When I was 27 years old, I couldn’t walk because of excruciating pain in my left hip. I never had a fall or an accident. The hip pain just started one day when I was out for a run, and continued to get worse over time, until eventually the pain levels were a constant eight out of ten. I was diagnosed with femoral acetabular impingement (FAI) with labral tears in my hip. The worst part of it all was spending a short period of time in a wheelchair, and going through surgery to my hip.

Today, seven years later, I am fully recovered and my hip is pain-free. It took a great deal of work on my part to coax my shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles back to a better alignment. The biggest discovery for me as I went through the healing process was that my hip problem wasn’t just a hip problem, but rather a total-body misalignment problem.

Pain Does Not Occur in Isolation

What I want to offer you in this article is a possible shift in perspective; a shift from focusing on the symptom or the site of your pain, to paying attention to the overall alignment and function of your entire body. The exercises that I am presenting to you in this article have very little to do with the hip itself, and a lot to do with the position of the shoulders, spine, hips, knees, and ankles.

The human body is designed to work best when its eight major load bearing joints, the shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles, are properly aligned and balanced. The exercises in this article will begin to address some of the underlying causes of hip pain by restoring balance to the body.

It was life-changing for me when I first tried these exercises and experienced immediate relief in my pain. I’m not saying that you will have the same experience. You might, but this is not a quick fix for most people. The purpose of this article is for you to give these exercises a try, and notice what changes within your body. You may experience an immediate decrease in pain, or you may experience something else, like an improvement in your balance, or maybe even a release in another part of your body that was tight.

What comes next in the healing process will be up to you, but for now, give these a try.

Counter Stretch

Most of our everyday movements, such as driving and computer work, keep our arms and legs in a bent position. This exercise promotes function by allowing the upper body to straighten, while stretching and lengthening the back of the hips and legs. The end result is the pelvis will be in a better, more balanced position.

Left: incorrect. Hips forward, back rounded. Right: correct. Low back is arched, hips are back, and spine is fully extended.

Stand facing a table or counter that is about waist- to chest-high. Place your hands on the table or counter top and walk your feet back so that your feet are under your hips. Look at your feet and make sure they are straight, or slightly pigeon-toed (this is really important!). Kick your hips back to place an arch in your lower back, and move your chest down towards the floor. Keep your elbows locked out and tighten your quads. Breathe and hold for one minute. Make sure to keep the weight distribution in your feet equal.

If done properly, this exercise will promote extension in the thoracic spine, which in many people can be hunched or rounded forward in flexion with kyphosis.

Mistakes to Avoid:

• Don’t do this exercise with you back in a rounded position. If you are having a hard time placing an arch in your low back, find a higher surface to place your hands on. The higher the surface, the easier it will be to place and keep the arch in the low back.
• Don’t hold your breath. Breathe deeply throughout the exercise.

Sitting Floor

This exercise activates posture muscles all the way from your feet to your neck. It allows the mid-to-upper back to lengthen, while stabilizing the hips and legs. After doing this exercise you will feel taller, lighter, and overall you will feel better. Your hips and pelvis will be able to function more optimally with the upper back and shoulders in a better position.

Top: incorrect. Shoulders are hunched, toes are falling out. Bottom: correct. Shoulders are down and back, toes pointed up.

Sit against a wall with your legs straight out in front of you, and your feet hip-width apart. Your buttocks and upper back should be against the wall. Your tailbone should feel snugly wedged up against the wall. Place your hands on your lap, with palms up. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold. Don’t lift the shoulders; only squeeze them back and down. Tighten your thighs and flex your feet back toward you, and hold. The emphasis is keeping your shoulder blades pulled together, thighs tight and feet flexed back. Relax your stomach muscles, and breathe deeply through your belly. Hold for three minutes.

Mistakes to Avoid:

• Don’t let your feet turn out. A good way to know if your feet are straight is to first point your knee caps straight toward the ceiling.
• Don’t round your shoulders forward or hunch to try to get into this position. Be sure to pull your shoulders gently down and back.
• Don’t hold your breath, and don’t hold tension in your belly. Instead, breathe and relax your belly.
• Don’t force your head to the wall if it means you’re cocking your head back at an angle. It is okay for your head to be away from the wall to start, if this feels more natural for you. When the position of your upper back improves as a result of doing these exercises, your head will naturally come back to meet the wall.

Static Back

This exercise will allow the pelvis, spine, and shoulders to settle evenly into the floor. Although passive, this exercise allows gravity to work with us to balance the body. Gravity will act equally on the right and left halves of the body in this position, leaving your body more balanced overall, and with less pain.

