, with or without words, the child lacks the ability to make requests for his needs or to respond appropriately to his environment. With advancing age, problems in self-control emerge, including aggression and angry outbursts, or repetitive movements such as rocking. Many autistic children have sensory malfunction as well and are averse to certain sights, sounds, smells or touch.3
Within the United States, diagnosis of autism banks primarily on the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in its current form, the DSMV-IV. But some controversy regarding diagnosis criteria exists among experts, both stateside and throughout the world. In the DSMV-IV, autism falls under a broader category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs) which includes Asperger's Syndrome, an autistic syndrome in which the individual exhibits autistic behaviors but appears to reach normal intelligence and developmental milestones in early childhood. In fact, there are several other distinctly classified disorders in which autistic behaviors are present.4 Children with autism typically test out as mentally retarded, although 10 percent or more have average or exceptional intelligence.5 But herein lies a quirk in the system -- in the presence of major language deficits, how can intelligence be accurately tested? Communication remains the primary challenge in autism and without communication, all else falls to the side.
Research of autism has uncovered brain abnormalities in some autistic people, both structural and biochemical.6 Some experts, such as Bernard Rimland of the Autism Research Institute in San Diego, Calif., have been investigating alternative approaches in determining causative or interactive factors and subsequent biomedical treatment. From viral infections to pollution, no stone has been left unturned in the search for causes, and current treatments cover the gamut from nutritional programs to immune system boosters.7
Touch, Connection and Control
As the concept of autism as a specific disorder first became more organized, it was presumed autistic children lacked the ability to form emotional attachment to their parents and other significant caretakers in their life. In recent research studies, the opposite has been shown, with study subjects showing a clear preference for those with whom they are in close daily and supportive contact. However, this attachment does not transfer to an internalized working model for establishing appropriate relationships in general. What is lacking in the autistic is the ability to empathize with and take on the other person's viewpoint, thus their social communication is stunted.8
It is this basic need for and response to attachment that allowed Clark to establish a therapeutic connection through massage with the students in his study. Because much of his work is provided one-on-one, he was accepted as a standard and integral part of the daily routine.
Four years ago, Clark was working with children in a mental health clinic. His clients included those with behavior problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A supervisor who left the facility for a job at Reardon encouraged Clark to hire on at the school as a teacher's assistant and he's been there since. Concurrently, Clark was working toward another goal, to become a massage therapist. In April 2001 he entered classes at Savannah School of Massage. As his training in massage progressed, he considered the benefits massage could have for children as well as adults. "In the classroom," said Clark, "attention span is not there so much." After completing massage training, he sought permission from the school and parents to explore the possibility of helping his students increase concentration and classroom performance.
"I had some help from other teachers in other classrooms. The biggest plus for me was that I had a bond with the children. They were secure enough with me to let me perform the massage. You have to form a special bond with a child for them to let you touch them and basically they trusted me. You have to have a lot of patience. Initial touch is a basic to get them to relax."
Clark has used cranial massage along with some compression and other basic techniques for the children with autistic behaviors. He has found sacral rocking very relaxing for his students. "It's real popular with the kids," he said. "When I'm with a child and put my hand on their shoulders, they might ask for a rub, in some way, shape or form. I'll ask them if they know what a massage is and if they would like one. When I bring the table in, they are curious." Students have also shown an interest in Clark's massage training, sometimes questioning him about his school. "I let them know in order for them to get what they want out of life, they need to go to school, that it's a positive thing."
While assisting at a summer camp retreat for children with multiple sclerosis, Clark donated massages to the staff. "Wherever possible, I try to help. I don't mind helping people. I try to make it known massage is for everyone." Even teachers and parents at the school are offered a little shoulder massage throughout the day.
Donald Hall, Ph.D., director of the academy, was highly instrumental in Clark's project, not only clearing the way administratively, but also in developing a scoring system to assess improvement in the students' performance following massage treatment. "What we did," said Hall, "was initially look at what massage would do for these kids in learning. We tracked learning for that individual for that specific task. It seemed it was helping at least in the pilot studies we've done. We tried to keep it as scientific as we could, with control variables and a written procedure."
In the pilot studies, students served as their own controls. The project included a three-week trial period with massage and another three-week period without massage. Clark would then document how many minutes a student would stay on task and the amount of work accomplished during that time. The daily routine was kept consistent, as were other factors, such as room temperature and atmosphere.
The 11 students at the Reardon Academy all have neurological and communication problems with deficits in speech and language, although not all are labeled as autistic.
Clark also worked with 13-year-old Jason, diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome and Tourette's syndrome. Jason was given primarily cranial massage therapy, along with effleurage and petrissage on the neck, back, shoulders, hands and fingers in a 15-minute session, once per day, for three weeks.
According to Janet Long, his aunt and caretaker from birth, Jason's autistic-like behaviors decreased during the pilot project and have continued to do so with home treatments by Clark. In the school study, Jason's tics (involuntary repetitive movements) diminished significantly, resulting in increased concentration and attention to task. Clark added, "This decrease of undesirable behaviors directly impacted his academic performance and social interactions." He was able to complete 25 math problems within a 28-minute time frame as compared to completion of only one to five problems within the same time frame during the three-week control period without therapy.
"I can tell a difference in his work and with learning," said Long. "He is more on task when he has this massage. I think it's been wonderful because it's made him more relaxed." Long noted that Jason's personality seems to have changed. He's become more outgoing and less frightened of personal interaction. "He's more of a little ham. He enjoys it. Jason is a very nervous person and massage releases a lot of stress. At night when we do homework, he's much calmer."
Clark also worked with a 9-year-old male whose screaming in the classroom was a constant occurrence. "It really altered his learning," said Clark. On massage days, the student would help Clark set up the table, put the sheets on and climb on the table, usually cooperating with him for most of the hour-long session. Following massage, his attention span lasted at least 5 to10 minutes. "Some days he would sit up or get a little antsy," said Clark, "and it took a few times to get him situated. There were certain massages he would enjoy -- on the feet, fingers, hand and head. He liked the pressure and loved to be touched. A head scratch or cranial rub soothed him." In beginning sessions, Clark focused on making the child comfortable and building a rapport. "After that, I was able to work on him for a large amount of time. The main key is patience."
For the children whose lives and bodies Clark has touched, massage has opened a doorway to new possibilities and accomplishments. "Currently," said Clark, "many types of therapies are included in the multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of autism, like music, art, occupational and speech. I feel that massage therapy is a beneficial therapy approach that is currently overlooked. I am convinced that massage therapy can have a positive influence on the social and academic performance of children with autism."
Shirley Vanderbilt is a staff writer for Massage & Bodywork magazine.
Originally published in Massage & Bodywork magazine, February/ March 2003.
Copyright 2003. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.
The Puzzle of Perfect Posture - Using Cranial Sacral for Posture
Another great article with pictures to show how through Cranial Sacral massage, you can change your posture!
http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/1282/The-Puzzle-of-Perfect-Posture
The Puzzle of Perfect Posture
By Erik Dalton
No therapeutic approach to pain management is satisfactory until body posture is generally improved. Whatever the cause of the client's problem, special focus should always be given to posture. Overall body alignment may seem time consuming and is therefore frequently neglected because both therapist and client are often content with immediate symptom alleviation. In recent years, however, the manual therapy community has been blessed with scientific advances spearheaded by researchers such as J. Gordon Zink (Common Compensatory Pattern)1 and Vladimir Janda (Upper and Lower Crossed Syndromes)2 which has sparked renewed interest in the neuromyofascial formation of commonly seen postural patterns. As a result, new structural balancing approaches have surfaced that not only save time but also offer more satisfying long-lasting results.
Figure 1. Postural imbalances from gravitational compressive loading. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
By integrating these new strategies, the demands for structurally-trained pain therapists increases as chronic sufferers find relief from long-standing musculoskeletal ailments. This ultimately sets these bodyworkers apart in the eyes of clients and referral sources.
For today's touch therapist to gain a basic understanding of how distorted postural patterns lead to chronic head, neck and back pain, the concept of perfect posture must first be defined. Simply put, perfect posture is a condition where body mass is evenly distributed and balance is evenly maintained during standing and locomotion, i.e., "body mass is evenly dispersed in relation to gravity over a given base of support." Since our bodies are eloquently designed to react to any shift in center of gravity through sophisticated somatic mechanisms, if the normal function of any part of the mind/body system becomes overstressed, a vicious cycle of pain and dysfunction begins. Structural alignment pain therapists seek to restore normal mobility to all components of the somatic system by correcting postural imbalances to minimize compressional loading from gravitational exposure (see Figure 1).
Each of us is affected by the mysterious and potentially stressful force of gravity. If, for a moment, we assume that posture is the result of the dynamic interaction of two groups of forces acting on the human body--the environmental force of gravity on one hand and the strength of the individual on the other--then posture could be considered as the ideal expression of balance between these two groups of forces. Therefore, any deterioration of posture indicates that the individual is losing ground in the contest with gravity's unrelenting power.
