Why would we start our clients program with a chest press movement, or a crunch? Why do some trainers start with a forward flexed position? Why would anyone take a client to any machine at all after a day at the office? These postures create elongated and tight muscles, which creates muscular imbalances. The body automatically responds by compensating for these imbalances. Seated and glued to a bench or chair is not the optimum position for the body. Over time, the body adapts to this new posture dictated by its environmental factors. Now the body migrates toward an efficient position. This position is far from correct, but it can be corrected.
Question: If a client has protracted shoulder girdle with slight upper cross syndrome, (LOOK THAT UP) how would we demonstrate a corrective functional training program for this finding?
Answer: What happens in upper cross syndrome is that several muscle groups have become shorter and tighter. They can decrease strength, flexibility, range of motion and lead to further degenerative processes (wearing down of the body—arthritis, etc.). Upper cross syndrome refers to the upper part of the body, namely the neck/upper back/chest/shoulder area. Other muscle groups have become weakened as a result of the tight muscles.
Then these problem areas start a bad cycle of more tight muscles and increased weak muscles. Unless the problem areas are corrected, there will start to be a change in the composition and integrity of the surrounding joints, muscles, cartilage, nervous structures and other tissues. This means osteoarthritis (aging or regenerative arthritis) can rear its ugly head. Postural changes of the body will also occur with these syndromes. Upper cross syndrome consists of various tightened and weak muscles. The tight muscles are as follows: upper trapezius, the sternocleidomastoid (a large muscle in the front of the neck), the pectorals major/minor, and levator scapulae (a muscle at the back of the neck). The weakened muscles are as follows: rhomboid major/minor, deep neck flexors, middle and lower trapezius, and the serratus anterior (a muscle starting at the side of the rib cage and going back to the shoulder blade). How do you know if you have upper cross syndrome? You will see your head going forward, increased cervical curve, protracted shoulders and increased thoracic (mid-back) kyphosis (curve). This is the beginning of upper cross syndrome.
This leads to the next statement: What is an ENGRAM?
The specific dynamic action and stability of the muscular system is based on prior motor learning, and your ability to stay neutral. We have actually built a postural ENGRAM.
An ENGRAM is a series of complex commands tied in with a thought to produce a movement pattern. An ENGRAM is the permanent trace left by a stimulus in nerve tissue. It is a neurophysiologic process that accounts for persistence of memory.
For example: You don’t have to think about how to tie your shoe, you just do it! Why? Because of the neurological connection you have made with practice. This is an example of an ENGRAM.
A)Try this…bend over or forward flex…Your belly will fall… and your low back will go into excessive lordosis because of the lacking neological connection or no ENGRAM.
When you have properly trained the local deep muscles of the transverse region, it pulls your belly button up towards your spine. This automatic “draw in” response creates inter segmental stability. This stiffens the segments and supports the spine and all the surrounding structures.
As you can well imagine, if the inner unit were to fail or even suffer altered function under the load of outer unit functions, the spine could easily buckle, resulting in spinal injury. Judging by the statistics on spinal injury, and the authors of clinical experience, it is evident that the population at large commonly suffers from an imbalance between the inner and outer units.
When the inner and outer units are functioning synergistically, there is a characteristic look to the abdominal wall. There is a noticeable oblique line and the umbilicus moves toward the spine as the torso moves through the zone of the critical point. This simply means when the outer (ABS) and the inner (Transverse-Internal Oblique) are working in harmony with one another…we see a visceral or an internal girdle action- squeezing the abdominal contents to create stability of the pelvic floor and lumbar region. This is the definition of CORE!
Let’s say you place a string around your waist. If your outer unit is dominant over your inner unit, as you bend forward to pick up a load, a string placed around the waist will become tighter as you pass through the critical point (90 percent lumbar flexion). If the load is significant enough to require activation of both inner and outer units, the string will become loose as you bend forward and tight as you lift the load. When the inner unit is strong enough to provide adequate stabilization, (This is the goal) you will stay under the stabilization threshold as you pass through the sticking point. Staying under the stabilization threshold is indicated by the fact that the rectus abdominis and external oblique musculature have not shortened and thickened, pressing on the string.
Now that you have a better understanding of how our own internal weight belt works and how it functions to stabilize our spine. Fit-Pros want to make sure that the activation of the deep stabilizing muscle is in your “daily verbiage.” It should be the start of every cue. However, do not just throw the words out, and hope the client is making the connection. As professionals, you have to teach proper form and function. Do not assume; do not guess; learn and teach! Using the term “Keep your abs tight” is not assurance that they will do any such thing…Teach!
Dave Parise CPT FPTA MES
