bio mechanics in yoga

A “HIP” Guide to Happier Movement: Upper Crossed Syndrome (UCS)

Sarah Jamieson / Reflections, Thoughts, Tips / / 0 Comment

To balance out our “HIP” guide to Happier Movement series, today’s feature, is yet another structural breakdown pattern we commonly see in today’s hustle and bustle of society. Whether you are an athlete, a weekend warrior or a recreational fitness enthusiast of any skill level, upper cross syndrome (UCS) and shoulder pain can affect you and they are often closely linked; no one is immune to injury.

UCS can affect your posture and the balance in your hips. UCS usually leads to a forward head posture/ head carriage, causing strain to the muscular attachments of the shoulder and shoulder blade. An anterior tilt and abduction (“flaring out”) of the
shoulder blades occurs, producing a rounded shoulder appearance, this strains postural muscles and stabilizers of the most important area of spine (and most often neglected;  which is our thoracic spine.

Overdevelopment of the postural muscles creates a deltoid shear (crossing of rotator cuff under AC joint); which can easily progress and breakdown the mechanics of the shoulder and deep arm movement patterns leading to shoulder impingement, tendonitis and even bursitis syndromes (lions, and tigers and bears – oh my).

As we know our fascial system is the third top communicator in our body, and in upper crossed syndrome it’s functionality can breakdown compromising the superficial and deep front and back lines, along with the spiral lines when there is shoulder injuries connected to the UCS.

How is upper crossed syndrome related to our “HIP” Guide?

We know that when we make positive change in one movement pattern, all other movement patterns are impacted. our fascia, muscular system, nervouse system, and eveyother system for that matter, are all connected. In UCS is very common to see pelvic instability and a reduced connection to the trunk (loss of kinesthetic awareness). Why? Because of the constant compensation and over development of the muscles in the pectoral girdle; which then transfers load and energy inconsistently through the trunk to pelvis and onward, to the lower mechanics and lastly our feet.

How can you prevent USC?

  1. Recognize, identify and transform patterns of stress and tension through re patterning techniques. Deep breathing and meditation are key to establishing new patterns beneficial to the body and mind.
  2. Learning how to avoid postures that place stress on our neuromusculoskeletal system is essential in avoiding injury and poor posture mechanics.
  3. If you sit at a desk all day or are studying regularly, take breaks often and invest in a good hatha or yin style Yoga class. By, eliminating upper back and neck and stabilizing your postural frame can support better movement patterns overall.
  4. Explore simple methods of opening and re-strengthening upper body muscles that become imbalanced due to poor sitting habits and chronic work-related postures.

Modified Thoracic Mobility Posture

Try these great corrective Yin and Hatha style Postures to help prevent UCS:

1. Rib Pull and Thoracic Mobility Rotations

2. Supine Arm Circles using a Half Foam Roller

3. Extended Child’s Pose with High Hips

4. Gate Pose & Kneeling Side Bend

5. Triangle and Dancing Warrior Series

A “HIP” Guide to Happier Movement: The SI Joint

Sarah Jamieson / Props, Reflections, Teachers, Thoughts, Tips / , , , / 0 Comment

Tying in the last 2 articles towards happier hip movement, we dive further down the proverbial yoga rabbit hole to look at pelvic rim imbalances and possible sacroiliac pain and how to progress experientially towards a sequence of adaptive yoga moves that have the potential to reset our SI joints to their natural pain free position. One of the most common structural breakdowns I work with is often a “misaligned’ pelvis and lower back pain.

Over the years more and more SI joint dysfunctions or “issues” seems to be “recurring,” especially in women. Whether this is due to the shape of our pelvis, the draw and trend of Western Yoga or the tendency toward long loose ligaments we don’t know, or perhaps even some other stress patterning effects- including an unbalanced or improper yoga practice, women seem more susceptible to hyper-mobility along with SI joint dysfunction. Even though there is a joy in flexibility, there needs to be a balance of tone, flexibility and stability if we are to be “pain free and live a life of symmetry.

There are a number of theories about the details of the pathology related to the SI Joint disorders , however in yoga over stretching is often a key indicator. Strong ligaments hold together the SI joint, the only way to move it out of place with yoga is to overstretch those ligaments and if we stretch more on one side then the other, or more anterior (hip flexors) the posterior (hamstrings) this can throw off pelvic stability. Our bodies move through recruited sequencing of muscles, and therefore, when one set or group of muscles is “too flexible” it throws off the sequencing of the entire mechanical chain.

The cardinal symptom of SI pain is an ache on or around the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS). The PSIS is the rear-most point of bone on the pelvis. However, it’s very important not to confuse what we are calling SI pain with other types of back pain, because, in most cases the “pain” referral point, is only where the energy gets blocked, but the structural breakdown that is causing the mis alignment is usually located some where else  in our mechanics and this takes time to determine.

Sacroiliac Joint Anatomy 101

The sacroiliac joint is where the sacrum bone and the ilium bone join one another, Your sacrum is located at the base of your spine and  is comprised of five vertebrae that have fused together during development to form a single bone roughly the size of your hand. Each half of the pelvis is composed of three bones, the ilium, the ischium and the pubic bone, that are fused together during development. The sacrum sits between the left and right ilium bones and bears the weight of the spine, kind of like a wedge.

The SI joints main function is to distribute this weight with equal balance to each hip and to each leg, and the energy  then makes it’s way down out through the feet to the earth via our muscles (to put it into simple terms).

There are many working parts to the hip and SI Joint, some of the ligaments that stabilize the SI joints cross directly over the line where the sacrum and ilium meet. Those on the front are called the ventral sacroiliac ligaments, and those on the back are the dorsal sacroiliac ligaments. Other strong ligaments (the interosseous ligaments) fill the space just above the SI joints, holding the ilium bones firmly against the sides of the upper sacrum.

Corrective Strategies & Tips:

First, identify the balance of flexibility in the hip joints by extending in all the anatomical movements of that joint. This should be done by a health professional who can assess bio mechanical breakdowns and asymmetries via a selective assessment.

Secondly, work towards establishing stability and tone in the pelvic floor and trunk, learn the ins and outs of balance and breath work for proper intra abdominal pressure, then establish if you require mobility or stability in the hip flexors,  the hamstrings, gluteal and lateral muscles of the hip.

Thirdly, modify your asana practice. As  a general framework for understanding which poses contribute to helping you relieve pain, these poses traditionally fall into 4 categories:

  • Careful with backbends: (Reclining Hero Pose) can help by directly pushing the top of the sacrum backward into place, as well stretching the anterior chain.
  • Modify your Twists and Rotational Poses: wrong twist can easily make matters worse. Gentle movement and transitioning from pose to pose by rotating one side of the sacrum backward and the other forward.
  • Try One Sided Poses: Reclined postures that focus on one side at a time, can create more symmetry by focusing the adjustment specifically on the joint that may be out of alignment, so that the ilium shifts in the right direction relative to the sacrum.
  • Practice Postures that Spread the Sacrum: By applying lateral pressure to the hips, may help by opening the top part of the SI joint space, as well as postures that spread the sacrum wide and relieve pressure to the lower lumbar spine.

Next week we Continue our series to Happier Hips with the pelvic rim and stability!

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