Up until now, a lot of my posts have alluded to or discussed myofascial (myo=muscle, fascia=connective tissue) lines or tracks in the body, largely based on the work of Myers (2008, 2e), and how they integrate into asana practice or mindful movement and participation in life. These lines are vertical or longitudinal and they are also functional in the sense that they relate primarily to movement.
There are, however, other fascial 'bands' or 'straps' that run horizontally around and through the body, which, as you shall see, are related to (familiar) yoga concepts and are instrumental for healthy alignment and integrated movement in asana practice. My sources for this post are The Endless Web: Fascial Anatomy and Physical Reality (Schultz, R. L., and Feitis, R., 1996, e-book), a workshop and presentation by Doug Keller (April 21, 2012) at the Fairfax location of Sun and Moon yoga, and my own practice and experience.
While each body is unique in shape, size, proportion, and contour, that is, some of what constitutes one's gross and energetic silhouette, all bodies have patterns that are common to them. These retinaculae or bands/straps (retinaculum is the single and comes from the Latin verb retinere (to retain)) run horizontally around the body "where there are no traditional anatomical connections from front to back" (Schultz, R. L., and Feitis, R., 1996). They function as retainers holding in the soft tissue and are relatively independent of muscle tissue.
When I think of these bands, I think of an oak barrel (the body and its contents) and the hoops that hold it together (the bands), with the small but important difference that humans move and oak barrels don't (at least not in the same way). In movement, these retainers, which resemble tendons and ligaments in structure, seems to run not only around but through the body like planes, segmenting the human body in this way and giving it its distinct human shape. Relative to the segments that the bands' existence brings about/begets, the bands themselves are relatively inflexible and have the quality of breaking the wave (or flow) of movement, thus providing stability for both movement and breath.
So, what are these bands? There are seven of them:
1. Pubic band: The lowest band in the torso, which extends from the pubic bone in front across the groin around the hip bones (the greater trochanter of the femur), and across the buttocks, ending at the junction of the sacrum and coccyx. Think pelvic floor/ diaphragm, mula bandha, muladhara chakra, piriformis, earth, hinge between sacrum and tailbone. (Hinges are discussed below.)
2. Inguinal band: The band across the lower abdomen. It connects the two bony projections of the pelvic bones in front (the anterior superior spines of the ilia or hip points). It usually dips slightly downward in front, like an inverted arch, resembling an internal jock strap or chastity belt. Its lower margin tends to include the inguinal ligament, connecting the band downward to the region of the pubic bone. This band extends laterally along the upper margin of the large wings of the pelvic bones (ilia), ending at the lumbosacral junction. Think sacrum, swadhisthana chakra, fire+water, hinge between low back and sacrum, uddiyana bandha/lower abdomen.
3. Belly/umbilical band: The third band crosses the abdomen and is perhaps the most variable in location. It may cross at the umbilicus, or it may lie midway between the umbilicus and the mid-costal arch (tying together the two sides of the costal arch). In either case, it will extend laterally to form an arch across the abdomen to the lower ribs on each side-particularly to the free tip of the eleventh rib. It travels backward along the lower ribs, ending at the junction of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. Think navel, manipura chakra, solar plexus, fire, uddiyana bandha/upper abdomen, hinge between chest and low back.
4. Chest band: The fourth band is in the area just below the nipples and is visually the most apparent. It is usually a non-moving depressed area on the chest; the skin seems glued down onto the ribs and muscle. Laterally, it extends along the lower border of the pectoralis major, across the mid-lateral chest, and down the lateral margin of the latissimus dorsi where it begins to run parallel to the scapula toward the arm. The strap appears to tie the lower tip of the scapula to the back ribs and ends at the dorsal hinge of the spine (T4-T5). When this strap is pronounced, there is not only a depressed mid-chest, but an inability to expand the ribs sideways in breathing. Think heart, lungs, anahata chakra, water, diaphragm, bottom tips of shoulder blades, dorsal hinge (back of heart).
5. Collar band: The fifth strap at the shoulders involves the clavicle and is part of the tissue gluing the clavicle to the first and second ribs in front. It can be felt as a pad of tissue just below and deep to the collar bone (clavicle). It extends laterally to the tip of the shoulder, with some fibers fanning down into the armpit. The strap continues toward the back on the inside and outside of the upper border of the shoulder blade (scapula), and ends at the junction of cervical and thoracic vertebrae. Think throat, vishuddha chakra, air+water, shoulder girdle, hinge between upper back and neck (C7).
6. Chin band: The area below the chin is an area of concentration of fibers and padding which includes the hyoid bone and the base of the jaw, passing just below the ear, and ending where the base of the skull joins the first cervical vertebra (atlas). Think ajna chakra, air, neck, lower brain, hinge between neck and head.
7. Eye band: The topmost band is the most difficult to visualize. It originates on the bridge of the nose, travels across the eye sockets and above the ears, and ends at the back of the skull just above the occipital crest (the bump at the back of the skull). Think sahasraha chakra, air, upper brain, skull, skull hinge/sphenoid.
Why are these important?
These bands or retainers manifest themselves where the spine's curves reverse direction, that is, where the vertebral bodies change shape and function and where, therefore, there is the most potential for movement and thus the most tendency for overuse and injury. These bands attach to these hinge points in the spine to create stability, where we are the most vulnerable, the body creating its own genius way of keeping itself whole and integrated.
As the colored sections above indicate, these hinges and their bands are also associated and have a relationship with the chakras, commonly described as energy/life force/prana centers in the body. Anatomically, the chakras are situated just in front of the spine, where the autonomic or visceral nervous system lies (ANS), controlling and affecting things such as heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, perspiration, salivation, sexual arousal, among other important functions. The hinges in the spine discussed above are associated with the most complex ANS activity. As Doug Keller eloquently puts it: "where there is ease of movement at these junctions, there is stimulation of nerve impulses that control metabolic activity; these are the points where the chakras express themselves through the nervous system, providing a continuum between physical and subtle" (Keller 2012).
