Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/918051
A B M P m e m b e r s e a r n F R E E C E a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / c e b y r e a d i n g M a s s a g e & B o d y w o r k m a g a z i n e 75 inhibition in order to reduce the tone of the exact muscles we targeted with our in-office work, the suboccipitals. Using this technique amplifies and reinforces the effects of our in-office work and creates a powerful tool for normalizing the position of the head and neck. The important thing to remember when recommending exercises for your client is that an exercise is only as useful as the client's ability to perform it, consistently and correctly. As such, the use of complicated, multipart movements in positions that are difficult to get into/out of, or exercises that require fancy equipment, are not recommended. Instead, we should focus on simple movements that can be performed almost anywhere without the use of any specialized equipment. The chin tuck fits those criteria nicely. The more advanced the FHP, the more difficult and exhausting this exercise will be for the client. Your job is to tailor the exercise recommendation for the person in front of you. When performed properly, clients with FHP will most often feel an intense stretch at the base of the skull, pressure underneath the chin (near the Adam's apple), and tension or intense stretching in the mid- or upper-thoracic spine. When I begin working with a client that is in chronic pain, I recommend they think of the chin tuck exercise as Advil for their head, neck, or mid-back pain. Any time they experience even the smallest hint of their pain, they are instructed to stop what they are doing and perform this exercise. In this way, the client will be trained in the crucial skill of listening to their body. They will come to understand that they are doing something (or perhaps many things) that are contributing to their symptoms, and pain. Perhaps more importantly, they will learn that if they change what they are doing, they will change the results they are getting. That understanding is incredibly empowering, and fostering it is arguably the highest goal we, as bodyworkers, can achieve with a client. Notes 1. Frank W. Booth et al., "Waging War on Physical Inactivity: Using Modern Molecular Ammunition Against an Ancient Enemy," Journal of Applied Physiology 93, no. 1 (July 2002): 3–30. 2. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, "Facts & Statistics: Physical Activity," HHS.gov, last updated January 26, 2017, accessed November 2017, www. hhs.gov/fitness/resource-center/facts-and-statistics/ index.html. 3. America's Health Rankings, "2015 Annual Report," accessed November 2017, www. americashealthrankings.org/explore/2015- annual-report/measure/sedentary/state/ALL. 4. Jacqueline Howard, "Americans Devote More Than 10 Hours a Day to Screen Time, and Growing," CNN.com, July 29, 2016, accessed November 2017, www.cnn.com/2016/06/30/health/ americans-screen-time-nielsen/index.html. 5. Kisu Park et al., "Effects of the Height of Shoe Heels on Muscle Activation of Cervical and Lumbar Spine in Healthy Women," Journal of Physical Therapy Science 28, no. 3 (2016): 956–9. Yoni Whitten, DC, is a native of San Diego, California. He has been studying wellness and human performance for over two decades. He holds a bachelor of science in kinesiology with a specialization in nutrition and health, and a doctorate of chiropractic. For more information on using the science of posture to improve your clinical outcomes, help more clients, and have more fun, go to www.posturescience.com. Contact Whitten at drwhitten@wellnessworkssd.com.