Something needs tweaking

Submitted by kiko on May 22, 2014 - 6:49pm
Body: 

So I've been doing WW work for a few years now, thought I kinda had it nailed.

Then I went to a gig, which involved standing still for a few hours, in a cramped venue where it was hard to move. I started off in great posture...and ended up with severe lower back pain. By the end of the night I was clenching my butt, pulling my abs in, tucking my tailbone, all things I have not been doing for years, just to ease the pain.

This is the first time I've felt pain in WW posture. I know standing still for a length of time isn't particularly natural but that level of pain did make me think something's not quite right. I have no history of any back problems and I'm 34.

Thoughts from long-standing members?

Forum:

Surviving60

May 22, 2014 - 8:01pm

If I have to stand for a long time, I generally work my way through different ballet positions with my feet, just to keep a little movement going on in the lower body. I will even do the crossover thing with my feet if I can. I don' t think it's possible to stand for hours in a cramped space without feeling some discomfort, even in the best posture. Fortunately these experiences don't (hopefully) come around too often. I can't remember standing for hours at time since I've been doing posture, and I hope I never have to! How long ago was this, and have you recovered or are you still in pain? - Surviving

Christine

May 22, 2014 - 8:06pm

I see Surviving and I have written basically the same response - no surprise there!

This is a great question, Kiko, and one that I make sure to address with my in-person clients.

We can stand in WW posture with parallel feet (hips), but that gets tiring pretty quickly. The reason being that muscles and fascia (connective tissue such as the thick, multi-layer thoracolumbar fascia of the lower and mid-back) need to constantly off-load to one another. Connective tissue cannot be under constant load without tiring and developing something called “creep”, which is sort of like stretching. Our nervous system recognizes this and tells us to automatically shift the body.

So, when standing for long periods of time, I turn my hips slightly out and place the heel of my front foot a few inches in front of the arch of my back foot. *Importantly*, I cross my arms and rest them on the ‘shelf’ of my abdominal wall, which is the midriff area right below breast-line. And strongly pulled up into WW posture. When that gets tiring, I place the other foot in front. Next, I come back to feet parallel. I rotate between these three standing positions whenever my body tells me to shift.

My sewing and ironing room has a cement/tile floor and my back always aches after spending hours working there. This is just part of my life and I nurse myself back to health by going to bed early, getting up in the morning and opening my spine with my favorite WW mat program.

I think this is the best we can do!

Christine

kiko

May 22, 2014 - 9:39pm

Thank you to you both. I was feeling quite concerned that maybe my back is weak or damaged so it's a relief to read these reassuring responses. I hadn't even thought of trying ballet positions or turned out hips.

Surviving, it was last night. I'm aching a little today, yes. More tight than sore. Lying down helps so I think it's an early night for me.

Surviving60

May 23, 2014 - 4:48am

Don't worry, you will be fine. You are young and you will bounce back fast. i am dealing with a major setback myself right now, and I realize I'm going to have to tweak my routine for awhile at least. I have had a painful knee for the last couple of weeks. It feels like I twisted it, though I have no recollection. It hurts when any weight is applied. I feel like if I could just stay off it for awhile, it would heal, but that is completely impossible. So I am chalking it up to how slowly even the smallest things heal as you age - I am starting to see this more and more.

Anyway, not only does this throw my nightly walk about the window for awhile, but it is interfering with my normal gait, and compensating for the knee is causing a tightness in parts of my belly at times. My 'celes have been worse, and it's really quite awesome to see the connection for myself! Just another WW epiphany to add to so many others I've had over these 4 years. My solution will have to be more firebreathing and more floor work to keep everything long and strong (but the latter is something I rarely have enough time to do).

There are so many little moves that Christine teaches us to keep all these connected parts of ourselves working hand in hand all day long. When conditions are not ideal, there is always something we can do to help ourselves in the moment. Me with my knee, you on your feet for hours on end.......hope you're feeling better now and that if something like this ever comes up again, you can face it without worry. - Surviving

Christine

May 23, 2014 - 11:21am

Sorry to hear of this bump in the road, dear Surviving! My knee was bothering me several weeks ago, but I worked it out slowly and carefully. I think the little mat program is quite helpful for wonky knees. Please keep us posted!

Aging gracefully

May 23, 2014 - 6:49pm

Wishing you the best, surviving! And, that you heal fast. I remember when my knee went out on me and can relate to not being able to do my walks. Was so frustrating!
Just wanted to add my support for a quick recovery for you!

Surviving60

May 24, 2014 - 5:16am

Thanks CK and AG. My progress seems to be 2 steps forward and 1 step back, and I'll settle for that. At my age one starts to think that every new ache and pain is forever. I had a shoulder thing going on for awhile, and over a very long period of time, it got better, but never totally went away. So I find myself wondering if this will be the same. I'm babying it, discovering what it likes and doesn't like (it hates any remotely twisty move, it likes to be kept "soft" and not locked). As with everything else I do these days, WW teachings keep me centered and listening to what the old bod has to say. - Surviving

kiko

May 25, 2014 - 1:48am

Ah, well my back is doing better than your knee, Surviving - sorry you're a bit laid up by that. Not being able to take a walk is frustrating, so sending positive vibes that you'll be walking in the fresh air again soon. I'm pleased to report that my back is all better.

I was leafing through the Hips book this morning and found the illustration of a woman in perfect posture. Next to it was the instruction to stand in turnout if you were standing for a while with one foot in front of the other and to change feet as required. Funny how I'd never noticed that before - I'd have had a much more comfortable night out if I'd absorbed that beforehand.

Surviving60

May 25, 2014 - 7:03am

Kiko, the early part of the Dictionary of Movements on the FAFP DVD is a great thing to review, for help with hip turnout and different foot positions that would come in quite handy in a situation where you have to stand for long periods. Sometimes when I haven't watched this for awhile, I do so and I remember little tips that I may have forgotten. Just watched it again - So helpful. Glad you are better. - Surviving