Top: incorrect. Legs are not at 90° and knees are falling out. Bottom: correct.

Lie on your back with your legs up over a block or chair so your hips and knees are at 90 degrees. Place your arms out to the sides at 45 degrees from your body, with your palms up. Relax your upper back, and notice as your low back flattens to the floor evenly from left to right. Breathe into your belly. Hold this position for five minutes.

Mistakes to Avoid:

• If your knees are falling out to the sides, this means your surface is too low. Try stacking blankets or towels on your couch or chair to create a surface that is the correct height.
• Have someone snap a photo of you from the side, and look at the angle of your knee. If your femur (thigh bone) is slanted, this means you do not have a 90-degree angle at your knee and hip. Your femur should be straight up and down (vertical), as shown in the photo on the right.
• Do not hold your phone over your face and text your friends or read a book during Static Back. Your shoulders must be relaxed into the floor!

Create a Daily Alignment Practice

I recommend doing these exercises daily, first thing in the morning, for the best results. Be sure to always listen to your body, and if an exercise or position doesn’t feel right to you, skip it and come back to it when you’re ready.

I hope you have enjoyed these exercises, and that this shift in perspective to a total-body alignment overhaul versus focusing solely on the hips leads to a successful healing process for you.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for informational purposes only. The purpose of this article is to promote broad reader understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.

The post 3 Ways to Align the Body for Pain-Free Hips appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

A One-Sided Problem

Generally speaking, martial arts favor using one side of the body to punch or kick repetitively. Several forms of martial arts, especially traditional boxing, also tend to pull the body forward into a hunched position. For these reasons, the two main posture alignment issues that you will contend with as someone who practices martial arts are rotation and forward flexion. These posture misalignments can eventually lead to back pain, knee pain, shoulder injuries, or pain in pretty much any other part of the body.

Below is an example of what rotation and forward flexion look like. This person practices Brazilian jiu jitsu, and initially came to me with symptoms of sciatica.

From the back view, you can see that the right side of his body is rotated in front of the left side. If you look closely at the feet, you will see that the right foot is in front of the left. The right shoulder is also lower than the left.

From the side view, the red line indicates where the ear lobe, shoulder, hip and knee are supposed to line up. The green line traces the actual position of the of these points. As you can see, his body is significantly shifted forward in front of the plumb line.

If you think you look like the person in these pictures, then check this out. In the video below, I will demonstrate two simple exercises that you can do before and after practicing martial arts to balance your body. You will feel a huge difference in your body after doing these exercises. They will make you feel taller, lighter, and like your shoulders are more broad.

A right-dominant, forward-flexed fighter.

Alignment Exercises for Martial Arts

Here is a breakdown of the instructions for the two exercises in the video:

Standing Windmill

In this exercise, the wall is being used as a reference point for your body. This allows your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles to properly align while also removing rotation from the body.Do 1 set of 5 repetitions in each of the following 4 positions:

Position 1:

1. Stand with feet hip-width and shoulders, hips, and heels touching the wall.
2. Place arms out to sides with elbows locked straight and palms facing out.
3. Maintain a 90° angle relative to your body with your arms throughout the exercise, and keep your fingers spread wide.
4. Bend your torso to one side then the other side for five reps in each direction. Be sure to keep shoulders and hips on the wall and feet flat on the floor as you bend.

Position 2:

Spread feet about 1.5ft apart, and do five reps in each direction.

Position 3:

Spread feet about 2.5 feet apart, and do five reps in each direction.

Position 4:

Return feet to Position 1 (hip-width), and do five reps in each direction.

Standing Elbow Curls

This exercise straightens out the upper back and shoulders.

1. Stand at a wall with your heels, hips, upper back, and head against the wall.
2. Your feet should be pointed straight and hip-width apart.
3. Curl your fingers in toward the palms of your hands by bending at the second knuckle. (See the video to see what this looks like).
4. Place your knuckles against your temples with your thumbs pointing down toward your shoulders.
5. Open and pull back your elbows so that they are against the wall, then close your elbows together in front of your face.
6. Keep your elbows up at shoulder level; do not let them drop down.
7. Repeat 25 times.

Investing a little bit of time in fixing your posture with these exercises every single day can keep you out of pain and in the ring for the long run!

Already hurt? There’s help for you, too:

Posture Intervention: Healing After a Knee Injury

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for informational purposes only. The purpose of this article is to promote broad reader understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.