How can we be informed by these latitudinal fascial bands in our asana practice? A comprehensive answer to this question is beyond the scope of this post, but simply being aware of their existence can be the beginning to mindfully integrating them into your own asana practice and to beginning your own personal quest to feel these bands and understand where the work lies in your body. For me, creating a lift along the frontal surface of my spine has done wonders for allowing me to integrate my pubic, inguinal, and belly bands, but this only came after I worked for quite some time on untucking my pelvis (as in a few years and an ongoing process). Smiling with my neck has been instrumental in aligning my collar, chin, and eye bands and showing me where I hold patterns that are useless and downright detrimental to my well-being. What about that well-known hinge where the low back ends and the upper back begins, the infamous T12-L1 juncture? I have had great experience with the following actions in my practice to alleviate pressure at this hinge and begin to stack my ribcage and my shoulder girdle on top of my pelvis (i.e. tadasana alignment): assuming things are all lined up below, draw the bottom of the breastbone (xyphoid process) into the body (not necessarily down), which in turn will allow you to expand/broaden the ribcage laterally, and then exhale through your upper traps draping them back and slightly down (without pulling your arms down).
Was that long enough for you? Me too. Peace out!
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
The seesaw principle and the deep front line
You are in yoga class in a standing pose with the front knee bent, as in virabhadrasana 1 or 2 (warrior) or parsvokonasana (side angle), and you hear the dreaded instruction: descend the top of the thigh bone down towards the floor. You try and one or more of the following happen: your front hip crease starts gripping and naggingly hisses at you that it's time to get out of this misery, and/or your back leg collapses down towards the floor, and/or gluteal muscles start overworking and causing pain in the sacroiliac (SI) joint or in the back of the pelvis. Sound familiar? Read on..
So, I recently spent a good chunk of my time on long flights going across the ocean to visit family and take a side trip to Rome. I wanted to find a way to keep the tops of my thigh bones rooted (in the back plane of the body) while sitting in the airplane seat and remembered the principle of the seesaw:
In terms of anatomy and movement, the seesaw principle states that when one end of a bone (or body part) is moved in one direction, the other end of the bone is moved in the opposite direction (see Keller 2001). This is a particularly useful principle when addressing knee hyper-extension as shown in the image below:
This is all very well in straight-legged poses/positions. What about when the knee is flexed as in one of the poses mentioned above or when sitting in an airplane seat? In my view, absolutely. So, back to sitting on airplanes: I placed one of those mini-pillows they give you on long flights under the base of my thigh bones, just above the backs of my knees, so that the tops of my thigh bones at the level of the hip creases were lower than the base of the thigh bones just above the kneecaps. It certainly made a difference for me.
Now, back to yoga poses where the knee is flexed. Next time you are in virabhadrasana 1 or 2 or parsvokonasana, instead of trying to press the top of your thigh bone down, which will very likely create some hardening in the hip crease area, try lifting the base of the thigh bone up from below (top back of the knee area or knee pit). You will most likely notice the top of your thigh bone descending into the sling of your hamstrings, even if just a bit. Further, this idea is especially helpful in poses where the knee is in even deeper flexion, such as virasana (hero), eka pada raja kapotasana (pigeon), padmasana (lotus), vrksasana (tree), to name a few. In this way, you will be creating much needed space in the back of the knee joint, helping your thigh bones set deeply into the hip socket, thus tapping into the sweetness of yoga asana practice, when movement is not stressing you out and creating physical, mental and emotional drag.
Going deeper, I think this idea is also useful with regards to accessing the deep front or core line in these postures. If I think of lifting the base of the thigh bone up as described above, I am directly speaking to my core line via the popliteus, the back of the knee capsule, and the adductors (inner thighs), which in turn connect to my psoas complex and therefore my spine, my breath, and my heart above (see Myers, last page, figure 7) and deep compartment of the lower leg and the arches of the feet below. Long live the seesaw!
So, I recently spent a good chunk of my time on long flights going across the ocean to visit family and take a side trip to Rome. I wanted to find a way to keep the tops of my thigh bones rooted (in the back plane of the body) while sitting in the airplane seat and remembered the principle of the seesaw:
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| Seesaw from http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/about-this-show/physics-of-seesaws.htm |
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| Hyper-extended knee and seesaw principle from http://www.doyoga.com/book.pdf. Now, imagine both "seesaws" of the leg bones, moving in the opposite direction with the base of the thigh bone and the top of the shin bone becoming "light" and the top of the thigh bone and the base of the shin bone becoming "heavy" from the point of view of the seesaw mechanism and you will see how this principle can address knee hyper-extension and the postural issues resulting from it. |
Now, back to yoga poses where the knee is flexed. Next time you are in virabhadrasana 1 or 2 or parsvokonasana, instead of trying to press the top of your thigh bone down, which will very likely create some hardening in the hip crease area, try lifting the base of the thigh bone up from below (top back of the knee area or knee pit). You will most likely notice the top of your thigh bone descending into the sling of your hamstrings, even if just a bit. Further, this idea is especially helpful in poses where the knee is in even deeper flexion, such as virasana (hero), eka pada raja kapotasana (pigeon), padmasana (lotus), vrksasana (tree), to name a few. In this way, you will be creating much needed space in the back of the knee joint, helping your thigh bones set deeply into the hip socket, thus tapping into the sweetness of yoga asana practice, when movement is not stressing you out and creating physical, mental and emotional drag.
Going deeper, I think this idea is also useful with regards to accessing the deep front or core line in these postures. If I think of lifting the base of the thigh bone up as described above, I am directly speaking to my core line via the popliteus, the back of the knee capsule, and the adductors (inner thighs), which in turn connect to my psoas complex and therefore my spine, my breath, and my heart above (see Myers, last page, figure 7) and deep compartment of the lower leg and the arches of the feet below. Long live the seesaw!
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Turn the Key, or How to Optimize Your Shoulder Alignment
When talking about shoulder alignment in yoga classes, the practitioner most often hears about the upper arm bone (the humerus) and the shoulder blade (the scapula). It usually involves some kind of language which instructs the practitioner to take the arm bone in the back plane of the body with the aim of positioning/keeping/securing the shoulder blade onto the back, that is, it deals with movement/articulation in the glenohumeral, or shoulder, joint, the place where the upper arm bone and the shoulder blade meet. This is true regardless of whether you weight bear directly on your hands or "just" have to keep your arms up or out to the side for example. This is true irrespective of the type of pose: forward bend, backbend, twist, arm balance, etc. If the shoulder blade is not optimally positioned on your back, then something above or below it will take the brunt such as your neck and head, elbow, hand, upper spine, ribs, even hips and sacrum. Optimal position of the scapula is beyond the scope of this post and I will leave that to the expert voice of Tom Myers.
