Bodywork - Turning Stress into Strengths

Balance and Stress

2010-09-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

Balance and stress have an interesting relationship. When we are stressed out we will often refer to our experience as being out of balance, we bump into things and we loose our orientation and sense of direction or purpose in our lives. Physiologically there is an interesting correlation between being out of balance and stress. Both have connections to the central nervous system with nerves that run through or between the bones of the skull. These nerves are specifically Cranial Nerve VIII which connects the vestibular (balance) and Auditory components of the ear to the brain, and Cranial Nerve X which is also known as the Vagus Nerve. The Vagus nerve is the primary connection between the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) and the Brain. The PNS has a lot to do with stress responses and the physical symptoms of distress, such as heart rate, tightness in the gut, constipation and insomnia.

Imbalance in the function of Cranial Nerves is known to arise from tension or compression placed on them by changing alignment of the bones of the skull. By simply reorganizing the relationship of the associated Cranial bones, normal nerve function quickly resumes, and the experience of being balanced and centered ensues. Chronic misalignment is usually associated with joints between the bones than can become stuck and it can take some focused work to unjam them. However, the type of imbalance that we all experience, sometimes just calling it "a bad day" can be approached much more generally and often with the simple exercise I am about to present. This type of imbalance can result from how we slept, to our physical reactions to any type of stress, from trauma (even minor injuries) and can last quite a while before our body figures out how to self correct it.

The technique has its roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine (Gall Bladder Meridian) and Applied Kinesiology. I use it as a sort of first aid kit for working with structural imbalances when I don't have the time / inclination to dig deeply into the origins of an issue.

Laying down face up with knees bent:

1) Behind the knee is a little horizontal muscle called Popliteus. If you gently get your fingers into the void behind the knee, you will feel this muscle. Check both sides. One should feel much tighter than the other. Rub both deeply, but gently, paying special attention to the side that is tight. (In massage this area is considered high risk, so don't go poking deep in there, but spend a few minutes seeing if can get it to unwind).

2) At the front of the shoulder is a muscle called Anterior Deltiod. Repeat as above. A simple technique to get a muscle to relax is to compress the fibers along its length.

3) Lightly tap around the ear several times.

4) Repeat 1 - 3 several times. The Gall Bladder Meridian Energy moves down the outside of the body, so it is nice to stroke down the sides of the body, but you should start with the knees and work north.

My guess as to how this works is that these particular muscles have strong links to balance, and that by reseting their tension, it takes tension off of the bones of the skull. The tapping then helps reset the cranial alignment. There are many variants and embellishments of this technique, but this basic version works pretty effectively. Let me know how you like it.

Leg length

2010-06-21T18:15:00.000-07:00

Variations in the length of our legs have been used as an indicator for a variety of physical ailments. It is not uncommon for Chiropractors and other therapists to use leg length as a primary indicator for pathology. In fact I have seen clients who had a leg surgically shortened.

I have also seen leg length change almost instantaneously as a result of therapy, by as much as an inch. Essentially what is going on is that the left and right halves of the pelvis function in a semi-autonomous manner to adapt to changing environmental requirements. Before we lived on flat surfaces rotation of the pelvis was probably a lot more dynamically adaptive, allowing leg length to quickly respond to situational change. Think of walking on a path that slopes side to side. Not being able to change relative leg length quickly was a liability for both bipeds and quadrupeds, and those with the most flexibility would have been the most reproductively successful.

My sense of what is now common, where one leg may be chronically shorter than the other is a result of us nearly always walking on flat surfaces. No only do the muscles and fasciae get stiff, but the underlying neurology that controls those tissues atrophies. This reduction in flexibility leads to compensations and adaptations though out the body that can result in chronic pain, stiffness, anxiety and loss of vigor.