Figure 2. Notice in the Type I pelvis how the cranium has successfully compensated for the short right leg and sacral base unleveling. When cranial side shift is added, the entire structure decompensates leading to pain
Proprioceptive Influence on Posture
Postural homeostatic lessons are learned early in life by the central nervous system (CNS). Visual and proprioceptive input continually supplies toddlers with the necessary information for growth and development. Normally, as a child progresses into adolescence, compressive forces on spinal intervertebral discs and facet joints are beautifully balanced through ligamentous tension allowing minimal energy expenditure from postural muscles. However, structural or functional body stressors (tension, trauma, genetics, etc.), may prevent achievement of optimum posture. Faulty posture from physical occurrences such as leg length discrepancies, cranial imbalances, and scoliosis alters the body's center of gravity which requires mechanical adjustments (compensations) leading to muscle, fascial, and osseous adaptations (see Figure 2).
If a joint's mechanical behavior is altered, flexibility and range of motion suffers. The increase in mechanoreceptor stimulation from chronically locked joints results in neuroreflexive muscular changes, i.e., protective muscle guarding. Long-standing over-activation of abnormal joint reflexes causes changes in spinal cord memory that eventually "burns a groove" in the CNS as the brain and cord are unknowingly saturated with a constant stream of inappropriate proprioceptive information. Regrettably, the brain comes to rely on this faulty information about where it is in space to determine how to establish perfect posture. The brain simply forgets what its alignment should be. Many of us have experienced the distress of standing in a three-way mirror trying on a suit or dress when suddenly a shocking profile appears. We ask ourselves where, when, and how did this protruding belly, slumped shouldered, and accompanying forward head posture develop? The silent progression of aberrant postures is all part of the reflexogenic relationship between muscles and joints.
Figure 3. Trunk stabilizers form a perfect antigravity cylinder support system that lifts the thorax with each step. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
Gravity and Tensegrity
Some humans appear genetically blessed with optimal posture--where muscles are not actively working as restraining tissues, ligamentous tension is perfectly balanced against compressive and tensegrity forces--and normal, everyday activities such as standing and walking require minimal energy expenditure. Buttressed by a dynamic antigravity tensegrity system, tensional and compressive forces are evenly dispersed through the entire organism. The ligamentous pelvic bowl is a key structure and part of an eloquent myofascial web designed to transmit forces from above and below during locomotion.
When working properly, trunk stabilizers such as transversus abdominis, thoracolumbar fascia, multifidus, and pelvic/respiratory diaphragms form a perfect antigravity pump that lifts the thorax with each step (see Figure 3). In the presence of normal spinal curves, the body's bony framework is effectively supported and moved by this remarkably elastic myofascial network. As the person walks or runs, the antigravity springing mechanism decompresses intravertebral discs and facet joints allowing lubricating synovial fluids (metabolic substrates) to be sucked in (see Figure 4).
Gluteus medius and minimus are excellent examples of the power generated by tensegrity muscles. Regrettably, they are possibly the least appreciated and most important of all of the body's antigravity structures. When firing in proper order (during the stance phase), these primary hip abductors must elevate the contralateral ilium to allow the leg to swing through preventing the foot from dragging the ground (see Figure 5).
Figure 4. During locomotion, the antigravity springing system decompresses and hydrates intravertebral discs and facet joints through a process called imbibement. Acland's Video Atlas of Human Anatomy, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2002.
Figure 5. In the normal walking cycle, the right gluteus medius/ minimus must fire first to elevate the contralateral ilium (right pelvic sidebending) so the left leg can swing through. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
Wasted Energy
Ideally, during the static act of standing, postural muscles are in a state of normal tonus and not actively contracting. In reality, however, most people have less-than-perfect postural balance and as a result, active muscular contraction is required to redistribute body mass and effectively hold it in place. Muscles are now working against gravity and performing the job of ligaments as they are forced to stabilize the spine. If a person's homeostatic threshold has been violated, tonic postural muscles tighten and shorten while their phasic antagonists become overstretched and weak. Asymmetric patterns develop and soon the antigravity function of the body's myofascial system collapses, sending warning alarms to deep intrinsic structures such as spinal ligaments, joint capsules, and intervertebral discs to brace against the onslaught of overbearing compressional loads.
Figure 6. Vladimir Janda's upper crossed
Because locomotion requires the controlled loss and regaining of balance, movement of any body part with respect to the rest of the body shifts its centerline of gravity, causing an inevitable change in overall balance. Muscle and ligamentous tension is maintained by negative feedback from sensory receptors located in joint capsules, ligaments, fascia, and intervertebral discs. Structural asymmetries increase sensory information to the CNS which is then interpreted and reflected in predictable asymmetrical postural patterns such as Vladimir Janda's upper crossed syndrome (see Figure 6). An enormous amount of information can be gleaned by manually and visually assessing for these postural irregularities (see Figure 7). Observation of posture provides the clinician with the first and most important clues to the client's overall physical, emotional, and psychological condition.
Figure 7. An enormous amount of information can be gleaned by manually and visually assessing for asymmetries such as forward head postures. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
Compensation
For the body to sail smoothly through life, it must have the ability to repair, regulate, and protect itself. Humans possess a complex self-regulatory mechanism that allows for adjustments to environmental stresses while maintaining homeostasis in all systems--myofascial, skeletal, nervous, circulatory, endocrine, etc. These compensatory mechanisms work to keep the body in balance regardless of what works upon it or what happens around it. Although innate compensation is obviously a much needed protective device for repairing worn out parts and maintaining bodily homeostasis, its role in maintaining posture is often confusing as overlapping strain patterns accumulate.
In simple terms, compensation is the counter-balancing of any defect of bodily structure or function (see Figure . Compensated postures are the result of an individual's homeostatic mechanism working smoothly even though they exist within a body exhibiting less than ideal posture. Fortunately, this neurologically hard-wired compensatory mechanism allows the person to operate as efficiently as possible in less than perfect circumstances. Most clients entering our workplace are compensated in one way or another. In the early stages, the individual with structural compensation appears to function normally despite some occasional aches and pains. When physical injury occurs, local myofascial structures tighten (splinting reflex) allowing the body to compensate and continue on its journey--safely, healthfully, and productively. Regrettably, as time passes, these compensations accumulate and integrate into myofascial, osseous, and visceral systems. Repeated traumatic physical episodes also leave emotional scarring that buries deep within our self-regulating energy system. Micro or macro traumas never leave the body but infiltrate and integrate into every cell and system of the organism. In time, these compensations surface and are visually reflected in every step.
Figure 8. Compensated posture from sustained compressional loading. MediClip, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2006.
Decompensation
When an individual's homeostatic thresholds are overwhelmed, decompensation occurs. The most destructive postural adaptations occur at the four transitional zones (cervicocranial, cervicothoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbosacral). These critical cross-over junctions are areas where anatomical structural changes create the greatest potential for neuromyoskeletal dysfunction (see Figure 9, page 3. By developing acute visual and palpatory skills, therapists can quickly become proficient in monitoring and correcting regional zone asymmetry in clients. Many find that assessing and correcting transitional zone decompensations alone produces surprisingly dramatic postural improvement and helps attune therapists to the visual art of unraveling complex strain patterns. Because of an accumulated history of genetic, traumatic, and habitual processes requiring compensations--in the real world--few clients actually present with ideal posture.
Figure 9. Critical cross-over junctions portend the greatest potential for neuromyoskeletal dysfunction. Reprinted from Ross Pope with permission, 2003.
The Battle Between Intrinsics and Extrinsics
Deep intrinsic postural muscles such as the iliopsoas, quadratus, transversus abdominis, and multifidus contain more slow-twitch fibers and prefer burning oxygen for fuel (oxidative metabolism). These tonic muscles have a higher capillary density than extrinsics (rectus abdominis, rhomboids, lower trapezius, gluteals, etc.) and are better designed to withstand sustained compressional loads during normal activities such as standing and walking. Since tonic (postural) muscles have more high-density slow-twitch fibers, they react to functional disturbances by shortening and tightening. Problems appear when the muscle shortening process compresses and twists spinal joints. In the presence of joint dysfunction, the muscle spindles' gamma system can neurologically weaken the transversospinalis and erector spinae muscles creating scoliotic patterns. As deep intrinsic muscles become spasmodic, their fascial bags react by forming contractures. This leads to a loss of oxygen fuel causing muscle fatigue and eventual collapse of the body's antigravity system.
The compressive load must then shift to the extrinsic (phasic) muscles. Phasic shoulder girdle muscles such as the rhomboids, lower trapezius, posterior rotator cuff, serratus anterior, and triceps brachii are usually the first to respond. Since these tissues contain a greater number of fast-twitch fibers, they are dynamic and emit bursts of energy. However, their reliance on glucose for fuel (glycolytic metabolism) causes them to fatigue easily. As the supply of glucose diminishes, the extrinsics "give-out" and reluctantly shift the load back to the already overworked and exhausted intrinsics. Many aberrant postural patterns entering our practices belong to bodies screaming out for help--either because they are in an intrinsic or extrinsic stage of collapse (see Figure 10, page 3.
Figure 10. The progression of aberrant strain patterns and their effect on structure. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
Athletics and Posture
The issues of faulty posture are often magnified in athletic clients. Imbalances such as short-leg syndromes resulting from a tilted innominate or pronated foot can dramatically reduce speed, strength, coordination, and endurance. Moreover, an athlete's joints are often subjected to abnormal mechanical stresses. Alterations in joint function caused by capsular restriction or loss of joint play either inhibit or facilitate muscles that cross the misaligned joint.3
Muscle imbalances occur as the length-tension relationship surrounding a given joint is disrupted. Therefore, when treating muscle imbalances in athletes, the primary goal is restoration of length, strength, and control of muscle function. Many of todayexercise programs address length and strength, but few deal with the issues of motor control. Any successful exercise program must focus on restoring proper central nervous system control. Muscle firing order sequencing is of particular concern to today's sports therapist. The following myoskeletal approach has proved
successful in restoring muscle balance, reducing nociception, and improving proprioception in competing athletes and the general population as well.
