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Corrective scoliosis treatment. Is scoliosis curable? Yes!

Posted by Anthony Ohm

Despite what you may have heard, scoliosis is a repairable condition. Corrective scoliosis treatment involves Active Isolated Stretching & Strengthening therapy. If left untreated, scoliosis will often get worse over time. Commonly, medical professionals state that scoliosis cannot be corrected. If a spine is able to curve in the wrong direction, with proper treatment,   scoliosis curvature can also be straightened in the right direction.  If you want to fix scoliosis, it can be done with the right method.

Effective scoliosis treatment first involves extensive manual stretching to all muscles that affect the spine. Scoliosis begins at the hip. In scoliosis cases, the hip is frequently uneven. The pelvis must be stable and even for the spine to stay straight. Upper body muscles, the neck, low back, and leg muscles all need to be stretched as a preliminary procedure. Afterwards, the spine is manually corrected. A therapist adjusts the spine in the opposite direction that it is curving. This adjustment will only be a permanent change if the person practices the assigned exercises which holds the spine in proper position. Strong muscles hold the spine in place. Weak muscles allow the spine to curve.

Corrective scoliosis treatment

Corrective scoliosis treatment is not well understood by medical professionals. Do not believe the “experts” when they tell you that nothing can be done to correct scoliosis. There are better options than implanting a Harrington Rod to hold the spine in place. Before considering such a drastic procedure, consider a method that relies on the body’s natural resources to maintain a straight spine. Aaron Mattes, kinesiologist, developed scoliosis correction procedure and has been successfully treating people for over thirty years. Scoliosis correction is part of the Active Isolated Stretching and Strengthening program.

scoliosis treatment

 

Migraine Headaches and C5 C6 Cervical Disc Disease and the digastric

Posted by Anthony Ohm

Migraine headaches and  C5 C6 cervical disc disease commonly occur together.  The commonality between migraine headaches and C5 C6 cervical disc disease  is that tight muscles in the upper body and neck cause both problems. The migraine sufferer must address muscular tension in the neck to resolve migraine pain. Another critical area that causes migraines is the jaw muscle, the digastric. Migraine therapy involves treating the jaw, the neck, and the upper body. One tried approach has been seeking long term chiropractic treatment in the hope that regular adjustments would dismiss the herniation (or degeneration) in the C5, C6 region and solve  migraine pain at the same time.  The new migraine headache specialist is trained in Active Isolated Stretching.

Migraine headaches and C5 C6 problems are caused by excessive muscular tension

Migraine headaches and C5 C6 cervical disc abnormalities are both affected by inflexibility in numerous upper body muscles. Tightness in the neck muscles –  the scalenes, the sternocleidomastoid, the levator scapula, creates excessive stress on the cervical discs. This excessive pressure causes the discs to herniate or degenerate. Furthermore, cervical disc disease is caused by more than just tight neck muscles, it also involves tightness in the chest, upper arms, shoulders, and upper back muscles. These areas are the base on which the neck rests. If the base is abnormally tight, then the neck muscles cannot unwind.

All the above mentioned muscular areas affect migraine headaches too. When the upper body is tight, and the neck muscles are tight, these muscles will pull on the skull. Muscles of the neck attach at the skull and the shoulder. This pulling strain causes migraine headaches. The trapezius muscle is one of the prime bandits that pulls on the base of the skull, the occiput.

The jaw: a source of migraine headache pain

The other essential area in migraine pain are the muscles of the jaw. Migraine pain will not be solved until the digastric jaw muscle is relaxed. Cranial nerves pass under  the digastric. When the digastric muscle gets tight, it can press into the cranial nerves which induces pain signals to the head. Tightness in the jaw is connected to muscular inflexibility in the upper body and neck muscles.  Active Isolated Stretching therapy focuses on the numerous muscles causing migraines. Muscles work in groups. An advanced practitioner of Active Isolated Stretching is a migraine headache specialist.

Treating migraines and treating C5, C6 cervical disc disease is part of the same process. What helps migraines will also help C5, C6 issues. People who suffer from migraines headaches and C5 C6 issues are also affected by cervical neck issues. However, not all people with C5, C6 deterioration will experience migraine headaches.