The post Bring Balance to Your Martial Arts Training appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

This is all well and good in a world filled with perfectly functional and aligned bodies. But what about in today’s modern world? We spend all our time when we are not at the gym sitting, hunched over our cell phones and computers, or in the car.

A dysfunctional, misaligned, heavily compensated body may appear to be strong. But these dysfunctions will inevitably lead to injury at some point. Strength and power are important, but if one cannot return to the sport and repeat the lift or the activity, then looking strong and powerful is worthless.

Poor Posture Sabotages Strength

There is a direct relationship between function and strength. In 1947, The Posture Committee of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons defined good posture as:

“…the state of muscular and skeletal balance which protects the supporting structures of the body against injury.”

They defined poor posture as:

“…a faulty relationship of the various parts of the body which produce increased strain on the supporting structures and in which there is less efficient balance of the body over its base of support.”

In this article, I will show you two posture exercises that you can incorporate into your strength-building routine. These two exercises are just a start, and by no means do they encompass a full, well-rounded posture corrective routine.

If this is your first time addressing posture, try using these exercises as benchmark posture assessments. Can you do the movements shown properly, and can you move through the intended ranges of motion?  If not, what is this telling you about your body and your training? The next step in taking on improving your posture is to work with a coach who can help you to develop a customized, well-rounded posture routine to incorporate into your training plan.

Exercise Instructions

Standing Elbow Curls

This exercise unlocks the shoulder blades by moving the shoulder joints through a full range of protraction and retraction. This exercise will help to improve shoulder mobility and will help you to stand straighter.

1. Stand at a wall with your heels, hips, upper back and head against the wall. Your feet should be pointed straight and hip-width apart.
2. Curl your fingers into the palms of your hands by bending at the second knuckle (be sure to watch the video to see what this looks like). Place your knuckles against your temples with your thumbs pointing down to your shoulders.
3. Open and pull back your elbows so that they are against the wall, then close your elbows together in front of your face.
4. Keep your elbows up at shoulder level, do not let them drop down.
5. Repeat 25 times.

Hip Crossover Stretch

1. Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, pointed straight ahead.
2. Place your arms out to the side at shoulder level, with your palms down and flat on the floor.
3. Cross your right ankle over your left knee and rotate the ankle/knee junction down toward the floor.
4. Your right foot should now be flat on the floor, along with the outside of your left leg.
5. Do not let your left foot slide across the floor as you rotate your ankle/knee junction down toward the floor. See the accompanying video for a visual on what this looks like.
6. Look in the opposite direction and relax your neck and shoulders.
7. Press the right knee away from your body using the right hip muscles. Do not use your hand to press your knee away from your body.
8. Hold for 1 minute, then switch sides and repeat.

I hope you enjoy these exercises, and that you are able to make them a part of your regular training routine. You will find that they will make a big difference for you over time. For more on posture, sports, injury prevention, and fixing posture through exercise, check out The Egoscue Method of Health Through Motion by Pete Egoscue.

Get healthy with your movement so you can keep going:

Tune Up for Long-Term Training

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. The purpose of this article is to promote broad reader understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.

The post Posture and a Bigger Powerlifting Total appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

But as a Posture Alignment Specialist, I have noticed some trends over the years that plague almost all CrossFit athletes. The two main posture problems that I see in CrossFit athletes today are:

• Internally rotated shoulders along with lack of mobility in the thoracic back
• Misaligned femurs (thigh bones)

Exercises such as cleans and snatches can pull the shoulders and upper back into an internally rotated and flexed position. Sitting leads to muscular imbalances in the hips which leads to misaligned femurs. If not properly addressed, these alignment issues can result in shoulder, knee, or back injuries in CrossFit. We need to address the body we are bringing to the sport.

Injury Prevention Exercises

Here are two key posture exercises that every CrossFit athlete needs to be doing before they train. These exercises will leave the body in a neutral, ready position and less prone to injury:

Femur Adduction/Abduction

Main Purpose: To promote proper rotation of the femur in the hip joint.

Cool Additional Benefits: Strengthen the arches of the feet, promote pelvic and spinal mobility, and re-establish the kinetic chain of the ankle, knee, and hip joints.

End Result: Better balance, improved range of motion and control during squatting movements and reduced “wobbly knees”.