- Lengthen short, hypertonic muscles, and their enveloping fascia.
- Strengthen weak, inhibited muscles through specific hands-on spindle techniques and Thera Band retraining exercises.
- Correct aberrant hip hyperextension, hip abduction, shoulder abduction, and neck flexion firing order patterns.
- Restore proprioceptive motor balance (mini trampolines, yoga, etc.).
- Maintain a good aerobic exercise program.
Electromyographic studies have repeatedly demonstrated how alterations in the proper sequence of muscle activation (firing order) adversely affect speed and coordination in competing athletes. Clinically, it has been found that in some athletes, inhibition of dynamic extrinsic muscles--commonly due to joint dysfunction--may be so great that attempting to strengthen the inhibited muscles through resistance training may only serve to further intensify the inhibition.4 This is a vital piece of information for the sports therapist. The bottom line is to first create myofascial balance and restore proper joint function before recommending strengthening exercises. Once muscle balance, posture, and pain-free movement have improved, the client can resume resistance retraining and aerobic exercises.
Moving Forward
Because muscle contraction requires energy, postural imbalances drain energy in proportion to the magnitude of the imbalance. This is wasted energy, energy unavailable for its original purposes. Energy-drains dramatically affect the limbic system--the highest cortical level regulating muscle tone. As whole-body tension builds, therapists begin to see energy-draining symptoms reflected in conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and digestive or hormonal disorders.
It has long been known that psychological factors play a large part in creating distorted postures through selective tightening of specific muscle groups. The word "uptight" is an expression commonly used to denote that feeling of tightness, stiffness, and fatigue. The power mantra: Poor posture is always perpetuated as tight muscles become tighter--weak muscles become weaker--and CNS motor control becomes disrupted. If not properly assessed and corrected, this commonly seen postural progression leads to agonizing, self-perpetuating pain/spasm/ pain cycles.
Erik Dalton, PhD, originator of the Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques and founder of the Freedom From Pain Institute, shares a broad therapeutic background in Rolfing and manipulative osteopathy in his innovative pain-management workshops. Visit www.erikdalton.com to view additional Myoskeletal Alignment Technique articles and new products and to register for a free monthly technique newsletter. Call 800-709-5054 for more information.
Originally published in Massage & Bodywork magazine, October/November 2006. Copyright 2006. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.
http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/1282/The-Puzzle-of-Perfect-Posture
The Puzzle of Perfect Posture
By Erik Dalton
No therapeutic approach to pain management is satisfactory until body posture is generally improved. Whatever the cause of the client's problem, special focus should always be given to posture. Overall body alignment may seem time consuming and is therefore frequently neglected because both therapist and client are often content with immediate symptom alleviation. In recent years, however, the manual therapy community has been blessed with scientific advances spearheaded by researchers such as J. Gordon Zink (Common Compensatory Pattern)1 and Vladimir Janda (Upper and Lower Crossed Syndromes)2 which has sparked renewed interest in the neuromyofascial formation of commonly seen postural patterns. As a result, new structural balancing approaches have surfaced that not only save time but also offer more satisfying long-lasting results.
Figure 1. Postural imbalances from gravitational compressive loading. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
By integrating these new strategies, the demands for structurally-trained pain therapists increases as chronic sufferers find relief from long-standing musculoskeletal ailments. This ultimately sets these bodyworkers apart in the eyes of clients and referral sources.
For today's touch therapist to gain a basic understanding of how distorted postural patterns lead to chronic head, neck and back pain, the concept of perfect posture must first be defined. Simply put, perfect posture is a condition where body mass is evenly distributed and balance is evenly maintained during standing and locomotion, i.e., "body mass is evenly dispersed in relation to gravity over a given base of support." Since our bodies are eloquently designed to react to any shift in center of gravity through sophisticated somatic mechanisms, if the normal function of any part of the mind/body system becomes overstressed, a vicious cycle of pain and dysfunction begins. Structural alignment pain therapists seek to restore normal mobility to all components of the somatic system by correcting postural imbalances to minimize compressional loading from gravitational exposure (see Figure 1).
Each of us is affected by the mysterious and potentially stressful force of gravity. If, for a moment, we assume that posture is the result of the dynamic interaction of two groups of forces acting on the human body--the environmental force of gravity on one hand and the strength of the individual on the other--then posture could be considered as the ideal expression of balance between these two groups of forces. Therefore, any deterioration of posture indicates that the individual is losing ground in the contest with gravity's unrelenting power.
Figure 2. Notice in the Type I pelvis how the cranium has successfully compensated for the short right leg and sacral base unleveling. When cranial side shift is added, the entire structure decompensates leading to pain
Proprioceptive Influence on Posture
Postural homeostatic lessons are learned early in life by the central nervous system (CNS). Visual and proprioceptive input continually supplies toddlers with the necessary information for growth and development. Normally, as a child progresses into adolescence, compressive forces on spinal intervertebral discs and facet joints are beautifully balanced through ligamentous tension allowing minimal energy expenditure from postural muscles. However, structural or functional body stressors (tension, trauma, genetics, etc.), may prevent achievement of optimum posture. Faulty posture from physical occurrences such as leg length discrepancies, cranial imbalances, and scoliosis alters the body's center of gravity which requires mechanical adjustments (compensations) leading to muscle, fascial, and osseous adaptations (see Figure 2).
If a joint's mechanical behavior is altered, flexibility and range of motion suffers. The increase in mechanoreceptor stimulation from chronically locked joints results in neuroreflexive muscular changes, i.e., protective muscle guarding. Long-standing over-activation of abnormal joint reflexes causes changes in spinal cord memory that eventually "burns a groove" in the CNS as the brain and cord are unknowingly saturated with a constant stream of inappropriate proprioceptive information. Regrettably, the brain comes to rely on this faulty information about where it is in space to determine how to establish perfect posture. The brain simply forgets what its alignment should be. Many of us have experienced the distress of standing in a three-way mirror trying on a suit or dress when suddenly a shocking profile appears. We ask ourselves where, when, and how did this protruding belly, slumped shouldered, and accompanying forward head posture develop? The silent progression of aberrant postures is all part of the reflexogenic relationship between muscles and joints.
Figure 3. Trunk stabilizers form a perfect antigravity cylinder support system that lifts the thorax with each step. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
Gravity and Tensegrity
Some humans appear genetically blessed with optimal posture--where muscles are not actively working as restraining tissues, ligamentous tension is perfectly balanced against compressive and tensegrity forces--and normal, everyday activities such as standing and walking require minimal energy expenditure. Buttressed by a dynamic antigravity tensegrity system, tensional and compressive forces are evenly dispersed through the entire organism. The ligamentous pelvic bowl is a key structure and part of an eloquent myofascial web designed to transmit forces from above and below during locomotion.
When working properly, trunk stabilizers such as transversus abdominis, thoracolumbar fascia, multifidus, and pelvic/respiratory diaphragms form a perfect antigravity pump that lifts the thorax with each step (see Figure 3). In the presence of normal spinal curves, the body's bony framework is effectively supported and moved by this remarkably elastic myofascial network. As the person walks or runs, the antigravity springing mechanism decompresses intravertebral discs and facet joints allowing lubricating synovial fluids (metabolic substrates) to be sucked in (see Figure 4).
Gluteus medius and minimus are excellent examples of the power generated by tensegrity muscles. Regrettably, they are possibly the least appreciated and most important of all of the body's antigravity structures. When firing in proper order (during the stance phase), these primary hip abductors must elevate the contralateral ilium to allow the leg to swing through preventing the foot from dragging the ground (see Figure 5).
Figure 4. During locomotion, the antigravity springing system decompresses and hydrates intravertebral discs and facet joints through a process called imbibement. Acland's Video Atlas of Human Anatomy, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2002.
Figure 5. In the normal walking cycle, the right gluteus medius/ minimus must fire first to elevate the contralateral ilium (right pelvic sidebending) so the left leg can swing through. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
Wasted Energy
Ideally, during the static act of standing, postural muscles are in a state of normal tonus and not actively contracting. In reality, however, most people have less-than-perfect postural balance and as a result, active muscular contraction is required to redistribute body mass and effectively hold it in place. Muscles are now working against gravity and performing the job of ligaments as they are forced to stabilize the spine. If a person's homeostatic threshold has been violated, tonic postural muscles tighten and shorten while their phasic antagonists become overstretched and weak. Asymmetric patterns develop and soon the antigravity function of the body's myofascial system collapses, sending warning alarms to deep intrinsic structures such as spinal ligaments, joint capsules, and intervertebral discs to brace against the onslaught of overbearing compressional loads.