Other treatment options for migraines

Chiropractors have suggested that adjustments will cure C5, C6 abnormalities; That the source of migraine headaches and  C5 C6 disc disease may result from a subluxation. Unfortunately, chiropractic has not linked the relationship between subluxation and muscle tightness. Chiropractic and AIS can work well together. If migraine sufferers have tried chiropractic alone and are still in pain, then the new approach is Active Isolated Stretching which skillfully releases overly tense upper body muscles; getting to the root cause of migraine headaches and C5 C6 cervical disc disease. Some will supplement AIS treatment with chiropractic adjustments. If they do, the chiropractic adjustments will be more productive after Active Isolated Stretching (AIS first, then chiropractic). Others will decide not to follow-up AIS with chiropractic.  Either way, Active Isolated Stretching will be effective at resolving migraine headaches and C5 C6 issues.

How can something so simple as stretching solve migraine headaches?

It is important to note that Active Isolated Stretching is not to be confused with ordinary stretching. AIS  is capable of producing lasting changes to myofascial pain syndromes. Migraine headaches are a myofascial pain syndrome. This means that the cause of migraine headaches are related to the muscles and the fascia (connective tissue that surround and weave through the muscles). In the case of migraines, the area of focus is the upper body. AIS  treatment focuses on opening the chest, upper back, neck, and jaw muscles to resolve migraine head pain. If you are a migraine sufferer, ask yourself if these areas are overly tight? The approach is comprehensive but simple.

Distinguishing marks of Active Isolated Stretching

Distinguishing marks of AIS are: 1.)You can not open the neck muscles until you open the chest, shoulder, and upper back muscles. 2.) A target muscle (particularly a tw0-jointed muscle) must be opened at six points to completely open it. No other form of stretching advocates either of these two theories which is why ordinary stretching has been unable to resolve migraine headaches and C5 C6 cervical disc herniation or degeneration.

AIS practitioners that treat migraine headaches are a small group

The number of advanced AIS practitioners who can competently handle migraines is small. Maybe fifty. Those suffering from migraines will typically go any distance to be treated by a good migraine headache specialist. Travel may be necessary. Expect session length to be multiple hours. After one or two sessions, the sufferer will notice productive changes.

 

Migraine headaches and C5 C6

C4 C5 C6 C7 Cervical Disc disease. Resolving Chronic Neck Pain.

Posted by Anthony Ohm

Cervical disc pain in the C4 C5 C6 C7 region can result in herniation or degeneration of the cervical discs. One frequently overlooked reason for C4 C5 C6 C7  chronic neck pain is tightness in the shoulder and chest region. The cause of degenerative or herniated cervical spine disease is primarily muscular tightness. By fully lengthening the muscles that attach to or surround the neck, herniated or degenerated cervical discs will be allowed to heal. Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) is the specialized treatment for C4 C5 C6 C7 chronic neck pain.

Relevance of chest, arm, and shoulder muscle tightness in chronic neck pain

A large percentage of cervical pain cases involve tightness in the upper body, including the shoulders, chest, and upper back. Its even possible to have chronic neck pain with all muscular dysfunction coming from the chest and shoulders; and very little tightness in the neck muscles. The neck rests on the shoulders, chest, and upper back. If the upper body is tight, more pressure is placed on the neck muscles and the cervical discs. Effective treatment for chronic neck pain should begin with opening up the muscles of the chest and shoulders before addressing the neck muscles. Similarly, any self-stretching routine for the neck has to start with stretching of the chest and shoulders muscles. If you start by stretching the neck, the pain will quickly return because the support structure of the neck is not being addressed.

Tips for chronic neck pain

The majority of people sleep on their side. This pushes the shoulder into the shoulder socket, which decreases range of motion in the shoulder joint. The neck muscles run from the skull to the shoulder. So sleeping on the side not only causes inflexibility in the shoulder but also stiffens neck muscles. The best position to sleep is on the back, with the knees and ankles elevated. Put one pillow (the long way) under each leg.
Many people find it difficult to sleep on their back. Developing upper back muscles will provide more mass to the back and make sleeping on the back easier, as the back feels more support. The seated row weight machine at the gym is a good way to start developing the upper back. Using a rowing machine is another good exercise to develop upper back muscles.

