Unlock your jaw....

    A lot of people experience neck pain, jaw pain, tooth pain, headaches and TMJ dysfunction. The pain can become debilitating and incapacitating, resulting in a diminished quality of life. However, the cause may be as simple as holding excess tension in your face and jaw, and can be easily corrected. How? Try this simple but highly effective movement exploration based on The Feldenkrais Method(R).

    1) Lie on the floor on your back with your knees bent or your legs straight, whichever is more comfortable. In the spirit of making yourself comfortable, you may need to support your head with a folded towel. Don't use a pillow, it is too soft to provide your nervous system with the appropriate feedback (proprioception). Bring your attention to your face, neck and jaw. Does your neck feel tight? Does your mouth and the muscles of your face feel tense? Are your teeth touching?  Don't try to change or "fix" anything, and don't place any judgement on what you are sensing. Just be aware.

    2) Slowly begin to open and close your mouth. Don't open all the way; just make the movement small, smooth, soft and easy. Do not bring your teeth together as you close. Get comfortable with the sensation of your mouth being closed without having your teeth together. Take a brief rest. Continue the gentle movement of opening and closing your mouth in a smooth, continuous, rhythmical way. Stop and rest.

   3) Slightly  open your mouth and gently take your lower jaw a little to the left. Again, slowly and rhythmically  open and close your mouth without allowing your teeth to come together. Pay attention to the joint of your jaw, which is located just in front of the opening of your ear. How can you make this simple little movement more smooth and easy? If you hear a clicking of your jaw, or you experience and pain or discomfort, make smaller and smaller movements until you find a range of movement that is comfortable for you.  Stop and rest.

   4)  Again, open your mouth slightly, take your lower jaw a little to the right and continue the gentle opening and closing of your mouth in a comfortable range of movement. You may want to take a moment to compare the 2 sides of your jaw and how they move. Do they move differently? Again, not to judge, but just to pay attention. Stop and rest.

    5) One last time, return to just opening and closing your jaw as you did at the beginning of this movement exploration. How does it feel now? How is it different than when you first began? Stop. Bring your attention to your face, neck and jaw. How does your neck feel now? What about your mouth and the tension in your face? Are your teeth touching?  Stop.

    Often times our aches and pains are a result of simply holding excess tension in our muscles and joints. After a period of time, these faulty movement patterns can result in excruciating pain, joint dysfunction and joint destruction. This simple movement exploration will help you unlock your jaw, relax your neck and shoulders, and can be done anytime you're feeling stressed. It can also help you fall asleep more easily if you have occasional insomnia. Discover The Feldenkrais Method(R) and learn how to decrease aches and pains, improve the quality of your movement and the quality of your life!

Be healthy!
Cheryl Ilov, PT, GCFP

Balance, perturbations, and neuroplasticity....

    A lot of people are concerned about losing their balance and have a fear of falling. So, what can we do to  improve our balance? Let's start with some basic exercises in standing.

    1) Single leg standing:

       Stand in front of a counter top or other stable surface. Gently place your hands on the counter top for safety. Lift one foot off of the floor so you are standing on one leg. Don't rest the lifted leg on the standing leg, just let hang relaxed in the air. You can lift your hands off of the counter, but it's there if you need it to steady yourself. See if you can balance on one leg for 30-60 seconds.You may feel your ankle or hip wobble a bit, but that's fine....you are actually training the nerve endings (proprioceptors) in your feet, ankles, knees and hips how to adjust to maintain your balance. Don't look down at the floor; instead, keep your head up and look staight ahead.  Hold for 30-60 seconds. Stop. Repeat on the other leg.

    2) Progressing single leg standing:
    
         Once you are able to maintain your balance on one leg for a duration of 30-60 seconds and it feels easy, place a small pillow under your standing foot. This adds a "perturbation" into the challenge of balance, because now your standing surface is less stable. As a result, the nerve endings have to work harder to adjust to the changing environment (neuroplasticity). Hold for 30-60 seconds. Stop. Repeat on the other leg. Once this is easy, add another pillow under the standing (supporting) leg. This further decreases the stability of your standing surfaces and gives more information to your nervous system about balance.

    3) Adding more perturbations:

        If you choose to further challenge your balance, you will need a partner. Stand with both feet on the floor and have your partner gently push you. Be nice to each other! The purpose is not to knock each other over, but to gently perturb your partner's standing balance. Try pushing from different angles and directions. This gives your partner different messages into their nervous system for the purpose further challenging and fine tuning their sense of balance.

    If you currently have balance issues, a neurological condition, a history of falls or osteoporosis, don't attempt these exercises. Consult with a licensed physical therapist or Certified Feldenkrais(R) Practitioner for assistance.  

    Here is Giovanni practicing his balance, perturbations and neuroplasticity while his buddy Bruno offers encouragement. Giovanni was unable to stand or walk after being diagnosed with a neurological disorder. After 6 weeks of balance training, Giovanni was standing, walking, running and even jumping on the bed, much to his delight!

Be healthy!