Monthly Archives: November 2016

Lower Crossed Syndrome

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In our last post we examined the Upper Crossed Syndrome: Tight chest and back of the neck and weak upper back and front of the neck. The Lower Crossed Syndrome which we will examine in this article goes hand in hand with the Upper Crossed Syndrome. When our upper body is out of whack, the lower body is going to have to compensate and vice versa. When we give into gravity and hang down and forward our pelvis will tilt. In a seated position, typically the pelvis rolls under, flattening the lumbar curve and creating a very weak, compromised position in the lower back. And when standing the pelvis usually tilts forward creating gripping in the lower back and a letting go of the abdominals. In either scenario this causes us to lose the optimal height of our spine and the upper body collapses. This puts a great deal of pressure on the muscles of the lower back and tension into the front of the hips ( hip flexors).

In the Lower Crossed Syndrome the gluteals and abdominals are weak and the lower back and hip flexors are tight. Below are some release sequences for you to practice everyday to slowly start to organize and balance your connective tissue. Remember to only stay in one spot no more than a minute and a half. Hold pinpointed pressure or add a very small rocking or flossing action on the ball.

1. Side Hip Release

You need a mat, 2 pillows ( one for under the head and one for between the legs) and a regular sized tennis ball. Side lie on the mat and place the pillows. Place the ball under the bottom hip at the side seam of the pant in the meat and not on a bone. You are looking for a spot of intense sensation. After 2 or 3 breath cycles the spot should soften and you should feel as if you can absorb the ball into the pelvis. Add the flossing motion. Before moving to the opposite side, turn onto the back and sense the difference between the 2 sides.

2. Front of the Hip Release

You will need a mat and 2 regular sized tennis balls. Lie on your belly and place a ball under each hip crease.  Fold the hands with the elbows out to the sides and place the forehead on the hands.Take a few inhales and exhales to land on the balls ( get heavy). Staying heavy on the balls throughout start to add a small tilt of the pelvis. Inhale and send the tail to the ceiling. Exhale and send the tail between the legs. As you go back and forth start to pay attention to the upper body and keeping it heavy. After 10 to 20 reps of the slow rocking take the balls out, lie on the belly and sense the difference. Sit back into child’s pose and breath into the back of the body while allowing the head to rest on the floor.

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Posture for Your Kids

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When I was a kid, my mom always nagged me about sitting up straighter. After starting my Pilates practice, I gained ¾ of an inch in height. However, when I see myself in photos and videos, I am still aware that I have some more work to do on my forward head posture. My chiropractor also points this out. How can it be so hard?? Turns out my Mom was right. The way we sit, stand, move, and rest as children has the capacity to shape our spines for the rest of our lives. Letting your kid slump over an ipad on the couch may seem harmless now, but more and more health and wellness professionals are starting to view bad posture as a modern health crisis.

What are the effects of poor posture on our kids and teens? I’ll name a few that I have seen firsthand. I have witnessed teenagers call in sick to work due to back pain. I see kids who don’t sit up straight, but even worse – THEY DON’T KNOW HOW, even when I ask them to do it. It is amazing – I have to manually cue children into better posture, because their body has no memory of it. It affects them as athletes as well. Many kids and teens struggle to approach their athletic potential because their ability to generate power through movement is limited by poor structural mechanics.

But enough about the problem. How can we help our kids avoid the emotional, psychological, and financial strain of posture problems down the road?