Key muscles involved in C4 C5 C6 C7 cervical neck pain

The primary causes of cervical disc disease are weakness or tightness of the upper body muscles. Poor posture creates tightness in the neck muscles. Two key neck muscles that affect herniation or degeneration in C4, C5, C6, or C7, are the sternocleidomastoid and scalene muscles. The sternocleidomastoid muscle runs from the front of the chest to the jawline. Tightness in the sternocleidomastoid will cause a forward jutting of the head and neck. The further the head juts ahead of the chest, the more strain is placed on the muscles at the back of the neck. The scalene muscles run along the side of of the neck. They attach to cervical discs C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, and C7; and they attach to the collarbone/shoulder area. When either the sternocleidomastoid or scalene muscles get tight, they create pressure on the cervical discs. Muscles attach to bones. Tightness in the sternocleidomastoid or scalene muscles can cause the cervical discs to bulge, herniate, or degenerate. Proper elongation of the sternocleidomastoid and scalene muscles can allow the cervical discs to return inside the spinal column.

The two mentioned neck muscles illustrate my previous point of how lengthening muscles of the upper body facilitates recovery from cervical spine disorders. Muscles work in groups. The sternocleidomastoid muscles lies above the chest muscles. And the scalene muscles lie above the shoulder. If the pectoral (chest) muscles are tight, they are collapsing inward. The sternocleidomastoid neck muscle will follow in the same direction as the chest muscles. Creating a forward pull of the head and neck. Similarly, tight shoulders lurch forward, carrying the head with it. The objective in Active Isolated Stretching is to get the shoulders back; before lengthening the scalene muscles of the neck.

The AIS difference

Stretching has rarely been credited for resolving chronic neck pain. And this is where is must be clarified that Active Isolated Stretching is different than any other type of stretching; whether it is PNF stretching, Thai massage, yoga, or the stretching that we learned in the seventh grade. These forms of stretching cannot repair a cervical herniation or degeneration in C4 C5 C6 C7; Active Isolated Stretching can. One, two, or three neck stretches does not heal a cervical spine disorder. A thorough neck routine in Active Isolated Stretching involves over thirty-eight different upper body movements. Detailed treatment, done correctly, to the upper body allows for long term benefits to the cervical spine.

  C4 C5 C6 C7

L4 L5 S1 low back pain treatment and the psoas muscle

Posted by Anthony Ohm

L4 L5 S1 low back pain treatment involves stretching a tightened psoas muscle. Lengthening the psoas muscle is essential for repairing the L4 L5 S1 region. The best method of opening the psoas muscle is not through massage therapy. The best way to open the psoas is through Active Isolated Stretching  The relationship between L4 L5 S1 region low back pain and psoas muscle restriction is poorly understood by the medical community. Techniques on how to unlock a tight psoas muscle are also poorly understood.

L4 L5 S1 issues are resolved by advanced stretching techniques

Low back pain treatment involves more than one muscle being tight. A series of tight muscles are involved. Correcting the psoas muscle is an essential element of  low back pain treatment. Chiropractic adjustments, epidural injections, and acupuncture do not lengthen a tight psoas muscle. Massage is unable to reach all the attachments of the psoas muscle. Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) has the best method for opening the psoas muscle. The therapist assisted psoas stretch in AIS involves the client laying face down on a table and a strong therapist pulling the leg upward – separating the space between the junction of the upper thigh and the pelvis (see picture below: back exercises psoas). The target psoas muscle lies towards the front of the pelvis but it attaches to the lumbar vertabrae  (L3, L4, L5, S1). A tightened psoas muscle will pull down on the L4, L5, and S1 discs, the pressure of this action causes low back pain.

After the client has received AIS assisted stretching for the psoas, the client will be taught the self-applied psoas stretch, but psoas lengthening initially requires the help of a trained therapist. The self-applied stretch will maintain an open psoas but not open it initially. In the early stages of recovery, the client may have to do the self-applied psoas stretch two or three times a day to keep it open.

L4 L5 S1 massage will not work. AIS will work.

L4 L5 S1 issues involve a tightened psoas muscle. For L4 L5 S1 massage to be corrective, massage must be able to fully repair the psoas. However, the psoas cannot be opened through deep tissue massage. Some massage therapists have techniques for trying to open the psoas, but it is a muscle that needs to be stretched. Massage techniques are ineffective because the psoas has so many attachments to the vertebrae that it is impossible to massage each attachment. Furthermore, the psoas lies deep inside the stomach. It is too deep  to affect with massage.