Instructions:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and your feet flat on the wall.
2. Keep your feet parallel, spaced about four inches apart, and pointed to the ceiling.
3. Keep your upper body relaxed, with your palms up and your arms flat on the floor at about a 45-degree angle from your body.
4. Bring your knees together slowly until they touch then bring your knees apart slowly so that your feet roll out to the sides.
5. The bottoms of your feet will come off of the wall and the outsides of your feet will touch the wall.

Repeat for two sets of 20 reps.

It is crucial that your feet remain parallel to each other and pointed up toward the ceiling throughout the exercise, even when they are rolling out to the sides. The motion should come from your hips; your feet and knees should be relaxed.

Static Extension Position on Elbows

Main Purpose: To promote external rotation of the shoulder joint and thoracic extension.

Cool Additional Benefits: Strengthen the spinal erectors and reduce rotation in the pelvis and torso.

End Results: Improved ability to go overhead with a barbell, and reduced shoulder pain and injuries.

Instructions:

1. Start down on the floor on your hands and knees with your major joints aligned (i.e. shoulders directly above elbows and wrists, hips directly above knees).
2. Now walk your hands about six inches forward and then lower and place your elbows into the spots where your hands now are.
3. Make a light fist of each hand and pull them away from each other, pivoting on your elbows.
4. Kick your butt back to place an arch in your lower back while trying to pull your hips backward toward your heels.
5. Let your head drop down and keep your stomach relaxed.

Hold for 2 minutes.

Staying healthy and injury-free in CrossFit is possible if you address the body you are bringing to the sport. Now let’s get to work!

The information contained in this article is for informational purposes only. The purpose of this article is to promote broad reader understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.

Fix your posture:

Banish Pain Permanently: Basic Drills to Repair Your Posture

Condition your athletes:

Ultimate Conditioning: The Benefits of Hill Running

Headline photo courtesy J Perez Imagery.

The post 2 Alignment Fixes to Prevent CrossFit Injuries appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

If you have been dealing with symptoms of TMJ disorder, you can’t afford not to read this article. In my training, I was taught that TMJ disorder is caused by bad posture, but I have been skeptical until now. In a recent experience working with my mom, she was able to eliminate her jaw pain through the use of postural corrective exercise. I am now a believer.

With this article, I hope to save you a lot of pain, time, and money by explaining how your posture could be the culprit for your jaw pain and how to fix it through a self-diagnosed alignment-based exercise approach. I will even provide you with some simple exercises you can begin doing today to get some relief from your symptoms.

What Is TMJ Disorder?

TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, which is the jaw joint that connects the mandible, or the bone of the lower jaw, to the temporal bones of the skull on either side of the head. Symptoms of TMJ disorder (often referred to as just TMJ) include:

• Pain in the jaw and surrounding muscles
• Grinding and clicking of the jaw
• Jaw muscle stiffness
• Locking of the jaw

This disorder can range from a slight nuisance to severely debilitating as it can impact your ability to eat, breathe, talk, and sleep. According to the TMJ Association, approximately 12% of the population, or 35 million people, in the United States are affected by TMJ disorder at any given time.

There are many possible causes of TMJ disorder:

• Autoimmune diseases
• Infections
• Injuries to the jaw area
• Dental procedures
• Various forms of arthritis
• Female sex hormones
• Gum chewing
• Stress

Forms of treatment include:

• Pain medications
• Stabilization splint or bite guard
• Orthodontic treatments to change bite
• Crown or bridge work
• Grinding down teeth
• Injections
• Surgery

None of those sound fun, and all of them sound expensive! So, let’s explore the posture theory and postural corrective exercise treatment route, and see how it sizes up to these other treatment options.

The Anatomy of TMJ Disorder

From an alignment perspective, the human head is intended to sit directly on top of the shoulders. If properly aligned, from the side view, you should ideally see the ear lobe directly on top of the shoulder joint. When the head moves forward, in front of the shoulder joint, such as during computer use and other sedentary activities, the muscles of the temporomandibular joint, along with the neck and shoulder muscles, all have to work in overdrive to simply hold the head up and fight gravity.

To get a sense of what is happening, take something like an eight-pound dumbbell and hold it directly overhead with your elbow locked out straight. (The average adult human head weighs eight pounds, thus the reference to an eight-pound dumbbell.) Hold the weight directly over your center of gravity. Then, begin to move the weight forward, inch by inch, until it is about two feet out in front of you. You will notice a significant increase in strain in your shoulder and neck compared to when the weight was stacked directly over your head. In proper alignment there was little effort involved in stabilizing the weight in its position, but when you are out of alignment more effort is required.

From an alignment perspective, the human head is intended to sit directly on top of the shoulders.

