I was sitting and working on my posture, when all of a sudden, I felt my pelvis! I saw a picture in my mind of how my pelvis and low spine wanted to hold me. I was surprised at the effort it took to even attempt to get it in balance!
This is something I call the cultural epidemic!
If you have neck or low back pain then your pelvis is most likely tucked under – meaning your sacrum and the tail bone are too deep (see below). As a result, upslips of the ilium can happen.
An upslip is nasty!
If you have neck, low back, hip, knee or ankle pain then you most likely have an upslip.
Officially, your pelvis is “off its rails”.
From here the rib cage tethers and there is decreased space and mobility, here. Our rib cage is designed for mobility, so, when it gets stuck then the mobility will need to come from somewhere else. The neck and low back are called to mobilize! The problem is, the neck and low back are designed to stabilize. When there is mobility where there is meant to be stability, it will manifest as pain!
Erik Dalton (http://erikdalton.com) talks about the rib cage as the weak link. The homeostatic system has been reversed. From a therapeutic perspective it is critical to ask your body back to it original functional form.
Posture is the key but first the upslip must be corrected!
- Imagine your sacrum (see above) while sitting straight or standing.
- Lift your sacrum towards the ceiling like I have my finger through your back belt loop on your jeans.
- Use your core to do this!
- Draw your belly button towards your spine while you hold the sacral lift.
- Most people will loose the sacral lift while trying to pull abdomen in – it’s subtle!
What muscles kick on when you do this?
Now hold it!
What is getting tired?
If your low abdomen is getting tired then you are holding your posture well.
If it hurts you are weak!
If it stretches you need it!
If it is nonexistent then you need to find it!
If it feels different then you are asking your body into alignment!
This is just the start of a process to lift your own body out of its weakness. Our bodies are always striving for a homeostatic balance. If you have had some tough knocks to your spine, have been pregnant or have low back pain, you may need to untuck your pelvis so it can reset back to its functional, pain free state. Then you will be back on track and on your way to strength and wellness.
How many times have you been told to do a pelvic tilt and suck your belly in for a strong core?
When our pelvis tucks under because of this pelvic tilt it is so easy to bump the ilium off its rails (upslip), thus providing us with what I believe to be a cultural epidemic. To unwind this dilemma, we need to lift it the opposite way which can go against the grain. It takes work and awareness to do it!
Next blog is – Posture: Are shoulders to your ears?
Warmly, Jennifer Clarke Gargaro RMT/BFW Mentor
Flat spine image provided by Townsville Massage – http://www.townsvillemassage.com/
Upslip image provided by Erik Dalton – ©2012 Erik Dalton – Freedom From Pain Institute – http://erikdalton.com/