I have seen a lot of therapies adjust leg length. One that often works is inserts that re-align the foot to orient it optimally. Over time this can cause the body to recognize the more efficient pattern and adopt it. If you would like more information on this you can reach me at:
http://www.organicbalance.us/documents/services_and_prod.html
I have also seen exercises for the dynamic and postural reflexes change leg length in a matter of minutes. These exercises work the automatic neurology that controls the associated soft tissue and gets the neuro-muscular system running properly again. Maintaining this change can require repeated sessions. More information on this at:
http://www.organicbalance.us/documents/mnri_.html

L5 - S1 Compression, Low Back Pain

2010-06-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

EMail sent to out of town client with L5 - S1 compression diagnosis - low back pain

L5-S1 compression is a challenging issue, not unusual.

Basically you can think of it as a place where the resonant frequency changes. The spine has one frequency and energy moves up and down it relatively unimpeded. The pelvis (and skull) has another frequency much lower resonant frequency as it is much larger and denser. Energy moving down the spine hits S1 and is reflected back up the spine. This can create standing waves and areas with really quite a lot of energy caught in them. We are basically not well engineered at this spot, or rather developing this joint is an evolutionary work in progress.

A couple of things that may be helpful are stretches for the legs and hips. The looser this area is the less energy will get caught at S1.

Another is a Gravity Swing. If your doc says its OK, you will at least get some relief by hanging in this thing. I know people who use it a couple of hours a day both remedially and as a preventive precaution. You can work, listen to music etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Inversion-Gravity-THERAPY-TABLE-Fitness/dp/B003833RXS
I am sure you are already using some form of back support. Part of how this works is that is engages the guts as part of the energy transfer between the upper and lower body, so it should be quite tight. You might consider adding magnets along the spine:

http://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Supports-Strategic-Support-expands/dp/B001556OMM/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1276527197&sr=1-8

If you tell your Doc this he might loose it, so I think you would be better of just trying it. Part of what is going on is that the muscles are constantly getting signals to contract as a protective response from the injured / inflamed area. I often use magnets to weaken a muscle in my practice (I have no real understanding of why this works). It seems that magnets (south pole) placed on the muscles running along the spine inhibit their firing, decompressing the inflamed area. Some people swear this therapy worked when nothing else worked, other people say nothing changes.

It is also probable that in addition to your back muscles being overly tight, your Abdominal muscles are weak. I find this pattern in almost everyone with back pain. So any activity you can think of to activate / strengthen your Abdominals without adding stress to your back you should try, even if it is just visualizing doing crunches. This is one of the things I would focus on if I could get to you.

Guiding Development for Children with Challenges

2010-06-12T21:46:00.000-07:00

Guiding Development for Children with Challenges

A Talk on Masgutova Neuro-Motor Reflex Integration

Children with challenges face an additional burden when it comes to making sense of their worlds. With normal development we rely on genetically inherited responses to stimulus that guide our maturation step by step. When some link in this sequence is missing, possibly through injury or disease, the whole process of maturation is compromised. The ensuing turmoil overshadows development and introduces a host of issues more complex than the underlying trauma. Teasing out "missing links" in stimulus / response behaviors furnishes opportunities for strengthening these links and guiding them into a more integrated relationship with the whole. This is akin to strengthening the foundation of a structure, enabling the possibility for more elegant and finely detailed construction to subsequently arise.

Dr. Svetlana Masgutova has been researching intrinsic behavior for 25 years and is internationally recognized as a leader in the field of infant reflexes. We present an opportunity to discuss some of her findings as they relate to developmental issues in children with challenges. We will focus on several stimulus / response reflex patterns that children with many different challenges can have trouble integrating, and demonstrate protocols that you can do with your child at home to strengthen these patterns.

We are offering a free 90 minute presentation on the Masgutova Method and other modalities, with a half hour question and answer period at the end.

Date and Time:

Saturday, June 19th 10 am.

Where:

Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, Room # C205

(Saturday parking at Fort Mason Center is $15.00, however at 10am there will be plenty of free parking just outside the gate)

Please confirm by contacting:

Boutaina Rosen

email: boutaina@bodyacumen.com

phone: (415) 261-7471

www.bodyacumen.com

Brian Esty

email: bkesty@gmail.com

(415) 350-4868

www.organicbalance.us

How to recognize brain waves.

