Glossary
There's a lot of technical lingo throughout this site. Below is an ever-growing list of glossary terms to help you navigate it with ease and confidence.
TMJ
TMJD represents a very common structural imbalance in your upper thoracic region (from your 5th rib to your jaw (TMJ). Because the mechanism to open & close your mouth requires perfect symmetry between your left & right sides, any asymmetrical tension experienced in this region can easily cause a mis-alignment resulting in uncomfortable pain. There are progressive levels of dysfunction if left alone, ultimately resulting in a very painful "locked jaw" situation. Fortunately, this condition is entirely avoidable, but it'll require a level of mindfulness as you go about your business.
three-second stretch
THREE-SECOND STRETCH is a relatively new approach to stretching which is based upon how the brain processes information. Whenever you force a muscle to it's MAXIMUM length and hold it for even just four seconds your brainstem will automatically react to protect you from injuring yourself by resisting the stretch. The most effective way to lengthen a muscle is to hold a stretch for 3 seconds, release, and repeat several times. Each time you will notice an increase range result.
soft tissue strain
Soft tissue consists of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia. These are the structures of the body which are constantly adapting to the various physical & emotional stresses we experience every day. Whenever we are dealing with pain it's all of these soft tissue components which need to be worked on and reorganized back to a more functionally balanced structure.
sciatica
Sciatica refers to a condition when the sciatic nerve has become squeezed either by low-back tension (resulting from a shortened hip flexor muscle) or [more commonly] a very tight piriformis muscle (located in your hip). This often happens as a result of sitting way too long with a forward-leaning posture over your computer keyboard, or books, etc. That, combined with other existing strain patterns in the back, hips or legs, has made this a very common pain issue we see very often. Lying on your back with a pillow under your knees may give you temporary relief until you get some bodywork.
psoas
Psoas (pronounced so*az) is the master hip flexor muscle, and is often the major contributor to chronic back pain. Every time you sit and lean forward reaching for your computer keyboard or steering wheel or handlebars you are engaging this muscle, and it obediently shortens to the degree you require. However, if you've been flexing your hips for several hours while sitting you may have noticed that when you proceed (or attempt) to stand up your lower back says "whoa, not so fast. I need a few moments to let go before I can lengthen." Once this muscle has been unlocked and lengthened properly it will up to you to maintain its length by doing daily lunges.
plantar fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis is a very common structural imbalance which manifests in the bottom of the foot. We see a direct relationship between the connective tissue (fascia) in the sole and the various calf muscles (those between your ankle and knee which assist in pointing your toes). Whenever there's excessive tension in the bottom of the foot it's very likely that your calves, hamstrings, hip muscles and back are also very tense. Deep tissue massage + lengthening of all those soft tissue structures will either completely or temporarily resolve this issue. Understanding how your muscles got to that point is essential in order to avoid a repetition. Daily stretching if done correctly is the key.
neuromuscular
Neuromuscular is an highly effective approach to resolving soft tissue strains. It describes using muscular-skeletal movement to communicate to your brain stem in order to gently bring about a change in an annoying tension pattern. The brain stem is really our ancestral reptilian brain which responds to sensory information by reacting immediately to protect us from potential physical pain. By changing the information being perceived there will be a corresponding change to the muscular-skeletal system, particularly the pain issue being worked on.
line of pull
Line of Pull often refers to the pathway through the fascial system that the mind-body selects to connect a region of your upper body to the ground (or to another region, usually lower). By understanding and identifying one's "line of pull" a knowledgeable bodyworker can fairly quickly resolve the soft-tissue strain patterns resulting from an injury or any trauma.
ITB
The IlioTibiaBand (ITB) is not a muscle; it is more like a strap-like band of dense tissue, which often gets tightened by the TFL muscle - which, in turn, attaches at the front of your hip. It functions as a major stabilizer (protector) to the knee when we are standing on that leg. Any sport (or activity) which requires frequent standing or need for knee stabilization (ie cycling, running, hockey, lecturing, etc.) will require daily attention to this very important structure. Frequent (weekly) lengthening of the TFL/ITB structure will help prevent future unnecessary pain around your knees.
fascia
Fascia is the connective tissue which envelopes every physical structure in our bodies like a saran wrapping. One of its many functions is to provide structural support to muscles as well as all the other soft tissues. When we push our muscles during sports there is a increased need for greater support in order to avoid injury, and the fascia around those muscles and other related structures will automatically tighten up like a Spandex sleeve. Fascia also connects one part of the body to every other part, and is a critical component to every strain your body experiences.
Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral Therapy is an extremely gentle technique which communicates directly with a particular body-system which has a major influence on every other anatomical system. Every trauma, injury, structural misalignment, etc. gets expressed throughout the numerous layers of our connective tissue. Children often fall on their tailbones, and experience some level of trauma as they learn how to be in this world while learning to walk, ride a bike, play sports, fall off a roof, etc. If left unresolved (which is often the case), the resulting need of the body to protect ultimately affects and restricts other movements & postures such as walking, sitting and even sleeping. Yesterday's injured children are today's headache, migraine, and TMJD sufferers. Craniosacral therapy can effectively restore balance to many of those structures responsible for your chronic pain.
compensatory
COMPENSATORY describes a strategy your reptilian brain uses when it needs to orchestrate a series of movements AND the "old" pattern is no longer the best choice. Our biological programing is constantly making changes in order to adapt to changing conditions in our environment and any internal structural changes, such as an injury or a new habit of leaning forward (i.e. over a keyboard). Much (if not most) of the work we do involves compensatory patterns in the body which contributes to one's pain. Identifying these complex patterns is critical to treating and resolving chronic pain.