Figure 6. Vladimir Janda's upper crossed
Because locomotion requires the controlled loss and regaining of balance, movement of any body part with respect to the rest of the body shifts its centerline of gravity, causing an inevitable change in overall balance. Muscle and ligamentous tension is maintained by negative feedback from sensory receptors located in joint capsules, ligaments, fascia, and intervertebral discs. Structural asymmetries increase sensory information to the CNS which is then interpreted and reflected in predictable asymmetrical postural patterns such as Vladimir Janda's upper crossed syndrome (see Figure 6). An enormous amount of information can be gleaned by manually and visually assessing for these postural irregularities (see Figure 7). Observation of posture provides the clinician with the first and most important clues to the client's overall physical, emotional, and psychological condition.
Figure 7. An enormous amount of information can be gleaned by manually and visually assessing for asymmetries such as forward head postures. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
Compensation
For the body to sail smoothly through life, it must have the ability to repair, regulate, and protect itself. Humans possess a complex self-regulatory mechanism that allows for adjustments to environmental stresses while maintaining homeostasis in all systems--myofascial, skeletal, nervous, circulatory, endocrine, etc. These compensatory mechanisms work to keep the body in balance regardless of what works upon it or what happens around it. Although innate compensation is obviously a much needed protective device for repairing worn out parts and maintaining bodily homeostasis, its role in maintaining posture is often confusing as overlapping strain patterns accumulate.
In simple terms, compensation is the counter-balancing of any defect of bodily structure or function (see Figure . Compensated postures are the result of an individual's homeostatic mechanism working smoothly even though they exist within a body exhibiting less than ideal posture. Fortunately, this neurologically hard-wired compensatory mechanism allows the person to operate as efficiently as possible in less than perfect circumstances. Most clients entering our workplace are compensated in one way or another. In the early stages, the individual with structural compensation appears to function normally despite some occasional aches and pains. When physical injury occurs, local myofascial structures tighten (splinting reflex) allowing the body to compensate and continue on its journey--safely, healthfully, and productively. Regrettably, as time passes, these compensations accumulate and integrate into myofascial, osseous, and visceral systems. Repeated traumatic physical episodes also leave emotional scarring that buries deep within our self-regulating energy system. Micro or macro traumas never leave the body but infiltrate and integrate into every cell and system of the organism. In time, these compensations surface and are visually reflected in every step.
Figure 8. Compensated posture from sustained compressional loading. MediClip, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2006.
Decompensation
When an individual's homeostatic thresholds are overwhelmed, decompensation occurs. The most destructive postural adaptations occur at the four transitional zones (cervicocranial, cervicothoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbosacral). These critical cross-over junctions are areas where anatomical structural changes create the greatest potential for neuromyoskeletal dysfunction (see Figure 9, page 3. By developing acute visual and palpatory skills, therapists can quickly become proficient in monitoring and correcting regional zone asymmetry in clients. Many find that assessing and correcting transitional zone decompensations alone produces surprisingly dramatic postural improvement and helps attune therapists to the visual art of unraveling complex strain patterns. Because of an accumulated history of genetic, traumatic, and habitual processes requiring compensations--in the real world--few clients actually present with ideal posture.
Figure 9. Critical cross-over junctions portend the greatest potential for neuromyoskeletal dysfunction. Reprinted from Ross Pope with permission, 2003.
The Battle Between Intrinsics and Extrinsics
Deep intrinsic postural muscles such as the iliopsoas, quadratus, transversus abdominis, and multifidus contain more slow-twitch fibers and prefer burning oxygen for fuel (oxidative metabolism). These tonic muscles have a higher capillary density than extrinsics (rectus abdominis, rhomboids, lower trapezius, gluteals, etc.) and are better designed to withstand sustained compressional loads during normal activities such as standing and walking. Since tonic (postural) muscles have more high-density slow-twitch fibers, they react to functional disturbances by shortening and tightening. Problems appear when the muscle shortening process compresses and twists spinal joints. In the presence of joint dysfunction, the muscle spindles' gamma system can neurologically weaken the transversospinalis and erector spinae muscles creating scoliotic patterns. As deep intrinsic muscles become spasmodic, their fascial bags react by forming contractures. This leads to a loss of oxygen fuel causing muscle fatigue and eventual collapse of the body's antigravity system.
The compressive load must then shift to the extrinsic (phasic) muscles. Phasic shoulder girdle muscles such as the rhomboids, lower trapezius, posterior rotator cuff, serratus anterior, and triceps brachii are usually the first to respond. Since these tissues contain a greater number of fast-twitch fibers, they are dynamic and emit bursts of energy. However, their reliance on glucose for fuel (glycolytic metabolism) causes them to fatigue easily. As the supply of glucose diminishes, the extrinsics "give-out" and reluctantly shift the load back to the already overworked and exhausted intrinsics. Many aberrant postural patterns entering our practices belong to bodies screaming out for help--either because they are in an intrinsic or extrinsic stage of collapse (see Figure 10, page 3.
Figure 10. The progression of aberrant strain patterns and their effect on structure. Courtesy of Erik Dalton.
Athletics and Posture
The issues of faulty posture are often magnified in athletic clients. Imbalances such as short-leg syndromes resulting from a tilted innominate or pronated foot can dramatically reduce speed, strength, coordination, and endurance. Moreover, an athlete's joints are often subjected to abnormal mechanical stresses. Alterations in joint function caused by capsular restriction or loss of joint play either inhibit or facilitate muscles that cross the misaligned joint.3
Muscle imbalances occur as the length-tension relationship surrounding a given joint is disrupted. Therefore, when treating muscle imbalances in athletes, the primary goal is restoration of length, strength, and control of muscle function. Many of todayexercise programs address length and strength, but few deal with the issues of motor control. Any successful exercise program must focus on restoring proper central nervous system control. Muscle firing order sequencing is of particular concern to today's sports therapist. The following myoskeletal approach has proved
successful in restoring muscle balance, reducing nociception, and improving proprioception in competing athletes and the general population as well.
- Lengthen short, hypertonic muscles, and their enveloping fascia.
- Strengthen weak, inhibited muscles through specific hands-on spindle techniques and Thera Band retraining exercises.
- Correct aberrant hip hyperextension, hip abduction, shoulder abduction, and neck flexion firing order patterns.
- Restore proprioceptive motor balance (mini trampolines, yoga, etc.).
- Maintain a good aerobic exercise program.
Electromyographic studies have repeatedly demonstrated how alterations in the proper sequence of muscle activation (firing order) adversely affect speed and coordination in competing athletes. Clinically, it has been found that in some athletes, inhibition of dynamic extrinsic muscles--commonly due to joint dysfunction--may be so great that attempting to strengthen the inhibited muscles through resistance training may only serve to further intensify the inhibition.4 This is a vital piece of information for the sports therapist. The bottom line is to first create myofascial balance and restore proper joint function before recommending strengthening exercises. Once muscle balance, posture, and pain-free movement have improved, the client can resume resistance retraining and aerobic exercises.
Moving Forward
Because muscle contraction requires energy, postural imbalances drain energy in proportion to the magnitude of the imbalance. This is wasted energy, energy unavailable for its original purposes. Energy-drains dramatically affect the limbic system--the highest cortical level regulating muscle tone. As whole-body tension builds, therapists begin to see energy-draining symptoms reflected in conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and digestive or hormonal disorders.
It has long been known that psychological factors play a large part in creating distorted postures through selective tightening of specific muscle groups. The word "uptight" is an expression commonly used to denote that feeling of tightness, stiffness, and fatigue. The power mantra: Poor posture is always perpetuated as tight muscles become tighter--weak muscles become weaker--and CNS motor control becomes disrupted. If not properly assessed and corrected, this commonly seen postural progression leads to agonizing, self-perpetuating pain/spasm/ pain cycles.
Erik Dalton, PhD, originator of the Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques and founder of the Freedom From Pain Institute, shares a broad therapeutic background in Rolfing and manipulative osteopathy in his innovative pain-management workshops. Visit www.erikdalton.com to view additional Myoskeletal Alignment Technique articles and new products and to register for a free monthly technique newsletter. Call 800-709-5054 for more information.
Originally published in Massage & Bodywork magazine, October/November 2006. Copyright 2006. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.
Series of Articles on Massage - Practical Needs
Massage Therapy - interactive tutorial, understand technically what massage therapists are doing.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/massagetherapy/htm/index.htm
Massage May Help Lift Depression
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_97046.html
Study Finds Benefits of Therapeutic Massage for Chronic Neck Pain
http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/051809.htm
Massage Fosters Healing in Bereaved Relatives
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_96960.html
Music Soothes Anxiety as Well as Massage Does
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_96614.html
What Every Consumer Needs to Know Before Visiting a Massage Therapist
http://www.amtamassage.org/news/beforevisit.html
Massage therapy assisting with fibromyalgia
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/fibromyalgia/htm/index.htm
Healing Pain with Trigger Point Therapy
http://www.painfoundation.org/learn/library/pain-topics/complementary-medicine/massage-therapy/healing-pain-with-trigger.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/massagetherapy/htm/index.htm
Massage May Help Lift Depression
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_97046.html
Study Finds Benefits of Therapeutic Massage for Chronic Neck Pain
http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/051809.htm
Massage Fosters Healing in Bereaved Relatives
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_96960.html
Music Soothes Anxiety as Well as Massage Does
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_96614.html
What Every Consumer Needs to Know Before Visiting a Massage Therapist
http://www.amtamassage.org/news/beforevisit.html
Massage therapy assisting with fibromyalgia
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/fibromyalgia/htm/index.htm
Healing Pain with Trigger Point Therapy
http://www.painfoundation.org/learn/library/pain-topics/complementary-medicine/massage-therapy/healing-pain-with-trigger.html
Traditional Thai Massage
Traditional Thai Massage
WHAT IS IT
Traditional Thai Massage is an ancient healing form of massage born in India but developed and handed down across the centuries in Thailand. Its roots date back to more than 2500 years ago, but Thai Massage has been re-discovered by western people only recently, and it’s greatly increasing in popularity as its tremendous effectiveness and benefits are being recognized by people
Traditional Thai Massage is performed on a floor-mat and the receiver wears comfortable clothes that allow for movement: no oils are used.