What I want to draw attention to is the other shoulder bone, the collarbone (or clavicle), which forms the other shoulder joint or the acromioclavicular (AC) joint, which is the junction between the clavicle and the acromion of the scapula. If this already sounds like gibberish, here is a visual:
The collarbones are largely forgotten in yoga class, besides the occasional instruction to broaden them during centering. In my experience, they are key to shoulder alignment. And I use the word "key" on purpose. Because the etymological root of clavicle means "key." It comes from the Latin clavicula, meaning small key or bolt. Doug Keller first drew my attention to this connection, and although I was impressed, it took a bit of time for me to make further connections. The same etymology goes across languages: ключица (klyuchitsa) in Bulgarian, meaning key bone; Schlüsselbein in German, meaning key bone; etc. This is also where clé or clef (key) come from in French. So, knowing the etymology was the first step to greater understanding. On an intellectual level, I understood that somehow the AC joint was instrumental in optimizing shoulder alignment, and the clavicle was like the key in the lock that unlocks that potential. This also made me remember the "broaden the collarbones" instruction and practice it in a variety of poses.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, I was in yoga class doing jathara parivartanasana, let's say, taking my legs to the right, trying to will my left outer shoulder blade to stay on the floor, when I heard the teacher say, "Broaden from the right collarbone through the left collarbone," and it just worked like a beauty. Bringing my awareness to the collarbones brought about easier and more refined alignment to the arm bone-shoulder blade complex:
Needless to say, I remembered all that Doug Keller had said about the "key" bone and went about exploring enthusiastically in my practice. The following muscles attach to the clavicle: trapezium, deltoid, the SCM, the pec major, the subclavius, and the sternoclavicular (or sternohyoid) plus a couple of ligaments. This would make the clavicle a key bony station in at least 3 of the 4 arm lines (see Myers above) as well as the deep front line via the sternohyoid.
To be clear, I am not saying to ignore the arm bone-scapula (shoulder) joint. This is the joint that primarily determines shoulder positioning and alignment. But I do think that the clavicle and its articulation at the AC joint with the shoulder blade is nothing to sneeze at if you are seeking refinement and more optimal shoulder alignment in your practice. As Wikipedia says about the AC joint: "The AC joint allows the ability to raise the arm above the head. This joint functions as a pivot point (although technically it is a gliding synovial joint), acting like a strut to help with movement of the scapula resulting in a greater degree of arm rotation."
So, in practice, what has helped me is to think of absorbing the distal edges of my clavicles into the body, in essence articulating my AC joint, plugging the key into the lock and turning it, so that I can then open wide the door of the shoulder (arm bone-shoulder blade) joint. Like a waving lucky cat when its paw is raised and facing forward. Doing that lucky cat wave (with the elbow bent) and having the fingertips of your other hand on your clavicle will show you what I am talking about (try having the fingertips at different points of the clavicle, starting from the center, closest to the sternum and then moving out towards the shoulder blade to get a sense of how the clavicle is indeed like a key that turns into a lock). So, when you bring your awareness to the clavicle and articulate at the AC joint, you are creating the conditions for the top chest to spread, lift, and broaden and for the shallow shoulder joint to express the mobility that it is known for (at least in theory). Think about absorbing the edges of your collarbones into the body next time you do pincha mayurasana (forearm stand) or set up for urdhva dhanurasana (wheel) and see how it goes and whether it helps you with moving your shoulder blades more fully onto your back. Then, start turning the key in other poses as well and see what doors it opens for you.
What I want to draw attention to is the other shoulder bone, the collarbone (or clavicle), which forms the other shoulder joint or the acromioclavicular (AC) joint, which is the junction between the clavicle and the acromion of the scapula. If this already sounds like gibberish, here is a visual:
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| Shoulder from http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00394 |
Then, a couple of weeks ago, I was in yoga class doing jathara parivartanasana, let's say, taking my legs to the right, trying to will my left outer shoulder blade to stay on the floor, when I heard the teacher say, "Broaden from the right collarbone through the left collarbone," and it just worked like a beauty. Bringing my awareness to the collarbones brought about easier and more refined alignment to the arm bone-shoulder blade complex:
 |
| Jathara parivartanasana: revolved abdomen pose, from http://home.comcast.net/~raoulsch/bwy/bwy_prac.htm |
To be clear, I am not saying to ignore the arm bone-scapula (shoulder) joint. This is the joint that primarily determines shoulder positioning and alignment. But I do think that the clavicle and its articulation at the AC joint with the shoulder blade is nothing to sneeze at if you are seeking refinement and more optimal shoulder alignment in your practice. As Wikipedia says about the AC joint: "The AC joint allows the ability to raise the arm above the head. This joint functions as a pivot point (although technically it is a gliding synovial joint), acting like a strut to help with movement of the scapula resulting in a greater degree of arm rotation."
So, in practice, what has helped me is to think of absorbing the distal edges of my clavicles into the body, in essence articulating my AC joint, plugging the key into the lock and turning it, so that I can then open wide the door of the shoulder (arm bone-shoulder blade) joint. Like a waving lucky cat when its paw is raised and facing forward. Doing that lucky cat wave (with the elbow bent) and having the fingertips of your other hand on your clavicle will show you what I am talking about (try having the fingertips at different points of the clavicle, starting from the center, closest to the sternum and then moving out towards the shoulder blade to get a sense of how the clavicle is indeed like a key that turns into a lock). So, when you bring your awareness to the clavicle and articulate at the AC joint, you are creating the conditions for the top chest to spread, lift, and broaden and for the shallow shoulder joint to express the mobility that it is known for (at least in theory). Think about absorbing the edges of your collarbones into the body next time you do pincha mayurasana (forearm stand) or set up for urdhva dhanurasana (wheel) and see how it goes and whether it helps you with moving your shoulder blades more fully onto your back. Then, start turning the key in other poses as well and see what doors it opens for you.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Scoop or Lift: Up Front in the Back
The instruction to scoop or lengthen one's tailbone is a very common, if not ubiquitous, instruction in yoga classes. Mountain pose: tail down. Tree pose: tail down. Warrior: tail down. This same basic cue holds true even if you change your spatial orientation: if you lie on your belly, you are told to lengthen your tail back towards the heels; if you are upside down, you are told to lengthen the tail up towards the ceiling; the list goes on. While I do not disagree with this instruction fundamentally, my personal experience and observation have led me to conclude that, more often than not, it does not work as intended.