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L4,L5,S1 Low Back Pain Treatment
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L4,L5,S1-psoas-stretching

Herniated disc, bulging disc, degenerative disc in the low back

Back pain that originates in L4, L5, and S1 is commonly diagnosed. But psoas stretching through the AIS method is not fully understood by other back pain specialists. Unfortunately, too many  diagnosed with L4 L5 S1 pain are opting for surgery. Surgery does not elogate the psoas. Which is why the pain surrounding the L4 L5 S1 region frequently returns after back surgery. Back surgery will shave off or fuse the discs in between L4, L5, and S1. Often times a tightened psoas results in bulging disc, herniated disc, or degenerative disc. Why is the disc bulging, herniating, or degenerating? The cause is a tightened psoas. That’s what needs to be adjusted, not a microdiscectomy or spinal fusion.

Back surgery or AIS therapy?

The back surgery approach theorizes that if the disc around L4. L5,or S1 is fused or shaved then the pain will diminish because the disc protrusion is irritating the nerve. Unfortunately, this theory does not address why the disc is protruding. The AIS approach claims that a tightened psoas is principal cause of L4 L5 S1 low back pain.  If the psoas is lengthened to normal position,  the disc will be encouraged to slide back inside the vertebral column.

Cluster Headache Pain in Honolulu. Finally! Treatment that works.

Posted by Anthony Ohm

Cluster headache pain in Honolulu is caused by excessive muscular tension or weakness in the upper body, neck, and jaw muscles. Muscular tightness or weakness in these areas will refer pain into the head region. Night time teeth grinding can also play a role in causing cluster headache pain. Treatment for cluster Headache pain in Honolulu entails restoring the numerous muscles that uphold the head. Active Isolated Stretching and Strengthening (AIS) has the best treatment plan for curing cluster headache pain in Honolulu.

Active Isolated Stretching and Strengthening views cluster headaches as a muscular problem. AIS therapy is an alternative to taking pain medication pills. In the book Heal Joint Pain Naturally by Ellen Hodgson Brown, research found that pain pills impede the body’s ability to repair itself (page 20). This is true of cluster headache pain as well as joint pain. Pain relieving drugs provide a temporary solution to cluster headaches. The long term solution involves rehabilitation to the muscles that support and surround the head.

The textbook Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction written by Janet Travell, M.D. goes into detail about referred pain problems. This concept is also called trigger point theory. Dr. Janet Travell clarified how tightness in certain muscles can cause pain to corresponding regions of the body. Dr. Travell’s referred pain theory states that the area where pain is felt and the source of pain can be two separate regions.

Following Janet Travell’s trigger point theory,  AIS therapy treats cluster headache pain in Honolulu  by first opening the muscles of the chest, shoulders, upper arms, and upper back. A major source of cluster headache pain in Honolulu involves reducing tension in the scapula region. The scapula is the prominent bone of the upper back. It is also called the shoulder blades. The scapula is an anchor to numerous muscles of the shoulder, neck, and upper back. Many upper body muscles attach to the scapula at one end, and to the skull at the other end. Therefore, reducing pressure on the scapula will decrease headache pain. Numerous muscles affect the position of the scapula. Tension in the biceps, triceps, deltoids, pectorals (chest), latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and trapezius muscles all play a role in the placement of the scapula. If any of these upper body muscles are tight then the scapula bone can be pulled out of anatomical position. Displacement of the scapula can cause referred pain to the head region, causing headache pain.

Process for solving cluster headache pain in Honolulu

Dissecting headache pain involves looking at all the muscles that surround the skull. The head is above the chest, shoulders, and upper back; but the closest area to the head is the neck muscles. Tightness in the neck muscles will refer pain to the head region. Because muscles work in groups, it is necessary to open the chest, shoulders, and upper back; before lengthening muscles of the neck. The scalenes, sternocleidomastoid, and levator scapula are muscles of the neck that need to be treated to resolve chronic headache pain.

A third area worth mentioning is the muscles of the jaw. Similar to headaches, jaw pain can be referred from stressed muscles of the upper body. Additionally,  jaw pain can be caused by grinding the teeth at night. When the digastric muscle of the jaw gets tight, it plays a major role in all types of headaches. The digastric (jaw) muscle can be opened thru the Active Isolated Stretching process.