2010-06-09T09:05:00.000-07:00

Brains have the reputation for out performing the most expensive computers, and yet they accomplish even their most spectacular feats at a most leisurely pace. Most computers are restricted to performing one or a few calculations at a time, which then repeat billions of times every second to get their results. Brains, on the other hand, perform millions of calculations at the same time, but only step forward through those calculations twenty or so times a second. These steps are synchronized and consequently show up as the pulses of electrical activity which we call brain waves.

Brain waves are clustered into four primary groups; Beta, Alpha, Theta and Delta. There is much information available on what these groups indicate for brain function, here it will suffice to say that they range from peak concentration (Beta) to deep sleep (Delta). Brain function can be easily entrained by an external source of these frequencies. There are many audio and some visual products available that do just this for purposes ranging from helping insomnia to guiding meditation practice to focusing concentration and work flow. They all follow the same basic principal of imposing a rhythm that the brain quickly drops into lock step with, thereby affecting brain function. For a brain that is dysregulated, brain wave rhythms can help focus attention appropriately, from sleeping at night to lessening hyperactivity.

The configuration of our brains was established in an environment that had very little rhythmic activity, especially above several cycles per second. It is very unusual for a natural system to cycle more quickly than this. Therefore our brains were quite safe evolving to operate at frequencies above this rate. Our modern environment is just the opposite and is filled with rhythms which are auditory, visual, kinesthetic, electromagnetic or otherwise. Many toys are designed to operate is this frequency range, and it is not surprising that children find them captivating. It is therefore quite handy to recognize these rhythms, and what they represent in terms of entraining and influencing brain function.

An effective method for becoming more aware of these rhythms combines two audio frequencies that are offset by a specific amount. The offset causes the two frequencies to "beat" against each other at a frequency which is their difference. For example if you have two tones, one at 440 hz. and one at 444 hz. they will beat at 4 hz. or 4 cycles per second, a deep delta pattern. If you again take the 440 hz (A) and combine it with a 465 hz tone, you get a much higher pitch beat of 25 hz which is in mid Beta, useful for concentration. I have included links to four 30 second audio files which demonstrate these rhythms. The files are based on pure Sine waves and are therefore a little hard on the ear, however they accurately represent the frequencies of interest. If you listen to them several times you should begin to recognize the same patterns in your environment.

Once you become familiar with these frequencies, you will recognize them all around you, and even where and how they are used to intentionally direct our attention. Think of Las Vegas. More importantly, you may begin to see them influencing your child or even yourself unexpectedly. I have seen hyperactive children staring mindlessly into blinking lights in the mid theta region. These rhythms are not bad, however it is helpful to remember that they are not natural and to recognize the influence they may be exerting on brain function.

More information on Brain Waves

Creating New Developmental Opportunities For Children With Challenges

2010-06-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

Development during our first weeks, months and years relies heavily on our reflexes. Reflexes are congenital behavioral patterns which enable us to understand stimulus and respond appropriately. An example is stimulus on the cheek will direct an infant to turn its head to that side to nurse. We don't learn these essential patterns, they are genetically coded into the framework of our lower Brain and Central Nervous System, and they are initiated by sensory stimulation alone. As we develop, these reflexive responses blend into the toolkit of our higher cognitive functions. However, they persist as the foundation which the acquisition of skill rests upon.

When age is counted in months, the reflexes play a primary role in understanding and development. They are the origin of intentional movement. For example. when stimulus is provided to the outside of an infants foot, the big toe should flex towards the head. This is an indicator of how well the child will master crawling, as it is necessary to get the bottom of the big toe on the ground to propel oneself forward. Success in crawling leads to development of co-ordination between the left and right sides of the body, gross motor co-ordination and intentional movements. Likewise stimulus to the palm of the hand initiates a grasp reflex response which develops into gross and fine motor skills for the hands which include differentiated, controlled and goal orientated movements.