I think the instruction generally intends to activate the practitioner's core and provide him/her with much needed support against the combination of gravity (compression) and movement (tension). After all, practicing yoga asanas is core training because it asks us to find our core line (or integrity if you will) in different orientations with gravity. That core stability line, or Deep Front Line in the language of Tom Myers' Anatomy Trains, is our myofascial axial core, which also supports the organ body, or viscera. It's the line that asks us to connect with the internal surfaces of the body and initiate from there. More on this in a moment.
The instruction to scoop one's tail bone is problematic on a number of levels. If what I said in the previous paragraph is true, then our core line can also be seen as our 'lift' line: the intricate chain that lifts us out of the force of gravity, which works 24/7. So, we work to keep the arches lifted, we activate the inner thighs and lift them up towards the core of the pelvis, we lift the pelvic floor, we lift the low belly, we reach up through the crown of the head... This begs the question: why, then, would you want to scoop or draw your tail down? Moreover, this instruction leads most of us to initiate from the back surface of the sacral/tail area, the surface that can be felt under the skin and which has no connection to our core line of support. On a deeper level, doesn't scooping your tailbone whiff of fear? But I'll leave that to someone else to explore...
Further, the instruction to scoop the tail or draw it towards the heels (or worse, draw it down and forward), more often than not, leads to a number of unintended consequences some which are: an over-tucked (and therefore unbalanced) pelvis, thigh bones that push forward into the hip sockets, and a taxed/flattened low back. Further, very enthusiastic tail scooping can lead to a gripping rectus abdominis (your six-pack), which will then have no choice but the pull your abdominal organs forward and down, taking your ribcage down in the process. In essence, tail-scooping becomes an accessory to gravity's mission of pulling you down.
Going even deeper, the core line of the body is the line of the inner surfaces. Various connections in this line create a web of amazing support among key inner walls and surfaces in the body: pelvic (pubic, sit, and ilium) bones, the tail, the sacrum, the spine, the navel, the sternum, and the throat. So, for example, the front surface of the spine is its inner surface, the surface that faces your organs; the inner surface of the sternum is the surface that faces inward towards your heart and lungs. From that point of view, the inner surface of your tail is that surface that looks forward into your pelvic floor and towards the inner surface of your pubic bones. Fun, right? Do you feel like a (yellow) submarine on a fascinating adventure deep below the surface level?
Jokes aside, I have found it more helpful of engaging my core by thinking of creating a lift from the inner surface of the tail bone (the base of the spine) all the way up the whole frontal surface of the spine. This has kept me from the unintended consequences of tail scooping mentioned above and has allowed me to feel the connection between seemingly disparate parts of my body such as the inner surface of my navel and my breastbone and the inner surface of my low back. In short, it has allowed me to feel (in) my center. For that, I needed to go beyond the superficial downward pull of the top surface of the tailbone. Have fun with up front in the back and I would love to hear about your experience!
I think the instruction generally intends to activate the practitioner's core and provide him/her with much needed support against the combination of gravity (compression) and movement (tension). After all, practicing yoga asanas is core training because it asks us to find our core line (or integrity if you will) in different orientations with gravity. That core stability line, or Deep Front Line in the language of Tom Myers' Anatomy Trains, is our myofascial axial core, which also supports the organ body, or viscera. It's the line that asks us to connect with the internal surfaces of the body and initiate from there. More on this in a moment.
The instruction to scoop one's tail bone is problematic on a number of levels. If what I said in the previous paragraph is true, then our core line can also be seen as our 'lift' line: the intricate chain that lifts us out of the force of gravity, which works 24/7. So, we work to keep the arches lifted, we activate the inner thighs and lift them up towards the core of the pelvis, we lift the pelvic floor, we lift the low belly, we reach up through the crown of the head... This begs the question: why, then, would you want to scoop or draw your tail down? Moreover, this instruction leads most of us to initiate from the back surface of the sacral/tail area, the surface that can be felt under the skin and which has no connection to our core line of support. On a deeper level, doesn't scooping your tailbone whiff of fear? But I'll leave that to someone else to explore...
Further, the instruction to scoop the tail or draw it towards the heels (or worse, draw it down and forward), more often than not, leads to a number of unintended consequences some which are: an over-tucked (and therefore unbalanced) pelvis, thigh bones that push forward into the hip sockets, and a taxed/flattened low back. Further, very enthusiastic tail scooping can lead to a gripping rectus abdominis (your six-pack), which will then have no choice but the pull your abdominal organs forward and down, taking your ribcage down in the process. In essence, tail-scooping becomes an accessory to gravity's mission of pulling you down.
Going even deeper, the core line of the body is the line of the inner surfaces. Various connections in this line create a web of amazing support among key inner walls and surfaces in the body: pelvic (pubic, sit, and ilium) bones, the tail, the sacrum, the spine, the navel, the sternum, and the throat. So, for example, the front surface of the spine is its inner surface, the surface that faces your organs; the inner surface of the sternum is the surface that faces inward towards your heart and lungs. From that point of view, the inner surface of your tail is that surface that looks forward into your pelvic floor and towards the inner surface of your pubic bones. Fun, right? Do you feel like a (yellow) submarine on a fascinating adventure deep below the surface level?
Jokes aside, I have found it more helpful of engaging my core by thinking of creating a lift from the inner surface of the tail bone (the base of the spine) all the way up the whole frontal surface of the spine. This has kept me from the unintended consequences of tail scooping mentioned above and has allowed me to feel the connection between seemingly disparate parts of my body such as the inner surface of my navel and my breastbone and the inner surface of my low back. In short, it has allowed me to feel (in) my center. For that, I needed to go beyond the superficial downward pull of the top surface of the tailbone. Have fun with up front in the back and I would love to hear about your experience!
Monday, March 18, 2013
Why (Healthy) Yoga Backbends Are Easier Said than Done
The short answer to this question is that, from an anatomically functional point of view, yoga backbends are counter-intuitive. How so?
