Hint: It’s not up, down, or packed Most exercise form posts and videos focus everywhere EXCEPT the neck. Yet neck position profoundly influences what the rest of your body will do. So where should your neck be while you lift? Like on a deadlift, squat, or press? I’m answering that for you today. If you want to protect ya neck as the Wutang said, then you definitely have to check this out. Read the post, watch the video, and listen to the podcast to learn all about it!
Read MoreTag: cervical spine
All About the Neck
A comprehensive look at cervical biomechanics and exercise The Wu-Tang clan once said “Protect Ya Neck,” but how in the heck can you do that if you don’t know the biomechanics?????? The neck can be quite complicated considering all the factors that influence it’s dynamics: Ribcage position Thoracic spine Hyoid bone Cranium Temperomandibular joint OH MY! Yet despite all of these influences, there are simple, useful heuristics you can follow that can lead to favorable changes in neck mobility! Want to make the neck, cranium, and more ridiculously simple to understand and apply? Then tune in for Movement Debrief Episode 125.
Read MoreMandibular Retrusion, GIRD, and Distance Assessment – Movement Debrief Episode 85
Movement Debrief Episode 85 is in the books. Below is a copy of the video for your viewing pleasure, and audio if you can’t stand looking at me. Here is the set list: What is the relationship of mandibular in relation to the head and spine? What could be a negative consequence of the retruded mandible? What treatment strategies would you use to improve it? What is GIRD? Does my hierarchy for improving movement change with someone who has GIRD? How would you improve GIRD? How do I perform an assessment with a distance client?
Read MoreCervical Radiculopathy, Lower Body Elevation, and Shortcomings of My Approach – Movement Debrief Episode 82
Movement Debrief Episode 82 is in the books. Below is a copy of the video for your viewing pleasure, and audio if you can’t stand looking at me. Here is the set list: What are some key assessments for cervical radiculopathy? What is my treatment hierarchy for cervical radiculopathy? Why have I been elevating the lower body on many exercises? Why is inversion a useful move for improving mobility? What are some of the weaknesses in my current approach? What areas to I struggle in? What am I doing to improve upon those areas?
Read MoreCourse Notes: PRI Cervical Revolution
Where are all the People? I recently made the trek to Vermont for the first rendition of PRI’s Cervical Revolution course; a course in which the attendees doubled the population of the entire state. It was nice to go to the class with a bunch of old friends. You always learn better that way, and I couldn’t have been more excited to get the band back together. And even more so, I got to meet a lot of good folks for the first time. It was a real treat. This course was meant to update the former craniocervical mandibular restoration course (which I reviewed here and here), with extra emphasis on the cervical spine and OA joint. In this blog however, I will not touch much on the cervical spine positioning. I still have several questions regarding the mechanics. Some spots within the manual seemed to be conflicting; the blessing and curse of a first run-through. I will update this piece once I get these points figured out. That said, the revolution helped fine tune the dental integration process for me. I have been working a bit with a dentist, and I have a bit more insight in terms of what devices they are using for whom. Let’s go through my big a-ha moments. Smudging 901 The human body is symmetrically asymmetrical. When we have capacity to alternate and reciprocate, we are able to separate the body into parts to form a whole. If you lack integration, then there are
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