A traditional treatment integrates techniques of compression, acupressure, reflexology, facilitated stretching, and conscious breathing. A typical session lasts 2 hours in duration, providing lasting health benefits for the receiver; although, depending on the needs of the clients, 1 hour sessions are also offered.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Traditional Thai Massage therapy can be particularly helpful in relieving pain caused by headaches, arthritis, and sciatica, but it also
• Improves the circulation of blood and the functioning of the lymphatic system
• Strengthens and rejuvenates the body
• Relieves muscle tension while increasing flexibility
• Enhances mental ability to focus and concentrate
WHO IS INDICATED FOR
Traditional Thai Massage has no age limitations and is suitable for everyone, from those who want relaxation and increased flexibility to intense athletes for which a “normal” massage does not have enough intensity and effectiveness.
Traditional Thai Massage
Center of SYMMETRY
212 Louise Ave,
Nashville, TN - 37203
Tel. (615) 321-4040
www.centersymmetry.com
Colon Hydrotherapy (colonics). Massage Therapy. Reiki. Guided Meditation. Yoga. Astrology. Tarot. Intuitive Readings. AcuDetox. Zen Kiatsu.
WHAT IS IT
Traditional Thai Massage is an ancient healing form of massage born in India but developed and handed down across the centuries in Thailand. Its roots date back to more than 2500 years ago, but Thai Massage has been re-discovered by western people only recently, and it’s greatly increasing in popularity as its tremendous effectiveness and benefits are being recognized by people
Traditional Thai Massage is performed on a floor-mat and the receiver wears comfortable clothes that allow for movement: no oils are used.
A traditional treatment integrates techniques of compression, acupressure, reflexology, facilitated stretching, and conscious breathing. A typical session lasts 2 hours in duration, providing lasting health benefits for the receiver; although, depending on the needs of the clients, 1 hour sessions are also offered.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Traditional Thai Massage therapy can be particularly helpful in relieving pain caused by headaches, arthritis, and sciatica, but it also
• Improves the circulation of blood and the functioning of the lymphatic system
• Strengthens and rejuvenates the body
• Relieves muscle tension while increasing flexibility
• Enhances mental ability to focus and concentrate
WHO IS INDICATED FOR
Traditional Thai Massage has no age limitations and is suitable for everyone, from those who want relaxation and increased flexibility to intense athletes for which a “normal” massage does not have enough intensity and effectiveness.
Traditional Thai Massage
Center of SYMMETRY
212 Louise Ave,
Nashville, TN - 37203
Tel. (615) 321-4040
www.centersymmetry.com
Colon Hydrotherapy (colonics). Massage Therapy. Reiki. Guided Meditation. Yoga. Astrology. Tarot. Intuitive Readings. AcuDetox. Zen Kiatsu.
The Importance Of Regular Massage
By Alisa Smith - from OutsideOnline
Your well-tailored fitness program may be missing something important—a regular massage. Here's our hands-on guide to the right rub.
All summer long you surfed, you hiked, you all-out mountain biked. Soon enough you'll be thumping through the moguls and skidding on ice. Problem is, relentlessly redlining your outdoor lifestyle week in and week out takes a toll on the body, especially when recovery means little more than popping ibuprofen caplets like they're Flintstones chewables. What's a sore adrenaline junkie to do?
"Every day, have a massage," says Melissa Shockey, a rubdown master at Otter Bar Lodge, a white-water kayaking school on Northern California's Salmon River. "The more massage, the better."
Her prescription may require a chubby wallet and open-ended leisure time, but Shockey has a point.
No longer stigmatized as a frivolous luxury or a therapeutic detour on the woeful road to rehab, massage is now joining exercise, nutrition, and rest as a crucial component of a sound fitness plan, particularly for weekend athletes who may not take optimal care of their bodies. "Amateurs are training as seriously now as pros did 50 years ago," says Mel Cash, founder of the London School of
Sports Massage. "It's usually aches and pains that make people give up a sport. But if Joe Runner stays out there with the help of regular massage, he's going to live to be 80 or 90 years old."
What can massage do for you, besides help you stay in the game longer? Even the simplest relaxation massages will decrease stress and improve circulation. More intense sports massages and deep soft-tissue workcharacterized by pushing hard into the layers of muscle, tendon, and ligamentwill shorten your recovery time after tough workouts and races, while keeping joint injuries and other ailments at bay. But don't take our word for itconsider the evidence.
What the Pros Know
For competitive cyclists, speedy muscle recovery can make the difference between winning a stage racewhich can entail up to 20 races over consecutive daysand finishing at the back of the pack. Rest between stages is critical, but rest combined with sports massage can double or triple recovery speed.
Racing and hard training leave behind microtears in muscle fiber, while muscle metabolism deposits waste in the form of lactic acid and phosphocreatine. As your body cools, these metabolic by-products solidify, creating adhesions between muscle fibers that inhibit those fibers from contracting smoothly against one another. Massage does two things: It physically breaks down the adhesions and waste productsimagine rolling a clump of dirt between your fingers until it disintegratesmaking it easier for the body to flush out waste and restore your full range of motion. And it stimulates blood circulation, speeding up repair work by delivering oxygen and nutrients to muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Of course, bike racers aren't the only people who stand to benefit from deep massage. "For recreational athletes who hit it hard on weekends and who may go three or four days without activity, exercise is even more stressful on the body than for those who work out regularly," says Bob McAtee, a Colorado Springs massage therapist who teaches sports-massage seminars around the country.
For working-class funhogs, massage may be more about injury prevention than performance enhancement, but the two go hand in hand. Unless you apply due diligence every time you bike, run, or climbstretching before and after, warming up slowly and adequately, drinking plenty of wateryou're risking strains, pulls, and tears. And you're begging for more serious problems down the road, such as tendinitis and chronic pain.
Massage shouldn't replace stretching, but since it moves muscle fibers in many more directions than a person can stretch, it can increase your range of motion dramatically. Wes Hobson, a top American triathlete based in Boulder, Colorado, adheres religiously to a regular hour-and-45-minute intensive rubdown to keep himself limber. "I'm not the most flexible person, and I hate to stretch," says Hobson. "Massage really helps me out."
How Much Is Enough?
For mortal athletes, McAtee suggests gauging how often you should get a massage by the number of training miles you log. For runners, consider a massage session every 70 miles. "If you're a recreational runner who jogs two or three times a week for short distances, that may mean one massage a month," he says. "If you're training for a marathon, you're probably looking at a massage every week." Cyclists should slot a visit every 300 miles. Since a professional massage runs between $50 and $90 per hour, weekly sessions may require some budgeting. Of course, there is also the low-budget, do-it-yourself option.
Once you've committed to time on the table, determining your pain threshold is critical. While therapists vary on their opinion about how much you should hurt during and after your session, the purpose of sports massage is to penetrate far into muscle tissue, and sometimes that work can be painful.
"In general, the more pain you can tolerate, the deeper the massage, and the more you'll see lasting benefits," says Mark Tamoglia, a massage therapist in Santa Fe, New Mexico, who works with athletes of widely varying age and ability. "With a deep massage, you may feel good the day after, but the next day you'll feel even better." Your comfort zone may depend on how seriously you take your sportand your recovery. Any qualified therapist can help you zero in on the right intensity level.(To find a massage therapist near you, contact the American Massage Therapy Association, 888-843-2682 or www.amta massage.org.)
Relax, Bro
In the end, sports massage is about feeling better, not hurting more. A little extra suffering at the hands of your massage therapist pays off in the form of enhanced relaxation afterward, which may be more important than you realize. The body reacts to non-sports-related stressflack from your boss, for instanceby contracting muscles and restricting blood flow to certain parts of your body. Worse, this tension carries into your extracurricular activities, leading to bigger problems. "People bring stress into whatever they do," says Shockey. "A lot of tension in sports is emotional tension, and anywhere there's tension there's potential for injury."
Moreover, some evidence shows that relaxation is a conditioned response. Massage takes the body through the relaxation process and makes it easier to coax yourself into a mellow state when you're feeling stressed, say, at the start of your first half-Ironman or pulling through the crux of a lead climb. "Over time," says McAtee, "the relaxation you learn on the massage table can be tapped on the line."
Whether you're budgeting for a professional massage therapist or plying your squeeze with red wine in hopes of convincing him or her to take on the role, consider sports massage the most pleasurable fitness prescription you're ever going to get. Forget gulping down painkillersthis is medicine you'll take with glee.
http://www.howtobefit.com/importance-of-regular-massage.htm
Your well-tailored fitness program may be missing something important—a regular massage. Here's our hands-on guide to the right rub.