When we are in utero, our entire spine is in flexion, that is, it has a convex shape, as in child's pose (balasana). This is known as the primary curve. As we are born and begin to learn to hold the head up and look around, our necks develop a concave, inward, curve, as do our low backs as we begin to crawl, stand and walk. Thus, the cervical (neck) and low back (lumbar) spinal curves are known as secondary, that is, they develop post-birth. The thoracic (upper back) curve and the convex shape of the sacrum are primary, that is, they develop and are present prior to birth.
In terms of movement, the primary and secondary curves interact in a reciprocal relationship per Kaminoff and Matthews (2012): the more you decrease or increase one, the more the other wants to do the opposite. So, if I increase my upper back curve (like a cat), for example, my lumbar and cervical curves will decrease, that is, they will flatten or round. Reversely, if I decreased my upper back curve by lifting my chest, for example, my lumbar and cervical curves will increase, that is, they will deepen and arch more. This is true regardless of where I choose to initiate the movement from: if I increase one of my primary curves, the secondary curves will decrease; if I reduce one of my primary curves, the secondary curves will increase.
Anyone who has been to a few yoga classes knows that when we do yoga backbends, we want to "bend" from the upper back while lengthening the low back and keeping it from over-arching (hyper-extending). Based on what I said in the previous paragraph, this might seem counter-intuitive, and you will be correct.
Going a bit deeper with this, in an intuitive backbend, if you lifted and spread your front chest--broadening the collarbones, lifting the sternum, externally rotating the upper arms, and contracting your upper back/shoulderblade muscles--and you didn't do anything else, your low back will then arch to the best of its ability, the front of your pelvis will widen and disengage in a sense, the back of your pelvis will contract or over-engage if you will, your legs and knees will turn out and you will end up with Charlie Chaplin feet, which, whether you feel it or not, creates enormous compression in your low back, especially in a backbend. This is true regardless of how much flexibility/fluidity you have in your spine. If someone doesn't tell you to turn your legs in and you don't train yourself to do it on a consistent and mindful basis, you will invariably end up with Charlie Chaplin feet and a crunched low back. In essence, in an intuitive backbend, the opening of the shoulder girdle in the front will create a corresponding opening of the pelvic girdle in the front.
In a yoga backbend, we would be wise to backbend counter-intuitively. That is, if/as/before you lifted and spread your front chest, you would be wise to align your legs and pelvic girdle in the opposite direction, that is, the back of the pelvis broadens and widens, while the front of the pelvis engages and lifts up to facilitate further opening of the chest above it. In very schematic and broad terms, in a yoga backbend, we want the shoulder girdle to open from the front and contract in the back with the corresponding external rotation of the upper arms; conversely, we want to the back of the pelvic girdle to widen and broaden while the front of the pelvis engages like a drawstring in the front, which draws the hips points towards each other, coupled with a zipping action from the pubic area on up the front of the torso.
Going even a bit deeper with this, I would like to talk about the breath, because what kind of yoga are we doing if we are not breathing mindfully and coordinately with our movement. When we inhale, the diaphragm moves down, the ribs expand, the lungs fill with air and turn in, the hip points in the front gently (imperceptibly) turn in towards each other, and the low back and sacrum regions spread. (As a caveat, from that point of view, the cue to lengthen the spine on an inhale, often used in yoga classes, doesn't make much sense.) When we exhale, the opposite happens: the diaphragm lifts, the ribs draw in, the lungs turn out, the whole spine elongates, the chest lifts, and the arms turn out. This I learned from Jenny Otto a few years back.
So, to practice an optimal yoga backbend, we broadly need to create an inhale quality in the low back and sacral areas, while creating an exhale quality in the upper back/chest area. Ironically perhaps, in order to do that, we need to keep the diaphragm lifted on the inhale (so that it doesn't push down into the abdominal cavity and distend the belly), which will expand the ribcage laterally/sideways. On the exhale, though, we still need to exhale as if we expanded the belly on the inhale, and draw the belly in and up even further. And all this without clenching your teeth and bulging your eyes for example. Have fun and good luck! Healthy yoga backbends are easier said than done, but they are worth it, even if a bit overrated :).
When we are in utero, our entire spine is in flexion, that is, it has a convex shape, as in child's pose (balasana). This is known as the primary curve. As we are born and begin to learn to hold the head up and look around, our necks develop a concave, inward, curve, as do our low backs as we begin to crawl, stand and walk. Thus, the cervical (neck) and low back (lumbar) spinal curves are known as secondary, that is, they develop post-birth. The thoracic (upper back) curve and the convex shape of the sacrum are primary, that is, they develop and are present prior to birth.
In terms of movement, the primary and secondary curves interact in a reciprocal relationship per Kaminoff and Matthews (2012): the more you decrease or increase one, the more the other wants to do the opposite. So, if I increase my upper back curve (like a cat), for example, my lumbar and cervical curves will decrease, that is, they will flatten or round. Reversely, if I decreased my upper back curve by lifting my chest, for example, my lumbar and cervical curves will increase, that is, they will deepen and arch more. This is true regardless of where I choose to initiate the movement from: if I increase one of my primary curves, the secondary curves will decrease; if I reduce one of my primary curves, the secondary curves will increase.
Anyone who has been to a few yoga classes knows that when we do yoga backbends, we want to "bend" from the upper back while lengthening the low back and keeping it from over-arching (hyper-extending). Based on what I said in the previous paragraph, this might seem counter-intuitive, and you will be correct.
Going a bit deeper with this, in an intuitive backbend, if you lifted and spread your front chest--broadening the collarbones, lifting the sternum, externally rotating the upper arms, and contracting your upper back/shoulderblade muscles--and you didn't do anything else, your low back will then arch to the best of its ability, the front of your pelvis will widen and disengage in a sense, the back of your pelvis will contract or over-engage if you will, your legs and knees will turn out and you will end up with Charlie Chaplin feet, which, whether you feel it or not, creates enormous compression in your low back, especially in a backbend. This is true regardless of how much flexibility/fluidity you have in your spine. If someone doesn't tell you to turn your legs in and you don't train yourself to do it on a consistent and mindful basis, you will invariably end up with Charlie Chaplin feet and a crunched low back. In essence, in an intuitive backbend, the opening of the shoulder girdle in the front will create a corresponding opening of the pelvic girdle in the front.
