The Body Mechanics Talk

Before starting weight lifting with an individual, I like to give them a body mechanics talk. Doing an exercise correctly is important for not putting added stress on your joints. Most people that have pain in their joints while doing exercise have that pain because they are doing the exercise incorrectly. And, if you are doing the exercise incorrectly you are not getting the maximum benefit from your workout.

Our bodies are a kinect chain - what happens at one joint will effect the joint above and below it. Also, our body adapts to the specific demands we put on it each day. Over time, our muscles become weak, or tight, based on the position we put them in each day. Because of this, when we put added stress on our bodies with weight training, our bodies tend to "cheat" and move into those positions that we feel most comfortable in, which just aids in the muscle imbalance we already have. It feels "normal" to us, so we do not even notice. However, over time, if we continue to put even more stress on those muscles and joints, they can become injured.

I like to divide my body mechanics talk into sections. I will start off with the upper body. Imagine someone sitting at a desk all day. After 8 hours at the desk their shoulders starts to round forward and elevate toward their ears, their head comes forward, and this is evident as they get up and walk around. Their body adapts to the position they were in at work.

This posture can lead to rotator cuff injuries, impingement, shoulder instability, biceps tendonitis, thoracic outlet syndrome, and you can even develop headaches.

With this position, the muscles that are typically shortened, or tight are: Pectoralis major, Pectoralis minor, levator scapulae, teres minor, upper trapezius, anterior deltoid, subscapularis, latissimus dorsi, teres major, sternocelidomastoid, rescuts capitus, and scalenes. The muscles that are typically lengthened, or weak are: rhomboids, lower trapezius, serratus anterior, posterior deltoid, teres minor (yes, it can be strong or weak), infraspinatous, and longus coli/capitus.

So, those muscles may not mean a lot to you, but in essence, to correct this you would stretch the muscles that are shortened (those in the front) and strengthen the muscles that are lengthened (those in back).

If you have a forward head here are some stretches that are good to do:

Levator Scapulae Stretch: 

While sitting or standing rotate your head 45 degrees and look down toward the ground, past your armpit. Put your opposite hand behind your back to intensify the stretch. Hold for 25-30 seconds. Repeat on other side.

Sternocleidomastoid Stretch:

Bring your left ear towards your shoulder about 45 degrees be sure you are still looking forward. Now turn your head so that your nose is pointing towards the ceiling about a 45 degree angle. Your eyes should be focused up towards the ceiling. Hold for 25-30 seconds. You can bring your right hand down and reach towards the floor to get more of a stretch. Repeat on other side.

Scalene Stretch:

Hold one hand behind your back with the other while standing up. Start holding your left hand with your right. Drop your left shoulder, and tilt your head to the right. Roll your head backwards, slowly, until you feel the stretch. Hold for 25-30 seconds. Repeat on other side.

To strengthen weak muscles found in a forward head position perform this exercise:

Chin Tuck:

Sit up straight in a chair. Sit to the front, not against the back of the chair. Sitting up will help you to strengthen the muscles you need for good posture. Think of lifting the crown of you head to the ceiling. Be careful not to tip the head back. Your chin should be parallel to the floor. Without tipping the head in any direction, pull your chin and head straight back. You will feel a stretch in the back of your neck. Hold for 25-30 seconds. Repeat on other side.

*So, whenever you are doing strengthening exercises, you want to make sure you maintain good posture by keeping your head in a neutral position during all exercises and not having a forward head position.

If you have rounded or elevated shoulders here are some good stretches for you to do:

Upper Trapezius Stretch: 

Seated upright with your head in a neutral position, place your right arm behind your back. Slowly tilt your head on the left side and lower your chin as far as you can until you feel a stretch on the right side of your neck. Hold the stretch for 25-30 seconds. Repeat on opposite side.

Sternocleidomastoid Stretch: Shown above

Levator Scapulae Stretch: Shown above

To strengthen weak muscles found in rounded and/or elevated shoulders perform these exercises:


Prone Andrew:

Lie on your stomach, with your head supported on a towel if desired. While keeping your head neutral and your legs relaxed slowly pinch your shoulder blades together, causing your shoulders to raise up toward the ceiling while pushing your fingertips toward your toes. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 15 times. When beginning, you can keep your hands rested on the floor. To increase intensity, raise your hands off the floor, and to increase intensity more add light hand weights.

Floor Cobra:

 

Lie face down on the floor with your arms beside your hips and your palms facing up.Activate your core muscles by drawing your abdominals toward your spine and squeezing your gluteals. Slowly exhale and lift your chest off the floor and your arms up and backward toward your hips. Rotate your thumbs toward the ceiling as you carry out the movement. Pause at the top of the movement for two seconds. Repeat 15 times. 

Ball Cobra:

Lie on the ball with the ball positioned at your hips. While pinching your shoulder blades together, lift your arms toward the ceiling, thumbs toward the ceiling, and slowly raise your chest off the ball. Hold this position for 3-5 seconds. Relax and repeat 15 times.