Evaluation of the qualities of a reflex pattern, its direction, timing and strength, can help determine the types of challenges a child will encounter as they grow. Reflexes designed to respond to fearful stimulus, either through fight / flight or freezing, when incompletely matured can result in attention and hyperactivity issues, hormone imbalances and a host of other disturbances that influence cognitive and emotional development and even growth rates. Reflexes designed to integrate hand eye co-ordination are the foundation of future skills needed for learning, including writing, counting and near / far vision focus. Insufficiencies in the direction, timing and strength of a reflex pattern are compensated for by higher level brain functions. These adaptations can be very successful, but carry the stress of a workaround, and can last a lifetime.

Ongoing European and US Clinical research conducted by Dr. Svetlana Masgutova has established that we can train (re-pattern) poor performing reflex patterns. Training requires repetitious modeling of the genetically intended muscular response for a specific stimulus. The stimulus is provided, and then the body is guided through the ensuing correct pattern. As the brain comes to understand the appropriate response, skills that hinge on that intrinsic pattern gain proficiency. It is something like consolidating the foundation of a structure. The results for both children and adults can be impressive, and even older children and adults acquire new potential, sometimes with dramatic results. Training strengthens the brain's ability to process sensory information and to effectively respond, in the same way the physical exercise strengthens muscles for grasp and standing. Invigorating these stimulus / response patterns which are essential to our wellbeing translates to greater confidence, curiosity, learning and the acquisition of mechanical and intellectual skill. The spectrum of challenges children are confronted with, from Cerebral Palsy, severe Autism, genetic disorders, debilitating OCD and PTSD as well as attention and hyperactivity disorders and many others, all respond to this type of therapy. With intensive work, it is common for a child to begin to change quickly and for change to continue indefinitely. Effectively responding to stimuli creates a sense of safety and competency which is the foundation for developing to full potential.

Relevance of the Atlanto / Occipital Junction

2010-06-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

At the base of the skull and at the top of the spine there is a meeting place of body structure that I am coming to appreciate more and more. I had been taught that this is the first cervical joint and that it functioned in the same way as the other spinal joints do. As a bodyworker I often find myself nudging these spinal joints back into some semblance of symmetry, and usually with a little gentle rocking they quite easily reorganize to my liking. The Atlas, however, never cooperates. It seems to have a mind of its own, and when it moves I never have much confidence that the change will stick. The other vertebra have a lubricated donut shape cartilage positioned between them and this allows them a lot of freedom and space for the associated muscles to reestablish functional relationships. The Atlas and Occiput, on the other hand, actually have two hard connections that work with a sliding motion. A comparable joint might be a knuckle. The connecting muscles and ligaments are very short and any form of trauma locks them together.

Why this is worth mentioning is that our visual and balance systems will always attempt to keep our head upright. So the base of the skull is horizontal, but if the Atlas is mis-aligned the rest of the spine will have to loop around to meet the non-horizontal surface of the bottom of the Atlas. This results in accommodations of organization that reach all of the way to the feet.

Working with the rest of the body's structure produces results, but if the work does not shift the Atlas, the changes will have back pressure toward the old pattern. A misalignment of a couple of millimeters at the top of the Atlas is amplified as it progresses down the spine, similar to how a small shift at the base of the Leaning Tower Of Pisa has led to a progressive failure of its integrity.

Consequently, work focused on any of these intentions:

Body language
Symmetry
More tightly integrating physical, emotional and cognitive function (congruency)
Pain (anything associated with the nerves emerging from the spine)
Fight or flight responses (reactivity)
Blood flow to the brain
Reflex response times

will be continually challenged by Atlanto / Occipital misalignment. When a client says " I have tried a lot of things, but nothing seems to last for more than a short while.", its a flag waving for checking the Atlas.

I feel very fortunate in my exploration of this subject to be learning several different techniques for moving and establishing a functional home position for the Atlas. The Atlas is becoming the first thing I check with my clients and it is showing in longer lasting corrections with better outcomes.

