Hi, my name is Leigh. I was in pain since a small child. I don't remember a time when there wasn't pain. The foot spasms, tight calves, shin splints, sore knees, pulled hamstrings, restricted hips, pelvic pains, chronic bad back and sacral pain. The abdominal pains, sore ribs, frozen shoulders and burning upper back, stiff neck, crunching jaw, face pain and headaches ...
And then there where the random shocks and spasms, the sudden intense itching, stabbing, biting and gnawing sensations. The chest palpitations, abdominal 'pulsing', restless legs, eye twitches, white fingers, numbness and pins and needles in my arms and legs. The aching limbs that fatigued quickly, the constant feeling of exhaustion. I never slept well and had recurring dreams and nightmares.
I was in a deep depression by the age of 21.
Rock bottom was at 40 years old, stuck on the floor one morning, screaming with pain unable to move. Caught in a web of pain that I can't start to describe. That was the changing point in my life. I knew I couldn't go on as I was. I started Pilates and swimming (very gentle and slow, I was to scared to strain and spent a lot of time just breathing and trying to activate my "core").
3 months in, my depression lifted one day as I stood up from a roll-down. It was that dramatic, I could feel how all my mental issues were due to the chronic pain and suddenly I felt hopeful that life could improve.
That was the start of the development of my "Base-Line theory of Human Health and Movement, the 5 main muscles of movement and conscious proprioception." as I learned to focus on how I used my body and slowly freeing myself from all the pain and trauma I had been carrying around.
Starting from, and always working from my Base-Line muscles - pelvic floor Base, rectus abdominis Line. These muscles are our core pillar of strength and the central connectors for body and mind.
Then thinking about the gluteus maximus and rectus femoris muscles of each leg becoming strong and working in tandem to align the hip and knee joints, allowing the other leg muscles to work as they should.
The trapezius muscles connecting the upper body to Base-Line support. The trapezius muscles should be free to extend in all directions, without pain or tension, supporting the head and arms through a full range of movement.
Slowly I have released the physical tensions on my body, reliving and then releasing all the pain I had been carrying around. Regaining my natural range of movement, balancing my body. Feeling how to heal by developing my sense of conscious proprioception.
Feeling my true alignment based on the anatomical structures on the median plane - starting with the linea alba, then nuchal and supraspinous ligaments.
Feeling better than I ever have before, so I am here to share my story in the hope that it will help others to learn to use their body's better.
It was over two and a half years of hard slog to release the physical tensions that were the source of all my pain. I had a lot of pain to relive in order to release it, but every day was progress towards a more balanced body and mind.
Have a look at the anatomy, think about these muscles and practice breathing with your Base-Line. Think stronger and longer with every in-breath. Connect with your body and get to know your pain. See how you feel after a few months...
This post got very long very quickly, thanks for reading!
A spontaneous stretch - an excellent way describe when your body feels how it should move to help itself! Sorry I can't post to your original post but I love the phrase.
As I am working with my Base-Line muscles and moving my body "as feels right" it's just like a spontaneous stretch or few. I've not wanted to describe it as "stretching" because that conjures images of a pre-set routine in my mind (and there's various definitions of stretching), but a spontaneous stretch is a lovely way of putting what happens when I can feel my Base-Line for alignment.
All movement should be supported by the Base-Line muscles.
Our core pillar of strength.
▹Breathe in and up through your nostrils.
▹Breathe out through your mouth.
▹Engage your Base-Line muscles as you inhale.
∗ Begin with your Base pelvic floor muscles.
→ Take as many breaths as you need to feel your pelvic floor muscles engaging.
The solid base from where all movement should stem.
∗ Then focus on your mid-Line muscles.
→ As you breathe in and up through your nostrils, focus on each section of the rectus abdominis muscles activating and extending in sequence, from your pelvis to your chest.
Like a stack of panels to be switched on, your central pillar of strength.
Think: Longer and stronger with every breath in.
Take as many breaths as you need to engage and elongate your Base-Line.
I found it easiest to work on my breathing whilst standing (in a relaxed manner) or lying on my back. Do whatever feels good for you.
It can take a long time to break old habits and many breaths to activate the correct muscles if you are not used to using them but keep thinking about them and start to feel these muscles.
The main movement during my recovery was the roll-down.
I found myself using the roll-down action again and again.
It felt good.
The standing roll-down is the best way to start, giving the greatest degree of freedom to move with your Base-Line.
How to Roll-Down
:
Stand in a comfortable position. Don't worry about where your feet are to start - remember you are working from your Base-Line outwards.