*So, whenever you are doing strengthening exercises you want to make sure you keep your shoulders back and down and pinch those shoulder blades together without elevating or rounding your shoulders. 

Next, is the back, pelvis, and hip. Our body has a natural curve to the spine. In the cervical (upper) spine we have a slight lordodic curve, then in the thoracic (mid) spine it moves to a kyphotic curve, and the lumbar (lower) spine it goes back into a deeper lordodic curve. These curves are natural in our body, but we increase the curve in our spine in can lead to problems. Think of a pregnant lady. With the added weight in the front of her body, her pelvis often rotated forward (anterior pelvic tilt), thus increasing lumbar lordosis.   

This posture can lead to bulging discs, low back pain, hamstring strains, and anterior knee pain.

With this position, the muscles that are typically shortened, or tight are: Iliopsoas, rectus femoris, tensor fascia latae, adductors, erector spinae, gastrocnemius, and soleus. The muscles that are typically lengthened, or weak are: gluteus maximus, hamstrings, gluteus medius, transverse abdominus, multifidus, internal oblique, anterior tibialis, and posterior tibialis.

Again, these muscle names may not mean a lot to you, but in essence you need to strengthen your lumbar spine stabilizers to maintain a neutral spine.

If you have increased lumbar lordosis and an anterior pelvic tilt here are some good stretches to do:

Prayer Stretch:

Round your back as if you were a cat stretching and sit back on your heels.Once in this position, walk your fingers out and lower your head to feel the stretch.Hold a mild stretch for 25-30 seconds

Lattisimus Dorsi Stretch:

Stand tall with your back straight and your hands above your head. Gently lean to one side until you feel a mild to moderate stretch in the side of your upper back and shoulder. Hold for 25-30 seconds and then return to the starting position. Repeat on opposite side. 

Hip Flexor Stretch:

 Kneel on your right knee, cushioning your kneecap with a folded towel if desired. Place your left foot in front of you, bending your knee.Place your right hand on your right hip to avoid bending at the waist. Keep your back straight and abdominal muscles tight.Lean forward, shifting more body weight onto your front leg. You'll feel a stretch in your right thigh. Hold for 25-30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat.

Ball Abdominal Stretch:

Lie face up on exercise ball with legs bent, knees over ankles. Rest head, back and hips on ball. Bend arms with palms touching in a prayer position. Slowly extend bent arms overhead. Drop the hips and roll forward on the ball for more of an upper abdominal stretch. Roll back over the ball for more of a lower abdominal stretch. Hold for 25-30 seconds.

To strengthen weak muscles found in an anterior pelvic tilt with increased lumbar lordosis perform these exercises:

Transverse Abdominis Activation Towel Exercise:

Lie on your back with your legs bent. Place a towel under the curve in your lumbar back. Have another person grab and pull on the towel, first lightly then with increased intensity to increase difficulty as needed. Contract your abdominal (transverse abdominis) muscles to prevent the towel from moving.Hold contraction for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 15 times.

Posterior Pelvic Tilt:

The pelvic tilt exercise helps the individual find and maintain their "neutral spine" - a position in which the back is stabilized and less prone to injury. Lie on your back with knees bent and arms at side. Tighten your abdominal muscles and slightly squeeze the buttocks in order to press the small of the lower back into the floor and tilt the pelvis into a "neutral" position. Hold this position for 5 seconds.Repeat 15 times.

Floor Bridge:

Lie on your back, with legs bent, feet flat on the floor, and feet hip width apart. Relax your head and shoulders as you lift your hips up, forming a straight line from your shoulder to your hips to your knees, and hold for 5 seconds. Make sure to stay on the heels of your feet and squeeze your gluteal (butt) muscles throughout movement. Slowly lower hips, still contracting your gluteal muscles, without touching the ground and repeat 15 times. Make sure to keep stomach tight throughout range of motion as well.

Ball Bridge:

Lie on your back and bend your knees, placing your feet on the ball. Contract your abs and slowly roll your spine off the floor while pressing the feet into the ball. Bring your hips up until your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your hips to your knees. Hold for 5 seconds and then slowly roll back down, continuing to contract your gluteal muscles. Repeat for 8-10 reps.

*So, whenever you are doing straightening exercises, make sure that maintain good posture by staying in pelvic neutral and not having an anterior pelvic tilt and increased lordosis.

Lastly, is the lower body. Imagine someone's gait, or the way that they walk. Imagine watching someone walking with flat feet, or their feet facing either out or in. Imagine their knees coming in (or out) as they are walking. When squatting or picking things up, their heels come off the ground and their knees go over their toes.

This can lead to plantar fasciitis, posterior tibialis tendonitis (shin splints), anterior knee pain, and low back pain.

