We are knowledgeable about our muscles, bones, nerves, organs and even lymph glands, but few people have even heard about connective tissue, also called fascia. This essential part of the body invests all muscles, tendons and ligaments and covers almost everything including organs, nerves, and blood vessels.
This is the matrix that holds us together – sometimes too well creating internal tightness.
Watch this video by structural integrator and anatomy expert Gil Hedley to learn how to keep your connective tissue healthy and stay limber. (Warning: it includes images from cadavers so you can see how fascia gets stuck. Don’t be squeamish.)
Gil’s explanation of sticky fascia as “fuzz” is brilliant. Of course, I am even more delighted to hear him recommend undulation (i.e., wiggling and stretching) as an antidote to stiffness. And, look at his movement! Gil is a fine example of fluidity.
Options for natural pain relief with therapeutic exercises to address back pain and improve spine health. Please note some articles include affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through the link.
Showing posts with label stiff muscles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stiff muscles. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Saturday, October 18, 2008
The Cure for Stubborn, Inflexible Muscles
How do you feel about the stiff muscles in your body? Are they stubborn and uncooperative? Do they get in the way of your full enjoyment of life?
Maybe the trouble isn’t in your muscles. The underlying ligaments, cartilage and discs don’t receive direct blood supply, so they depend on gentle motion to bring in nutrition and take away waste products.
Sway your spine and notice where the movement is easy and what places find it difficult or impossible to participate. Any place that can’t move is malnourished.
Give a stiff place one minute to be the center of your attention, let it determine how to sway, let it be the leader of your body. Discover how little time it takes to be rejuvenated, how willing it is to be part of you when it gets what it needs.
If you spend hours a day at a computer, or in the car, or engaged in repetitive stillness of any sort, your stiffness may simply be a plea for an internal drink of water, a taste of nutrients, a call to take out the toxins accumulated in the muscles.
Undulate—sway, wiggle, squirm—in any way that makes those inflexible places more flexible. Because the movements are small, you can do it anywhere: at your desk, in your car, even waiting in line at the grocery store. You can learn 52 undulation exercises that will unlock your spine in Relieve Stiffness and Feel Young Again with Undulation and the 4-CD audio version, Undulation Exercises. Try some out here: http://www.undulationexercise.com/undulation-view-undulations.htm.
Maybe the trouble isn’t in your muscles. The underlying ligaments, cartilage and discs don’t receive direct blood supply, so they depend on gentle motion to bring in nutrition and take away waste products.
Sway your spine and notice where the movement is easy and what places find it difficult or impossible to participate. Any place that can’t move is malnourished.
Give a stiff place one minute to be the center of your attention, let it determine how to sway, let it be the leader of your body. Discover how little time it takes to be rejuvenated, how willing it is to be part of you when it gets what it needs.
If you spend hours a day at a computer, or in the car, or engaged in repetitive stillness of any sort, your stiffness may simply be a plea for an internal drink of water, a taste of nutrients, a call to take out the toxins accumulated in the muscles.
Undulate—sway, wiggle, squirm—in any way that makes those inflexible places more flexible. Because the movements are small, you can do it anywhere: at your desk, in your car, even waiting in line at the grocery store. You can learn 52 undulation exercises that will unlock your spine in Relieve Stiffness and Feel Young Again with Undulation and the 4-CD audio version, Undulation Exercises. Try some out here: http://www.undulationexercise.com/undulation-view-undulations.htm.
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