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.

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Pregnancy, Pectus, and Bruxism – Movement Debrief Episode 106

Movement Debrief Episode 106 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 setlist: How can pregnancy affect one’s ability to move? Can pregnancy change one’s infrasternal angle? What type of adjustments and considerations should we make for those who are pregnant? What is pectus excavatum? How can this structural change impact movement options? What type of exercises can we use to improve movement when someone has a pectus? What is bruxism? What is bruxism’s relationship to upper airway? What are other potential related factors to bruxism? What are some treatment considerations for someone who has bruxism?

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Basketball Ankle Mobility, Cosmetic Dentistry, and Does Breathing Transfer? – Movement Debrief Episode 73

Movement Debrief Episode 73 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: Can we improve the ankle mobility of basketball players? What factors go into ankle restriction? What moves do I like to improve ankle mobility in basketball players What’s the difference in pursuing dental work for cosmetic vs health purposes? How much do breathing activities carry over to activities outside of breathwork?

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Acute Pain, Dead Hangs, and Occlusion – Movement Debrief Episode 40

Movement Debrief Episode 40 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: How to approach someone with an acute spasm? Can anything be done to improve acute pain syndromes? What should the finishing position be in vertical pulls? Should we “reach” during vertical pulls? Is there a risk of impingement with hanging from a bar? Should we “pack” the shoulder during pullups? What is occlusion and what are the basic types? How does occlusion relate to posture and pain? If you want to watch these live, add me on Facebook or Instagram.They air every Wednesday at 7:30pm CST. Enjoy!                  Here were the links I mentioned: Mike Roussell The efficacy of manual joint mobilisation/manipulation in treatment of lateral ankle sprains: a systematic review Ankle manual therapy for individuals with post-acute ankle sprains: description of a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial Meriva Curcumin (it’s more bioavailable than regular; shoot for 2-8g/day) A Randomized, Pilot Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Curcumin in Patients with Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Curcumin: a new paradigm and therapeutic opportunity for the treatment of osteoarthritis: curcumin for osteoarthritis management Fish Oil Bill Hartman Here is an example of a bar hang exercise (the famous one courtesy of Bill Hartman…and yes, I did have hair):   Shoulder Pain? The Solution & Prevention, Revised & Expanded Here is a video of the

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Course Notes: PRI Cervical Revolution REMIX

Note: I made some errors on the first rendition of this blog that were corrected after speaking with Eric Oetter. Courtesy to him, Lori Thomsen, and Ron Hruska for cleaning up some concepts. Four Months Later When the Lori Thomsen says to come to Cervical Revolution, you kinda have to listen. I was slightly hesitant to attend since I had taken this course back in January. I mean, it was only the 3rd course rendition. How much could have changed? Holy schnikes! It is simply amazing what four months of polishing can do. It was as though I attended a completely different course. Did I get it all figured out? No. But the clarity gained this weekend left me feeling a lot better about this very complex material. This is a course that will only continue to get better with time; if you have a chance to attend please do. Let’s now have a moment of clarity.   Biomechanics 101 The craniocervical region is the most mobile section of the vertebral column. This mobility allows regional sensorimotor receptors to provide the brain accurate information on occipital position and movement. The neck moves with particular biomechanics. Fryette’s laws suggest that the cervical spine produces ipsilateral spinal coupling in rotation and sidebending. The OA joint, on the other hand, couples contralaterally. C2 is the regulator of cervical spine motion; much like the first rib regulates rib cage movement. C2 is also important for the mandible, as it balances the cervical spine during mandibular

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