In a yoga backbend, we would be wise to backbend counter-intuitively. That is, if/as/before you lifted and spread your front chest, you would be wise to align your legs and pelvic girdle in the opposite direction, that is, the back of the pelvis broadens and widens, while the front of the pelvis engages and lifts up to facilitate further opening of the chest above it. In very schematic and broad terms, in a yoga backbend, we want the shoulder girdle to open from the front and contract in the back with the corresponding external rotation of the upper arms; conversely, we want to the back of the pelvic girdle to widen and broaden while the front of the pelvis engages like a drawstring in the front, which draws the hips points towards each other, coupled with a zipping action from the pubic area on up the front of the torso.
Going even a bit deeper with this, I would like to talk about the breath, because what kind of yoga are we doing if we are not breathing mindfully and coordinately with our movement. When we inhale, the diaphragm moves down, the ribs expand, the lungs fill with air and turn in, the hip points in the front gently (imperceptibly) turn in towards each other, and the low back and sacrum regions spread. (As a caveat, from that point of view, the cue to lengthen the spine on an inhale, often used in yoga classes, doesn't make much sense.) When we exhale, the opposite happens: the diaphragm lifts, the ribs draw in, the lungs turn out, the whole spine elongates, the chest lifts, and the arms turn out. This I learned from Jenny Otto a few years back.
So, to practice an optimal yoga backbend, we broadly need to create an inhale quality in the low back and sacral areas, while creating an exhale quality in the upper back/chest area. Ironically perhaps, in order to do that, we need to keep the diaphragm lifted on the inhale (so that it doesn't push down into the abdominal cavity and distend the belly), which will expand the ribcage laterally/sideways. On the exhale, though, we still need to exhale as if we expanded the belly on the inhale, and draw the belly in and up even further. And all this without clenching your teeth and bulging your eyes for example. Have fun and good luck! Healthy yoga backbends are easier said than done, but they are worth it, even if a bit overrated :).
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Of Fascia and Fascism
I was reading an article on the Ara Pacis (Altar of Peace) in Rome, Italy, which became a symbol of Ancient Rome's Pax Romana or Golden Age in the first two hundred years A.D. In it, the author was describing how a lictor, or ceremonial bodyguard, was carrying the fasces, a bundle of sticks or rods, symbolizing how unity brings strength. Fasces is derived from the Latin word for "bundle" and "band." Here is how the original fasces looked like:
So fasces is the whole ensemble of the rods and the axe tied together by the band and the (red) band itself, which holds the separate parts together and gives them their unity and strength.
Fasces is where the word fascism comes from and Mussolini used the representation above as his party's symbol. Fascism is hard to define, not least because the word is so loaded in our everyday vocabulary and because it is often lumped with other authoritarian and totalitarian doctrines. That's not what I am concerned with here. I am mostly concerned with how language connects seemingly disparate or unrelated concepts through words and makes us think and explore our preconceptions and views. When I went to the etymology dictionary to check out fasces, the next two entries were fascist and fascia! So, these are at least etymologically related since they share the same origin--the fasces--discussed until now. This made me think and ask myself funny questions such as "Is fascia fascist? and "Is fascism fascial?"
Benito Mussolini chose this term and symbol deliberately. His philosophy rejected individualism (and liberalism) and glorified the state as all-embracing and above anything else. The individual was considered worthless and dispensable, collectivism was king. In "The Doctrine of Fascism" ("La dottrina del fascismo"), an essay attributed at least in part to Mussolini, the author states: "The fascist conception of the state is all-embracing; outside of it no human or spiritual values can exist, much less have value. Thus understood, ... the fascist state—a synthesis and a unit inclusive of all values—interprets, develops, and potentiates the whole life of a people."
What about fascia? Fascia was originally an architectural term and its anatomical use dates back to 1788. It also etymologically derives from fasces and means band, bandage, swathe. Fascia is the body's connective tissue and it is biochemically a colloid (as is Jell-O), in essence a suspension compound. It surrounds everything in the body: starting at the tiny cellular level to muscles, bundles of muscles, organs, bundles of organs, nerves, etc. As Jenny Otto once aptly said: "Imagine fascia as a whole body pantyhose." Fascia is fascinating because is provides an endless continuum for all tissue in the body and an infinite potential for movement. Here's a very short video which shows you how living fascia looks like. Fascia allows movement and at the same time preserves the integrity of bodily structures and lets them slide and glide. It acts as a buffer, an insulation and suspension mechanism, and literally gives us our shape posturally and functionally (in movement). Fascia remodels itself all the time and responds to how we use, misuse, or simply not use our body; fascia also responds to manipulation. See the the Fuzz Speech by the one and only Gil Hedley in defense of movement.
So can we describe fascism in terms of fascia? I think so... Fascism is the all-pervasive binding that connects society into a unitary collective, where every part of that collective is bound to the next and every other member by the structural integrity of the state, working together towards its resolution/perpetuation/goal. Whether that purpose is good or bad is beside the point.
Can we describe fascia in terms of fascism? I think so... The fascist/fascial conception of the body is all-embracing; outside of it, no organ, muscle, bone, or cell can exist, much less have any meaning or individual existence. Thus understood, the fascist/fascial body--a synthesis and a unit inclusive of all function and movement--interprets, develops, and potentiates the whole life of its parts."
Fascinating, n'est-ce pas?
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| Fasces from http://www.squidoo.com/mercurydime. |
Fasces is where the word fascism comes from and Mussolini used the representation above as his party's symbol. Fascism is hard to define, not least because the word is so loaded in our everyday vocabulary and because it is often lumped with other authoritarian and totalitarian doctrines. That's not what I am concerned with here. I am mostly concerned with how language connects seemingly disparate or unrelated concepts through words and makes us think and explore our preconceptions and views. When I went to the etymology dictionary to check out fasces, the next two entries were fascist and fascia! So, these are at least etymologically related since they share the same origin--the fasces--discussed until now. This made me think and ask myself funny questions such as "Is fascia fascist? and "Is fascism fascial?"
Benito Mussolini chose this term and symbol deliberately. His philosophy rejected individualism (and liberalism) and glorified the state as all-embracing and above anything else. The individual was considered worthless and dispensable, collectivism was king. In "The Doctrine of Fascism" ("La dottrina del fascismo"), an essay attributed at least in part to Mussolini, the author states: "The fascist conception of the state is all-embracing; outside of it no human or spiritual values can exist, much less have value. Thus understood, ... the fascist state—a synthesis and a unit inclusive of all values—interprets, develops, and potentiates the whole life of a people."
