Have you ever noticed when you look in the mirror or observe yourself in a picture that you tend to tilt your head to the side or that one shoulder is higher than the other, or that the pelvis or trunk rests in rotation? These resting positions are postural compensations typically related to an imbalance in the Spiral Line. The Spiral Line is the group of muscles and fascia that "loops around the body in two opposing helices, right and left, joining each side of the skull across the upper back to the opposite shoulder, and then around the ribs to the front to cross again at the level of the navel to the hip. From the hip, the Spiral Line passes like a ‘jump rope’ along the anterolateral thigh and across the shin to the medial longitudinal arch, passing under the foot and running up the posterolateral side of the leg to the ischium and into the erector spinae myofascia (of either side, depending on posture or position) to end very close to where it started on the skull." To get a sense of this myofascial line, click on the link to direct you to the resource with pictures. This spiral affect of the muscles and fascia support our posture in the 3 planes of motion: rotation (transverse), side bending (frontal) and front to back (sagittal). |
Addressing the mobility of the shoulder girdle, ribcage and trunk can have positive effects along the "movement chain" of the spiral line. Below I share with you a movement sequence designed to incorporate more of the rotation and side bending components that we typically are not getting in our day to day routines. Freeing up the myofascial tension with this sequence can improve neck pain, hip & pelvic pain, core activation for abdominal wall separation and pelvic floor health. Enjoy! Susan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT. Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignforhealth.com.
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Reclined cobbler pose is my new favorite rest position. I first encountered this pose in my yoga therapy session last week, and I was immediately transported into ease. Everything in my body felt supported! I was able to breathe into my torso, my chest felt open, and my hips let go into the blankets. I landed into ultimate relaxation. As I researched this pose, I found some really cool benefits from this blog and this blog:
So, what are you waiting for? Go get your bolster, yoga blocks and blankets and give it a try! Reclined Cobbler PoseSusan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT. Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignforhealth.com.
Ankle mobility is key for efficient walking, hiking uphill, jumping, squatting, running, going up and down stairs, etc. Quite often tension in the calf muscles and feet can limit the range of motion at the ankle. The ankle joint is like a hinge: we should be able to point the foot (plantar flexion) 45 degrees and bring the foot back toward the shin (dorsiflexion) 20 degrees. When motion is limited, this can affect joint mechanics and muscle function all the way up the chain. Stretching and soft tissue release can be an effective way to improve motion at the joint. I really like using balls to the calf to free up stuck tissues and muscle tension. Below I share with you how to free up the front, the side and the back of the calf. Before you begin, it is fun to test yourself to actually see how much dorsiflexion motion you have. Recheck your motion after you are done. How did you do? Calf Release Using Rubber Balls
Susan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT. Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignforhealth.com.
The reality is, is that life happens: we shallow breathe, we move the same way day in and day out, so we don't always have the freedom of motion as shown in these awesome animation videos. To stay healthy, mobile and pain free we need to give ourselves some let down time to relax our tense muscles that cross the joints, to rehydrate our connective tissues, and to mobilize the joints. Below I share with you one of my all time favorites! This a great movement sequence to target the knots between the shoulder blades and ribcage, as well as mobilize the entire spine. Enjoy! Susan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT. Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignforhealth.com.
Breathing ExercisesExercise 1: Balanced breathing. Breathing is slow and mindful. Practice allowing your pelvic floor, belly and torso to relax and move as you inhale. Notice how many seconds it took to breath in, and allow your exhale to be the same. See if you can slow your rate and soften your muscles as you breathe. No effort, just easy movement. Exercise 2: 1:2 Breathing. Breathing is slow and mindful. Notice how many seconds you inhale. On your exhale, breathe out 2 times longer than exhale. Example: if you breathe in 3 seconds, let your exhale be 6 seconds. Exercise 3: Wim Hof Breathing. This is a breath exercise followed by holding the breath after the exhale. With this exercise you learn how to hold your breath longer, and to make conscious contact with your heart, autonomic nervous system and immune system! This technique is characterized by cycles consisting of a few minutes of breathing in and out continuously (30-40 times until you feel like you are saturated with oxygen. You might feel light headed or dizzy. Just remember that you have control) followed by the retention (breath holding) after the last exhale. Time how long you can hold your breath. When you can’t hold any longer and you are ready to take in a breath, breathe in and hold the inhale for 10 seconds and then let go. You have just completed one cycle. Repeat for 3 cycles. ENJOY! Susan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT. Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignforhealth.com.
Susan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT. Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignforhealth.com.
The glute max is key to controlling the trunk over the pelvis, to the stability of the pelvis and to the lower quarter. When the glutes are weak, you will see increased leaning of the trunk, excessive pelvic drop on non-weightbearing leg, and poor femur control (medial collapse of the knee & internal rotation of the femur). Dr. Powers says, "If something isn't being used, something else is being overused." If you have pain in your back, your hip, your knee, or your foot, stop right now and do this self assessment of your glut max. Video yourself and observe your trunk, your pelvis and your knee as you step down and back up from an 8 inch step. Step Down TestMy glutes need some work on both sides, but notice that I have less control with my right leg in this test. I have a harder time keeping my trunk upright, my pelvis drops, and my knee collapses in and is wobbly. What I really like about Dr. Powers program is that he provides a systematic 8 level training program for the glut max. You cannot go to the next level until you are able to pass the lowest one with ease and control. I have provided the first level of glute training here. Have fun, and may you be blessed with buns of steel! Glute Max ActivationSusan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT. Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignforhealth.com.
There are so many different ways to sit yet most of us spend time sitting in chairs at work, at school, at the movies, etc. And yes, there a lot of different ways to sit in a chair, but mostly when we sit we are leaning back into the chair, allowing our spine and pelvis to collapse. Over time, this constant load onto the flexed spine, the sacrum and supporting ligaments can create muscular and connective tissue adaptations. If we can make some simple changes in our sitting habits, we can change the loads and environment within the tissues to improve blood flow, cellular remodeling to potentially get us out of a back ache or even a pelvic floor issue.
Susan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT. Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignforhealth.com.
I am fascinated by the orchestration of all of the muscles involved in breathing (22 counting the accessory muscles of inspiration and expiration). Our main muscle, the diaphragm sits as a dome (as you can see with the pic on the left) and separates our thoracic and abdominal cavities. This muscle is difficult to palpate, but if you tuck your fingers underneath and inside the front part of your ribcage you can access the diaphragm as it attaches to the xiphoid process, the costal margins, and to the side ribs 6-12. From the back, the diaphragm inserts onto the 12th thoracic vertebrae and the first 2 lumbar vertebrae. Our ability to breathe has a direct effect on our nervous system, our metabolic system and our postural system. In the day to day, many of us breathe shallow, breath hold, or maintain constant contraction of the abdominal muscles. All of these strategies limit the amount of movement of the diaphragm as well as the other muscles of the core (abdominals and pelvic floor). One of the keys to getting out of pain and improving the strength of our core is to learn how to allow the diaphragm to move. How do you breathe? Can you improve your breathing patterns?
Susan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT. Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignforhealth.com.
Neck pain is a big drag! Neck stiffness is so annoying! How often have you tried stretching and neck strengthening exercises that send you into more pain and stiffness? I have totally been there! One of my favorite ways to relax the neck is to start getting movement into the shoulders, shoulder blades and thoracic spine. 3 Movements for a happy & healthy neck (before you begin, check your neck motion: rotate each direction and then bring your chin to your chest. Notice how far you move and how it feels):Now recheck your neck motion and notice if it feels different: is it easier, not so stiff, more motion? Susan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT. Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignforhealth.com.
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