There are many lower back problems that people can experience that are a result of an overly-rotated Anterior Pelvic Tilt. This tilt, (where the front of the hip bones are rotated forward towards the floor), can hike the back up the hip/sacral area up. This creates an exaggerated curve in the lower back in what is referred to as Excessive Lumbar Lordosis.

Over time, these misaligned back muscles work overtime to take up the slack for the body not being used. The front of the legs (quadriceps) shorten and weaken and the hamstrings in the back of the leg get very taut and tight from being overstretched. For some, this can cause problems with circulation and sciatica issues of pain.

Stretching out the front of the legs with single leg lunges is a great way to help re-align the hips and relieve some lower back pressure. The problem for some though, is that balance and mobility can make doing this movement difficult or in good form.

Here is where I am grateful for the many modifications I have learned through SilverSneakers and Arthritis Foundation Exercise Programs Instructor certifications. I like seated modifications! Not only do they offer safer alternatives for people with pain or balance issues, but it also provides a means for stretches at work (For example, in an office cubicle, where space is an issue). This exercise is provided courtesy of Healthways SilverSneakers and I invite you try this for the Lunge Alternative:

Stretching your arm over your head and across your body while in a deep lunge feels great. It also happens to be pretty tough. That's where a chair comes in very handy. This move stretches everything from shoulders to legs without straining your body.

1.     Have a seat on a chair while holding a fitness ball, and then rotate your body to the right so your left knee is nearly touching the ground. The toes on your left foot should be touching the ground, and your right foot should be flat on the ground with your right knee perpendicular to the chair. Hold the fitness ball in your left hand, and fully extend it to your left.

2.     Using your right hand and forearm to brace you against the back of the chair, stretch and move the fitness ball over your head and right shoulder. Reach until you feel a comfortable stretch. Hold it for 10 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.

Why the BioMechanics Method for Chronic Pain relief?

It’s been an interesting journey for me throughout the last decade in learning and incorporating different approaches in bodywork within a body-mind wellness model. I began studying different Holistic medical modalities while overseas and still serving in the Navy years ago.  When I came back stateside, many of my international certifications were not recognized stateside. Many forms of bodywork that were specialized overseas were initially lumped under a Massage Therapy licensure (back in 90s). So, in order to use my training in neuromuscular therapy and acupressure, I went back to school stateside under this path initially so that I could practice what I previously trained in.

The bulk of my practice was while living in North Carolina. My practice seemed to evolve and focus in two main areas. I found myself mostly working with returning Veterans with medical considerations. I also worked with pain management and lifestyle coaching for Active Seniors. I covered the Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill areas. I loved my skill sets. However, I found that they had some clear cut Pros and Cons. 

On the Pros side, by having the person relaxed on the table, I was able to accurately feel out spams, knots, pains and adhesions and work them out; I felt like I was able to work both acute and chronic conditions with great success.  If their pain was caused by something short term; a neck cramp from sleeping wrong, a fall, or a work related injury, the results of the therapies used could be long lasting.

The Cons side of this was that I saw a recurring pattern. Usually my clients had reoccurring pains that were a result of repetitive misuse or misalignment. (Sitting patterns at a work desk, prolonged lifting on the job or even something as simple as shoe problems with posture.) In these cases, the pain relief was short lived and the client became a “regular”, whether to spot fix a pain, or to be preventative in keeping it from returning. Mind you, that is ok if that is what the client wants.

My concern was that I disliked that clients were feeling like they were dependent on someone else to give them relief. I think a healthcare provider should be there to initially facilitate hands on if needed. But ultimately, only YOU know how you truly feel and are recovering. I wanted to provide relief for my clients, and continue to empower and educate them to keep themselves that way. The second concern is that it’s only been over the last few years that our healthcare system has been taking a more of holistic approach when it comes to treating pain or rehabilitative therapy.

Holistic you say? No I am not talking about New Age crystals and droning music. Holistic, or more aptly WHOLISTIC, is used from the standpoint that having a pain problem in one part of your body will eventually cause problems with other parts of your body, as a whole, that are having to step in and take on an extra workload to compensate for the injured area. When my father had a recent hip replacement, the damage to the hip socket was extensive.  He had pain in his leg and hip for many years before this.  He was using a cane and even a walker at one point. Constantly shifting his weight on the other leg, as well as bending over, caused all sorts of havoc on the opposite knee and foot on the “good” leg.  This even travelled up, manifesting as migraines, and neck/shoulder problems. He went to physical therapy after his surgery.   He asked if they could help him with these areas that have been affected. He was told that his insurance wouldn't cover that. So the leg was fixed, but the other problems still remained because he was out of alignment and wasn’t given the tools to correct them on his own.

Herein lays an example of why I chose the BioMechanics Method. In the simplest terms, I wanted a system to help YOU be the best therapist for the job. The BioMechanics Method is a cutting-edge approach to pain relief and performance enhancement (whether in recreational activities or in day-to-day living). It is an education and training program that integrates structural assessment procedures, self-massage and muscle testing, corrective exercise principles, and life coaching strategies to ensure successful elimination of pain.

Is the BioMechanics Method of Corrective Exercise, right for you? Corrective exercise programs may not help everyone because there are situations that may be more complicated. Each body has its own particular design, and everyone has different circumstances. On top of that, I’ve been asked:

Question: I see many sites coming out with online downloads of corrective exercise routines I could do for my problem pain areas. What makes this different? Why go with a certified specialist?

The simplest answer for this is a personalized program based on YOUR needs. All corrective exercise programs, like all bodywork therapies can be helpful. However, many of these downloads clearly state that the routines offered are based on the most common misalignments. This means that if you don’t quite fall into that category, but try following a routine but not taking everything into account, you may actually AGGRIVATE the surrounding muscles and make it worse. You might not be performing exercises correctly without someone to observe and initially guide you through the movements. That can add further pain, leading to frustration and feeling like yet another dead end. You are able to better understand what is going on within your body and work towards being pain free through structural assessments and personalized routines.