HIPSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!

I'm intrigued about the new Hips book/bundle. Just read through all the blurb. Have been hesitating to buy as I'm not sure it's right for me and money is an issue for now.

I'm 33, been practising WW everything for more than two years. Love it, committed to the philosophy/exercises, etc.

My hips sometimes feel like they are coming out of their sockets. I don't think they are but it's an uncomfortable feeling (it happens during yoga, stretching, shaving legs in the shower, sometimes during sex :-/) and I've had it waxing and waning for years. Additionally, I have illiotibial band syndrome which is now stopping me running. This is very bad, as running is such great exercise for my prolapses. I am slowly starting to believe that the ITBS problem is related to my hips or pelvis. I have tried physiotherapy for it, stretching, and now I am also trying to strengthen the upper leg muscles (glutes/adductors) while taking a break from running altogether. So far nothing works. I can feel the ITB pain when I swim, even when I walk.

So tell me, will the hips bundle work for me? Is it worth a shot? Most of all I really really want to run.

Incase the post above was confusing, I have only had treatment for the ITB pain, not for the weird clicky hips feeling.

Hi Kiko

There are six basic groups of muscles around the hips. These are:-

the extensors which make the femur straighten to vertical, or lift the femur to the back. These are basically at the back of the femurs and pelvis.

the flexors which bend the femur up to horizontal or higher at the front. These are at the front of the femur and pelvis,

The adductors, which pull the thighs together while standing. These go from the inside of the knee through to the top of the femur, and join the front of the pubic bones on the same side, like two big triangles.

The abductors, which move the femur sideways and up into the air. These go from the femur to the sides of the pelvic bones in various directions that accommodate abduction of the femur in either extended, flexed or rotated position.

The lateral rotators, which allow us to turn our feet, knees and hips out into first position. These go from the femur around to the back of the pelvis, sacrum and tailbone on the same side.

The medial rotators which allow us to turn our feet to pigeon toed or turn left with the right foot off the ground, while the left foot is grounded (or vice versa). This is not a strong or common manoeuvre. They also have a minor but significant medial rotation role when the lifted leg is coming forward during walking or running, etc. There are only a couple of muscles that do this. One of them is the tensor fascia lata, which is embedded in the iliotibial band/tract goes between the iliotibial band/tract and the front of the ilia.

The muscle groups described above overlap somewhat because we don't just stand still. Our bodies can be in any position at any time, so a muscle that is a flexor can also work as an abductor. An abductor can also work as an external rotator, etc. All movements cause several muscles to act, some in opposition, some in synch, to stabilise the whole body.

Our western, sedentary lifestyle conspires to keep our thighs flexed (sitting), adducted (knees together or crossed because we are 'ladies') ) and inwardly rotated (a by-product of keeping our knees and toes together, but our heels apart for stability, because we are 'ladies'). Therefore our extensors, abductors and external rotators tend to get stretched a lot, and not worked much, so they become weak, prone to spasming, and they try and shorten themselves because they are always in tension. They want to strengthen themselves by contracting and shortening but because we sit like this so much we never give them a chance!!

This means that these muscles are not strong enough to keep our body fully extended, and the connective tissue and muscles around our belly and pelvis working, and wound up into WW posture.

The iliotibial band is like a compression sleeve that surrounds all our thigh muscles and keeps them stable when we have all our weight on one leg. the ITB on one side is in tension when our weight is on that leg. If all the other muscles surrounding the pelvis are not strong enough to keep the pelvis horizontal while the other foot is off the ground (eg swinging through during gait). The ITB in question is placed under more tension because it is trying to act as an abductor but is not getting any help from other abductors on the same side, or from the muscles of the torso on the other side, which hold up the hip on the other side.

Do you understand the picture I am painting? The only way to get over your ITB syndrome is to strengthen all the muscles that stabilise your pelvis and move your femurs in different directions. Your hips will be glad of it.

I suspect that the feeling of your hips coming out of their sockets is because the aforementioned muscles around your hips are not stabilising the femoral heads in the acetabulae sufficiently. When the thighs are flexed and outwardly rotated the ligaments that hold the hip joints together are loose. When the hip joint is straightened again the hip joints will once again be held steady because the ligaments wind up tightly around the femoral necks and stabilise the joints further. To get maximum hip stabililty requires several mechanisms, which Christine explores in the book and DVD. Isn't the body wonderful?

BTW, if you need a laugh about 'being a lady', and you are broad-minded, check out this excerpt from LIttle Brittain, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwC7ph9FD54 . *Do not go to this URL* if you are sensitive about transvestites and mild coarse language or questionable humour.

Louise

There are so so many muscles I've been neglecting. And I'm a leg-crosser from way back. Thanks for all that detail...more than I can really take in right now.

But I think I'm going to need to get this hips bundle. Finances be damned!

I also just realised something else. I do the FAFP workout a lot, which I would have thought would strengthen hips plenty, but I just realised I've never done the workout with ankle weights as suggested on the DVD, which would add so much more of a strength workout.

Before I buy I have a couple more questions: Would anyone be able to tell me what sort of workout is on the DVD? How long is it?

I went to buy the bundle but the cost of shipping has left me more than daunted.

Okay, will do. Thanks Surviving. Just getting over-keen and ahead of myself.

hi ladies,

it's been a wild ride but the book should go to press tomorrow. don't even think about asking christine how many times she has read through it. she's practically cross-eyed.

the video is in production and we hope to wrap the shooting this week and finish the post production next week. our current release target is the 18th of october. we may miss this by a day or two, but i'm reasonably confident of the date, barring some catastrophe. we have enough pre-orders and donors to whom we have promised books that is will probably take two or three days to ship the backlog.

all that having been said, i think you will all be very pleased with the results. christine's clarity of thought and expression just gets better and better and nikelle has really outdone herself with gorgeous illustrations. and, Save Your Hips will be printed in full color on glossy stock!

the DVD will have christine's full hips program, so there will be lots of new stretches and strengthening to learn. i know, i know...another learning curve. but such is life.

stay tuned for christine's october newsletter, where she shares some important thoughts on doing the whole woman work, as all of you do.

a heartfelt thank you for your patience to those of you who donated to this effort so many months ago and those who have preordered. for donors at the level where the ebook and streaming video bundle was the premium, please bear with us. it will be a few weeks more before those are ready for release.

be well all, and keep up the good work!

lanny

Dear Lanny,
Words fail to describe the significance of Whole Woman Posture & Hips Project for humanity.
Thankyou for your dedicated work, & I look forward to absorbing the knowledge, working on my Whole Woman Posture, along with hip health & the ripple effect that it will have for my family & others.
(((Hugs)))
Best wishes,
Aussie Soul Sister