All summer long you surfed, you hiked, you all-out mountain biked. Soon enough you'll be thumping through the moguls and skidding on ice. Problem is, relentlessly redlining your outdoor lifestyle week in and week out takes a toll on the body, especially when recovery means little more than popping ibuprofen caplets like they're Flintstones chewables. What's a sore adrenaline junkie to do?
"Every day, have a massage," says Melissa Shockey, a rubdown master at Otter Bar Lodge, a white-water kayaking school on Northern California's Salmon River. "The more massage, the better."
Her prescription may require a chubby wallet and open-ended leisure time, but Shockey has a point.
No longer stigmatized as a frivolous luxury or a therapeutic detour on the woeful road to rehab, massage is now joining exercise, nutrition, and rest as a crucial component of a sound fitness plan, particularly for weekend athletes who may not take optimal care of their bodies. "Amateurs are training as seriously now as pros did 50 years ago," says Mel Cash, founder of the London School of
Sports Massage. "It's usually aches and pains that make people give up a sport. But if Joe Runner stays out there with the help of regular massage, he's going to live to be 80 or 90 years old."
What can massage do for you, besides help you stay in the game longer? Even the simplest relaxation massages will decrease stress and improve circulation. More intense sports massages and deep soft-tissue workcharacterized by pushing hard into the layers of muscle, tendon, and ligamentwill shorten your recovery time after tough workouts and races, while keeping joint injuries and other ailments at bay. But don't take our word for itconsider the evidence.
What the Pros Know
For competitive cyclists, speedy muscle recovery can make the difference between winning a stage racewhich can entail up to 20 races over consecutive daysand finishing at the back of the pack. Rest between stages is critical, but rest combined with sports massage can double or triple recovery speed.
Racing and hard training leave behind microtears in muscle fiber, while muscle metabolism deposits waste in the form of lactic acid and phosphocreatine. As your body cools, these metabolic by-products solidify, creating adhesions between muscle fibers that inhibit those fibers from contracting smoothly against one another. Massage does two things: It physically breaks down the adhesions and waste productsimagine rolling a clump of dirt between your fingers until it disintegratesmaking it easier for the body to flush out waste and restore your full range of motion. And it stimulates blood circulation, speeding up repair work by delivering oxygen and nutrients to muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Of course, bike racers aren't the only people who stand to benefit from deep massage. "For recreational athletes who hit it hard on weekends and who may go three or four days without activity, exercise is even more stressful on the body than for those who work out regularly," says Bob McAtee, a Colorado Springs massage therapist who teaches sports-massage seminars around the country.
For working-class funhogs, massage may be more about injury prevention than performance enhancement, but the two go hand in hand. Unless you apply due diligence every time you bike, run, or climbstretching before and after, warming up slowly and adequately, drinking plenty of wateryou're risking strains, pulls, and tears. And you're begging for more serious problems down the road, such as tendinitis and chronic pain.
Massage shouldn't replace stretching, but since it moves muscle fibers in many more directions than a person can stretch, it can increase your range of motion dramatically. Wes Hobson, a top American triathlete based in Boulder, Colorado, adheres religiously to a regular hour-and-45-minute intensive rubdown to keep himself limber. "I'm not the most flexible person, and I hate to stretch," says Hobson. "Massage really helps me out."
How Much Is Enough?
For mortal athletes, McAtee suggests gauging how often you should get a massage by the number of training miles you log. For runners, consider a massage session every 70 miles. "If you're a recreational runner who jogs two or three times a week for short distances, that may mean one massage a month," he says. "If you're training for a marathon, you're probably looking at a massage every week." Cyclists should slot a visit every 300 miles. Since a professional massage runs between $50 and $90 per hour, weekly sessions may require some budgeting. Of course, there is also the low-budget, do-it-yourself option.
Once you've committed to time on the table, determining your pain threshold is critical. While therapists vary on their opinion about how much you should hurt during and after your session, the purpose of sports massage is to penetrate far into muscle tissue, and sometimes that work can be painful.
"In general, the more pain you can tolerate, the deeper the massage, and the more you'll see lasting benefits," says Mark Tamoglia, a massage therapist in Santa Fe, New Mexico, who works with athletes of widely varying age and ability. "With a deep massage, you may feel good the day after, but the next day you'll feel even better." Your comfort zone may depend on how seriously you take your sportand your recovery. Any qualified therapist can help you zero in on the right intensity level.(To find a massage therapist near you, contact the American Massage Therapy Association, 888-843-2682 or www.amta massage.org.)
Relax, Bro
In the end, sports massage is about feeling better, not hurting more. A little extra suffering at the hands of your massage therapist pays off in the form of enhanced relaxation afterward, which may be more important than you realize. The body reacts to non-sports-related stressflack from your boss, for instanceby contracting muscles and restricting blood flow to certain parts of your body. Worse, this tension carries into your extracurricular activities, leading to bigger problems. "People bring stress into whatever they do," says Shockey. "A lot of tension in sports is emotional tension, and anywhere there's tension there's potential for injury."
Moreover, some evidence shows that relaxation is a conditioned response. Massage takes the body through the relaxation process and makes it easier to coax yourself into a mellow state when you're feeling stressed, say, at the start of your first half-Ironman or pulling through the crux of a lead climb. "Over time," says McAtee, "the relaxation you learn on the massage table can be tapped on the line."
Whether you're budgeting for a professional massage therapist or plying your squeeze with red wine in hopes of convincing him or her to take on the role, consider sports massage the most pleasurable fitness prescription you're ever going to get. Forget gulping down painkillersthis is medicine you'll take with glee.
http://www.howtobefit.com/importance-of-regular-massage.htm
Yoga For Golf and Core Conditioning
Yoga For Golf and Core Conditioning
by Katherine Roberts - contributor for GolfOnline
The big buzzword in athletic training these days is "core conditioning". What exactly does core conditioning mean and why do golfers need to improve their core strength? Core conditioning refers to the center of the body - the abdominals, back and buttocks. Core strength will enable the golfer to maintain proper spine alignment throughout the golf swing and develop a consistent, repeatable golf swing. The walls of the abdominal cavity are supported entirely by the strength of the muscles located there, as no bones provide support for this area. Weak abdominal will stress the low back as the muscles do not provide adequate support for the spine.
These exercises will strengthen and stabilize the back - increasing rotation and decreasing risk of injury. Core strength and flexibility will maintain your primary spine angle and allow a reproduce able swing. Without core strength the golfer will have trouble maintaining a proper set up posture.
Three things to remember when working the core strength of the body - M.B.A: Move slowly, Breath deeply exhaling on exertion, and Align the body with total support of the neck.
Core abdominal presses:
To begin, lie on your back with bent knees and feet on the floor, relaxing the neck and shoulders. Begin by pressing your lower abdominals towards your spine and your spine towards the floor. Imagine you are pressing a penny into the floor under your low back. You should maintain this action while breathing deeply through your nose. Envision you are creating an imprint of the penny on the floor below your back. Hold this for one minute.
For more advanced students you can begin to lift the legs and lower slowly while maintaining the low back touching the floor. Raise and lower the legs as slowly as possible for one to two minutes. Once you cannot keep the low back on the floor or you experience any sensation in the low back immediately bring your legs back to the set up position.
Bicycle Oblique Crunches:
Lying on your back with your knees bent place one foot flat on the floor and the other leg extended approximately six inches off the floor. Supporting your neck with your clasped hands bring your right elbow to your left knee. Keep your elbow in your peripheral vision, twisting from the trunk not just the arms. Switch sides slowly exhaling as you twist. Continue as long as you can maintain the low back pressed against the floor.
Traditional Crunches:
Lying on your back with your knees bent and press your low back into the floor. Support your neck with the fingers interlaced. Very slowly exhale and lift your upper body towards the ceiling. Note: Keep your face and sternum facing the ceiling without straining your neck. Hold for five breaths and then lower. Repeat as many times as possible while maintaining proper alignment.
Practicing your exercises will build strength and you will continue to maintain your proper spine angle and reproduce your swing consistently. In my next article we will address the muscles of the spine continuing to build your core strength.
http://www.howtobefit.com/yoga-for-golf.htm
by Katherine Roberts - contributor for GolfOnline
The big buzzword in athletic training these days is "core conditioning". What exactly does core conditioning mean and why do golfers need to improve their core strength? Core conditioning refers to the center of the body - the abdominals, back and buttocks. Core strength will enable the golfer to maintain proper spine alignment throughout the golf swing and develop a consistent, repeatable golf swing. The walls of the abdominal cavity are supported entirely by the strength of the muscles located there, as no bones provide support for this area. Weak abdominal will stress the low back as the muscles do not provide adequate support for the spine.
These exercises will strengthen and stabilize the back - increasing rotation and decreasing risk of injury. Core strength and flexibility will maintain your primary spine angle and allow a reproduce able swing. Without core strength the golfer will have trouble maintaining a proper set up posture.
Three things to remember when working the core strength of the body - M.B.A: Move slowly, Breath deeply exhaling on exertion, and Align the body with total support of the neck.
Core abdominal presses:
To begin, lie on your back with bent knees and feet on the floor, relaxing the neck and shoulders. Begin by pressing your lower abdominals towards your spine and your spine towards the floor. Imagine you are pressing a penny into the floor under your low back. You should maintain this action while breathing deeply through your nose. Envision you are creating an imprint of the penny on the floor below your back. Hold this for one minute.