What about fascia? Fascia was originally an architectural term and its anatomical use dates back to 1788. It also etymologically derives from fasces and means band, bandage, swathe. Fascia is the body's connective tissue and it is biochemically a colloid (as is Jell-O), in essence a suspension compound. It surrounds everything in the body: starting at the tiny cellular level to muscles, bundles of muscles, organs, bundles of organs, nerves, etc. As Jenny Otto once aptly said: "Imagine fascia as a whole body pantyhose." Fascia is fascinating because is provides an endless continuum for all tissue in the body and an infinite potential for movement. Here's a very short video which shows you how living fascia looks like. Fascia allows movement and at the same time preserves the integrity of bodily structures and lets them slide and glide. It acts as a buffer, an insulation and suspension mechanism, and literally gives us our shape posturally and functionally (in movement). Fascia remodels itself all the time and responds to how we use, misuse, or simply not use our body; fascia also responds to manipulation. See the the Fuzz Speech by the one and only Gil Hedley in defense of movement.
So can we describe fascism in terms of fascia? I think so... Fascism is the all-pervasive binding that connects society into a unitary collective, where every part of that collective is bound to the next and every other member by the structural integrity of the state, working together towards its resolution/perpetuation/goal. Whether that purpose is good or bad is beside the point.
Can we describe fascia in terms of fascism? I think so... The fascist/fascial conception of the body is all-embracing; outside of it, no organ, muscle, bone, or cell can exist, much less have any meaning or individual existence. Thus understood, the fascist/fascial body--a synthesis and a unit inclusive of all function and movement--interprets, develops, and potentiates the whole life of its parts."
Fascinating, n'est-ce pas?
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Smile with Your Neck and Soften Your Gaze
Let's face it: our modern lifestyle is quite abusive to our necks. According to one article I found in Science Daily, about 20 percent of the population suffers from chronic neck pain. This is due to a number of reasons, with some of the most obvious being driving, sitting (especially in front of a computer), and staring into handheld small-screen devices (often while walking), to name a few. To pick on the latter, which particularly irks me, you have a person, completely disconnected from their surroundings, walking poorly and without regard, with their head down and forward of the rest of the body, and their eyes straining to see and follow what is on the tiny screen. Below is a photo of what I call 'smartphone walking.'
In these and other everyday situations, we often assume a slumped forward-head posture due to lifestyle, postural and emotional habits, or mere laziness. Here is schematically how it looks:
Are you already trying to figure out how to sit or stand better?
This postural pattern simultaneously overstretches and weakens some parts of the back (i.e. the muscles get locked long; for example, the muscles between your shoulder blades), and tightens and weakens other parts of the back (i.e. muscles locked short; for example, the back of your neck, the tops of your shoulders). For every inch your head is forward of the rest of your body, the neck has 10 more lbs to weight bear!). The back body is also known as the Superficial Back Line (SBL) in the language of Tom Myers' Anatomy Trains. The SBL runs from the soles of your feet, up the back of the body, goes over your head like a hoodie and stops just above the brow line. Anatomically speaking, it is the line the makes us characteristically human, i.e. bipeds, that is, it keeps us erect and prevents us from curling into involuntary flexion or fetal position.
For the purposes of this post, I will concentrate on three muscles, which are not all part of the SBL, but all coincidentally start with the letter S: the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) (Fig. 3), the scalenes (Fig. 4), and the suboccipitals (Fig. 5). The SCM is part of both the lateral and the front lines of the body, the scalenes are part of the deep front line (which I discussed here in relation to the tongue) and are the second most important breathing muscles after the diaphragm (also part of the core line), and the suboccipitals are part of the superficial back line I mentioned above, often considered the functional fulcrum of that line and the key to unlocking tension anywhere along this line (including these tight hamstrings, which leave you feeling hamstrung in yoga class or while you are trying to tie your shoe laces).
But before I address these muscles and how you can smile with your neck and with your eyes, I would like to make sure that we are all on the same page. Forward head posture and neck strain do not begin in the neck. I am generalizing but slumping when sitting (the preferred way to sit) and the resulting collapse in the pelvis is where it all begins and travels up. That is, you are not sitting on the fronts of your sit-bones (sometimes called the "feet of the pelvis") but way behind them. I'll get back to this in a moment.
So, when this happens and we end up in some variation of Fig. 2, the SCM and the scalenes have no choice but to pull the head forward and become very tight and overused, while the deep neck flexors (the muscles running along the front of your cervical/neck spine) will be weak and unused. The deep neck flexors (Fig. 6) are your headstand muscles and the muscles that work to prevent hyper-extension of the neck (crunching/tightness in the back of the neck). When engaged, it will feel like you are getting an inch taller.
At the same time, the compromised position of your pelvis coupled with your need to look forward (to drive, to look at a computer screen, or to look up hastily from your smartphone screen and try to avoid ramming yourself into a streetlight, for example) will cause the suboccipitals to mightily contract (hyper-extending the neck just below the skull). When you do this repeatedly and/or for long periods of time, you end up with tension at the base of your skull, headaches, and neck pain. Moreover, the suboccipitals have a primal connection through your brain to your eyes (and your jaw and inner ear), such that any movement you make with your eyes brings a corresponding movement/reaction in the suboccipitals and along the muscles that traverse your spine and keep you upright. You can now see how having a hard fixed gaze (into a computer screen or at an annoying colleague or relative) can lead to neck strain and pain. Doug Keller calls the suboccipitals the bobble-head muscles.
So, what can be done? You can bring a smile to your eyes and soften your serious gaze to moisten and relax the suboccipitals and then smile with your neck to soften the sides of the neck (SCM and scalenes), so that the front of the throat goes up and back (that is, the deep neck flexors have a chance at awakening and doing their job).