Just like the eight-pound dumbbell, when your head moves forward out of it’s intended vertical alignment with the shoulder the surrounding muscles must work harder to keep your head up. The fine and complex musculature responsible for the movement and articulation of the temporomandibular joint were not intended to perform heavy lifting. When these muscles are asked to take on the role of supporting the head, they go into lock down, and the jaw loses its ability to move smoothly and freely. The result is pain, locking, and stiffness of the jaw.

The Case Study

Meet my mom. We started working together in January of this year on her shoulder, back, and knee pain. Her jaw pain was the least of her concerns at the time, but she mentioned it casually in one of our appointments.

She had been to the doctor and dentist multiple times for her jaw and was about to see a specialist to have a custom mouth guard made, which was going to cost a lot of money. I told my mom to hold off on that mouth guard and to see what we could do with the use of corrective exercise.

Purple shirt: before photos; Pink shirt: after photos

The exercises I selected for my mom placed an emphasis on restoring hip function, as well as repositioning the head, thoracic spine, and shoulders. As you can see in my mom’s before photos, which were taken in January, she started out with significant forward head posture. But my mom is a good little student, and she practiced (and continues to practice) her routine of postural stretches and exercises daily. They take her about 45 minutes, and she never misses a day.

After three months of this exercise routine, we eliminated her shoulder, back, and knee pain – and much to my mom’s and my delight, her jaw pain was also gone. As you can see in her after photos, the position of her head, shoulders, and thoracic spine have significantly improved. Of course, now my mom has to maintain her results by continuing to practice her exercises, but if you were to ask her, she would tell you it sure beats a $2,000 dental bill!

A Self Test and 3 Exercises to Ease Your Pain

How can you tell if the position of your head is playing a role in your jaw symptoms?

Try this: stand up against a wall with your heels and hips touching the wall. Does your head naturally and easily touch the wall, too? Or do you have to work to get your head back? If the latter is true, it may be the case that your posture needs some work and that your jaw might start feeling better once your head gets back in line.

Get started on improving your posture and eliminating jaw pain with these three simple postural exercises:

1. Sitting Knee Pillow Squeezes With Hands Behind Back

1. Sit on a chair so your knees and hips are at ninety degrees.
2. Place a block or pillow between your knees and clasp your hands behind your back.
3. Pinch your shoulder blades together and squeeze and release the block or pillow between your knees 60 times.
4. Be sure to breathe and keep your stomach relaxed.

This exercise will pull your shoulders and head back where they belong, while activating key posture muscles in your hips.

2. Static Ankle Squeezes

1. Place a block between your feet and get on all fours on the floor.
2. Start with your shoulders directly over your wrists and your hips directly over your ankles.
3. Walk your hands out in front a hand length and shift your body forward so your shoulders stack right over your wrists. Your hips should now be about six inches in front of your hips.
4. Allow your shoulder blades to collapse together, your head to fall, and your belly to relax.
5. Squeeze and release the entire inner edge of your feet against the block 60 times.
6. Keep your stomach relaxed, and be sure to not let yourself go too far forward, this may cause some pain in the low back.

This exercise will promote extension in the pelvis and spine, as well as release muscles of the neck and upper back. Repositioning the hips and spine will allow the head to sit in a better place once you stand up.

3. Wall Towels

1. Stand against a wall with your feet straight and hip-width apart.
2. Place a towel roll behind your neck and place a towel roll behind your low back. Be sure your head, upper back, and hips are touching the wall.
3. For an added challenge, try placing the backs of your hands against the wall. You may need to step your feet away from the wall three inches to maintain this position. Hold this position for 3 minutes.

This exercise will reeducate the proper curvature of your spine, and remind your head of its correct vertical alignment.

A Pain-Free Future

Posture could be the culprit behind your jaw pain, but don’t take my word for it. Try the exercises and tests from this article and see for yourself. It might save you a whole lot of time and money – and get you on the path towards a pain free jaw.

Read more on posture:

• Does Good Posture Matter or Is It All a Load of Crap?
• How to Unlock Your Athletic Potential Through Good Posture
• How Gait and Posture Change With Age and Exercise
• What’s New On Breaking Muscle Today

References:

1. “TMD Basics,” The TMJ Association, Ltd., accessed April 17, 2015.

Photo 1 & 2 courtesy of Shutterstock.

Photos 3-6 courtesy of Maryann Berry.

The post Heal Your TMJ Disorder With 3 Simple Posture Exercises appeared first on Breaking Muscle.