Ultrasound

2009-05-26T19:02:00.001-07:00

Sound waves at a pitch higher that most human ears can register have the property of passing through fluid in a way that allows the reflected signals to be imaged. An example of how effective this can be is the ability Bats have evolved to resolve these signals to the degree of precision that allows them to pick Mosquito's out of the air. Lacking the ability to project or sense these sounds ourselves, we have developed appliances indicate the imagery for us. One of these appliances that has garnered a lot of press in the last few years is the US Navy's use of High Frequency Sonar Using these frequencies allows sub mariners to image their surroundings as if they were looking at a landscape spread out before them. This level of detail requires a lot of energy in the form of sound projected into the water. There is ample evidence that marine mammals exposed to these energy levels experience so much pain that they will actually swim out of the ocean. Autopsies show that many of their eardrums have imploded and they are often bleeding from the ears.

Another of these appliances is ultrasound imaging which is a non-invasive method of imaging internal body structure. This is an inexpensive way to get coarse grained images which are adequate for many medical applications. One such application is getting a look at a developing fetus, which is done thousands of times every month in hospitals and clinics. The are no obvious negative effects on the developing fetus. Improvement of this technology allows for dynamic imaging which shows neuromotor activity - movement - and shows that there is often a reflexive response to the ultrasound stimuli as early as 6 weeks.

It would seem prudent to assume that injecting a lot of acoustic energy into the womb could have negative results and potential risk negation opportunities should be considered. One of these would be to match the density of the table on which the patient is prone with the density of the body as closely as possible. Doing so allows much of the unused acoustic energy to dissipate, rather than be reflected back into the womb. The reflected sound creates resonant standing waves where the energy can accumulate to many times it initial value in a small area. Given the complexity and delicacy of the task being undertaken and how artificial ultrasound frequencies and energy densities to natural development, it would seem prudent to use the technology sparingly and with any precautions available when imaging a developing fetus.

Emotions and the Body

2009-05-21T16:52:00.000-07:00

Chronically painful muscles often have some form of emotional conflict as part of the root cause. Our bodies often will on one hand want to express an emotion or feeling, and on the other hand quickly jump in and inhibit that impulse. The muscles which are active in that expression have to deal with conflicting signals from the neuromuscular system, creating stress. Over time this stress builds up creating chronic pain and stiffness. An example that many of us experience to some degree is when we want to say something, but stop ourselves from doing so. This may be the smart, practical thing to do, but over time the inhibited impulses can jam the muscles of the throat and diaphragm, which can develop into chronic neck pain and breathing restrictions. This can also express as a clenched jaw, biting the tongue so to speak, which then develops into chronic and painful Temporal Mandibular joint problems. Another common example results from when we feel, but can't easily express our anger. We may not even know that our shoulders are dealing with an impulse to strike out or push away, while dealing with a strong inhibition of that impulse. We then feel the jammed muscles as pain and tension in the shoulders, between the shoulder blades and perhaps up to the base of the skull. This pain might persist and never fully release no matter what we do to try to relax it.

During bodywork a memory of an incident or relationship can float up from our subconscious which we might talk about or just take notice of. Just the act of remembering usually results in a spontaneous opening up of tightly held muscles, which up until then had resisted any change. Quite often when looking back on these conflicts they seem logical and simple, sometimes even humorous, rarely too intense or uncomfortable to deal with. Other times these stresses can resolve without anything at all floating into awareness, just a sense of releasing and reorganizing. Bodywork by itself or complementing other therapies can make chronic pain heal faster, or provide the added energy needed to get a healing process moving again. With trauma and abuse a multi-therapy approach including bodywork can make working through painful issues go much quicker. For some personality types bodywork is the most suitable primary modality for personal growth and physical healing.