For more advanced students you can begin to lift the legs and lower slowly while maintaining the low back touching the floor. Raise and lower the legs as slowly as possible for one to two minutes. Once you cannot keep the low back on the floor or you experience any sensation in the low back immediately bring your legs back to the set up position.
Bicycle Oblique Crunches:
Lying on your back with your knees bent place one foot flat on the floor and the other leg extended approximately six inches off the floor. Supporting your neck with your clasped hands bring your right elbow to your left knee. Keep your elbow in your peripheral vision, twisting from the trunk not just the arms. Switch sides slowly exhaling as you twist. Continue as long as you can maintain the low back pressed against the floor.
Traditional Crunches:
Lying on your back with your knees bent and press your low back into the floor. Support your neck with the fingers interlaced. Very slowly exhale and lift your upper body towards the ceiling. Note: Keep your face and sternum facing the ceiling without straining your neck. Hold for five breaths and then lower. Repeat as many times as possible while maintaining proper alignment.
Practicing your exercises will build strength and you will continue to maintain your proper spine angle and reproduce your swing consistently. In my next article we will address the muscles of the spine continuing to build your core strength.
http://www.howtobefit.com/yoga-for-golf.htm
Yoga For Runners
Yoga For Runners
By Doug Kurtis - Detroit Free Press
Yoga has long been known to enhance running, but few take advantage of its benefits.
Runners complain of sore knees, hamstrings and backs from the pounding they absorb. The pain they endure isn't necessarily from the force of their feet hitting the ground but from the imbalance caused by running.
Yoga can help strength, flexibility and balance.
The body tries to avoid injury by working around instability. This compensation puts stress on the muscles, joints and bones. Tight muscles get tighter and become hard and inflexible.
As shock absorbers, they should be soft and malleable, with some give. Brittle muscles are vulnerable to tears.
Repetitive actions, such as running, can create unbalanced and excessively tight bodies. The endorphins that give runners such a positive feeling also can mask the pain of oncoming injuries.
Yoga can help runners overcome their imbalance and learn to relax their bodies, making them more effective and also saving strength. Tight muscles limit range of motion, but relaxed muscles allow bodies to operate more efficiently and with greater range of movement.
Yoga also teaches relaxation techniques for breathing. Having an awareness of your breathing helps reduce the tension that running, especially racing, can cause.
Many gyms, YMCAs and parks and recreation centers also offer yoga classes.
In the past several decades, almost a dozen different styles of yoga have emerged. If you attend a class and it doesn't work, try another style.
Karen Lewis of Brighton quit weightlifting after she discovered that power yoga gave her the same upper-body workout and maintained her muscle tone and strength.
Grace Gilmore of Northville also was suffering from neck pain because of stress on the job.
"I'm addicted to yoga," she said. "A combination of strength, stretching, endurance and a quiet mind have been a godsend to my heavy travel schedule. I bring my yoga mats and Kest tapes wherever I go."
http://www.howtobefit.com/yoga-for-runners.htm
By Doug Kurtis - Detroit Free Press
Yoga has long been known to enhance running, but few take advantage of its benefits.
Runners complain of sore knees, hamstrings and backs from the pounding they absorb. The pain they endure isn't necessarily from the force of their feet hitting the ground but from the imbalance caused by running.
Yoga can help strength, flexibility and balance.
The body tries to avoid injury by working around instability. This compensation puts stress on the muscles, joints and bones. Tight muscles get tighter and become hard and inflexible.
As shock absorbers, they should be soft and malleable, with some give. Brittle muscles are vulnerable to tears.
Repetitive actions, such as running, can create unbalanced and excessively tight bodies. The endorphins that give runners such a positive feeling also can mask the pain of oncoming injuries.
Yoga can help runners overcome their imbalance and learn to relax their bodies, making them more effective and also saving strength. Tight muscles limit range of motion, but relaxed muscles allow bodies to operate more efficiently and with greater range of movement.
Yoga also teaches relaxation techniques for breathing. Having an awareness of your breathing helps reduce the tension that running, especially racing, can cause.
Many gyms, YMCAs and parks and recreation centers also offer yoga classes.
In the past several decades, almost a dozen different styles of yoga have emerged. If you attend a class and it doesn't work, try another style.
Karen Lewis of Brighton quit weightlifting after she discovered that power yoga gave her the same upper-body workout and maintained her muscle tone and strength.
Grace Gilmore of Northville also was suffering from neck pain because of stress on the job.
"I'm addicted to yoga," she said. "A combination of strength, stretching, endurance and a quiet mind have been a godsend to my heavy travel schedule. I bring my yoga mats and Kest tapes wherever I go."
http://www.howtobefit.com/yoga-for-runners.htm
Incorporate Yoga for Improved Strength and Flexibility
Incorporate Yoga for Improved Strength and Flexibility
From Active.com - Register Online For Thousands of Events and Activities
This months fitness makeover request is from 38-year-old Chris Rudin of Silverlake, Calif.
An avid fitness buff who enjoys weightlifting, swimming, and jogging, Chris’ main concern is that he’s feeling less overall flexibility than he did in his early 30s.
"I used to be able to lift weights one day and swim comfortably the next," he writes, "but more often than not these days, I’m really tight when I begin my swim and I feel totally inflexible throughout my workout."
An additional problem is that Chris finds it increasingly difficult to maintain his overall strength — he notices this in the weight room, where he does the same amount of reps as he did years ago, but with slightly less weight before "maxing" out.
Loss of flexibility and the gradual loss of strength are facts of life as we age, but there are ways to slow the process and perhaps even stop it. Recently, I’ve been facing similar issues — it’s been months since I’ve felt really good in the water, and in the weight room I struggle to lift the same amount of weight as I once did, while losing patience and motivation.
I have a solution that is currently improving my flexibility and strength, and while it’s still too early to tell how yoga will affect my athletic performance in the long run, I have a hunch it will help me greatly because it is doing wonders for me now.
I was initially a skeptic. Only a few months ago I was turned on to the yoga craze by a friend; a former swimmer who was now a yoga enthusiast. She claimed it was a great workout, strengthening her entire body while making her muscles pliable. More out of politeness than keen interest, I agreed to try a beginner’s class.
For someone who thought yoga was not really a form of exercise as much as a state of New Age mind, I was in for a rude awakening (and a pleasant surprise). Not only was the class challenging and difficult, but it left me feeling euphoric and relaxed. The next day, I had the best swim workout I’ve had in a long time. Something was definitely up with this yoga business.
I began taking classes more regularly and reading up on the subject. I found that yoga is basically defined as the uninterrupted flow of movements combined with a system of meditative breathing. This combination of movement and regulated oxygen intake creates increased body heat. It is this heat that is used to heal, tone, and strengthen a body full of tight, sore muscles.
Just as an artist uses heat to soften metal and glass into artistic forms, so an athlete can use yoga to soften and strengthen muscles to achieve athletic improvement.
In addition, the benefits of yoga extend to other areas. As your muscles expand and contract during a session, blood flow increases to areas that have formerly been blocked with accumulated toxins (toxins that build up from overuse and overtraining). These toxins are flushed out by the rush of blood that enters the blocked muscles, resulting in that euphoric endorphin-flooded "high" you feel at the end of a class.
Mental concentration and balance are required during yoga as well, elements that count toward overall athletic excellence. The more you can clear and center your mind, the more likely you are to remain focused and calm prior to an important competition.
The more capable of good balance you are, the stronger your "core" strength will be, improving your overall body position (regardless of your sport).
What follows is a very basic series of poses that you can try on your own as a warm-up before getting into the pool or going on a run.
While it is definitely recommended to learn these positions from a certified yoga instructor in a studio-class setting, the poses below serve as introductory yoga exercises that double as pre-workout stretching drills.
Some of them may even seem familiar if you are disciplined about stretching prior to athletic activity (and you should be, to avoid injury!).
1. Beginning pose: Sun Salutation
Begin by standing with your legs shoulder width apart, arms at your sides. Breathe in, and bring your arms up over your head by tracing a circle from your sides until your palms come together.
2. Folding Pose
Exhaling, bend forward at the waist and reach toward your feet. If you can't touch your toes, then touch your shins. Remember to keep a long spine, relax your neck so your head hangs, and keep feet firmly planted in the ground (heels and balls of feet support equal weight: concentrate on balance!).
3. Body Raise
Inhale and bring head up slowly, lifting your chest up so that it is parallel to the ground. Stretch your spine keep it long. Bring your chest and arms back down and touch the ground. Bend your knees if you have to.
4. Pre-Downward Dog pose
Exhale and walk or jump your legs back, lowering your body to the earth as if you were doing a push-up. Stop in the down position with your elbows bent but tucked in at your sides; your body should be as straight as a plank while parallel only inches from the ground.
5. Upward-Facing Dog pose
Inhaling deeply, push the upper body upward while pointing your toes (you can flatten the tops of your feet along the ground now). Your hips should be square and elevated a few inches from the ground so that your body is perched on your palms and the tops of your feet only (in non-yoga terms, this pose is also known as a "seal-press").
6. Downward Dog pose
Exhale, turning your toes back into "push-up" mode and bring your waist up towards the sky as if there is a string attached to the small of your back and someone is slowly pulling you upward. Your body should now be in an upside-down "v," feet shoulder-width apart, head hanging relaxed, palms firm and centered. Take several deep breaths.