With this position the muscles that are typically shortened, or tight, are: Peroneals, Gastrocnemius, Soleus, Iliotibial Band, Hamstrings, Adductors, and Iliopsoas. The muscles that are typically lengthened, or weak, are: Posterior Tibialis, Flexor Digitorum Longus, Flexor Hallicus Longus, Anterior Tibialis. Posterior Tibialis, Vastus Medialis, Gluteus Maximus, and Gluteus Medius.

Again, these muscles may not mean a lot to you, but in essence the outside and back of your legs get tight while the inside and front of your legs get weak.

In order to understand the proper positioning of the lower body, I like to have individuals perform a ball wall squat.

A lot of times when performing a squat people feel like they are going to fall backward and so they automatically lean forward on their toes. Once your toes go over your knees you put more stress on your knee joint. The ball helps provide balance so that your feel supported. Place the ball toward your low back. Put your feet about 2 feet in front of you, feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed straight ahead. Push back into the ball, maintaining an upright torso, and slowly lower until your reach a 90 degree angle, making sure that your knees do not go over your toes. Going past 90 degrees can also put more stress on your knee, particularly your ACL, so 90 degrees is perfect. If you have pain before reaching 90 degrees, just go as far as you can go down in a pain free motion. Slight discomfort is okay, pain is not. Through your heels, push your body back up to a standing position and repeat 15 times. Make sure that your knees stay in line with your feet and do not deviate in or out. This also put more stress on your knee, particularly your MCL and LCL. You should feel this exercise in your quadriceps and gluteal muscles, not in your knees. Check the position of your toes and knees regularly to make sure the toes stay pointed forward, your knees do not go over your toes, and your knees stay in line with your feet. This is the position you want to be in when performing any squat or lunging exercises.

If you do find that you have excessive or increased foot pronation (flat feet), your knee collapses in (knock-kneed) during functional movements (squats, lunges, step-ups), and/or your heel comes off the ground during squatting movements here are some good stretches to do:


Peroneal Stretch:

The peroneal muscles run down the outside of the lower leg. Sit in a chair with one ankle resting on the other knee.With your hands, point the foot (plantarflex) and turn the sole of the foot upwards (invert).Hold for between 25 to 30 seconds. Repeat on other side.

Calf Stretch:

 

Stand with one leg in front of the other, with both feet pointed forward. Place hands on a wall or similar for support. Keep front knee bent. Push your hips forward, while pressing your back heel to ground, feeling a stretch in the back of your back leg. Hold the stretch 25-30 seconds. Repeat on other side. 

Soleus Stretch:

The soleus stretch is the same as the calf stretch, but you will bend the knee of your back leg. Hold for 25-30 seconds. Repeat on other side.

Hamstring Stretch:

Place your right leg forward and bring your toe up toward the sealing. Keeping a straight back, bend at the waist slowly until you feel a stretch in the back of your right upper leg. Hold this position for 25-30 seconds. Repeat on opposite side.

Standing TFL Stretch:

	Stand with your left side arms length from the wall.  Place your left hand against the wall and cross your left leg in front of your right leg with your foot turned on it's left side. Slowly lean your left hip toward the wall by bending your left elbow and by bending your right knee in front of your left knee until you feel a moderate stretch on the left side of your hip, while keeping your left leg straight. Hold for 25-30 seconds. Repeat on other side.

And, here are some good strengthening exercises to do:

Single-Leg Balance Reach:

 

Place an object on the floor about 2-3 feet in front and to the left of your left foot.Balance on your left foot; raise your right foot off the ground.Slowly bend your left knee and lower your torso.Reach forward with your right hand and touch the object.Maintain your balance by extending your right leg slightly.Touch the object, pause, and return to the start position. Maintain a slow and controlled movement throughout the exercise.Repeat the exercise 15 times. Switch feet and repeat on the other side.

Single-Leg Squat:

 

Stand on one leg with foot pointing straight ahead and knee slightly bent. Keep your weight centered over the ball of the foot.Keep your upper body erect with your head facing forward.Keeping the knee centered over the ball of the foot, lower into a squat position. Hold for 3-5 seconds then slowly raise. Do 15 times. Repeat on other side.

Single-Leg Medial Calf Raise:

Stand 6 -12" away from a wall with your feet hip-width apart and toes facing forward. Place your hands on the wall, shoulder height. Slowly rise up on to your toes, lifting your heels off the floor. Keep your knees straight. Do not allow the feet to rotate. Use your hands on the wall to support your balance if needed. Hold the raised position for 3-5 seconds. Slowly lower your heels back toward the floor. Do 15-20 times. Repeat on other side.


*So, whenever you are doing strengthening exercises, maintain good positioning by making sure your feet are straight ahead, your knees stay above your feet, and your knees do not go past your toes.

These are basic principles to follow when doing exercises and important to know and understand. They will help decrease the risk of injury and help your work-outs, as well as your daily activities to be more productive and pain free.