Regaining Thoracic Mobility

Alright, let's do a quick recap of where we have been...

I began this series with a post titled "The Aging Golfer".  My intent was to educate my fellow aging athlete golfers on the importance of maintaining adequate mobility within the hips and spine, as this would not only improve their performance on the links, but possibly stave off the degenerative spine disease that so many golfers suffer from later in life.

As we have learned along the way however, this information pertains to other aging athletes as well...and even non-athletes.  This is the kind of information that everyone needs to have.  In fact, this is the kind of knowledge that our doctors  need to know, but unfortunately...most don't.

"The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.” 

                                    ― Thomas A. Edison

 The quote above reflects some pretty forward thinking...especially for someone living in the early 1900's.  It is time for more importance to be placed on the care of the human frame...by all, not just athletes.  

Ok, I'm beginning to rant.  I shall dismount my soapbox and get back on track.

So...what can we do about our decreased mobility?  Over the next couple of posts within this series, I plan to take you through some mobility exercises that are used by Physical Therapists to regain flexibility and range of motion.  You don't have to be a Physical Therapist to do these exercises, but you will need to have some specific equipment.

I would expect that by now you have clicked on the Trigger Point advertisement on this blog, and purchased your very own, life-changing Trigger Point Therapy kit...yes?  What?  You didn't think it was necessary?  Alright, there's still time.  You can always click on that banner right now, and then come back to this post once you have received your 'tools' and learn the exercises.

Before we dive into fun stuff however, we need to do a little more education.  I know, I know, you've had enough teaching, and you want to get on with the fun stuff.  Believe me, I've heard it before...but trust me, because this information is important, and will help bring it all together.  Really.

We need to talk about the Cumulative Injury Cycle (CIC).

"What is the Cumulative Injury Cycle?" you ask.  Great question!

 The CIC is a process that occurs within the human body, and disrupts the human movement system (HMS) through the development of muscle imbalance, altered neuromuscular control, etc.

The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) describes the CIC as "A cycle whereby an injury will induce inflammation, muscle spasm, adhesion, altered neuromuscular control, and muscle imbalances."

But you're not injured, so this doesn't pertain to you...right?

Wrong.

The term injury is used to describe both acute traumatic injury, as well as chronic overuse injury patterns.  Every time we engage in physical activity, we create micro trauma to our muscles and connective tissues. This small amount of injury is enough to trigger the CIC.

I want you to have a solid understanding, so let's dive in a little deeper and go through each step of the CIC.

Step 1: Tissue Trauma

Tissue trauma can result from an injury such as a strain, or it can simply refer to the micro-tears and contractive tension in a muscle which are normal results of strength training. The body treats this stress on the tissue as an injury and initiates the repair process. The only way muscles get bigger and stronger is when the body undertakes this healthy, normal repair process on these micro-tears. Excessive tension, however, is NOT normal and healthy. It interferes with the healthy growth of the muscles by allowing them to remain in a shortened, contracted state.

Step 2: Inflammation

Any trauma to tissues leads to inflammation of the traumatized area. Inflammation triggers the body’s pain response system, which activates protective mechanisms meant to prevent further damage. At the microscopic level, we are talking about activation of tiny receptor sites called muscle spindles that sense the level of tension in the muscle and attempt to protect it by initiating contraction.

Step 3: Muscle Spasm

When the muscle spindles are stimulated, microspasms begin to occur throughout the muscle, creating further tension and shortening.

Step 4: Adhesions

Also known as “knots”, adhesions are the result of the microspasms in step 3. These adhesions can be described as tight nodules within the soft muscle tissues. They reshape the muscle itself, creating an inelastic matrix of roadblocks which prevent the muscle from contracting and releasing as it should. Untreated adhesions can become permanent features of the soft tissue as the tissue repairs itself to cope with the demands of strength training. Inflexible tissue causes postural compensations as the body attempts to find ways to move itself in spite of its new limitations.  Remember...life will find a way!

Step 5: Altered Neuromuscular Control

These permanent adhesions cause compensatory movement patterns to occur . The body wants to move, and it will find a way to do so even if it means using muscles and joints in suboptimal ways which deviate from their intended functions.

Step 6: Muscle Imbalance

Repeated patterns of movement model the body in their image. If the body moves in a suboptimal manner over time, the faulty patterns will be built into the muscles and joints themselves.  Remember...the body adapts!

And Then the Vicious Cycle Repeats and Reinforces Itself

The CIC is a process that feeds on itself.  As the cycle draws to a close, the muscles are left in sub-optimal states.  This reinforces each of the previous steps within the CIC, and essentially causes the cycle to repeat...over and over again, until a severe acute injury occurs.  At this time, most people simply write it off as just another injury, when in fact it was caused by a failure to recognize and mitigate the CIC from the outset.

Pattern Overload and the Cumulative Injury Cycle

The cumulative injury cycle is directly tied to the concept of pattern overload, which means placing repeated stress on the body through performing the same motions. Poor posture combined with pattern overload is the recipe for repetitive stress injuries.

Alright, now that you are familiar with the cumulative injury cycle, let's talk about what we are going to do to restore some movement in your thoracic spine.

There are two corrective techniques that we are going to employ...corrective flexibility, and self myofascial release (SMR).

Corrective Flexibility training involves a variety of different stretching techniques that can be used to re-lengthen over-stressed, shortened muscles.  The goal is to return those muscles to their normal resting length.

SMR techniques will be used to attack the adhesions (described in Step 4 above) that are reducing the elasticity of the muscles.  These exercises are carried out with the use of SMR tools, such as those produced by Trigger Point...hence my reminder to click on the ad banner and purchase yourself a set.

In my next post, we will learn how to use these tools, and get down to the business of Self Myofascial Release!

Until then...

Yours in Health and Performance,

John