7. Body Raise 2
Walk your feet back up toward your palms and reassume the Body Raise position (#3).
8. Folding Pose 2
Exhale deeply and fold downward into the aforementioned Folding Pose (#2).
As you inhale deeply again, slowly raise your body up into a standing position, arms at your sides as you bend up from the waist. When you are standing upright, circle your arms over your head again, clasping the palms together. Exhale.
Repeat this series of poses slowly and methodically three to five times.
Try to reach, or stretch, a little bit farther with each sequence. You may find that on the first round you are unable to touch your toes or reach the ground, but that by the fourth or fifth cycle you are making progress and doing poses you found impossible just minutes before!
I am finding out that mastering yoga takes time and patience. But for you instant-gratification junkies out there it's also a quick fix for sore, tight, and injured muscles. The more you do it, the more flexible and strong you will become. Even a 15-minute unsupervised session like the one above, practiced once a week, will provide the results our fitness makeover subject is looking to achieve.
My advice for Chris is to look into taking a beginning-level yoga class at least once a week from a certified instructor. It should have an immediate effect on his flexibility and he should feel the difference the first time he swims after taking a class.
In time, his strength will also increase, in ways that are simply not possible with consistent weight training. By introducing a new form of exercise into his long-established routine, Chris will use existing muscles in different ways, resulting in greater strength and improved overall flexibility.
Finally, yoga will help motivate, rejuvenate, and instill discipline by way of concentration and balance; traits any athlete should welcome with open arms — or in this case, with a Sun Salutation pose.
http://www.howtobefit.com/yogaforflexibility.htm
From Active.com - Register Online For Thousands of Events and Activities
This months fitness makeover request is from 38-year-old Chris Rudin of Silverlake, Calif.
An avid fitness buff who enjoys weightlifting, swimming, and jogging, Chris’ main concern is that he’s feeling less overall flexibility than he did in his early 30s.
"I used to be able to lift weights one day and swim comfortably the next," he writes, "but more often than not these days, I’m really tight when I begin my swim and I feel totally inflexible throughout my workout."
An additional problem is that Chris finds it increasingly difficult to maintain his overall strength — he notices this in the weight room, where he does the same amount of reps as he did years ago, but with slightly less weight before "maxing" out.
Loss of flexibility and the gradual loss of strength are facts of life as we age, but there are ways to slow the process and perhaps even stop it. Recently, I’ve been facing similar issues — it’s been months since I’ve felt really good in the water, and in the weight room I struggle to lift the same amount of weight as I once did, while losing patience and motivation.
I have a solution that is currently improving my flexibility and strength, and while it’s still too early to tell how yoga will affect my athletic performance in the long run, I have a hunch it will help me greatly because it is doing wonders for me now.
I was initially a skeptic. Only a few months ago I was turned on to the yoga craze by a friend; a former swimmer who was now a yoga enthusiast. She claimed it was a great workout, strengthening her entire body while making her muscles pliable. More out of politeness than keen interest, I agreed to try a beginner’s class.
For someone who thought yoga was not really a form of exercise as much as a state of New Age mind, I was in for a rude awakening (and a pleasant surprise). Not only was the class challenging and difficult, but it left me feeling euphoric and relaxed. The next day, I had the best swim workout I’ve had in a long time. Something was definitely up with this yoga business.
I began taking classes more regularly and reading up on the subject. I found that yoga is basically defined as the uninterrupted flow of movements combined with a system of meditative breathing. This combination of movement and regulated oxygen intake creates increased body heat. It is this heat that is used to heal, tone, and strengthen a body full of tight, sore muscles.
Just as an artist uses heat to soften metal and glass into artistic forms, so an athlete can use yoga to soften and strengthen muscles to achieve athletic improvement.
In addition, the benefits of yoga extend to other areas. As your muscles expand and contract during a session, blood flow increases to areas that have formerly been blocked with accumulated toxins (toxins that build up from overuse and overtraining). These toxins are flushed out by the rush of blood that enters the blocked muscles, resulting in that euphoric endorphin-flooded "high" you feel at the end of a class.
Mental concentration and balance are required during yoga as well, elements that count toward overall athletic excellence. The more you can clear and center your mind, the more likely you are to remain focused and calm prior to an important competition.
The more capable of good balance you are, the stronger your "core" strength will be, improving your overall body position (regardless of your sport).
What follows is a very basic series of poses that you can try on your own as a warm-up before getting into the pool or going on a run.
While it is definitely recommended to learn these positions from a certified yoga instructor in a studio-class setting, the poses below serve as introductory yoga exercises that double as pre-workout stretching drills.
Some of them may even seem familiar if you are disciplined about stretching prior to athletic activity (and you should be, to avoid injury!).
1. Beginning pose: Sun Salutation
Begin by standing with your legs shoulder width apart, arms at your sides. Breathe in, and bring your arms up over your head by tracing a circle from your sides until your palms come together.
2. Folding Pose
Exhaling, bend forward at the waist and reach toward your feet. If you can't touch your toes, then touch your shins. Remember to keep a long spine, relax your neck so your head hangs, and keep feet firmly planted in the ground (heels and balls of feet support equal weight: concentrate on balance!).
3. Body Raise
Inhale and bring head up slowly, lifting your chest up so that it is parallel to the ground. Stretch your spine keep it long. Bring your chest and arms back down and touch the ground. Bend your knees if you have to.
4. Pre-Downward Dog pose
Exhale and walk or jump your legs back, lowering your body to the earth as if you were doing a push-up. Stop in the down position with your elbows bent but tucked in at your sides; your body should be as straight as a plank while parallel only inches from the ground.
5. Upward-Facing Dog pose
Inhaling deeply, push the upper body upward while pointing your toes (you can flatten the tops of your feet along the ground now). Your hips should be square and elevated a few inches from the ground so that your body is perched on your palms and the tops of your feet only (in non-yoga terms, this pose is also known as a "seal-press").
6. Downward Dog pose
Exhale, turning your toes back into "push-up" mode and bring your waist up towards the sky as if there is a string attached to the small of your back and someone is slowly pulling you upward. Your body should now be in an upside-down "v," feet shoulder-width apart, head hanging relaxed, palms firm and centered. Take several deep breaths.
7. Body Raise 2
Walk your feet back up toward your palms and reassume the Body Raise position (#3).
8. Folding Pose 2
Exhale deeply and fold downward into the aforementioned Folding Pose (#2).
As you inhale deeply again, slowly raise your body up into a standing position, arms at your sides as you bend up from the waist. When you are standing upright, circle your arms over your head again, clasping the palms together. Exhale.
Repeat this series of poses slowly and methodically three to five times.
Try to reach, or stretch, a little bit farther with each sequence. You may find that on the first round you are unable to touch your toes or reach the ground, but that by the fourth or fifth cycle you are making progress and doing poses you found impossible just minutes before!
I am finding out that mastering yoga takes time and patience. But for you instant-gratification junkies out there it's also a quick fix for sore, tight, and injured muscles. The more you do it, the more flexible and strong you will become. Even a 15-minute unsupervised session like the one above, practiced once a week, will provide the results our fitness makeover subject is looking to achieve.
My advice for Chris is to look into taking a beginning-level yoga class at least once a week from a certified instructor. It should have an immediate effect on his flexibility and he should feel the difference the first time he swims after taking a class.
In time, his strength will also increase, in ways that are simply not possible with consistent weight training. By introducing a new form of exercise into his long-established routine, Chris will use existing muscles in different ways, resulting in greater strength and improved overall flexibility.
Finally, yoga will help motivate, rejuvenate, and instill discipline by way of concentration and balance; traits any athlete should welcome with open arms — or in this case, with a Sun Salutation pose.
http://www.howtobefit.com/yogaforflexibility.htm
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The start of something Great!
Massage therapy helps your mind, body and spirit.
There are many healthy benefits to receiving massage therapy on a regular basis:
◦Relieves Stress
◦Encourages Relaxation
◦Improves Posture
◦Improves Circulation
◦Lowers Blood Pressure
◦Helps Manage Pain
◦Relaxes Muscles
◦Improves Flexibility and Range of Motion
◦Relieves Tension-Related Headaches
◦Strengthens The Immune System
◦Rehabilitation
◦Manage Fibromyalgia Pain Naturally
Massage therapy increases immune function, decreases stress levels and reduces recovery time in many other conditions including:
◦Allergies
◦Depression and Anxiety
◦Arthritis
◦Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
◦Asthma and Bronchitis
◦Circulatory Problems
◦Insomnia
◦Sports Injuries
◦Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)
◦Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
◦Musculo-Skeletal Disorders
There are many healthy benefits to receiving massage therapy on a regular basis:
◦Relieves Stress
◦Encourages Relaxation
◦Improves Posture
◦Improves Circulation
◦Lowers Blood Pressure
◦Helps Manage Pain
◦Relaxes Muscles
◦Improves Flexibility and Range of Motion
◦Relieves Tension-Related Headaches
◦Strengthens The Immune System
◦Rehabilitation
◦Manage Fibromyalgia Pain Naturally
Massage therapy increases immune function, decreases stress levels and reduces recovery time in many other conditions including:
◦Allergies
◦Depression and Anxiety
◦Arthritis
◦Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
◦Asthma and Bronchitis
◦Circulatory Problems
◦Insomnia
◦Sports Injuries
◦Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)
◦Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
◦Musculo-Skeletal Disorders
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)