The Active Isolated Stretching approach is very specific to treating cluster headache pain in Honolulu. The shoulders and chest muscles affect the neck and jaw muscles, and all of those muscles can cause  cluster  headaches. Reducing inflammation has long been the strategy of decreasing headache pain. But pain relieving pills are non-specific as to which parts of the body need inflammation reduction. Furthermore, tightness in upper body muscles will not unwind by taking pain relieving pills. Gentle assisted stretching in the AIS mode will pull muscles to their appropriate length and get to the long term solution of cluster headaches.

 

Cluster headache pain in honolulu

Flat Back Syndrome & Chronic Low Back Pain

Posted by Anthony Ohm

Flat back syndrome is a term used to describe lack of curvature in the low back. Sometimes people are told that flat back syndrome is the reason for their chronic low back pain. Having a flat back is a symptom of low back pain but not a cause.  A healthy low back does have natural curvature. And people lacking lumbar curvature will commonly indicate pain on or near their sacrum. Flatback syndrome involves numerous muscles in the lower body being overly tight. Gaining curvature of the lumbar spine entails lengthening lower body muscles. The psoas muscle, in particular, must be lengthened to bring curvature to the lumbar spine. Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) is highly beneficial for flat back syndrome. Flat back syndrome is associated with spinal stenosis, lumbar disc herniation, disc degeneration, arthritis, and chronic low back pain.

Flat back causes

Tightness in the lower body muscles causes the lumbar region to lose its natural curve. Loss of curvature in the lower spine can be of varying degrees. The lower spine does not need to be completely straight for people to experience low back pain. The psoas, gluteal (buttocks), and hamstring muscles are almost always involved in flat back syndrome. Other muscles are involved, but these three are almost always a causal factor. Athletes will lose flexibility in these muscles through repetitive motion activity. And psoas, glute, and hamstring muscles will become tight from numerous hours of sitting. Frequent flying (airline travel) will further tighten psoas, glutes, and hamstring muscles because people are sitting on planes. And the high altitude compounds tightness to these lower body muscles. Unfortunately, industrialized society requires long hours of sitting to perform our occupations. This is a major reason why low back pain is so prevalent throughout the world.

Laying on a foam roller to correct flat back syndrome

Some therapists incorrectly advise laying and rolling on a foam roller to gain curvature in the lumbar region. Rolling the low back on a foam roller does not cure flat back syndrome. A tightened psoas muscle causes the lumbar spine to flatten. And the psoas cannot be affected by rolling pressure to the low back. The psoas is underneath the belly. And even if you roll the foam roller on your stomach, it will not release the psoas because the muscle is too deep to release by applying rolling pressure of a foam roller.

Massage therapy for flat back syndrome

Some modalities like deep tissue massage, Rolfing, and Active Release Technique claim that their method can open the tightened psoas muscle through their form of manual manipulation. The psoas cannot be opened through massage or manual therapy because there are too many points of attachment to be released through direct pressure. Self-stretching techniques will not open a psoas to optimal length. The psoas must be opened through assisted stretching. Afterwards, self-stretching techniques can help maintain an open psoas. Chiropractic adjustments would be more effective after AIS treatment because chiropractic does not address psoas tightness in their procedure. PNF stretching uses the wrong position for psoas stretching, which can cause herniation to the discs around the L4, L5, S1 region. Active Isolated Stretching is most effective at opening the psoas muscle, which is essential for restoring the natural lumbar curve.

Muscles attach to bones. Tightness in the psoas, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles will put excessive strain on the pelvis and spine. This muscular tightness will pull on the pelvis bone and cause the lower spine to lose its natural curve. Inflammation will result around the spine from muscular tightness which causes spinal stenosis – the narrowing of the spinal canal. Low back discs around L4, L5, S1 will often become strained to the point in which they herniate, bulge, or degenerate. Spinal stenosis and lumbar disc disorders can also be restored with AIS therapy because the cause is excessive muscle inflexibility. A spinal canal can widen when muscular inflammation is ceased. A herniated, slipped, or bulging disc can return inside the vertebral column when muscular pressure is discontinued. Similarly, AIS therapy will cure spinal nerve pain because pinching on spinal nerves is caused by muscular inflammation.