Here it goes:
Take a blanket and fold it in 2 or 3 and place it at a wall. Sit on the blanket (or blankets if you need more) in an easy cross-legged position with your back against the wall such that your hips are higher than your knees (throughout this practice, the back of your pelvis and the backs of your shoulders around the blades will be the touch points with the wall). When this is the case, you will be able to find and sit on your sit-bones and have a neutral pelvis (not tipping too far forward, nor too far back). The standard metaphor is to imagine your pelvis as a bowl full of water and you are trying not to spill the water. As you root your sit-bones into the blankets, think of lengthening the space between the top of your pelvis and the floating ribs. Use the wall for support and gently press the backs of your shoulders into the wall, and release the tops of your shoulders downwards like a drape dress, taking care not to pull your arms down. Lift the low belly up, but leave the groins heavy. (If you feel like your low front ribs are poking forward, soften them towards the back body and see if you can balance this action with keeping your pelvis neutral.) Close your eyes and turn your inner gaze down towards your lungs and your heart. Ever so slightly, bow your forehead towards your chest and gently lift the top of your chest towards your chin. Pay attention and see if that releases any amount of tension from the base of the skull and whether you feel a gentle lengthening there. That's your suboccipitals getting a break. Then, balance the rooting down through the sit-bones with an elongation from the base of the spine all the way up through the crown of the head (which will awaken the deep neck flexors). Keeping all that, take your index fingers to the front of your neck just above the Adam's apple and draw them out to the sides and up towards the tips of the earlobes, and see if you can literally create this gentle shift with the sides of your neck, so that the SCM and the scalenes move back towards the wall and slightly up, lifting the top of your chest. Voila! You have just smiled with your neck! Then, softly open your eyes, keeping the sides of the neck going back towards the wall, and gently slightly lift your head to look straight ahead at the horizon (that would mean not leading with your chin, which will lead to your head falling back on your spine).
The idea of neck smiling came courtesy of Doug Keller. Ultimately, the practice above aims to stack your pelvis, ribcage, and head on top of each other (or move you in that direction) so that you sit more in your gravity line. This is definitely easier said than done, so proceed with mindfulness and inquiry.
You can also bring this into your everyday. Simply, anytime you remember, soften your gaze and mentally bring a smile to your eyes. Then, gently tilt the chin down towards your chest, take the top throat back and up and smile with your neck. Then, just smile!
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| Fig. 1: image from SF Gate; accessed at http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Even-walking-while-texting-can-be-hazardous-3181695.php |
 |
| Fig 2: image from Optimum Sports Performance; accessed at http://optimumsportsperformance.com/blog/?p=1307 |
Are you already trying to figure out how to sit or stand better?
This postural pattern simultaneously overstretches and weakens some parts of the back (i.e. the muscles get locked long; for example, the muscles between your shoulder blades), and tightens and weakens other parts of the back (i.e. muscles locked short; for example, the back of your neck, the tops of your shoulders). For every inch your head is forward of the rest of your body, the neck has 10 more lbs to weight bear!). The back body is also known as the Superficial Back Line (SBL) in the language of Tom Myers' Anatomy Trains. The SBL runs from the soles of your feet, up the back of the body, goes over your head like a hoodie and stops just above the brow line. Anatomically speaking, it is the line the makes us characteristically human, i.e. bipeds, that is, it keeps us erect and prevents us from curling into involuntary flexion or fetal position.
 | ||
| Fig. 4: Scalenes from the back, http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/480396/view |
 |
| Fig. 3: SCM from from the side http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/196330/view |
 |
| Fig 5: Suboccipitals, http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/480365/view |
So, when this happens and we end up in some variation of Fig. 2, the SCM and the scalenes have no choice but to pull the head forward and become very tight and overused, while the deep neck flexors (the muscles running along the front of your cervical/neck spine) will be weak and unused. The deep neck flexors (Fig. 6) are your headstand muscles and the muscles that work to prevent hyper-extension of the neck (crunching/tightness in the back of the neck). When engaged, it will feel like you are getting an inch taller.
 |
| Fig 6: Deep neck flexors (middle front), http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/480358/view |
So, what can be done? You can bring a smile to your eyes and soften your serious gaze to moisten and relax the suboccipitals and then smile with your neck to soften the sides of the neck (SCM and scalenes), so that the front of the throat goes up and back (that is, the deep neck flexors have a chance at awakening and doing their job).
Here it goes:
Take a blanket and fold it in 2 or 3 and place it at a wall. Sit on the blanket (or blankets if you need more) in an easy cross-legged position with your back against the wall such that your hips are higher than your knees (throughout this practice, the back of your pelvis and the backs of your shoulders around the blades will be the touch points with the wall). When this is the case, you will be able to find and sit on your sit-bones and have a neutral pelvis (not tipping too far forward, nor too far back). The standard metaphor is to imagine your pelvis as a bowl full of water and you are trying not to spill the water. As you root your sit-bones into the blankets, think of lengthening the space between the top of your pelvis and the floating ribs. Use the wall for support and gently press the backs of your shoulders into the wall, and release the tops of your shoulders downwards like a drape dress, taking care not to pull your arms down. Lift the low belly up, but leave the groins heavy. (If you feel like your low front ribs are poking forward, soften them towards the back body and see if you can balance this action with keeping your pelvis neutral.) Close your eyes and turn your inner gaze down towards your lungs and your heart. Ever so slightly, bow your forehead towards your chest and gently lift the top of your chest towards your chin. Pay attention and see if that releases any amount of tension from the base of the skull and whether you feel a gentle lengthening there. That's your suboccipitals getting a break. Then, balance the rooting down through the sit-bones with an elongation from the base of the spine all the way up through the crown of the head (which will awaken the deep neck flexors). Keeping all that, take your index fingers to the front of your neck just above the Adam's apple and draw them out to the sides and up towards the tips of the earlobes, and see if you can literally create this gentle shift with the sides of your neck, so that the SCM and the scalenes move back towards the wall and slightly up, lifting the top of your chest. Voila! You have just smiled with your neck! Then, softly open your eyes, keeping the sides of the neck going back towards the wall, and gently slightly lift your head to look straight ahead at the horizon (that would mean not leading with your chin, which will lead to your head falling back on your spine).
The idea of neck smiling came courtesy of Doug Keller. Ultimately, the practice above aims to stack your pelvis, ribcage, and head on top of each other (or move you in that direction) so that you sit more in your gravity line. This is definitely easier said than done, so proceed with mindfulness and inquiry.
You can also bring this into your everyday. Simply, anytime you remember, soften your gaze and mentally bring a smile to your eyes. Then, gently tilt the chin down towards your chest, take the top throat back and up and smile with your neck. Then, just smile!
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