In my practice I find that even muscle pain caused by injuries can have emotional aspects, especially if healing is progressing slowly. Emotional vulnerabilities create weak areas in the body where accidents are more prone to happen. For example, someone who feels unsupported in some significant area of their life may have chronic foot problems. When they get injured, it always seems like the feet play a part. It is as if the feet express the instability or lack of support that they feel in other areas of their lives. Just working on the soft tissue of the feet without helping release the experience of lack of support probably will not produce permanent change. These cyclical patterns where the physical experience reinforces the emotional experience which again validates the physical experience can be difficult to break out of without help. In my personal and clinical experience, releasing the emotions carried in soft tissue not only provides greater physical freedom and flexibility, but also emotional freedom to experience life in new ways. Often pain is the motivation that drives us into actively seeking out solutions to heal chronic problems. The benefits and discoveries we make along the journey can go beyond specific health goals to encompass our overall sense of well being, release from old patterns and access to joy.

If I could figure this out I could retire rich

2009-05-21T15:33:00.000-07:00

If I could design a shoe with a 3" heel that looked great and made women look great that didn't trash their feet and wreck their postural dynamics - I would be rich. Here are some design considerations:

1) The feet slide down into the toe, wedging them together which leads to hammertoe / bunions etc. You can add material (eg: suede)to the inside of the shoe that helps keep the foot from sliding, but it is an inherently unstable platform and the foot does move.

2) The angle the foot is maintained at pulls the connective tissue on the front of the body downward, rotating the pelvis forward which makes the butt stick out, but also encouraging the ribcage to slump and pulling the shoulders forward. This moves the head forward, creating neck pain, headaches etc.

3) The muscles of the calves have to shorten to adapt the posture to the hyperextended foot. These muscles are associated with Triple Heater Meridian and the fight or flight response, and having them chronically activated can lead to Adrenal exhaustion and feelings of insecurity and excessive caution.

4) The nearly complete absence of medial / lateral stability in high heels is not only tiring on the knees, but activates the adductors and abductors of the thigh. These muscles are associated with Pericardium meridian which has the function of protecting the heart. If they are hyperactive, the heart is going to have trouble remaining calm.

5) The evolving arch support for the body on flat surfaces does not get to function when the foot is positioned at an angle and shock loads are transmitted through the ankle into the knee and hip without the attenuation that the spring action of the arch provides.

On the plus side, these shoes look great on womens legs!

CranioSacral Therapy and Birth Issues

2009-05-21T15:26:00.001-07:00

If you have ever watched a horse or other animal give birth, it can be suprising how graceful and quick birth can be when compared with our experience comming into the world. The difficulty we experience is a result of the size of our skull. The evolution of our brains has resulted in a tripling in size of the Cranium since our path diverged from our Chimpanzee relatives 6 million years ago. Human birth is literally pushing against the limits of what is physically possible, as any of our mothers will attest to. As the neonate's head is pushed against the pelvis, the skull bones momentarily fold inward to squeeze through the pelvic opening. Once through, the newborn's skull bones should flex back to their proper positions. This compression obviously has no lasting ill effects and may very well initiate reflexes that assist with surviving being born - the experience is part of what makes us human.

Difficulties arise when the cranial bones do not fully return to their prior relationship. It is common to find one bone overlapping another, or two bones jammed tightly together, inhibiting any movement between them. Forceps or suction deliveries often create or compound these types of lesions. Lesions can create problems with vision or auditory processing, headaches, hormone imbalances, spinal alignment, learning difficulties, cholic, emotional disturbances and a host of other issues. Children will sometimes try to self correct lesions by head banging or very rough behaviour like running into walls or dropping their entire weight on their knees in an apparent effort to unstick and reset the alignment of the cranial bones.

The younger the child the quicker it usually is to re-align the bones of the skull. Because of the soft spots on the head it is advisable that only practitioners comfortable with infant anatomy and cranial techniques attempt these adjustments. Adjustments can often take just a few minutes, sometimes with obvious changes in the outline of the head. CranioSacral Therapy is a very effective modality for releasing these types of lesions.