Weakness in the lower body muscles also contributes to flat back syndrome. Rehabilitation from flat back syndrome entails doing lower body strengthening exercises to maintain the natural curve in the low back. After the psoas muscle is lengthened, it needs to be strengthened. Correct abdominal exercises are an important part of rehabilitation. Unfortunately, many people perform abdominal exercises incorrectly which worsen flat back syndrome. For example, full sit-ups are when the hands are interlocked behind the head and the person performs a full ab crunch to the point in which their elbows touch their bent knees. This is the wrong way to practice abdominal exercises! Full sit-ups or full ab-crunches will tighten the psoas muscle, which will decrease curvature of the lumbar spine.

Spinal stenosis, lumbar disc herniation/degeneration, and chronic low back pain will often be linked to flat back syndrome. Flat back syndrome is not the cause of these disorders. Flat back syndrome is an indicator of tightened lower body muscles. Active Isolated Stretching can reverse flat back syndrome because the first course of treatment is to restore flexibility. Conventional stretching, PNF stretching, yoga, and Thai massage have failed to grasp key mistakes they are making in their procedure. Active Isolated Stretching can restore lumbar curvature while other forms of stretching cannot. One-to-one AIS treatment is the kick start to gaining curvature in the lumbar spine. At-home AIS exercises are what maintain correct posture.

flat back

Hip Pain From Running

Posted by Anthony Ohm

Hip pain from running is caused by excessive tension in numerous lower body muscles which pulls the pelvis out of anatomical position. Hip pain from running is a musculo-skeletal problem. Conventional stretching techniques are inadequate in repairing hip pain from running because their procedure does not completely open the targeted muscles. Large lower body muscles become tight through running. Muscles like the glutes, hamstrings, groin, quadriceps, and ilio-tibial band (I.T. band). These tight outer muscles form a cast of tightness around the smaller muscles deep inside the hip, the hip rotators – also known as the deep six muscles. Tightened  hip rotator muscles restrict range of motion in the hip socket and create excessive pressure in the hip joint, which wears down the cartilage (the padding) inside the hip socket.  Hip pain from running can be resolved with AIS first unwinds the larger muscles of the lower body. Afterwards, AIS lengthens the hip rotator muscles, the deep six muscles.

Best treatment for hip pain from running

Runners often think that they are stretching adequately with conventional stretching techniques. Then when they experience hip pain from running, they assume that the problem must be something other than tightness in the muscles because they tried stretching and it didn’t work.  Active Isolated Stretching is more effective at repairing hip pain from running than conventional stretching, pnf stretching, yoga, and thai massage. The non-AIS forms of stretching hold the stretch for too long. Holding the stretch for more than two seconds elicits the automatic stretch reflex which prevents the target muscle from stretching. The non-AIS forms of stretching ignore stretching at angles, and focus only on stretching the belly of the muscle. The belly of the muscle is one aspect of the target muscle. There are five other areas to stretch in the target muscle which is why muscles that are stretched in conventional stretching don’t retain their flexibility. Non-AIS forms of stretching use the wrong positions to stretch the target muscle. The target muscle must be in a relaxed position. For example, traditional stretches for the calves and hamstring muscles place the muscle in a state of contraction (specifically called eccentric contraction) and thereby do not allow full expansion of the target muscle. And most importantly, only Active Isolated Stretching has a specific stretch routine targeting the deep six muscles of the hip.

It starts with the outer muscles and works deep inside the hip

Running creates tightness in the large outer muscles of the lower body and that tightness shrink wraps the small inner muscles of the hip – the hip rotator muscles. Just addressing the hip rotator muscles will not cure hip pain from running because the more external (superficial) muscles must be stretched first. The glutes are directly external (superficial) to the hip muscles and they are a prime example of large external muscles forming a restrictive cast around the hip rotators.

Hamstrings, quadriceps, and groin muscles naturally get tight through the repetitive motion of running. The hamstrings, quadriceps, and groin muscles attach at the knee (patella) and the hip (pelvis). So when these muscles are tight they strain the hip, which contributes to hip pain. The calf muscles hold up the weight of the entire body during running. Unreleased pressure in the calves pulls the hip bone out of position through a similar tensional line of the hamstrings. The psoas muscle lies deep inside the stomach. The psoas gets tight through sitting and doing abdominal exercises incorrectly. A tightened psoas creates tension in the junction between the upper thigh and the hip. Therefore, psoas tension must be examined in hip pain cases.

