Hands on Health/Pain from back and hip
Article Index
Q: I have been limping in fairly severe pain 8/10 for three years. I have had therapy of every sort. It seems no one is really sure if the pain is coming from my back, hip or knee. My gut tells me there is something deep
inside that somehow affects all three. Pain gradually came on and one day I woke so crooked and in so much pain. How can this happen with no real known incident and how can everyone be so confused about what to do?
A: I have seen this scenerio in several clients. In the male version of this dysfunction, it is usually that a lifting injury that started with just stiffness or hip pain progressed to pain deep in the pelvis, radiating even into the testicles. The client may limp and the body becomes contorted around the pain and a scoliosis my even occur as a compensation. In these cases there was an active trigger point in the abdominal muscles undiagnosed and long standing causing compensations that took attention away from the original injury. Eventhough this is a less obvious problem that goes often times overlooked when found is simple to correct. In many women patients however I see this type fo scenerio and it is not so simple. There are times when there is an injury of a musle of the hip either the quadratus lumborum or the gluteus medius that can make extreme pain and compensation. At the same time as that injury occured, there may have also been residual injury in the pelvic, low back or knee muscles. For example, a slip of the psoas which attaches to the lumbar could have been disrupted or the fibers of the iliotibial band that extends from the hip to the knee to the untrained eye confusion as to whether the spot that hurts is the culprit or is it a radiation of pain extending far away from the actual problem site. In these cases, I have to work on the pelvis, the knee and the hip individually as far as the mobility of the joint. It is then essential to understand how when the body is in movement or flux how fluidity and coordination have to be put back into the situation. There are wonderful techniques that incorporate the brain into the recovery and allow for more normal movement and elimination of compensations. I have seen these severe cases turn around slowly and gently like the creation of an ice sculpture. Some times we know the actual root or initial injury as we unpeel the layers, other times the recovery is gradual and throughout so that we never know whether the pain came from one joint or all three simultaneously. The deep inside awareness you have is your fascia. It is a system more intricate than any in the body. It is a web of connective tissue that acts much like a body stocking just beneath the surface of the skin and above the muscles at least on the surface. What makes it so fascinating is that it then dives into the body surrounding the muscles themselves, delving deeper and surrounding the muscle fibers, moreso to surround the cells and intracellular structures so that it goes infinitely in the microscopic direction. Due to the amount of traumatic memories that the fascia hold, and because it has also been found to actually contain within its structure microtubules of light, it is also believed that the fascia is connected in an infinite way to our electomagnetic and etheric aspects of our being. The fascia is why homeopathy and acupuncture work as magically as they do. The transmission is electromagnetic, immediate and profound. Treating the fascia is most definetly the key factor in making positive changes to dysfunction as severe as the above mentioned.
Q:I have been a drummer all my life. My posture is so bad as a result. I am trying very hard as I am getting older and experiencing symptoms to correct my posture. I feel like it is casted in cement. How can I make a change that will last?
A: When affecting someones posture, it is important to lengthen the fascia and muscles that have become habitually shortened and to strengthen the ones that have been on stretch and have become weak. This works quite often to make great and permanent changes in the posture. However, there are instances where the tailbone can take on a postion that will directly affect the neck and posture. For example someone can fall on the tailbone causing it to be flexed or bent inwards traumatically. The same outcome can occur due to a long duration force such as sitting on the tailbone rather than the ishium or sit bones of the pelvis especially in the growing period. This flexed position of the tailbone causes fascial tissue that runs from the tailbone up through the spinal canal to insert at the back of the head to shorten. The head is jammed back and down, jutting the chin forward not only creating bad posture, but shearing the vertebrae in the neck stretching very sensitive nerves and resulting in symptoms of numbness in the hands and arms. Many times the tailbone must be addressed in order to make lasting changes in posture. When it is repositioned by lengthening the tight fascial tube, the body has a chance to experience upright. Strengthening coupled with the freedom of movement not only changes the appearance of the person but also allows them such efficiency in their daily energy expenditure that at the end of the day their is plenty of energy left over for fun.
