Daily Maestroism

DM #360

Thursday, May 18th, 2017

DM #360: Just because something “feels” tight doesn't mean it's actually physiologically restricted.
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All too often I have folks coming in complaining about their tight necks and tight hips, only to have me assess them and find that they have full passive mobility, and what they are in fact feeling is either reflexive tone. Why are they feeling that? Because their nervous system is doing whatever it takes to make them stable and safe. Easiest way to do that? Lock things down, “tighten” things up, and take away mobility.
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There are different types of mobility restrictions, with the main 3 being soft tissue tone, soft tissue adhesions, and joint restrictions. When someone cannot perform a movement or they say they feel tightness when they perform a movement, we cannot assume that they have true soft tissue adhesions (scarring and an inability for that tissue to slide past itself) or boney restrictions. Most of the time what we're dealing with is soft tissue TONE (dictated by the nervous system) which is creating a perception of tightness. That tissue may feel tight, but it is not adhered or scared down. How do you know the difference? Get assessed. Why? Because we treat these things differently.
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That pinch in your hip could be because your hi capsule is truly tight and you have boney overgrowth, or it could be because your ankle mobility sucks and/or your core stability sucks so that's where your body is trying to find stability. All the banded hip mobilizations in the world aren't going to make you feel better. Your perception of pinching does not indication physiological restriction there…it means that you need to get in and get assessed.
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So, take home message? Get in and get assessed. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
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