The I.T. band

The other major outer muscle affecting the hip is the ilio-tibial band (I.T. band). The I.T. band runs down the leg, lateral to the quadricep.  I.T. bands get tight through running and they are very difficult to self-stretch. Every runner has I.T. band tightness. This muscle is in constant use during running. Because I.T. bands attach at the pelvis (the hip bone), they are a primary contributor to hip pain.

The deep six

Lengthening the glutes, hamstrings, calves, groin, I.T. band and psoas muscles will greatly alleviate hip pain from running,  but the final step involves the deep six muscles (hip rotators). The deep six muscles are the: piriformis, obturator internus, obturator externus, quadratus femoris, gemellus superior, and gemellus inferior. The deep six muscles are small muscles that connect the top the thigh bone to the inside of the hip socket. The hip is a ball and socket joint. Hip rotation is controlled by these small muscles. If these muscles are not stretched (when someone experiences hip pain) then the rotation inside the hip socket will decrease and the pressure inside the hip socket will increase. Limited range of motion and increased pressure inside the hip will wear down the cartilage inside the hip socket. Tight hip rotators muscles cause a constant friction over a repeated space, which will eventually burrow a hole in the cartilage. If a person lets hip pain go untreated, it can lead to the necessity of requiring hip replacement surgery.

Internal and external hip rotator stretch focuses on the deep six

The developer of Active Isolated Stretching, Aaron Mattes, states that his greatest contribution to the field of bodywork may be his internal and external hip rotator stretches. The deep six muscles are underneath the glutes, psoas, hamstrings, quadriceps, groin, and I.T. band. Opening the hip rotators needs a trained therapist assisting the process. Look at how many dancers and yoga practitioners experience hip pain. Both groups do intensive stretching to the leg and lower back muscles, but they frequently experience hip pain. This is because self-stretching exercises cannot reach the deep six muscles. AIS hip rotator stretches takes pressure off the hip joint. This process creates space inside the hip joint; And allows the hip to float within the structure.

 

hip pain from running

Migraine Headache Specialist Honolulu, Hawaii, Oahu

Posted by Anthony Ohm

The new migraine headache specialist Honolulu is now available on the island of Oahu. Migraines are poorly treated because they are misunderstood. Migraine headaches are a muscular problem. The best solution will address and correct rigidity in upper body muscles. When a person experiences hardening in certain upper body muscles, referred pain signals are sent to the head region, resulting in migraine headaches.  Migraine headaches can be associated with neck muscle stiffness. And migraine headaches can be correlated with muscle tightness in the chest muscles.

This  new form of migraine headache specialist Honolulu is called Active Isolated Stretching therapy (AIS) .  AIS offers a detailed way of lengthening every muscle that contributes to migraine headache pain.  In the AIS process, each muscle that is involved in migraine pain is lengthened completely. It is this process of pulling out the knots in the muscles that resolves migraine pain. Other types of massage therapy are also trying to pull out the knots that are causing migraine headaches, but AIS does this process most effectively. AIS treatment isolates and rehabilitates each muscle, one by one,  that is involved in the migraine pain syndrome

There is no one single muscle that causes migraine headaches. It is caused by a series of muscles that work in a chain link system. The chain link pattern can be different muscles for different people. During the first treatment session, the AIS migraine headache specialist  goes through the entire possibility of muscles that could be causing migraines for that specific person.

One scenario:  the migraine sufferer is tight in the chest muscles (pectoral muscles). This scenario is quite common and unrecognized as a source of migraine headache pain. Closely associated with the chest muscles are the sternocleidomastoid (scm) neck muscles. The sternocleidomastoid neck muscles lies toward the front of the neck. The sternocleidomastoid (scm) muscle attaches to the jaw line (the mastoid process) at one end and the chest bone (the sternum) at the other end. Tight chest muscles contribute to the sternocleidomastoid muscle being tight, because the two muscles are linked together. Which is why, a tight sternocleidomastoid may never fully release just by massaging the neck muscles solely. The muscles that attach to or surround the sternocleidomastoid also have to be addressed.