  1. Teach your kids how their body is put together. They will think this is cool! Primarily – kids should be able to identify their pelvis and the natural curves of their spine – then you could take their picture and help them see if their natural standing and sitting positions look “neutral.”
  2. Minimize screen time. There are SO many reasons to do this and posture is just one of them. Make sure the screens they do use are set up correctly. (some good tips here from Wikipedia – http://www.wikihow.com/Sit-at-a-Computer) Movement Instructors will can also get some great tips here from Casey Marie Herdt – http://fusionpilatesedu.com/courses/workshops/computer-posture/.
  3. Maximize active time. Sports are great, and in particular I believe that martial arts and dance are the best teachers of body awareness because they require such fine-tuned movement. Supervised rock climbing at a gym is great too! Also, encouraging outdoor play time where kids are moving and resting without couches, chairs, or screens, will help them to naturally develop core strength and awareness.
  4. Teach your kids the difference between the “core” and “abs.” Strong abs are fine, but the core muscles are not necessarily worked through sit ups and push-ups. Trying to sit up straight in a chair with no back is one of the best core strengthening activities your kids can do! For even more of a challenge, have them hold their plank position with neutral spine and pelvis.
  5. Have them balance something on their head. I know this sounds old school, but I do it myself and it works. Even after I take the object away, my posture muscles are activated and functional.
  6. Help them understand why posture is important. Good posture is not just healthier, it’s more attractive. Poor posture communicates social vulnerability and can unintentionally make your kids and teens targets for bullies. Standing and sitting tall will not only project a message of confidence to others, it will literally keep them safer. When your child walks around with their head up and their eyes on the horizon, they will notice their surroundings and have more time to react to potential dangers such as cars or strangers.

Note: In addition to teaching Pilates at Fusion, article author Elizabeth Goyer has been training in Traditional Tae Kwon Do at Asheville Sun Soo for 9 years, and teaching Tae Kwon Do to kids, teens, and adults for 7 years. She is formally trained and certified by Master Tony Morris of Asheville Sun Soo.

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Upper Crossed Syndrome

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Let’s face it. As much as we try, our bodies take the “path of least resistance.” And a lot of times we don’t even realize it until it is to late. Have you ever noticed that on a lot of days driving home from work you have to lower the setting of your rear view mirror? In the morning you were much taller but through the work day the shoulders rounded forward, the chest caved in, upper back rounded and the belly just surrendered.

This “path of least resistance” is our bodies naturally giving into gravity. There are times when we want to give in to it but if it is happening in a consistent, habitual manner then trouble can be ahead. Instead of using our tissue activation to support our joints, we start to hang and sit into our connective tissue ( fascia, tendons, ligaments). And just certain workhorse muscles are on constant overtime and other muscles are on a constant vacation. The most common occurrence of this is the lower back being super rigid because one has no abdominal activation to speak of.

Any of us that have had an injury like a broken foot or a badly sprained knee  know all about how the body loves to compensate and how that can lead to a lot of mucked up stuff in the body and imbalances galore! Everything in the body is connected and when one thing changes everything else will too weather that be for the good , bad or the ugly.

A typical pose that a lot of us sit into day in and day out is a typical desk worker’s posture. And these days all of us are desk workers because we are slaves to our computers and our smartphones. We are pulled forward and down because we are unable to counter gravity. Our shoulders are rounded forward and the chest collapses and to bring our eyes to the horizon our neck must extend into a forward head posture. This is typically called Upper Crossed Syndrome. The chest and back of the neck are very tight and the upper back and front of the neck are weak.

To start to slowly change the organization of your connective tissue in the upper body try the below simple release sequences everyday. Only stay in one spot no more than a minute and a half. Hold pinpointed pressure or add a very small rocking or flossing action on the ball.

  1. Chest Release

You need a yoga block and a regular sized tennis ball. Place the yoga block on the wall and the tennis ball on the yoga block. Place the front of your right chest (below the collar bone and close to the front of your shoulder) on the ball. Steady the block with your left hand and the ball with your right fingertips until you have the feet and legs in the right position and you feel secure. You can hold pinpointed pressure or the flossing motion. Be sure to ask yourself where you can let go and effort less. The typical suspects for tension are the face, jaw, shoulders, pelvis, hands and feet. Before doing the opposite side, take inventory of what feels different.

2. Back of the Neck Release

You need a mat and a Great Dane Tennis Ball. Lie on the floor. Knees can be bent and feet on the floor or put a support under the knees and lengthen the legs. Place the oversized tennis ball at the occiput and balance. Give the weight of the head to the ball. Secure the ball with the right fingertips and turn your head to the right so that you land on the right mastoid process ( the nobby on the right side of the occiput). Hold pinpointed pressure and/or the flossing motion. Very important to soften the face, jaw and tongue. Come back to the center and before moving to the opposite side notice what feels different.

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