Take as many breaths as you need to activate and lengthen your Base-Line from pelvis to chest, breathing in and up through your nostrils. Adjust your stance and move as feels natural.
Exhale through your mouth and begin to roll-down from 'top to bottom', lowering your head towards your feet whilst feeling the support coming from your Base-Line.
Roll-down as far as comfortable. Pause and re-activate your Base-Line over a few breaths, relaxing the rest of your body as much as you can.
Breathe.
Move your body as it feels right to do so-
Gently swing your arms, stretch and wiggle your fingers. Move your legs, bend your knees, flex your ankles and toes. Shift your weight on your feet - heel to toe, side to side. Open and close your mouth, move your jaw, roll your eyes, pull faces, stick your tongue out. Whatever feels good! The possibilities are endless.
Let the tension go.
You may start to experience 'releases' allowing you to melt down a little further. These feel good. There may be cracks/pops and other sounds and sensations. Relax, keep breathing and focus on your Base-Line.
There's no rush. Never force anything.
Stand up when you are ready, however feels comfortable. (Rolling up is good - only when you can do it!)
Move around. Feel for the relative positions of your main muscles of movement. Aim for a balance between left and right sides.
Repeat the roll-down. Where and whenever you can.
Enjoy it. Gain a little more freedom each time.
It takes practice and concentration to engage the right muscles if you are not used to using them. Long-standing bad habits take time to rectify so you must keep working at it.
You may not be able to move very far at first and are likely to encounter areas of tension. You may start to notice how your body adjusts itself to avoid certain positions as you roll-down.
Do what you can and every day you'll be able to do a little more.
Use the roll-down action in other positions when you feel ready - sitting, kneeling, whatever feels right.
Thank you for sharing your way of dealing with chronic pain. Breathing well and using your core is so important.
However I would mention roll downs are generally not recommended if you have osteoporosis. I used to enjoy doing them before I was diagnosed but now avoid them as I have several stress fractures in my spine.
Thank you for the feedback and sorry to hear of your problems with osteoporosis.
I've added "unless contraindicated" to the roll-down description. Do you think that's sufficient? I'm concerned if I start listing specific conditions I would not manage to cover everything. I want to empower people to help themselves but with that people need to work from their individual circumstances too. I really appreciate you commenting and will try to make that point more strongly in future.
I am trying to keep the anatomy of the 5 main muscles of movement differentiated from my healing journey, but it can get blurred when writing from the heart - I must keep thinking "proof-read from the head".
"Use your core muscles" was the advice I got after my rock bottom, but I didn't understand what that meant until I discovered my Base-Line. There seems to be several definitions for core muscles and didn't think it would be helpful to add to this term - but I think of my Base-Line (long and strong) at the core of all movement!
I'd always been told "lift with your legs" but I didn't get that either until I realised it was the gluteus maximus and rectus femoris muscles that should be used, before then various other leg and back muscles had been trying to take the strain.
Are there particular moves or exercises that you feel comfortable doing?
I like u have been in pain since i was 12, started as i fell of a trampoline onto my lower back and not been same since...
The pain would travel through my body .. one week low back, next higher, then frozen shoulder, then bicep pain.... constant...
When at 21 everyone was celebrating my birthday BUT ME as my shoulders had flared and couldnt move i saw a physio!
Excellent she was.. she explained how to explain pain, how to feel it and not panic, how to breath through it...
That when we have a trauma it effects all ur body...
I got better....
Then in my late 30s it came back...
With a vengence...
So i remembered what she said.. i started breathing exercises, meditating if u like to call it that... then pilates and yoga and always exercising and stretching out my body as soon as i get up and before bed...
Again i am now 45 and my body and mind have never been stronger... ive taken out all inflammatory foods from my diet, dairy, gluten, sugar, alcohol( to a certain degree , im no saint lol) and it has totally improved everything.
I now go weeks with no pain.... even with 2 herniated discs and a degenerative hip....
Hi Lulububs! Indeed, whoop to you - I'm glad to hear you're doing so well. It sounds as though you got the greatest gift you could get on your 21st - truly helpful advice.
That our body is one unit of many parts and an injury affects the whole body - the way we move, our balance and alignment - is an important thing to realise and not often stressed enough in my opinion. It's common thinking that the bad back, knees, shoulders, foot pain etc etc. are separate issues when actually they are linked.
I'd be interested in more detail about what your physio said about: "to explain pain, how to feel it and not panic, how to breath through it..."
She taught you how to help yourself and I'm trying to encourage people to learn to help themselves too so anything that resonates....
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