A person with tight pectoral (chest) muscles and  tight sternocleidomastoid muscles are now experiencing a muscle imbalance from the front of the body that creates stress on the muscles at the back of the neck. The muscles in the back of the neck being strained are called the trapezius muscles. Commonly, people suffering from migraine headaches will also point to the back of their neck (towards the trapezius muscles and the occiput area) and indicate that area as an additional source of aggravation to their migraines. The trapezius muscle (in the back of the neck) is overloaded because the chest muscles and the sternocleidomastoid muscles (in the front of the upper body) are shortened causing the muscles in the back of the neck and head to be stressed and strained. These occurrences of muscle dysfunction send signals of pain to the head region. These pain signals can be felt in numerous areas of the head, face, eye, neck, or jaw.

The perspective from the new migraine headache specialist Honolulu is unique to Active Isolated Stretching. There is one advanced practitioner in the state of Hawaii that practices the AIS method for migraine headaches. AIS developed a highly detailed system of unwinding each target muscle within the chain-link system that causes migraine headaches.  The AIS approach to migraine headaches doesn’t involve any medications, injections, pills, or surgery. The AIS view of migraines is that it is connected to muscle inflammation.  AIS is superior to other migraine treatment strategies because it created its own unique method of lengthening muscles. The migraine problem lies within the skeletal muscle system. The solution is practiced in the AIS form of muscle rehabilitation.

Migraine Headache Specialist Honolulu

My neck is killing me! I have chronic neck pain

Posted by Anthony Ohm

Four reasons why my neck is killing me!
Reason number one:
Computer usage, especially laptop computer usage. Laptop computers make us strain our neck and shoulders forward. Lurching the head forward creates neck pain by putting more strain on the neck muscles.
The further the head juts ahead, the more strain is placed on the muscles that run from the head to the shoulders. People that spend long hours on a laptop computer are jutting their neck and shoulders forward to stare at the screen.
Watch other people’s posture as they are using their laptop computers. Look at how they are pushing their necks forward to look at their small screen. Then have someone look at your posture while you are on your computer. Are your shoulders squeezed together or leaning forward?  Is your head leaning ahead of your chest? Over time, these postural problems create neck pain. Using a larger keyboard and a larger computer screen will help your posture. When using a larger computer screen, enlarge the text to maximum visibility. That will encourage you to keep your neck and shoulders back – good anatomical position.

neck pain

Second reason my neck is killing me: Weakness in the trapezius muscle. The trapezius muscle (traps) is a primary muscle of the upper back, one of the main muscles in between the shoulder blades. Many people neglect doing strength training exercises for the trapezius muscle, especially women. Many women feel that developing the trapezius muscle will make them look manly. The neck rests on the traps. When the traps are weak, then the support structure – the foundation for the neck is vulnerable.

Third reason my neck is killing me: Women with larger breasts are susceptible to neck pain. Large breasted women are more likely to be pulled forward and downwards in the upper body. Similar to using a laptop computer, women with large breasts are pulled away from correct anatomical position by the weight of their breasts. Additionally, many women are likely not to do strength training exercises for the trapezius muscle and the latissimus dorsi muscle. Two major muscles of the upper back that will help to hold up the weight of the chest. As women age, the breasts generally get heavier. This added weight increases the chance of being pulled out of alignment. As posture worsens, many women will also develop a hump in the back of their neck. This problem is called dowager’s hump or kyphosis. It is related to neck pain. And it can be reversed with Active Isolated Stretching therapy.

Fourth reason my neck is killing me: Using a computer desk that is too high.
If you spend a lot of time at your desk, then you need to be sure that your elbows are not raised too high. A high desk can raise the position of your elbows, which can cause strain in your trapezius muscle. People that put a computer on a dining room table can be straining their trapezius muscle, which leads to referred pain in the neck. That is the reason why the keyboard slot on computer desks are low.

This is not an exhaustive list for chronic neck pain. The general theme is that weakness or excessive strain in the upper body muscles will commonly lead to pain in the neck. If you are experiencing chronic neck pain, finding a qualified AIS therapist will surely help.

The Mattes Method approach for chronic neck pain is threefold:
1.) Receive treatment from a trained therapist in Active Isolated Stretching.
2.) Learn how to do the self-applied AIS stretching protocol.
3.) Do upper body strength training exercises to maintain correct posture.